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Post by Steve Purves TBLR on Sept 14, 2018 15:58:16 GMT
Some of you may remember I picked up a jessie from Ebay a while ago and had some questions. Well the initial boiler test failed due to the injector not playing ball. I thought if I was going to have to fiddle around with the injector and pipework I might as well add a handpump in to the system too. A reasonably large order with Polly gave me enough fittings and pipe to make it happen. A full overhaul of the driving truck, replacing the flexible pipe from the tank to the injector with a Tee, feeding the injector and a hand pump. this hand pump now feeds a tee just before the axle pump clack as the boiler only has two feed points. it was time to steam up at home just to make sure things worked as planned. Hurrah! they did, it blew off at just the right time, and behaved just as I thought it would! Number 2 son couldn't resist having a chuff up and down the 8ft of rail that I put in the garden to test it on... he's itching to get to a track!  DSC_0841 by 47845, on Flickr  DSC_0839 by 47845, on Flickr  DSC_0807 by 47845, on Flickr |
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,269
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Post by smallbrother on Sept 14, 2018 17:39:28 GMT
Jessies are fantastic engines. Thoroughly enjoyed mine. Made bags of steam and could pull a decent load too. And 2 people could lift it with ease. What's not to like?
Pete.
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Post by Steve Purves TBLR on Sept 16, 2018 6:43:00 GMT
Certainly is an impressive bit of kit. I!m normally a narrow gauge man and would have preferred something chunkier but so far it's impressed me! Just got to take it to the track now!
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Post by Steve Purves TBLR on Nov 1, 2018 10:34:41 GMT
Well, it took a little longer than planned but I finally got the loco to the track the other weekend. I took Thomas (my 5 year old lad) with me as he was keen to have a go as he has never driven a miniature engine before, electric or steam! He watches train videos on DVD or on youtube. He has picked up a great deal of knowledge from here as I was to find out… Steam was raised, I took the loco down to the station and climbed aboard. It appears the previous owner was of lighter build than me as the springs were too soft on the driving trolley and if I sat in a ‘natural’ driving position the brake hangers were bottoming out on the rail. I had to adjust my position to sit above the unbraked rear axles to get movement! My first lap (in about 7 years I reckon) I arrived back in to the station and the engine was on its knees, with about 35lb on the clock. Not so good! I rebuilt the pressure before inviting Thomas to have a go. He had already had instruction on what the regulator, reverser and other important controls were. With about 75lb on I gave him the RA, there were no coaches available so I had to walk alongside. Off he went, a few cycles with the taps open and he confidently and without being asked closed the taps (“I saw it on the DVD” he said) I walked behind him from this point and he drove a full lap without any instruction at all, whistling for the crossing and driving at a safe speed. He arrived back at the station with 75lb on the clock, exactly what he started with. I am either heavier than I thought or he is better at this than me – probably both! I only managed to do one more lap that day, Thomas stayed put! He managed the fire whilst I looked after the water at the station. By the end of the day he was happy going around the track on his own whilst I waited at the station each time. He even gave a ride to his younger brother! When we got home that afternoon I gave him the good news… you got it dirty so now its you who must clean it. This was not met with the usual disdain of being asked to clean his room… he actually wanted to do this. A good clean and a light oil round meant it was time to sheet her over ready for next time  20181021_122138 by 47845, on Flickr |
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gwr7800
Part of the e-furniture
Member of Portsmouth mes
Posts: 384
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Post by gwr7800 on Nov 1, 2018 10:59:27 GMT
Brilliant, lovely seeing those videos
You should be very proud!
Regards Chris
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Post by Jim Scott on Nov 1, 2018 11:43:59 GMT
Steve
My grandsons want to move to where you are..!
Great to see the boys enjoying themselves, it never fails to amaze me how quickly youngsters become better than yourself...
