I really love miniature engines, there is just something so fascinating about seeing a tiny thing work just like a standard engine would. The Tinkerbell engine is one of my favourites, i mean if you don't smile when looking at this thing you haven't got a heart.
That giggle when Lawrie blew the first whistle 👌 He gets to do this all the time, yet he still reacts how I would if I ever got to blow a steam whistle.
@@lmm my friend owns a portable steam engine his engine fire is firewood. back in 2019 he let me blow the whistle which made a wonderful sound. by the way what kind of steam oil where you oiling up the moving parts? it wasn't universal steam oil made by Morris oils by chance
"Also Darling I can't find the cooking pot lid" "No I haven't seen it dear, just give me a few minutes and I will help you out, I am just putting the smokebox door on my loco"
miniature locomotive engineering is really about opportunistic use of whatever materials you can find. While it's all fun and games making stuff for your engine, if you have to buy everything as raw stock you'll go broke long before you finish the engine. Lots of it is about finding decent enough material in your local scrappers yard. So if you find some nice knife handles that'll work as your control lever, why not use them? (Just don't let the missus find out ;)
It's a very "british" style locomotive isn't it? just a bunch of random odds and ends jammed together. If you don't believe me, look at how at least half of the SOE's gear got made during WWII...
[Former MVR driver] We routinely change the water on the small engines to reduce priming. I suspect Tink was left empty as it's not routinely used. Normally, when filling the boiler, you would continue cleaning out the smokebox and other tasks, before panicking when you realise you've over filled the boiler! EDIT: Also, my regular engine used to be Hartfield (tank engine with a roof). I can confirm, on hot days, you cooked! It was a lot more spacious and comfortable day to day than Tink though. On wet days, there wasn't anything to stop a stream of water from the wheels being squirted into the cab, so you ended up with soaked feet and generally soaked through. Sad to have left the railway behind, but needs must.
Oh that makes sense! Much easier to multitask when you're not filming! It's an amazingly route. Yes, I bet! Tink was lovely on the day I had it, in the rain it must be awful!
@@lmm Yeah, I remember a few pretty awful days at MVR in the rain. I've had worse at KWVR to be fair though. But yeah, I think you've captured the heart of the line for me - it's a fully grown railway, just smaller. But it's a mainline, not a branch line like our heritage railways and as such, captures something those lines could never portray. When you've got a gala day with a train ever 3 1/2 minutes, it's genuinely capturing the spirit of somewhere like Clapham or Waterloo during the height of steam.
'Miniatures' really do surprise in their performance. I was born and brought up within spitting distance of the Leyland Model Engineers base at Worden Park and watched it evolve from the early 60's to today and owning a loco myself. Not the lightest 70 yr old around but my 3 1/2" 0-4-0 Large boilered 'Titch' some times performs way beyond what you'd think it should!! Keep up the good work..🚂🚃👍😀🇬🇧
This railway is my childhood. I vividly recall going on the train, going to the massive terminal hub and then getting off to go home after playing in the adventure playground. Ice cream was a very big requirement
Excellent. I once drove a Tinkerbell around Moors Valley with no train behind and I had to keep stopping to build up pressure. It was embarrassing. But no train meant no exhaust to pull the fire so it kept dying
Fantastic video Laurie. You nearly brought a tear to my eye. By the way the handbrake wheel used to open sky lights at Rolls Royce Coventry and the knob on the smoke box door was cut from a MTB engine room telegraph that my Father was contracted to make in WW2. When first started I was a skinny nine stone six foot tall. A few months later when Tink was completed I weighed 15 stone. Keep up the good work.
I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I love where the other components came from too. It really is a great little machine, you must be so proud of it and the impact it's had!
This has to be one of the most british engines I've ever seen: No, not in proportions, style, or all that. In a "Oh let's find all these spare parts and throw them together (presumably) in a garden shed somewhere," Kind of way
33:08, that point. That understanding of the appeal of a miniature engine. I feel that too, and it is rather easy to explain these days for me too. With a standard gauge, or even just a narrow gauge engine, you stand in front of it, in all its steaming glory, and you have that craving, that desire to own one yourself, but that small, nagging voice at the back of your head keeps whispering "Where do you get the money for it? Where would you store it, run it, service it?". But a miniature engine? A 7 1/4 inch loco, like little Tinkerbell here? That voice is silent. No, not silent, it is agreeing! "Yes, that would fit. You can store it, you can repair it, you can run it, and even if you don't have the space at your own home, you can put her on a trailer and drive where there is space for her!", and that appeal, that knowing, that you can actually have such an engine and use her as well, that is what drove me to order a 7 1/4 inch locomotive myself. For I have no shops to build one, but I could maintain her if I had one. And soon, I will. And that, is the beauty of such miniature steam. That even those who wish for their own engine, their own, true railway, but lack the funds/estate/other means to do so, can reach that epidome of this hobby after all, is something that everyone can reach after all. And with that, comes the beauty, joy, and happiness, of sharing the joy, when you drive around the line you are at, a train of passengers behind that enjoy it just as much as you do.
What a lovely soft sound it makes, and as you say, it's great to experience it being worked hard as well. Those coaches are delightful too, if a little bit confusing when you see the size of a real human in them.
Ah, Tinkerbell, the grand dame of 7 & 1/4 inch gauge. If I ever get the machinery, I'd very much like to build an engine like her. A lot of the design philosophy to build her just makes it easier all 'round to build a locomotive using off the shelf parts instead of having to machine them, also makes for an engine that's designed to go work all day instead of being a scale model. Ball valve for a regulator, roller bearings instead of plain ones, car piston rings for the cylinders, a marine boiler and firebox to eliminate the need for staybolts, etc. I'd be sorely wishing I could take 'er or one like her home with me!
