Anyone know of a Boilermaker?

[ron]

Hi Everybody
I've just bought a SH boiler for my next project, it was made by a Mr R Chambers, [probably in the 80s?] who by the look of the job knew what he was doing, anyone know anything about him?
Ron

[baggo]

Hi Ron,

R. Chambers was a well known commercial boiler maker who regularly advertised in Model Engineer. He was certainly advertising in the 80's. I don't think you'll have any problems with it.

John

[ron]

Hi John
Thanks for that bit of info ;D
Ron

[northerner]

Hello I believe he lived in Weymouth & advertised in LLAS. Don Young samed happy to recommend him to his readers. Should be a good boiler regards John

[alanstepney]

He did indeed live in Weymouth.

I saw a few of his boilers at the time he was producing them, and the quality seemed as good as any others that were available.

I wouldnt have any concerns about using one, although if it has been used, careful scrutiny and the usual tests should be applied, as they should with any boiler.

[ron]

Hi
On visual inspection it looks pretty sound, the silver soldering is very neat but I'll do a hydraulic test on it just to make sure.
Ron

[Steve M. W]

Ok Ron we know you have the boiler but whats the project or have I missed that , and hows Simplex coming?

|Steve

[ron]

Hi Steve
The boiler is for an Allchin traction engine, which will be the next project AFTER the Simplex [ha ha]. It was too good a price to pass up [less than the cost of the kit!] and I've decided after my experience with Simplex I don't really like boilermaking.
The Simplex is well on it's way, the chassis is complete, running on air, smokebox completed, boiler about to get the foundation ring soldered and the platework has been started. A problem I'm having at present is fitting brakes, I was doing fine using the Super Simplex layout till I fitted the BFW pump and it's right in the way so I'll need to do a bit of head scratching. I've not done a lot recently due to a large garden project that started out as a small garden project, but it's now nearly finished so I'll need to find another excuse for idleness.
Ron

[cotswold]

My Chambers boiler has a Certificate dated April 1981 stating that he had tested it to 220 p.s.i. It remained unused until ready to mount in my loco in April '06. My club tester accepted it as an 'pre-existing and previously tested' boiler. It was retested to 200 p.s.i. and certificated for a 100 p.s.i maximum working pressure with no problems. It was not actually steamed until the beginning of this year.

As others have said, Chambers had a good reputation. I suggest that the first thing you do is to get it hydraulically tested and accepted under the current regulations. The steam test is really about safety valves and boiler feed arrangements so once it has a hydraulic certificate they can wait until you are ready.

[ron]

Pardon my ignorance but what is LLAS?
Ron

[baggo]

Locomotives Large and Small Ron,

An excellent Quarterly mag that was published by the late Don Young.

[Donald G]

Hi Ron, I also have a R Chambers boiler made in the 80's for a GWR 13xx. The boiler s very well made, excellent silver soldering and has just passed its hydraulic test for normal running of 80psi.
If your boiler is built to the same standards as the one I have, you should bave no problems.

Regard Donald