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Dating your Mamod SR1 1961 - 1965 (Nut and Bolter)
People often have great difficulty in identifying their 1961 - 1965 SR1 rollers. I will try and narrow it down for you with these simple and easy to identify points.
Mamod SR1 -1961 (the earliest version)
• On the 1961's the front locking nut was just a simple steel nut, the same as ones Malins used at the time on either side of the SR1’s front axle to hold it in place.
• The 1961's have x 2 small brass screws holding green piston bracket on top of chrome cowling
• 1961's have a one-piece brass burner & plate metal scuttle (riveted together)
• 1961’s have Mamod embossed on the end of a thin brassed crankshaft
Mamod SR1 1962 - 1963
• 1962 – 1963's the front locking has a small knurled nut above the spring with circular brass knurled nut above to allow for a steering rod to be attached
• 1962 – 1963's have x 2 flat brass rivets holding piston bracket on top of the chrome cowling
• 1962 – 1963's have a one-piece brass burner & plate metal scuttle (riveted together)
• 1962 - 1963’s have Mamod embossed on the end of the thin brassed crankshaft
Mamod SR1 1963 - 1965
• 1963’s onwards have the front locking nut as a small knurled nut above spring with hexagonal brass nut above
• 1963 – 1965 have x 2 flat brass rivets holding piston bracket on top of the chrome cowling
• 1963 – 1965 the one piece burner and scuttle was finally dropped and the standard Mamod black vaporising lamp introduced
• From now on all Mamod's have a thicker standard plain steel crankshaft and plain crankshaft end.
At the end of the 1950s Eric Malins came across the Mastrand Steam Roller in a Gamages catalogue of the time, he purchased one which was to go on to be the inspiration for Mamod's first mobile - the SR1 Steam Roller.
The SR1 roller first went into production around January 1961. This engine was much bigger and brighter than the little Mastrand and had a shiny big aluminium roller and large rear wheels, along with eye catching bright green and red paint.
In the first production run of these rollers, dome headed brass screws were used around the smoke box joint to the boiler and secure the firebox to the chrome cowling. These were far more authentic than flat-headed pins of the Mastrand and certainly more authentic than the pop rivets which eventually replaced them in 1965. There was no tow hook at the rear of these very first engines; this was because the brass vaporising burner was riveted to the scuttle front plate. Also the cranks were brassed and connected to a thinner crankshaft, and quite noticeably had the word Mamod embossed on them. The SR1 did not become bi-directional until 1967 when Mamod in conjunction with the TE1A introduduced the SR1A. Cheaper mazak wheels then replaced the aluminium rolls and wheels around 1968, however the brass whistle was kept until 1972.
Many other changes have occurred such as the colour of the Mamod green variations over the years; initial the first SR1’s were apple green, but over the years this has now changed into a dark forest green. The Birmingham logo was removed from the front of the smokbox when Mamod moved to Briely Hill works. Also the steering rods changed from the early red painted handles to the plain wooden ended versions of today. The firebox cowl was given extra holes around 1972 to have production synergy with the SW1 chassis girders, the SW1 sharing the same firebox as the SR and TE from then on.
The next big change was the introduction of solid fuel burners in 1977 and the move to sight glasses in and around 1977/78, and the SR1A has remained largely unchanged for the last 20yrs
Mamod SR1 - SR1A History