My 18th birthday was a driver experience day with Talos, all my mates behind me on the carriages. Was the best birthday EVER - a few years late am now building my own 7 1/4" loco.
One of the best times I've had driving was when I was part of a 7.25" gauge society. They had a Tinkerbell with "massive" cylinders and it could pull 8 loaded coaches, uphill, at a little under 50% regulator and at about 15% cut off, without breaking a sweat. I miss it loads!
That sound is magic, my 5" loco is out of commission at the moment while I re-fit the injector but listening to tinkerbell chuffing around that track makes me want to go out and drive
Really enjoyed this video, love that my favourite miniature railway has been featured. The locos there all have their own personalities just from looks alone.
If you like Tinkerbell you might be interested in a 7 1/4 gauge Thomas II (or Thomas 2). They are stronger, have more tractive effort and are properly built for hauling long heavy passenger trains! There is one at the Beer Heights Light Railway (Pecorama) which is only down the road from the Moors Valley although the Thomas II they have was built to look like a Quarry Hunslet.
Brilliant Lawrie, Great video on a fantastic 7 1/4" gauge loco. I'm in the early stages of building my own variant of Tinkerbell, which I'm documenting the building of on my own RUclips channel. I'm building mine with a normal locomotive boiler, me and marine boilers don't mix 😂. I knew you'd cook your knees, glad you enjoyed it. All the best, Matt.
I would love to have this gauge train on a large property. I personally would want to make it practical like having tracks go around the whole property and build the tracks like giant model train tracks so changing or adding rail would be easy.
I would say that it is probably my "local" railway. Some lovely little, and not so little locos on that line, the galas are a grand day out! Surprised you chose Tinkerbell to film given some of the others, but excellent none the less.
See, trundling along in a proper little narrow-guage-style 0-4-0 or 0-4-2 that I can actually sit IN seems a lot more appealing to me than being hunched over the top of the "cab" of a scale model that you have to straddle - like what is the case with so many 7.5" and 7.25" gauge locomotives.
Tinkerbell reminds me of 'The Bug' from the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, only on a gauge that's just under half the size of Romney's and without a tender. Incidentally 'The Bug' is also the name of a Dire Straits song.
I'm always amazed how stable something so heavy can be on such a small gauge track. It seems like the moment you lean to look past the funnel it should all topple over.
Dam this brings back memories. 7 1/4 inch loco's can be really good fun if you know what you are doing with them. The only few things I had to do different was to clean the tubes after the end of the day with having the boiler warm or hot. Depending on how often the loco is driven we kept the boiler full at the end of the day.
If its going out again they'll keep it full. If it's being put away for a bit it's drained. I'm a big fan of letting it cool down before doing something like that.
Thank you for a very nice video Lawrie, it certainly brings back memories ! I got the drawings and castings for my Tinkerbell from Roger Marsh at his Hinckley Brittania workshops, he was working on a batch of gauge 1 locomotives at the time, a good 40 years ago. When I drove my loaded old Opel Kadett of the ferry ramp in Hook of Holland it made a loud 'thump', waking up the customs officer (!) Good thing I had an invoice labeled 'scrap iron" with me. As you know it has a marine-type boiler and I had to show the certificates of the steel components and the grinding work in preperation for welding to the (then state owned) Dutch Boiler Inspectorate. As I was abroad at that time I left the parts and paperwork at my parents house and when two men of the inspectorate showed up they apologized for what they thought was a clerical error, a locomotive boiler pre-weld inspection at a house in a residential area. Those where the days 😊. Couple of years later I was able to visit Jim Haylock while he was still at Tucktonia in Christchurch. Do hope to go to the MVR one day !
I completely agree that these miniature locomotives are more difficult to run than the full size, especially with the smaller locomotives like my 1/8 scale Little Engines American because the firebox is only 4"x5" your always putting water in, chucking wood on the fire, and trying to keep it from slipping on a 2.5% grade. it's wonderful!
This engine is so unusual, I love it. I also love how because it's so small, even though it sounds like an A4 thundering down the ECML, in reality it's going about 10 miles per hour.
@@lmm I know, I can tell. I am just playing along 🙂 Edit: What would be cool, is for a loco like Tinkerbell, to have a removable top. That way you can enjoy the (summer) sun, and sit dry in a downpoor.
does the into mean were getting more little loco episodes? havent seen the videos with those clips, if so im looking forward to it, minimal gauge and running miniature rail like a mainline realy interests me. it kinda feels like itd scratch the itch for those of us who cant buy narrow or standard gauge locos lol.
This is very exciting to see. I worked at MVR for several years! Would be interested to see your thoughts on some of the larger locos. Zeus was probably my favourite to drive.
As you were firing the engine getting steam up I paused to add wood to my stove noting that the firebox of my small woodstove is about 5 times the size of the one for Tinkerbell. Thanks as always for taking us on the ride. I need to see if I can convince the family to visit our local miniature steam RR which has both 15" and I think 7.5" gauge plus another smaller one. Was one of my favorite outings as a kid. The 15" size you ride inside, if the club is offering rides you can ride on the 7.5" gauge. Redwood Valley Railway is the name. Apparently at one time a couple of the engines went visiting your side of the pond somewhere.
@@lmm That would be quite a trip for you but there are lots of heritage rail within a day's drive. Some cute and quaint like Redwood Valley Railway, some full size like Niles Canyon. The distance is not always the issue for me but the time because of traffic. If you ever are on the West Coast of the US let us know. Would be great to see you here.
Good morning Chris, I was CME of the RHDR in Kent when the Redwood Valley locos came over with quite a group of friends, the locos were beautiful and performed magnificently. One thing that sticks in my mind is that it cost more to transport them the 150 miles from the docks in Bristol than it did to ship them from San Francisco via the canal.
