|
Post by flyingfox on Oct 26, 2023 6:46:14 GMT
Greetings Jon, Mr Clarke was involved in a number of private commissions as well as the Polly series, I know he built some standard gauge locos for the North Benfleet Railway, which was disbanded in about 1987, and moved to Barleylands Farm Museum at Billericay. Regards
Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Oct 18, 2023 7:04:25 GMT
Greetings, on my 71/4 A3 for many years I have suffered "watery whistle", it has a long pipe run from the valve, which is of the PTFE "V" on a seat type, to the whistle under the cab floor. Result was a very odd sound, sometimes OK, more often not, which sounded about 1 in 3 times. This year I fitted a small lightly sprung condensate drain valve just before the steam entered the whistle itself, under the cab floor, and the system is transformed. Strong positive note, always available. I am sure you are on the right track to get rid of condensate. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Oct 3, 2023 12:06:35 GMT
I have planned Saturday also
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Sept 13, 2023 7:04:59 GMT
Greetings Andy, what you must do when preparing boiler water is to reduce the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Water softening does not reduce TDS. Rain water by its very nature has a low TDS, tap water varies across the UK, roughly the further east, or south you go, up goes the TDS. Great Yarmouth is the highest I think about 260 ppm. Electricity generating companies using steam boilers panic if their TDS goes over 0.5 ppm
If you want more detailed information about boiler water, get hold of an Model Engineer article "Water Water" I wrote about 10 to 13 years ago. Water softeners often use common salt, Sodium Chloride as their regenerator and Chloride ions in Copper boilers is real bad news.
Go back to rainwater some how.
Regards
Brian Baker
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Sept 9, 2023 16:56:08 GMT
greetings Phil, quite understand about the frames, I think brass plugs, with a suitable loctite retainer would be fine, and you must do all the wheels with steel rims, otherwise the wear on the cast iron treads would be different to the steel ones. regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Sept 8, 2023 11:17:25 GMT
Greetings Phil, you seem to be a busy bee indeed. Although I have never built a Simplex, I have driven many, and always found them to be good performers.
looking at the frames, had you not considered a pair of laser cut frames, which do save a lot of work.
The cylinder could have those two poorly drilled holes plugged, covered by your new Bronze port face, and a new pair of holes redrilled in a slightly different position.
The wheel could be fitted with new steel rims, shrunk on, which would save a lot of work.
Regards
Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Aug 30, 2023 15:19:07 GMT
Greetings, the tiger compressor with a new capacitor has some value, one of mine did exactly the same trick, whilst unrepaired it has little value. Risk a tenner, and you will have the answer.
Remember, knowledge is power!
Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Aug 23, 2023 11:11:39 GMT
Greetings, I have found that the method, mentioned by Malcolm (as above) works well, or you could even machine a solid piece of PTFE to fit, slightly compress it and that will work well, and last a long time. Regard Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Jul 12, 2023 6:33:19 GMT
Alan, I have PM you. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Jun 23, 2023 11:39:58 GMT
Hi Brian, in that situation, I would use loctite 572, which I have used for many years, works well, breaks open with out problems. Please understand this is a lotite sealant, not an adhesive. Regards, another Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on May 9, 2023 11:19:14 GMT
Greeting, in the current boiler regulations there is a requirement for safety valves to be locked. 11.9 Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on May 2, 2023 6:46:20 GMT
Well done Dan, it's always a great day when the wheels go round with steam. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Apr 26, 2023 6:45:03 GMT
Greeting Pete, a long time ago, I built a six wheeled version of Hercules, but longer wheelbase than Hermes, the A J Reeves offering, which did not exist at the time. this enabled me to lengthen the firebox by 2 inches as well. The result has been an excellent passenger hauler, happy on up & down fete work, or all day continuous running on a "proper" track. A great workhorse. It has done many real miles, and now needs retyring of the wheels, and a new superheater element before starting all over again. I am well pleased with it. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Apr 23, 2023 15:35:22 GMT
Greetings, what is it exactly that has been applied to the inside of this tank, is it fiberglassed with cloth and resin, or is it just resin alone, no cloth bonded in with it, or could it be an epoxy coating, with no cloth. All these materials are difficult to get to attach to a paint, unless they have careful treatment before painting, and you have good access to the surface. provided the tank is watertight, I would be inclined to leave it unpainted, rather than risk the paint flaking and getting into injector and other water feed pipework. I tried to paint an epoxy treated surface, and the paint flaked away after about 2 to 3 years. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Apr 14, 2023 6:24:09 GMT
Darren, that looks like it might be a Cartezzi type axlebox, as fitted to the Gresley Pacifics, or at least an imitation of one. regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Mar 27, 2023 11:24:22 GMT
Greetings, the big problem with our boilers, where the water is not warmed, like a domestic "boiler", but evaporated. This means that anything dissolved in the water will be deposited on the boilers internal surfaces. It matters not if the water is hard or soft, what matters is the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), ie how much of any chemical is dissolved in the water. I think using a water softener is bad news for our boilers since the softeners are regenerated with common salt, sodium chloride, and chloride ions attack copper. Best to find the lowest TDS water supply you can, usually filtered rain water and use that.
If you seek out an article in Model Engineer, "Water, Water every where" you will find a lot of useful information, including how to measure TDS.
Best people to look after their boilers are the generating companies who control TDS very carefully, and if the feed water goes over 0.5 ppm will start panicking.
Regards
Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Mar 18, 2023 16:40:31 GMT
Greetings, I recently was rooting around in my long dead Fathers stuff, and found an unopened Keil Kraft kit that got missed. Memories.
Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Feb 28, 2023 7:59:08 GMT
Best Wishes Jon, at this difficult time. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Feb 26, 2023 7:36:44 GMT
Collecting junk as ever Jon. Regards Brian B
|
|
|
Post by flyingfox on Feb 23, 2023 12:20:25 GMT
Hi Rob, have you ever been to Echills Wood railway at Kingsbury Water park, very nice people, busy when running for public, 71/4 only, but worth a look. Regards Brian B
|
|