Potential 2" Burrell owner looking for advice!

Hi all!

I've recently decided to undertake building my own engine after many years of driving everyone elses! I don't have much workshop experience - but I will have help on hand should I need it - and thought starting with a kit might be the best way to go. I'd love a 4" but lack of machining experience and also storage space drove me to looking at the 2".

Could I please ask, in your experience / opinion, would a 2" be a suitable size for starting with, and how have you found the kit to build? It has been suggested buying a part build and completing it but then I don't have the fun of building it all myself!

I'd also like to know from those who have completed the 2" engines how you find them to drive? With them being fairly small engines do you find they are difficult to cope with rocky or uneven ground, or difficult to physically drive with them being quite low down? I'm not the tallest person in the world (a mere 5'5"!!) but I would imagine even then you would be hunched over quite a lot.

Sorry for all the questions - it is a very big step and just want to be sure of everything before I jump in with both big feet!

While I appreciate the storage issue of a 4" , an STW 4" wont need any machining skills or special machines to build it
One reason I chose a ready built version of one as I am more an owner driver rather than builder owner driver, I havent got the space for such a build or the patience. I am most definately an owner driver but having said that happy to pull things apart and fix them when needed, and a STW 4" agri is perfect for my use.
The 2" is very much a more pick up and put in the boot of the car and as I'm sure you are aware is much more demanding when in steam, where as the 4" is far lazier beast totally, but then requires more storage, trailers and the likes.

2" wont really like much more than a perfect lawn or tarmac from what I have seen, most rally fields are far from perfect conditions for them.
I looked about at 3" to start with as I quickly viewed a 2" as too small for my needs, I then stretched my budget to a 4" and while there is a lot of extra clobber that one needs with that size I cannot praise the 4" enough. Big enough to cope all but a ploughed field and lazy enough in steam to be left for an hour without needing to touch it and large enough to sit on without ending up looking like the hunch back of notre dame.
The downsize is needing more space to store and run it.
Its horses for courses really, what you can afford, what you want from the engine and availble space etc I'm sure a 2" builder will be along soon to give you their view

I really wanted a 4". But with advancing age and a reducing amount of muscle on my part, moving an 800 od kg of machinery was not going to be easy, so I opted for the 2". And that is not a lightweight. I cannot pick mine up and put it in the boot of a car, even in an unpainted condition. It really is your personal choice, but either way, "go for it".

Hi there, welcome.

I'm just over half way through my 2" build so can't really comment on how they steam or drive. I've coal fired much smaller railway locos (16mm scale) as well as 3 1/2" gauge. So I know the smaller it is the harder it is to steam. I would have loved to go for a 4" but don't have the space to store it. And as I can't drive due to my eyesight would always be reliant on someone else to transport it. So I really need to be able to just put it in the boot of a car.

I don't have any real ability to do machining either. This is not a problem with STW builds (either 2" or 4"). All you need is a basic level of practical skill. I thought about finding either a completed one or a partially finished one but I figured if I've put it together at least ill know how it's gone together if there are any problems and it always feels like you're taking on an unknown with a partially completed project.

From a personal point of view I'd love to see more 2" engines out there but I'm sure whichever you go for you'll have a lot of fun with it.

Ian

Hi all,

Many thanks for all the replies so far - certainly food for thought!

It is purely a space issue really which is stopping me going for the 4". I would absolutely love a a bigger one - I learned to drive on 4" Burrells - but I have to work with what I have. I have spoken to friends and family who own engines and they have all said the same - go for what you can work with. I have the practical skills and the tools available but don't think I'm advanced enough (yet) to build from scratch; I have had a part build suggested but I too am one of these that wants to know every bit of my engine, plus I can say once complete that it is MY engine.

Think it looks like I'll be getting the 2" then - I've already had a lovely email from Dean @ STW to let me know they have kits available. I'll be at a rally this weekend then probably placing my order next week!

Looking forward to joining the 2" Burrell family!
Emma

Hi Emma, I was like you, undecided on what size engine to go for. And, like you, the space I have to build and store it.
I went for a 2" engine, I'm about halfway though my build, I'm enjoying it, its has had its hiccups along the way but there is always help available, either though the forum or from STW.
Hope you enjoy your build and welcome to the 2" build club.

Charlie