@@rogermarsh9806 Glad you got to meet them when they were there. I was amazed when I heard the story. That's a long way to haul a loco for a visit. Makes sense that the last 150 miles costs a lot but that is a huge difference.Must have been a chore to just get them out of the woods, down the hill and over to the docks in Oakland for shipping as I doubt they shipped out of SF as that port is mostly defunct. When was that? I read the article on RHDR months ago now. By coincidence I was passing the RHDR yard yesterday. But the family had no interest in stopping. Maybe when I retire I'll have time to go there and help out and travel around visiting other heritage rail.
@@alwaysbearded1 Hi Chris, I don’t know the exact date they came over but it must have been late eighties as I joined the railway in 1984. The first time they came they brought a 4-4-0 and the following year a 2-6-0. For me the visit was spoilt by some of the younger staff being a bit unhelpful but I don’t think they were too bothered. I sympathise with you over the family not being interested in stopping at the Railway.I was brought up in a family that thought grown ups playing trains was more than little indecent, in fact some members thought that if I was not a paedofile soon would be.
Hello Lawrie from your fellow Suffolk pal Samuel. I like where you're going with covering little engines as their own thing. Really incredible little engines they are those Tinkerbells. I can see the fun in getting to run them. Regards, Samuel Farris.
I learned tos drive steam locos on a Tinkerbell... One owned by Dr Brian Rodgers on his Porter's Hill Railway. Many fond memories of driving these little beasts of a loco
Excellent video, looks like you had good fun. I've always had a soft spot for miniatures and this video makes me think you've picked that up aswell. Everything you said about how it's actually 'proper' and has it's own charm is what I try telling my colleagues ! I recently moonlighted from standard gauge to the 15" Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch and I have to say I think I preferred it ... the scale speeds on something that size was truly immense. You should try and hook yourself up with them for a video !
I'm actually getting a lot of inspiration from this, both from the locomotive itself and from things I could improve on it. I've been thinking about building a 7.5" gauge (which is what we run in most of the US) "Forney" style locomotive, but one critical design factor is that I don't want to have to use an engineer's car. The whole thing (or at least the frame, boiler and drivetrain all in one piece) needs to be able to sit in the back of a Volkswagen Jetta, and having to carry additional rolling stock basically prohibits that.
*Tinkerbell is really Faaast!* It's faster than ALF, faster than your Ruston, faster than Centinel, faster than Hunslet. It is faster than many of standard guage locos that you showed in your Lawrie Goes Loco series.
I didn't care for the look at first but as you went through the provenance of each part I realized it's exactly the sort of locomotive I would build, if I were to ever build a locomotive. I wonder if the high-tech coaling method was developed by some relative of that Bucket woman. "It's bouquet!"
@@lmm It's like a piece of art where the proportions are way off until you look at it from the right perspective, and then it falls into place perfectly. It appears this piece was meant to be viewed from inside the cab.
Welcome to the Tinkerbell club. And a lucky bugger to play on the original. You think that’s top heavy, ask around in the miniature railway cycles or watch some of my clips. Lady Pauline another tinkerbell but quite tall. That’s top heavy.
@@lmm go to the 5 minute mark. And yes, images sitting in that o. The hottest day of the year. I did that several years ago. ruclips.net/video/WFYceDcaNEw/видео.html
Wow! you came to my next of the wood! So many years running round moors valley! There a few other place if you wanted to visit? Swanage railway’s and littledown. Poole park. there one in Wimborne I’m yet to find? There was one in parley cross. as far as I know it no longer there? Rail map online mentions it? Great running around moors valley! Used to be in Christchurch with tucktonia. It was the compensation package given to Mvr after tucktonia closed. I’ve alway wanted to drive a miniature. Must of been aa thrill?
@@lmm I love it down Swanage. Was lucky many time down there! I once got a sneaky ride on the footplate as a kid. I must of been 11/12 at the time? as my folks signed me up for the sygnets. Never got the chance I would have love the opportunity to I been on the foot plate of one of the oldest working tank engine. They only shunted me up to the point and back. Been around the maintenance works! Many childhood trips. Even Christmas specials as a kid. It a very pretty railway. I call a the old locomotives lovely beasts? Go an odd look from the maintenance crew. On my trip around site for a job? Spent some many years make a pilgrimage to Swanage. I loved it. Even camped on corfe castle as a re-enactment show was on? With cries of dragon?! The dragon of Wessex puff the scenic line. Even dropped many a hint of steam going very quickly. 200mph! Eco fuels. Even firing the engines on cow pats? I often nicknamed it the railway of the gods? My first ride there was behind may. One of thier oldest locos. Was there from the time the line only had two stops if memory serves me? The can be contact via fb? I’ve had a love affair with Swanage for some time. I might of be the reason driver experience became a thing? I don’t recall many driver experiences before my 11th/12th birthday. I loved Swanage to be the skunk works of steam? That not down to me. But would be awesome to see? We ever have lost line of the castleman cork screw to consider? If all the lost branches where connected? 100 track miles could be in preservation hands? Would be fabulous to see? If you get the chance to film at Swanage? Do! I loved it and I got to see the flying Scotsman on the turntable! I’ve even been behind tornado! I’ve love the pacific they have there. I’ve Been to many a gala there! They inspired many a dream! Even the old Thomas come to Swanage was great fun! Swanage needs all the help it can get! I’ve been wait since I was a teen to catch a train from my home town. To ride all the way to Swanage with a change a wareham. Maybe we shall see the service running? But as it stand the fight continues? So if you even that way?don’t forget to cry dragon! As the trains roar past?
That loco is quite cute, and is why I love miniature railways. Also, if you ever go back to the US, you should visit the Hesston Steam Museum in Indiana, they have multiple gauges running together. You’d have a field day there.
