N Gauge Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 07:19:43 PM

Title: The smell of steam
Post by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 07:19:43 PM
OK guys and gals.......

When I was a lad I used to train spot all over the London regions and was addicted to steam engines and .. the smell of oil.. the smell of steam.. the heat from the locos.. the whole steam atmosphere.

I have been interested in model railways for longer than I care to remember, but, have never been able to totally recreate the atmosphere of real steam railways.

So, here's a challenge. How do you get that real steam atmosphere without breaking health and safety rules and invalidating your house insurance.

Bob Austin
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 07:46:32 PM
Personally, I fire up the Hornby OOLS engines !

Nothing like sending an LNER Pacific around the track, chuffing the steam out  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 07:50:47 PM
Quote from: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 07:46:32 PM
Personally, I fire up the Hornby OOLS engines !

Nothing like sending an LNER Pacific around the track, chuffing the steam out  :thumbsup:

Ok.. give us a clue. What is an OOLS engine to the uninitiated?

Bob
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 07:58:00 PM
Quote from: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 07:50:47 PM
Ok.. give us a clue. What is an OOLS engine to the uninitiated?
OO Live Steam - they licensed the technology in the 90s and released a range of A4s and a pair of A3s (using the recently-retired moulds, I believe).  Quite expensive at the time; when they were retiring the range a few years back you could get them for a lot less; pretty much eBay only these days, and the prices tend to be on the daft side !  I think Papyrus has the record, over £700 ...  :thumbsdown:

But you can still pick a Mallard set up for about £300-£350 with patience ...
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: longbridge on April 11, 2014, 08:02:09 PM
I guess having an old oil can in the train room might help but a few sweaty firemans shirts hanging around could be even better :D  failing that an open window and bonfire in the backyard may help.

Like you I grew up with British steam an need a hit of reality.
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 08:20:30 PM
Quote from: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 07:58:00 PM
Quote from: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 07:50:47 PM
Ok.. give us a clue. What is an OOLS engine to the uninitiated?
OO Live Steam - they licensed the technology in the 90s and released a range of A4s and a pair of A3s (using the recently-retired moulds, I believe).  Quite expensive at the time; when they were retiring the range a few years back you could get them for a lot less; pretty much eBay only these days, and the prices tend to be on the daft side !  I think Papyrus has the record, over £700 ...  :thumbsdown:

But you can still pick a Mallard set up for about £300-£350 with patience ...

I guess there's no chance of similar in N gauge!!

Bob
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 08:22:08 PM
Quote from: longbridge on April 11, 2014, 08:02:09 PM
I guess having an old oil can in the train room might help but a few sweaty firemans shirts hanging around could be even better :D  failing that an open window and bonfire in the backyard may help.

Like you I grew up with British steam an need a hit of reality.

Can you get sweaty firemans' shirts on ebay??

Bob
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 08:23:16 PM
LOL !

Well, even if you shrunk the electronics, you have the boiler holding a very small level of water; let alone the steam pipe diameter issue !
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: austinbob on April 11, 2014, 08:31:10 PM
Quote from: MikeDunn on April 11, 2014, 08:23:16 PM
LOL !

Well, even if you shrunk the electronics, you have the boiler holding a very small level of water; let alone the steam pipe diameter issue !

Sounds like a small detail to me... LOL

Bob
Title: Re: The smell of steam
Post by: Caz on April 11, 2014, 08:36:48 PM
I use a Suethe 117 smoke generator filled with coal fired steam perfumed smoke oil in a tunnel that the locos trigger when approaching.

Bought both the perfumed smoke oil and the generator from Peter's Spares, he's on both eBay and has his own website, here's a link to his website but also search on eBay as he has other things on there that are not on his website, http://www.petersspares.com/megasteam-smoke-oils-wtih-smells.irc (http://www.petersspares.com/megasteam-smoke-oils-wtih-smells.irc)

(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/63/thumb_1564.jpg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1564)

And  a video

http://youtu.be/GseHwh30jnY (http://youtu.be/GseHwh30jnY)