Mustard Test Road

This useful aid to “exercise your loco” (as one little chap was overheard to say at Telford) can be used on or off the track to test a locomotive.  The principle it uses is the required number of bearing blocks are located on the track, one bearing block per set of driving wheels.  The locomotive to be tested is then placed on the test road in addition to the bearing block there are available, support blocks.  These are placed under the locomotive/tender where required.  The current from the track is conducted through the bearing blocks to the locomotive wheels and as the blocks are divided with an insulation material the locomotive collects current, just as it would on the track.  The quality industrial bearings supplied offer no resistance and the loco can be put through its paces running quite freely on the bearings.  If there is a requirement to test the loco away from the track (in a workshop for instance) power can be fed to the bearing blocks with a spade connection or similar to the 2.5mm screw in the bearing block sides.  The tender block also has this provision for locos with tender pick up or cross wiring.  The boxed pacific set test road consists of three bearing blocks, one bogie block, pony block and tender block hence a 4 - 6 - 2 + T.  All can be accommodated for the very reasonable price of £60.00 plus p/p.  If however this formation is not required all the parts are sold as separates:- (Please see Price List)

The mustard test road is available in "00" Gauge, "0" Gauge and Gauge 1 (please see our price list).  They are all finished in a striking mustard yellow and should last as long as the life of the bearings which can also be brought separately.

Device for A Vice

 Most people who purchase brass etched kits soon find that to obtain a nice crisp right angle fold in an etched part is not quite as easy as they thought.  What is needed is an extra long vice to hold the job and a device that is capable of folding an angle greater than 90 degrees.  This is where the Device For A Vice can assist; the tool is designed to accommodate most four wheel wagon construction.  For best results also try to hold the smallest side in the DV fold the brass etch towards you using a heavy piece of steel as a press.  The device is designed to make an angle greater than 90 degrees but relies on the metal springing back to approx 90 degrees.  If however it doesn’t return correctly all that is requires is to place a steel rule under the metal and pull gently but firmly back until 90 degrees is obtained

Device for a vice large 

For larger rolling stock the device for a vice large (or DVLA for short) is designed to hold a long part of an etch firmly in its jaws the 2 screws either end when done up prevent the jaws from spreading, all sorts of combinations can be made up using the spacer bushes and nuts provided and there are no end of jobs that this useful tool can accomplish.

Mustard Wheel Shine

The Mustard Wheel Shine originated from an idea put to me by Phil Downs (Click Here).  It is always very rewarding to receive customer feedback and in this case, I was able to react.  Together with my machinist we put together the first prototype which was a great success. 

The Wheel Shine is best used with the Mustard Test Road.  The principle is uses is as follows:  A Wheel Shine is located on the track and replaces one of the bearing blocks.  When the other bearing blocks pick up the current this drives the locomotive wheels round.  The Wheel Shine locates below the wheels with the sprung cleaning shoes applying just the right amount of pressure for the cleaning material in the shoes of the Wheel Shine to work.  By swapping the Bearing Blocks round all the loco wheels can be cleaned.  M&M supply two types of cleaning pads one is Scotch Brite and the other is a special felt, both of these are available at exhibitions as packet refills.  The Wheel Shine has a mustard gold anodised finish and the price at present is £16 each, refills are 50p a packet.

Phil Downs 

IET, The Open University

Walton Hall

Milton Keynes MK7 6AA

Tel. 01908 655569 Daytime

Dear Mustard Tools

 As discussed on the phone at the weekend, enclosed are some photos taken of some of my O-scale US locos being tested on one of your modular rolling roads.

 I decided to write to you because I'd found the device so useful and thought you may be able to attract some comment at one of the shows. (ahem...) 

My track is outside, apart from a section through a shed, so it's nice to check a new loco out even though it's still raining.

Here are some suggestions which you may like to consider:

I had to sand down the tops of my tender units so the tender wheels could pick-up from the track. As you know standard US practice (and often found in the UK) is to pick up one rail from the loco and the other from the tender.

 * How about a driving wheel unit without the bearings, but with a row of wire bristles?

Leave under each driving axle in turn for 30 seconds or so to get those wheel surfaces extra shiny!  (*This was the origin of the wheelshine.....)

 Anyway, thanks for a great product, all the best,

 Phil Downs