@@lmm they used to have a pair of tinkerybells at my local miniature railway when I was a child (Brookside Railway in Poynton) the design will always be one of my favs because of that 🙂
Not sure what it is about Miniature steam but it really is something special. not sure if its because its more achievable to own your own steam loco, or the the fact that its cheaper to run xD. You should get your self down to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway near me! One Hell of a Miniature playground! 15 inch Gauge railway spanning 21.7 KM!!!!!!! That would make a cracking vid! all the best!
Hopefully this means in the near future we get a LGlL on the Ravenglass or Romney railway. Also, the Bucket is a very high tech french invention by the looks of it
Weight? Looks like it would tow behind a car? I’m a big fan of narrow gauge Pixie, but you do need a small lorry. And I didn’t know you could go this big in 7 1/4”, I thought is was 10” up for carriages. You defo should get one :o)
@@lmm with a substantial braked trailer that is say 1600kg. That’s the first trailer licence class? (I’m old, so we didn’t have trailer tests. I just did car and artic)
I really love miniature engines, there is just something so fascinating about seeing a tiny thing work just like a standard engine would. The Tinkerbell engine is one of my favourites, i mean if you don't smile when looking at this thing you haven't got a heart.
Couldn't agree more!
I love miniature engines to
That giggle when Lawrie blew the first whistle 👌 He gets to do this all the time, yet he still reacts how I would if I ever got to blow a steam whistle.
Because its awesome!
@@lmm my friend owns a portable steam engine his engine fire is firewood. back in 2019 he let me blow the whistle which made a wonderful sound. by the way what kind of steam oil where you oiling up the moving parts? it wasn't universal steam oil made by Morris oils by chance
Love the controls: "Darling have you seen our steak knives recently?" "Errrmm ... no dear."
"Also Darling I can't find the cooking pot lid"
"No I haven't seen it dear, just give me a few minutes and I will help you out, I am just putting the smokebox door on my loco"
It certainly has that feeling to it!
miniature locomotive engineering is really about opportunistic use of whatever materials you can find. While it's all fun and games making stuff for your engine, if you have to buy everything as raw stock you'll go broke long before you finish the engine. Lots of it is about finding decent enough material in your local scrappers yard. So if you find some nice knife handles that'll work as your control lever, why not use them? (Just don't let the missus find out ;)
@@TheAverageDutchman part of the challenge!
Dawww she's precious! I love the yellow livery, looks sharp. The fact she's a collection of random non-locomotive odds and ends is the best.
It's superb isn't it!
It's a very "british" style locomotive isn't it? just a bunch of random odds and ends jammed together.
If you don't believe me, look at how at least half of the SOE's gear got made during WWII...
Gosh, it looks like a busy day! Those trains are full.
It's very well situated and always seems to be in demand on a nice day
“For something as old as it is, built before the 70’s”. As someone born in 1968, all I have to say is “Wow” 😮! 😂😂
Sorry!
@@lmm nothing to worry about. 😂
@@lmm it’s nice to see a scale locomotive working. 👍
[Former MVR driver] We routinely change the water on the small engines to reduce priming. I suspect Tink was left empty as it's not routinely used. Normally, when filling the boiler, you would continue cleaning out the smokebox and other tasks, before panicking when you realise you've over filled the boiler! EDIT: Also, my regular engine used to be Hartfield (tank engine with a roof). I can confirm, on hot days, you cooked! It was a lot more spacious and comfortable day to day than Tink though. On wet days, there wasn't anything to stop a stream of water from the wheels being squirted into the cab, so you ended up with soaked feet and generally soaked through. Sad to have left the railway behind, but needs must.
Oh that makes sense!
Much easier to multitask when you're not filming!
It's an amazingly route.
Yes, I bet! Tink was lovely on the day I had it, in the rain it must be awful!
@@lmm Yeah, I remember a few pretty awful days at MVR in the rain. I've had worse at KWVR to be fair though. But yeah, I think you've captured the heart of the line for me - it's a fully grown railway, just smaller. But it's a mainline, not a branch line like our heritage railways and as such, captures something those lines could never portray. When you've got a gala day with a train ever 3 1/2 minutes, it's genuinely capturing the spirit of somewhere like Clapham or Waterloo during the height of steam.
@@gwendragon6419 I have to get down for a gala!
@@lmm It's quite something to just watch the trains constantly rolling by!
I love the whole minimal railway concept. They are not models but working small locomotives and trains. They can do a good honest days work too!!
Excatly! Proper little engine
'Miniatures' really do surprise in their performance. I was born and brought up within spitting distance of the Leyland Model Engineers base at Worden Park and watched it evolve from the early 60's to today and owning a loco myself. Not the lightest 70 yr old around but my 3 1/2" 0-4-0 Large boilered 'Titch' some times performs way beyond what you'd think it should!! Keep up the good work..🚂🚃👍😀🇬🇧
Getting a titch to do something is always pretty impressive!
This railway is my childhood. I vividly recall going on the train, going to the massive terminal hub and then getting off to go home after playing in the adventure playground. Ice cream was a very big requirement
Ice cream remains essential!
@@lmm especially screaming through the tunnels
Kingsmere Station cafe has the BEST bourbons
Excellent. I once drove a Tinkerbell around Moors Valley with no train behind and I had to keep stopping to build up pressure. It was embarrassing. But no train meant no exhaust to pull the fire so it kept dying
Fantastic video Laurie. You nearly brought a tear to my eye. By the way the handbrake wheel used to open sky lights at Rolls Royce Coventry and the knob on the smoke box door was cut from a MTB engine room telegraph that my Father was contracted to make in WW2. When first started I was a skinny nine stone six foot tall. A few months later when Tink was completed I weighed 15 stone. Keep up the good work.
I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
I love where the other components came from too. It really is a great little machine, you must be so proud of it and the impact it's had!
