Gosh, I should put something here. My name is Richard Huss. I am happily married to Lesley and have two delightful children. I am 34. My girth is increasing, as seemingly happens to many at about this age. I suffer rather badly from migraines at the moment but we’re working on that.
I like steam trains. I am a Christian. That’s quite a common combination.
I am gainfully employed at the University of Birmingham looking after this and that.
This is my church. (Well, it’s God’s really, but you know what I mean.) I am a Reader. This means that I get to wear nice robes and tell people stuff from time to time in services. They are very nice about it.
24th Sep. 2009 at 1.11 pm
Dear Richard
I am about to purchase a second hand Wrightscale Wren and from the 16mm track at Llecfan I understand you have such a loco.
Any snags or tips you can profer before I plunge the hard earned pension
Don Griffiths
Goginan,Aberystwyth
28th Sep. 2009 at 3.02 pm
Thanks for your message. I do indeed have a Wren, which I bought third-hand from another Talyllyn member. It took quite a time to get to grips with her, partly due to my inexperience and partly to a fault with the boiler filler non-return valve which was eventually sorted when I sent it back to Wrightscale for a check-over and overhaul.
The Wren is not really a beginner’s loco, but it does run very nicely once you become the master of the gas control. There seems to be quite a fine line between, on the one hand, not enough steam; and, on the other, far too much steam and a lack of controllability. I am now getting the hang of this. The loco is, obviously, much too small to even contemplate radio control. I have half a notion I heard of someone fitting an exhaust regulator, or at least some sort of restriction in the exhaust pipe, to tame theirs.
I took it to Dave Watkins’ open day the last couple of years, where the observation was made that mine seemed to be, by some margin, the smoothest running one anyone had ever seen! Malcolm Wright made a similar remark when returning it from overhaul. So I should definitely insist on a steam test and trial run before parting with your readies – though I suppose that should be standard advice for any second hand loco purchase.
I have to say I am very fond of mine; when running nicely on a level-ish line she is a real delight to run. You may have seen the various videos of her running on YouTube – if not, take a look at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVvZ6C0XrH4&fmt=18 – on tippers at home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY40lZtGzL8&fmt=18 – at Llechfan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr0UxC7sz3Q&fmt=18 – again at home
I hope that is some help, that the Wren turns out to be a good ‘un, that the price is right, and that if you do buy it gives you as much pleasure as mine has to me.
28th Sep. 2009 at 5.52 pm
Richard,
thank you for the sound advice re the Wren,having looked at you videos it looks quite a touchy loco and as you say it is not a begineers loco. I am endeavoring to have a trial steam up but this could be a problem due to remoteness.
If I purchase I will let you know the outcome
Thanks for the advice
Don