Wow!! 
Government anti-terror ban forces closure of UK model steam train firm (msn.com)
1 Like
The toy train hexamine fuel tablets could be used to make RDX?
Explosive energy: When exploded in air, RDX has about 1.5 times the explosive energy of TNT per unit weight and about 2.0 times per unit volume.
1 Like
Guy I went to school with had 3rd degree burns over 65% of his body cause the neighbors kid filled the boiler of one of these things with gasoline and blocked the relief valve and told my friend to come take a look. It blew him across two back yards those things are dangerous as hell
2 Likes
In Italy, it is possible to buy the battery with the separate bottle of acid at the supermarket, but the spray can is not sold to persons under 18 years of age.
1 Like
Reading between the lines, they were going broke anyway. But I do find it interesting they went over to an explosive after deciding alcohol was too dangerous!
4 Likes
A bit odd, never having heard of the Hex block power.
The (earlier) Mamod stationary and train engines were powered by meths in a gauze filled tray.
I suppose it is a victim of the changing tastes of the toy buying public.
Buying a highly flammable toy for unsupervised play isn’t on many parents radar anymore.
3 Likes
I think the thing that’s off the radar is “supervision,” itself (along with its associated “discipline,” “accountability,” and, when called for, “punishment”).
3 Likes
I’ve still got a “Big Bang” cannon (from the Big Bang Cannon Company, no less) that uses water and calcium carbide tablets to create acetylene gas to make the bang! You push a plunger to drop a tablet in the water at the breech end, and then push another plunger that spars a lighter flint. Of course most kids would have a handy pan of water to fill the gun, and an open box of the tablets - what could possibly go wrong?
3 Likes
I had the steam engine in the picture as a kid and it run for ever on meths. Hex blocks can be purchased in many camping shops so it would seem to be a red herring.
3 Likes
I thought something similar. Go Outdoors still sell solid fuel blocks for camping stoves and that’s exactly what the Mammod models run on. Seems to be the usual story of a failing business - blame government red tape to get your story in the paper.
To be honest I thought Mammod went years ago.
My dad’s got a few of them and while nice to look at, they always seemed a lot of fuss to get running.
2 Likes