This has to be one of the most british engines I've ever seen: No, not in proportions, style, or all that. In a "Oh let's find all these spare parts and throw them together (presumably) in a garden shed somewhere," Kind of way
It's brilliant isn't it. Eccentricity at its finest
It's the steam equivalent of Brian May's guitar.
Tinkerbell’s origin reminds me of Ephiram Shay. It is, essentially; ‘Man DIYs train and revolutionizes specialized railways’.
Pretty much yes
33:08, that point. That understanding of the appeal of a miniature engine. I feel that too, and it is rather easy to explain these days for me too. With a standard gauge, or even just a narrow gauge engine, you stand in front of it, in all its steaming glory, and you have that craving, that desire to own one yourself, but that small, nagging voice at the back of your head keeps whispering "Where do you get the money for it? Where would you store it, run it, service it?". But a miniature engine? A 7 1/4 inch loco, like little Tinkerbell here? That voice is silent. No, not silent, it is agreeing! "Yes, that would fit. You can store it, you can repair it, you can run it, and even if you don't have the space at your own home, you can put her on a trailer and drive where there is space for her!", and that appeal, that knowing, that you can actually have such an engine and use her as well, that is what drove me to order a 7 1/4 inch locomotive myself. For I have no shops to build one, but I could maintain her if I had one. And soon, I will. And that, is the beauty of such miniature steam. That even those who wish for their own engine, their own, true railway, but lack the funds/estate/other means to do so, can reach that epidome of this hobby after all, is something that everyone can reach after all. And with that, comes the beauty, joy, and happiness, of sharing the joy, when you drive around the line you are at, a train of passengers behind that enjoy it just as much as you do.
That's a very dangerous voice!
What a lovely soft sound it makes, and as you say, it's great to experience it being worked hard as well. Those coaches are delightful too, if a little bit confusing when you see the size of a real human in them.
It's a fantastic little set up!
Ah, Tinkerbell, the grand dame of 7 & 1/4 inch gauge. If I ever get the machinery, I'd very much like to build an engine like her.
A lot of the design philosophy to build her just makes it easier all 'round to build a locomotive using off the shelf parts instead of having to machine them, also makes for an engine that's designed to go work all day instead of being a scale model. Ball valve for a regulator, roller bearings instead of plain ones, car piston rings for the cylinders, a marine boiler and firebox to eliminate the need for staybolts, etc.
I'd be sorely wishing I could take 'er or one like her home with me!
Me too. Its a wonderful bit of design!
My 18th birthday was a driver experience day with Talos, all my mates behind me on the carriages. Was the best birthday EVER - a few years late am now building my own 7 1/4" loco.
One of the best times I've had driving was when I was part of a 7.25" gauge society. They had a Tinkerbell with "massive" cylinders and it could pull 8 loaded coaches, uphill, at a little under 50% regulator and at about 15% cut off, without breaking a sweat. I miss it loads!
That sounds awesome!
That sound is magic, my 5" loco is out of commission at the moment while I re-fit the injector but listening to tinkerbell chuffing around that track makes me want to go out and drive
It does sound great!
Really enjoyed this video, love that my favourite miniature railway has been featured. The locos there all have their own personalities just from looks alone.
It's a super place. I look forward to returning!
If you like Tinkerbell you might be interested in a 7 1/4 gauge Thomas II (or Thomas 2). They are stronger, have more tractive effort and are properly built for hauling long heavy passenger trains! There is one at the Beer Heights Light Railway (Pecorama) which is only down the road from the Moors Valley although the Thomas II they have was built to look like a Quarry Hunslet.
I'd certainly be up for trying one!
@@lmm you drove one at Johns!
@@TheSkyWright oh yeah! It was cracking
the sounds of that engine brought back the memory of our visits to the now closed down Dobwalls railway back when I lived in Cornwall
I love my Tinkerbell class Mr Smee. It’s great fun to drive
They're good little engines
@@lmm I have a couple of mods on mine, a proper locomotive boiler and a roof to shelter me from the sun. There’s some videos on here too
Brilliant Lawrie, Great video on a fantastic 7 1/4" gauge loco. I'm in the early stages of building my own variant of Tinkerbell, which I'm documenting the building of on my own RUclips channel. I'm building mine with a normal locomotive boiler, me and marine boilers don't mix 😂. I knew you'd cook your knees, glad you enjoyed it. All the best, Matt.
If I was to have one, I certainly wouldn't have a marine box. I'm not a fan either
I would love to have this gauge train on a large property. I personally would want to make it practical like having tracks go around the whole property and build the tracks like giant model train tracks so changing or adding rail would be easy.
With the miniature guages the groundwork is very important, to keep a good and smooth ride
It's so cute! The turntable is kinda interesting seeing it's like a long block of metal instead of traditional rails
Clever idea though isn't it!
I would say that it is probably my "local" railway. Some lovely little, and not so little locos on that line, the galas are a grand day out! Surprised you chose Tinkerbell to film given some of the others, but excellent none the less.
That's what the Moors Valley Railway suggested. I thought it was a good starting point!
Sapper would be a good choice next time - or William Rufus
@@aoifependry1029 I don’t think either of them are in ticket
Very quirky, glad someone had the idea of it! Glad you enjoyed it!🙏🙏
It's a brilliant little thing
I am genuinely suprised at how well this thing works. It seems to have tons of character, and more power than you'd think!
It was great fun!
See, trundling along in a proper little narrow-guage-style 0-4-0 or 0-4-2 that I can actually sit IN seems a lot more appealing to me than being hunched over the top of the "cab" of a scale model that you have to straddle - like what is the case with so many 7.5" and 7.25" gauge locomotives.
Yes, this is a small locomotive, rather than a model of one. And that makes all the difference
Tinkerbell reminds me of 'The Bug' from the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, only on a gauge that's just under half the size of Romney's and without a tender. Incidentally 'The Bug' is also the name of a Dire Straits song.
