Dear Ron,

To add a little to previous posts, I think you will find there are as
many answers to your questions as respondents!

In terms of loco's, what do you want it to do? If you want to haul
several passengers around the track, you will need a bigger and possibly
more complex loco than if you just want it to haul you. Where are you
going to run the loco? If it is at a local model engineering society
track then check that they have 2.5" G track, many don't. Obviously if
you are going to make your own track in the garden then that is not an
issue. One loco to look at is Toby. Plans and castings are available
from the association. You can buy the booklet including the plans very
reasonably and read through the instructions before you commit yourself.
Try and get a copy of 'Simple Locomotive Building - Tich' by LDSC (or as
revised by Martin Evans) the book describes building the 3.5" G Tich but
it does give blow by blow instructions for making each part. There is
also a book 'Foundation Course in Model Engineering' which might help
with basic machining techniques. Get copies of Model Engineer,
especially older ones which you can find quite cheaply and read them.
You will find them packed with ideas, techniques, designs and
experiences - all useful grist to the mill (no pun intended).

As far as the lathe is concerned, go for the largest and most robust you
can fit in the available space! I am sure others will agree that whilst
you may only want to build a small loco now, in a few years your ideas
may well change and you could easily find yourself needing something
larger (voice of experience - bought a unimat for clock making then
bought a Myford so that I could make Steam locos

The 'standard' Model Engineers lathe is the Myford. These are readily
available second hand (although the condition varies tremendously).
Their advantage is that there are loads and loads of additions both to
make yourself and buy for these lathes. If you get a good one, or a not
so good one and re-furbish it (the lathes are still made in Nottingham
and spare parts are readily available) you will keep it and use it for
years - I have a 1955 Super 7 which I bought 20 years ago in a poor
state and have, over the years, completely re-built it. I have never
regretted buying it. If you need something slightly smaller than the ML7
/ Super 7 range then there is the ML10 / Speed 10 (nice one on ebay at
the moment!). There are many many imported lathes at very reasonable
prices available new. Some are very good, others not so. My experience
has been that I quite often need to turn something with a reasonable
diameter, but seldom need to handle anything very long, so centre height
is more important than bed length. A quick change gearbox is nice to
have but not necessary, screwcutting capability is really useful. If you
can wait 'till Christmas and can get to the ME exhibition, you can look
and play with lots of lathes and compare the 'feel' of a Myford with a
Chester or Warco or whatever.


If you can find either a local Model Engineering club or evening class
(there are a few left!) you will learn a lot from other Model Engineers
and also hear lots and lots of different points of view.....


Hope this long diatribe is of some use, by all means email me if I can
help further. I am located in mid-Wales.

Best Regards

Tim