Cheers
Jim
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Post by Steve Purves TBLR on Nov 2, 2018 12:09:00 GMT
Completely agree, he took to it like a duck to the wet stuff! Bringing the story more up to date we went to the club the following Sunday, this last one, and had another play until rain stopped play. This time Thomas prepped the engine himself showing off his new 'oiling round' knowledge. I had modified the brake hangers on the riding truck which meant I could have a go properly this time which was fun... Thomas still did the lions share of driving though!  20181028_114627 by 47845, on Flickr To add another new element to the day I introduce Thomas to some coaching stock. this showed him how much extra power was needed to haul an empty train as well as adjusting his braking points for the extra weight. There were a few overshoots but by the time the rain started he had got the hang of it. Here's a clip of Thomas doing a lap of the Melton Mowbray track at Whissendine. Finally I indulged with an ascent of the bank back to the steaming bays hauling my own mass up the hill. it certainly made the engine sweat! Thomas has now decided he wants to sell his 00 gauge train sets and swap them for a loco of his own, just an electric to start with and he can play whilst I do maintenance work at the club so I am now on the look out for a cheap battery loco! |
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Lisa
Statesman
Posts: 806 
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Post by Lisa on Nov 2, 2018 12:57:37 GMT
Steve, don't be afraid to have a go yourself at a building a simple battery loco; it doesn't take much to pull one or two children. I had a couple as a child, most of which had wooden frames, threaded rod axles, an old windscreen wiper motor, and simple bodies out of plywood, real estate signs, or whatever we could find (the steam outline loco used a milkshake cup as a chimney). The first even had wooden wheel that dad turned with a chisel and a pistol drill held in a vice.
The first was a 3½" gauge steam-outline loco, and the second was a 5" gauge ride-in tram; a simple 4 wheel affair with a car battery under the seat centred over the axles, so not even a driving truck was needed. It was good fun for me to be involved in the building too (screwing in the odd screw and splattering paint everywhere - including some on the loco).
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Post by Roger on Nov 2, 2018 13:41:45 GMT
This is and absolute joy, you are so lucky to have an interest you can share with your children. Sadly, mine are not interested in anything practical or mechanical which makes it all the more pleasing to see what you're doing. Long may it continue! |
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,269
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 2, 2018 18:21:10 GMT
The teenage years are difficult.
My boy of 14 has a wide group of friends all on Xbox or whatever and while he enjoys a drive of the loco he much prefers being in contact with his mates.
Not surprising really.
Pete.
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Post by steamer5 on Nov 2, 2018 21:47:36 GMT
Hi Steve,
Get them into the hobby when Young is the way to go!
I tried with my 2, the younger one was more keen, wanted a 5” Big Boy please! THAT was never going to happen.... K1 is to be first! So at about that time, there was a short construction series in the Australian Model Engineer for a 5” electric Toby Tram. He was duly built & has since done LOTS of kilometers. Sons both have since left Home so I now use Toby, the kids love him. If you would like a copy of the series PM me. I made some changes to the series as I had a different motor etc.
One word of advice, buy the best controller you can! I had a basic one which was fine for us, but anybody else had issues with it. I’ve since upgraded & it makes driving so much more fun, oh the other thing gear the loco so there is not much chance of exceeding the max speed of the track
Cheers Kerrin
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Post by Jim Scott on Nov 2, 2018 21:54:45 GMT
This is and absolute joy, you are so lucky to have an interest you can share with your children. Sadly, mine are not interested in anything practical or mechanical which makes it all the more pleasing to see what you're doing. Long may it continue! Hi Roger My daughter could name every major part of a steam loco when she was five years old, my son had no interest at all. While both are now reasonable competent at DIY and fixing old cars etc neither had any inclination to follow Dad's hobby, as even then there were too many other distractions. But now I have two grandsons and both are mad keen on trains of any sort. Translating this interest into mechanical ability may yet prove impossible but the elder lad Robert (9) has access to my workshop and has used my lathe, mill and bandsaw (under supervision) to do small projects. We're lucky in that our Club Sec has a keen interest in promoting 'young engineers' and has a small group of youngsters whom she jollies along. This sustains their interest and they have generally been accepted and included into club life. As Pete (smallbrother) says, there are even more distractions these days as they get older eg electronic devices, football, girls, etc. and most of Robert's schoolmates have no concept of how things are actually made. It does make him keep his head down though, akin perhaps to not admitting that you were a trainspotter in the 1950's. Steve, its great to see the videos. I hope their interest continues well into the future, but even if it doesn't, the seeds are sown, they will return...! Jim S |
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