The burning question

Spokesmann · The burning question

A burner is an essential bit of kit when wanting to operate a toy or model seam engine. Over the years burners get lost, damaged or just worn out - the life of a burner can be hard! Here are some examples from my collection showing wick type lamps, tubular wick burners as well as vapourising burners. I have not show any solid fuel burners as methylated spirit is my fuel of choice. Please feel free to make addition to this thread to illustrate other types of burner design and manufacturer. It would be nice to see burners from Mersey, Wilson, Cyldon and well as German engines such as Bing and Fleischmann. This should provide a good source of reference for members then.

This first batch of burner shows Mamod wick type designs from 1936-58. The wick type burners were used in Mamod engines until c1958, when they were replaced by vap type lamps. Only the MM1 continued the wick type lamp until 1970, when it gained a slim line steel pan type burner (not shown).

Lamps here are from MM1, c1954, a single wick MF repro lamp from c1939, a repro 2-wick lamp from MF c1946-48, 3-wick lamps from c1948-58. These lamps also exhibit variation in design of the reservoir, with the 1948 lamp with a more pronounced joint on the two halves. Note also the variation in filler plug design and top/base indentation. The black lamp is from pre-war. The pre-war lamps tended to be all black and could have no fillers, esp on the lower specced machines such as the MM1 and SE1. The large SE4 5-wick lamp is from MF steam and is a faithful copy of the lamp design used from c1936-39. 4-wick types were available too (SE3).

Spokesmann

The next batch here shows the familiar vapourising lamp, which was far easy to manufacture than the wick type lamps and more efficient in burning. The flame burnt above the gauze strip, the meths fumes vapourising as the liquid evaporated. Early type were all brass or soldered brass, what I term soldered types or pressed types - see the lamps from the ME2 and ME3 to see. Handle on early lamps were wood, later plastic. Wood was of two designs and the colour varied from white to red, the white types being a more uniform cylinder than the more triangular profile red types. I could add the soldered type lamps were used on the SE3 too, these early SE3 lamps could be either all brass or very early types used a nickel steel and were about an inch longer than the later more familiar types. Vapourising lamps were sort of standardised from 1963 with the introduction of the TE1, it is around this time the 'steel pan' type were introduced - the most common type of Mamod vap lamp. These sadly replaced the all brass types, except the SE3, so the rather charming all in one scuttle and burner on the early SR1 disappeared, the new lamp incorporated a towing eye too! All vap lamps disappeared in 1976/77 with the introduction of solid fuel trays. The MM1 was last to gain a vap lamp c1970, it is a slimline version of the 'steel pan' type.

Lamps shown here are soldered nickel steel type, with shield, from 1958 ME2, an all in one scuttle and burner pressed brass type from and early SR1, a pressed brass type with heat/draught shield from an ME3 c1965, the steel pan type and SE3 brass soldered type (standard size). The slimline MM1 lamp of 1970 is not shown, image needed.

Note handles and construction of lamp body.

ME lamps, these could also be had without the shield. The 'shielded' nickel steel soldered type is extremely rare.

Close up of the construction, the lamp on the left (ME2) could also be available in all brass - I think these were the later lamps.

Spokesmann

This batch shows tubular wick type lamps soley from Bowman, these lamps used the same basic design but varied the reservoir size and wick tube length to suit the engine it was used on. These lamps work very well, although the burner tube is very prone to damage or bending if not handled carefully. They do weaken with age and use too. The material ranged form all brass as used on the M/E101 and M122 through to all steel (for reservoir) and all brass burner tubes as used on the E/M135, M140, E/M158, E/M167, M175 and M180. Filler plugs varied depending on lamp size and model. Steel types tended to be painted either cream or dark green.

Lamps here are from an E101, M122, M140, E158 and smallest one an M180. Note minor variation in the burner tube length on the M140 and M135/158/167 types.

Spokesmann

This last group show lamps from more obscure manufacturers. Here we see lamps from Latimer, SEL/Merit and Luton Bowman. The Latimer and Luton lamps used the pre-war Dereham Bowman approach, by means of burner tubes, although an innovation is the shortening and doubling of the tubes. The tubes on the Luton lamps could either be a cross-slitted type or in the case of some with a single longitudinal slit in each tube. The Latimer L5 lamp uses the same approach as the Luton PW203 lamp and uses two tube with each having a single slit - both are very efficient lamps indeed. Note the handy securing tab for the Latimer lamp. Simple tube holders/clips could be found on the PW203 lamps. On the PW203 the reservoir could be rounded as here, or have the more angular construction as the PW201/202 version shown here too. The little L4 Latimer lamp is very much in the style of early German engines being a simple cylindrical pot with vapourising gauze instead of wicks. The SEL/Merit wick type lamp was available in either two or single wick types and was all brass construction.

Lamps shown here: L5, PW203, PW201/202, L4 and SEL1540 standard

Cross slits can be difficult to light, although protect the wick better.
The L5 lamp tends to be too good!

Smooth, flat undersides - all brass construction.

Profiles from the side:

I should add I have never seen an L5 lamp with cross slits. If indeed one exists at all! The L4 lamps originally had a red painted lip, and like all Latimer engines shared no commonality with its brother the L5.

Mamod Collector

What an excelent reference thread Very Happy

steamyjim

Brilliant Mike! Realy useful Very Happy

For lighting cross slits on one my Stuart #500 boilers the previous owner had tied what looks like rope underneath the burner tube with wire. You quirt a bit of extra meths onto this at the start of the run and light that. It lasts for a few minutes which allows the tube to heat up and start vaporising the meths and sets the vapours on fire Smile

Spokesmann

Please feel free to add other burner variants.

silverfoxsteam

I've gathered a few German single wick burners together, along with relatively modern Fleischmann Esbit tray...

From left to right:
Marlin: Bing: Doll: Falk: the Fleischmann solid fuel burner is (I believe) from around 1960.
Note how two are shaped to fit snuggly in a hole provided in the baseplate inside the firebox. The others simply sit in a shallow recess.

I've only one original Mersey Models burner, but it's the big one, a four wick from a 53GR...

No focus on burners would be complete without the quite extraordinary Cyldon...

John Chapman

Two German burners, Marklin on the left Josef Falk on the right

Two variations of the Cyldon burner, the one on the left is unusual.

Scorpion2nz

burners from Cranko Models
bottom is from 040 train
center is from Roller
top is from Vertical

silverfoxsteam

Better late than never - here's the Burnac Vulcan burner...

MTA

Solid fuel burner for a Steamco engine:

Five wick burner from a Mersey 54R:

silverfoxsteam

Wow the Mersey's impressive - puts my 53GR 4-wick to shame!!!

MTA

Like most five wick burners, it is too many for the engine really. When I fired up my 54R I only needed 3 wicks lit to keep it running...

Spokesmann

8_10 Brass Cleaner

MFSteam

silverfoxsteam

Ha - trust you to have one! I love it!

Steamboy

Nice burners showing the many variants with some very usefull info..