Smell from my childhood.

[TLPower]

I was out tankering in the depths of Derbyshire yesterday. I'd just finished filling a tank, chatting to the farmer when his mate shows up on a David Brown Aircraft Tug dating from 1943. The smell from the tug took me straight back to queuing for a Mr Softee ice cream, the tug ran on TVO (tractor vapourising oil), the same as the "donkey engine" used in the back of ice cream vans to power the fridges.

Weird things is smells, as soon as I smelt it, I knew exactly what it reminded me of. 47 years ago, damn I'm old.

[Hondaman]

TVO, mmm lovely.
I used to have a TEA20 with TVO conversion & used to pop it on tge generator to give her a run & smell the fumes

[SuzukiSte]

Same here you always remember some smells, Like when a 2 stroke passed me last week running on Castrol R, what a smell right back to my Teens, Good time's them.

[TLPower]

MMMMMMmmm Castrol R 

[Hugo Magnus]

So much nicer than the stink from catalytic convertors of today.

[steve1962]

I had one of these as a boy, with a wooden handle that attached ......also had a box attached to the back which my dad used to put cotton wool in, then soak it in petrol and light it...that would heat up the water and then it would roll along under it's own steam......our budgie (his name was blue) used to love to sit on top of the handle as it trundled along.......... the smell of the petrol is something I'll never forget..........my mum eventually GAVE IT AWAY after I moved out when I was 20.

Steve



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[TLPower]

Yep I had one as well. Hopefully your Dad should have put Mentholated Spirit in the little tray under the boiler. Petrol would have exploded a bit....

I put the drive belt thing on my Sisters head, the coils closed up trapping her hair, the only way to remove it was to cut her hair out.

My friend John Littlewood had the Traction Engine one, we were left unattended (both 7 years old) and re-enacted the tug of war scene from the film "The Titfield Thunderbolt". Unfortunately we connected them by tieing the fireboxes together, then setting them off....

Unsurprisingly both machine's set off in opposite directions, resulting  in the fireboxes being pulled out of both machines and tipping their flaming contents onto  the lino kitchen floor. This was followed by shouting, lots and lots of shouting when his Mum came back in. 

P.S. I've just checked with my Wife, seems my steam engine is in the garage somewhere, I'll look later.

[Rusty Nuts]

Mentholated spirit? Do Mamod steam engines really run on this, TLPower??

[TLPower]

Mine was a purple coloured liquid I wrestled from a vagrant. That reminds me, I need to check in with earthcore.

I blame spell checker and my inability to edit my posts.

[Rusty Nuts]

Off topic, I've often wondered how viable it would be to build a modern steam bike. No coal, more efficient ( lpg? ) burner, better condenser,  etc... Yes, I've seen the Hudspith but think that a clean sheet approach could build something better.

[TLPower]

You've been drinking again haven't you Rusty. It's enough for me to think about earthcore and his electric dreams without you and a Peter Gabrielle fetish.

[steve1962]

Yep I had one as well.

You are right, I remember the purple colour now you mention it.........my brother played with it after I told him he couldn't, but as is the way with sibling rivalry, he "incurred my displeasure"     .......
My dad intervened, and I was "advised in no uncertain terms" that I should release the headlock I had on him which I did...........aaaaahhhh brotherly love....

Steve

[Hondaman]

Our Mammod was meths.
I nearly burnt the house down as I'd inadvertantly spilt some on the living room carpet as a young 'one
It's hard to put flames out when you can't see them

[TLPower]

That was my issue with the Lino in the kitchen. It started out in '60's black and white squares, finished up looking like a box of spilled liquorice allsorts.

I really can't see the Mammod range of fire and steam toys being sold today. I'll dig out the instructions for "Suitable for 6 years and above". My arse.