They're both tiny!
A charming little engine running on a super track!
It's an amazing set up. I'm excited to return
I'm always amazed how stable something so heavy can be on such a small gauge track. It seems like the moment you lean to look past the funnel it should all topple over.
It's a very different experience when you go to tell off your driver for rudely using up all your steam, and you end up yelling at yourself.
I got very angry at myself
Dam this brings back memories. 7 1/4 inch loco's can be really good fun if you know what you are doing with them. The only few things I had to do different was to clean the tubes after the end of the day with having the boiler warm or hot. Depending on how often the loco is driven we kept the boiler full at the end of the day.
If its going out again they'll keep it full. If it's being put away for a bit it's drained.
I'm a big fan of letting it cool down before doing something like that.
This thing has been built like our car. Bits of this and that, things that work. Flawless!
It's amazing isn't it
17:21 It sounds like someone screaming!
Thank you for a very nice video Lawrie, it certainly brings back memories !
I got the drawings and castings for my Tinkerbell from Roger Marsh at his Hinckley Brittania workshops, he was working on a batch of gauge 1 locomotives at the time, a good 40 years ago. When I drove my loaded old Opel Kadett of the ferry ramp in Hook of Holland it made a loud 'thump', waking up the customs officer (!) Good thing I had an invoice labeled 'scrap iron" with me. As you know it has a marine-type boiler and I had to show the certificates of the steel components and the grinding work in preperation for welding to the (then state owned) Dutch Boiler Inspectorate. As I was abroad at that time I left the parts and paperwork at my parents house and when two men of the inspectorate showed up they apologized for what they thought was a clerical error, a locomotive boiler pre-weld inspection at a house in a residential area. Those where the days 😊.
Couple of years later I was able to visit Jim Haylock while he was still at Tucktonia in Christchurch. Do hope to go to the MVR one day !
Oh that's a great story!
I completely agree that these miniature locomotives are more difficult to run than the full size, especially with the smaller locomotives like my 1/8 scale Little Engines American because the firebox is only 4"x5" your always putting water in, chucking wood on the fire, and trying to keep it from slipping on a 2.5% grade. it's wonderful!
It's much more of a challenge!
That just brought me back to being a kid I swear I had a storybook on Tinkerbell and it was my favourite book I really enjoyed your video
Oh really? Glad you enjoyed the video!
This engine is so unusual, I love it. I also love how because it's so small, even though it sounds like an A4 thundering down the ECML, in reality it's going about 10 miles per hour.
That's sensation of speed workout any is the main excitement!
That's sensation of speed workout any is the main excitement!
Love love love 7/14. Very fortunate to have driven a few at the cvr. SO MUCH FUN !!
They're super little things
Yes!!!! i've been waiting for this video for a while, so happy its out
Hope it was worth the wait!
One of your best videos!, nice to see scamp 049 in the intro, those things are a ton of fun to drive!
Thank you very much!
7:52 I think you're looking for the word "footplate". because it is, in my humble opinion
There was hardly enough room for my feet!
I just enjoyed being silly with it
@@lmm
I know, I can tell. I am just playing along 🙂
Edit: What would be cool, is for a loco like Tinkerbell, to have a removable top.
That way you can enjoy the (summer) sun, and sit dry in a downpoor.
@@basscharenborg6441 : Oh! A canvas folding top, like a convertible car! That would be excellent!
does the into mean were getting more little loco episodes? havent seen the videos with those clips, if so im looking forward to it, minimal gauge and running miniature rail like a mainline realy interests me. it kinda feels like itd scratch the itch for those of us who cant buy narrow or standard gauge locos lol.
Yes indeed. It's a whole new series!
I think it's a beutiful little locomotive, I think it's amazing that it was originally cobbled together from random spare parts.
Absolutely!
This is very exciting to see. I worked at MVR for several years!
Would be interested to see your thoughts on some of the larger locos. Zeus was probably my favourite to drive.
We're discussing what I should drive next!
Love the reference to the " Bouquet " (Bucket) from the British comedy " Keeping Up Appearances ". Another great railway video, thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Incredible video Laurie and at my local railway too! I start volunteering there soon and hopefully I’ll drive tinkerbell! (Id rather Offa though 💪)
It's a great line. If I was local I'd volunteer too
i really enjoyed watching that, i would definatly like to see more of this on the channel
Lots more lined up!
Driven many a mile in Tink, definitely my favourite loco at the MVR
It's a cracking little machine isn't it!
@Lawrie's Mechanical Marvels yep, not everyone likes it as very temperamental and you end up with very hot knees but it's great fun!
Brilliant!
Looking forward to more miniature content
Lots of exciting stuff lined up!
As you were firing the engine getting steam up I paused to add wood to my stove noting that the firebox of my small woodstove is about 5 times the size of the one for Tinkerbell. Thanks as always for taking us on the ride. I need to see if I can convince the family to visit our local miniature steam RR which has both 15" and I think 7.5" gauge plus another smaller one. Was one of my favorite outings as a kid. The 15" size you ride inside, if the club is offering rides you can ride on the 7.5" gauge. Redwood Valley Railway is the name. Apparently at one time a couple of the engines went visiting your side of the pond somewhere.
Oh really? Certainly sounds worth a visit!
@@lmm That would be quite a trip for you but there are lots of heritage rail within a day's drive. Some cute and quaint like Redwood Valley Railway, some full size like Niles Canyon. The distance is not always the issue for me but the time because of traffic. If you ever are on the West Coast of the US let us know. Would be great to see you here.
Good morning Chris, I was CME of the RHDR in Kent when the Redwood Valley locos came over with quite a group of friends, the locos were beautiful and performed magnificently. One thing that sticks in my mind is that it cost more to transport them the 150 miles from the docks in Bristol than it did to ship them from San Francisco via the canal.
