About Mamod™ Model Steam Engines
When the Mamod™ name was coined and launched in 1936 few people then would expect that this original and real Mamod™ model business would still be on the rails 74 years later.
But it is and looking towards a successful future despite some traumatic variations during its seven decades.
Buy-outs, takeovers, expansions, contractions, asset stripping and plans that did not always materialise were features of its up-and-down existence but at the same time it was still making a serious imprint on the specialised model market. These well-chronicled events are now part of its chequered history.
The original Mamod™ business has overcome these setbacks and today at its engineering site on the Summit Crescent Industrial Estate Smethwick, West Midlands, Mamod™ is manufacturing gas-fired locos – rolling stock to go with them – as well as model steam mobiles, stationery and kits. A dream for father and son.
In its unique way Mamod™ is interwoven with the history of the West Midlands and like the models it makes it is a microcosm of Birmingham, The Black Country and the regional manufacturing base and despite the biting teeth of the recession Mamod™ is steaming ahead.
And now with the company under new management by 2 passionate owners Adrian Lockrey, the Machine Tool Repair Professional and highly regarded manufacturer of veteran motorcycle parts, alongside an industrialist and good friend Martin Adams
Adrian and Martin met through work and quickly became friends through their shared passion for old motorbikes and all things mechanical! Martin, a born and bred Yorkshireman, is a highly respected and successful businessman. He has several thriving businesses in the engineering sector, having earned a reputation for successfully turning around businesses that otherwise would have folded under previous ownership.
Together, the pair are planning to continue the long tradition of British handmade Mamod™ production.
This includes gas-fired model steam trains, mobile steam engines, stationary steam engines, marine engines & accessories, model steam engine kits, electric engines and a wide range of accessories as well as a service division.
Founded in Birmingham in 1937 by Geoffrey Malins, the name "Mamod" is a combination of "Malins Models." Since 1989 the Terry family had operated the business near its original establishment in Smethwick, West Midlands.
Australian-born, Mr Lockrey first came to the UK in 1993, as a 20-year-old, after winning Fitter & Turner Apprentice of the Year with the New South Wales Railways in Sydney. His prize was a placement with British Rail where he quickly embraced train and track history including the days of steam. His time in the UK became permanent after he met his wife, Natalie. Marriage and four sons later, he quickly gained a reputation in the machine tool industry, establishing his own business and factory outside of Birmingham.
Lockrey's journey has included working on numerous steam projects as well as involvement in the veteran motorcycle scene. (Veteran Triumph Spares). He is well known across the UK and is a must-go-to person at swap meets and exhibitions. It was through these associations that he was introduced to the Mamod™ opportunity.
“I have a passion for all things mechanical and across my lifetime I have met many wonderful people involved in the steam industry,” said Mr Lockrey.
“Far too many British, and indeed world renown mechanical companies, have either disappeared or are in their last throws. Both Martin and I could not stand by and watch this happen to a great and truly important company like Mamod™.
“What Mamod™ produces is simply a fantastic product that is both beautifully made and really important in showing how mechanical engineering works. If there is nothing like Mamod, the next generation will not have the knowledge or inspiration to get involved in what is such an important industry.
“I am a businessman and have a family. I can’t simply keep Mamod™ going without it being successful and we aim to ensure that this is the case, with a focus not just on the product, but also the commercial side, including sales and marketing.
“One of our first priorities is an all-new website where enthusiasts will be able to access new models and spare parts, plus a new option to have models mechanically serviced to ensure their beloved engines are in great working order.
“I say to the enthusiasts, young and old, get behind this historic British company and support us. This is a wonderful opportunity to make this a showpiece once again for British mechanical engineering.”
To view our range of steam engines available, please view our shop page.
MAMOD™