@@rogermarsh9806 Glad you got to meet them when they were there. I was amazed when I heard the story. That's a long way to haul a loco for a visit. Makes sense that the last 150 miles costs a lot but that is a huge difference.Must have been a chore to just get them out of the woods, down the hill and over to the docks in Oakland for shipping as I doubt they shipped out of SF as that port is mostly defunct. When was that? I read the article on RHDR months ago now. By coincidence I was passing the RHDR yard yesterday. But the family had no interest in stopping. Maybe when I retire I'll have time to go there and help out and travel around visiting other heritage rail.
@@alwaysbearded1 Hi Chris, I don’t know the exact date they came over but it must have been late eighties as I joined the railway in 1984. The first time they came they brought a 4-4-0 and the following year a 2-6-0. For me the visit was spoilt by some of the younger staff being a bit unhelpful but I don’t think they were too bothered. I sympathise with you over the family not being interested in stopping at the Railway.I was brought up in a family that thought grown ups playing trains was more than little indecent, in fact some members thought that if I was not a paedofile soon would be.
That is a cute little thing. Its a interesting story on how it inspired many other offspring of similar designs.
It's genuinely amazing what it inspired
Tinkerbells are some of my favorite engines. 7-1/4" gauge is very much underrated.
There's alot you can do with it too!
Hello Lawrie from your fellow Suffolk pal Samuel. I like where you're going with covering little engines as their own thing. Really incredible little engines they are those Tinkerbells. I can see the fun in getting to run them. Regards, Samuel Farris.
They're super fun little things!
I've been to the moors valley railway so many times but I never thought Lawrie would go there.
Lots of exciting places we're going with Lawrie Goes a Little Loco
I was thinking of West Moors Station, and of course, it is near Verwood.
You would have loved the tailway at Dobwalls laurie. I had the pleasure to drive the big boy there not long before it closed.
Oh I'm sure I would have!
This is the LMM I’ve been waiting for! I’ve loved Tinkerbells for years but still not see one in the flesh.
Very jealous Lawrie!
It's a super little thing!
Thank you for sharing this video Lawrie!
I've been wishing to drive one of these Tinkerbell-class locos for a driving expereince! Maybe in the future.
I'd do it, they're great fun!
I learned tos drive steam locos on a Tinkerbell... One owned by Dr Brian Rodgers on his Porter's Hill Railway.
Many fond memories of driving these little beasts of a loco
They're great little things aren't they
@@lmm they truly are..I grew up on 7 1/4 inch locos
The little Tinkerbell can pull a decent load too
5:30 "Let me show you the power of Talos Stormcrown!"
i like how she happily chuffs down the track
It's loveley to learn more about these engines! Grew up being really excited to ride on these trains at this track.
It's a pretty exciting railway!
Hi Lawrie! Great Video, I hear you're coming to visit Rocks By Rail in April, can't wait to meet you!
Looking forward to it!
A beautiful bouquet
Wasn't it just 😂
Excellent video, looks like you had good fun.
I've always had a soft spot for miniatures and this video makes me think you've picked that up aswell. Everything you said about how it's actually 'proper' and has it's own charm is what I try telling my colleagues !
I recently moonlighted from standard gauge to the 15" Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch and I have to say I think I preferred it ... the scale speeds on something that size was truly immense. You should try and hook yourself up with them for a video !
I'd love to do something with the RHDR. Mention it and see if they're receptive?
I'm actually getting a lot of inspiration from this, both from the locomotive itself and from things I could improve on it. I've been thinking about building a 7.5" gauge (which is what we run in most of the US) "Forney" style locomotive, but one critical design factor is that I don't want to have to use an engineer's car. The whole thing (or at least the frame, boiler and drivetrain all in one piece) needs to be able to sit in the back of a Volkswagen Jetta, and having to carry additional rolling stock basically prohibits that.
I think you could make a Tinkerbell look like a Forney! It would be a good project!
I also wanna try building one some day
*Tinkerbell is really Faaast!*
It's faster than ALF, faster than your Ruston, faster than Centinel, faster than Hunslet. It is faster than many of standard guage locos that you showed in your Lawrie Goes Loco series.
It feels so fast too!
I didn't care for the look at first but as you went through the provenance of each part I realized it's exactly the sort of locomotive I would build, if I were to ever build a locomotive.
I wonder if the high-tech coaling method was developed by some relative of that Bucket woman. "It's bouquet!"
That's how I felt. On paper, no, in the flesh, yes.
I think it might have been!
@@lmm It's like a piece of art where the proportions are way off until you look at it from the right perspective, and then it falls into place perfectly. It appears this piece was meant to be viewed from inside the cab.
Welcome to the Tinkerbell club. And a lucky bugger to play on the original. You think that’s top heavy, ask around in the miniature railway cycles or watch some of my clips. Lady Pauline another tinkerbell but quite tall. That’s top heavy.
I'll have to have a look!
@@lmm go to the 5 minute mark. And yes, images sitting in that o. The hottest day of the year. I did that several years ago. ruclips.net/video/WFYceDcaNEw/видео.html
I love the little railway your driving on. You can arrange to drive one of there steam engines for the day. Loved it.
Yes you can, well worth doing
@@lmm yes it is.
Tinkerbell is my favourite miniature loco
😊
I think it's mine too
There's something fascinating about miniature engines. Truly magnificent! Will we see more 7¼ inch gauge locos in the future?
We will indeed!
@@lmm Yay!
I did a driving day up there last year on classmate 'Hestia', absolutely tipped it down all day, lovely little things to drive though
They're super little things.
I have been working on a 7 1/4" railway! So this is very interesting video.
Oh really?
@@lmm yes it was, if you ever come to south africa come visit Winelands Light Railway. A full 7 1/4" railway!
@@tmdrm9817 that sounds interesting!
16:55 lawrie: this they tell me, is called a "bucket".
me: dear god... (yes this is a tf2 reference lol)
also omg the whistle is so adorable :O
Wow! you came to my next of the wood! So many years running round moors valley! There a few other place if you wanted to visit? Swanage railway’s and littledown. Poole park. there one in Wimborne I’m yet to find? There was one in parley cross. as far as I know it no longer there? Rail map online mentions it? Great running around moors valley! Used to be in Christchurch with tucktonia. It was the compensation package given to Mvr after tucktonia closed. I’ve alway wanted to drive a miniature. Must of been aa thrill?
I'd love to film at Swanage. That's a really pretty line
@@lmm I love it down Swanage. Was lucky many time down there! I once got a sneaky ride on the footplate as a kid. I must of been 11/12 at the time? as my folks signed me up for the sygnets. Never got the chance I would have love the opportunity to I been on the foot plate of one of the oldest working tank engine. They only shunted me up to the point and back. Been around the maintenance works! Many childhood trips. Even Christmas specials as a kid. It a very pretty railway. I call a the old locomotives lovely beasts? Go an odd look from the maintenance crew. On my trip around site for a job? Spent some many years make a pilgrimage to Swanage. I loved it. Even camped on corfe castle as a re-enactment show was on? With cries of dragon?! The dragon of Wessex puff the scenic line. Even dropped many a hint of steam going very quickly. 200mph! Eco fuels. Even firing the engines on cow pats? I often nicknamed it the railway of the gods? My first ride there was behind may. One of thier oldest locos. Was there from the time the line only had two stops if memory serves me? The can be contact via fb? I’ve had a love affair with Swanage for some time. I might of be the reason driver experience became a thing? I don’t recall many driver experiences before my 11th/12th birthday. I loved Swanage to be the skunk works of steam? That not down to me. But would be awesome to see? We ever have lost line of the castleman cork screw to consider? If all the lost branches where connected? 100 track miles could be in preservation hands? Would be fabulous to see? If you get the chance to film at Swanage? Do! I loved it and I got to see the flying Scotsman on the turntable! I’ve even been behind tornado! I’ve love the pacific they have there. I’ve Been to many a gala there! They inspired many a dream! Even the old Thomas come to Swanage was great fun! Swanage needs all the help it can get! I’ve been wait since I was a teen to catch a train from my home town. To ride all the way to Swanage with a change a wareham. Maybe we shall see the service running? But as it stand the fight continues? So if you even that way?don’t forget to cry dragon! As the trains roar past?
Will we ever seen the Ruston 48 in a video ever again?
Soon! Big news should be on the channel hopefully within the month
@@lmm woo. Tnx for the reply.
I drove Horton on a driver experience course there a good few years ago, I loved it there.
Fantastic place isn't it!
@@lmm it truly is.
That loco is quite cute, and is why I love miniature railways.
Also, if you ever go back to the US, you should visit the Hesston Steam Museum in Indiana, they have multiple gauges running together. You’d have a field day there.
I'm hoping to get next year
@@lmm Also check out the national railroad museum, it's a nice place
Man I do love a Tinkerbell, such a great video Lawrie 👏🏻🙂
It's a cracking engine, glad you enjoyed it
@@lmm they used to have a pair of tinkerybells at my local miniature railway when I was a child (Brookside Railway in Poynton) the design will always be one of my favs because of that 🙂
Not sure what it is about Miniature steam but it really is something special. not sure if its because its more achievable to own your own steam loco, or the the fact that its cheaper to run xD. You should get your self down to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway near me! One Hell of a Miniature playground! 15 inch Gauge railway spanning 21.7 KM!!!!!!! That would make a cracking vid! all the best!
I'd love to get down there!
How long before Lawrie shows up at the shed with one of these? I'd give it a year, tops 😂
lol , i'm imagining a track from Lawries house to the shed
Lol yeah
If I could afford it, I completely would!
Oh wow moors Valley! One of my local 7.25 inch railways. I've also driven this engine
It's a lovely little thing isn't it
@@lmm yes it is indeed! Lovely little loco
Hopefully this means in the near future we get a LGlL on the Ravenglass or Romney railway. Also, the Bucket is a very high tech french invention by the looks of it
I'm working on it!
I know - I think maybe the Bucket will catch on!
It was named Tinkerbell after his dog. Great little engine.
Please do a video at the ravenglass and eskdale railway it's my favourite railway. Also love the channel keep it up
Hey Laurie, I have a crazy idea...
You should get a tinkerbell.
Make a loop of track in the backyard or whatever.
It'd be wicked :D
I'd like one, but I have neither the money or the space currently.
Have you done a video on the RH&DR (Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway)? as it may fit the 'little loco' series
I would love to, but not yet
Cute little engine
See you on Saturday at Doncaster
See you there!
I love this tiny thing . I also like pester pan the movie too . Call back to that . I may build this in Lego someday too
It's a fantastic little thing
I know it is I will be making a Lego version of it in narrow guage so I can take it to see it’s older twin
Weight? Looks like it would tow behind a car? I’m a big fan of narrow gauge Pixie, but you do need a small lorry. And I didn’t know you could go this big in 7 1/4”, I thought is was 10” up for carriages. You defo should get one :o)
I think it's under a tonne empty. So yes, you could!
@@lmm with a substantial braked trailer that is say 1600kg. That’s the first trailer licence class? (I’m old, so we didn’t have trailer tests. I just did car and artic)
Lawrie's Mechanical Marvels😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
I agree!
Omg its so small! Also, love that livery 👍
It looks smart doesn't it
Tune in next week, when Laurie shops for his new loco at Station Road Steam
13:48 How did you light such a big piece of wood with just a lighter? No piece of paper, no dried out grass? What is your lighter made of?