don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Dec 9, 2021 19:41:50 GMT
One more quick question… which is forward and which is reverse on the reverser worm ? Hi Keith, just to clarify something, could you possibly post a photo looking square on to the centre driving wheel, with its big end, return crank etc. It’s not clear from the photo above, but the return crank might not be set correctly. I think my cylinder covers have a 1/16th shoulder that fits into the slightly bigger diameter at the end of the cylinder.....I don’t have the drawings these days but know someone that has if I need to refer to them. This would mean a piston to cover clearance at each end of the stroke of 1/16th inch? Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Dec 8, 2021 17:35:22 GMT
If you have to have the “squeezed” rivet heads on show, they need to be accurately formed to give a consistent appearance, otherwise it can look awful. In that case I personally would use steel roundhead, slotless screws which are available in a suitable size, similar to a 1/8th rivet from here for example. You haven’t mentioned exactly what the fasteners are doing, but I can’t imagine the “lower strength of the joint” would be a problem. You could fit brass nuts if you thought corrosion might be a problem. When we restored 9F 92214, it’s smokebox was built up and fastened to the boiler in this way.....much easier than riveting! It hasn’t fallen off yet! Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Dec 5, 2021 17:34:21 GMT
I would have had a look, but am unfortunately about 100 miles away! If air is indeed blowing straight to exhaust, I would first suggest maybe testing each cylinder independently. Make a different temporary air connection to just one side and set the valve bobbin such that both valve ports are closed, then see what happens....if air still blows to exhaust, there could be a problem or flaw in the casting, or with the fit/sealing of the valve liners into the cylinder casting. They are definitely Les Warnett cylinder blocks and the separate valve liners should be properly sealed into the main castings. One thing you don’t seem to have mentioned or shown photos of are the main pistons and their rings (or packings?)....is there any chance air is leaking past from one side of the pistons to the other? Please keep us posted....
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 30, 2021 23:31:40 GMT
Sounds like it might be a railhead treatment train (Sandite). To try and stop what happened at Salisbury recently!
Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 27, 2021 16:30:19 GMT
Well one of them has been restored and is a runner, the other one is in bits, only partially restored. They are 21 inch gauge and came to the site from a scrapyard in Lincolnshire....I think they had been at Butlins in Skegness many years ago? They are powered by Dorman diesel engines with hydrostatic drive and I believe they date from the 1930’s, like the real locos. I took this photo this morning:- Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 17, 2021 16:51:00 GMT
Maybe you could support the axles in a vee block on your granite worktop with suitable stops/packing to set the crank pins against....ie one crankpin at 6 o’clock against a fixed stop and the other at 3 (or 9) o’clock and compare the height of this one (for each wheelset) from the worktop.....assuming that pairs of crank pins are the same diameter. The important thing is that the “quartering” is the same for each wheelset....the actual angle (theoretically 90 deg), less so. Hope that makes sense!
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 7, 2021 20:38:47 GMT
Hi, I have a Les Warnett 9F built and operated by myself. I would also please ask you to give us a little more info on the air passing “straight out of exhaust at bottom of cylinders”. If you mean out of the holes where the cylinder draincocks fit....what happens if you try to help the wheels turn, does the air alternate between the two holes? Does any air actually pass up the blastpipe? Be careful that any sudden movement doesn’t trap your fingers!Regarding the “bottom bushes”, my engine was built in the 1980’s and I only have the two clack bushes high up near the front of the barrel, as per the Warnett drawings (don’t know if these have ever been updated). The only bush at the bottom is on the throatplate for the blowdown valve (incidentally drawn on the wrong side). I don’t have an axle pump....again not provided for on the drawings....and no hand pump in the tender. I only use two injectors, but as always this is personal preference and is entirely your choice etc. The Warnett design produces a fine machine and the level of finish detail applied....fittings, platework, cab etc. again is entirely up to you. Regards and look forward to hearing more Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 6, 2021 18:17:37 GMT
Hi Jon, I don't know the "Molly" design, but have built a Martin Evans "Jinty" in 5" gauge. Does the 2 7/8" frame spacing you mention also have to accomodate any firebox stays protruding from the wrapper below the top of the frames? These would obviously make the overall firebox width a bit wider than just the wrapper itself.
Cheers. Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 5, 2021 16:38:53 GMT
Before I retired, I worked on a fleet of high speed trains that were fitted with “one shot sanders” that could be discharged under certain wheels of the leading vehicle to try and improve adhesion during an emergency stop. The discharge lasted about 30 seconds and three conditions had to exist for them to “fire”, basically:-
Driver pressed the emergency brake plunger Speed > 8mph Wheelslide occurring at the time
Depending on the circumstances, more and more wheels would run onto sand and benefit from improved adhesion.
From the photos I’ve seen in the various reports, it was a Class 159 unit that was sliding and collided with the other train, but don’t know if they have sanders or not.
Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Nov 2, 2021 18:35:47 GMT
Hi Martyn....I’m also interested in the regulator design you proposed but if it was meant to be via that “link” you posted above, it just goes to the same page 3 of this thread!
Regards Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Oct 28, 2021 16:57:54 GMT
Just another idea....I fitted plates either sides of the spokes, then part filled the spaces with araldite, thus looking like lead!
I would imagine that trying to balance the wheels on a model loco “for real”, would involve much trial and error, as the weights have to balance reciprocating forces as well as rotational ones.
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Oct 26, 2021 22:35:19 GMT
Hi Malcolm, I have used Silverflo 55 (630 deg.) & Easyflo No2 (617 deg.) together with no problems. After reading your question, I had a quick look online for any reference to this and a posting near the bottom of this page is of relevance, stating that they are fully compatible..... Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Oct 20, 2021 18:57:15 GMT
A mate of mine had problems with a similar, commercially built twin pump on his loco that had previously worked fine. He had dismantled the pumps for inspection/cleaning etc. after a few years running and it became apparent when he first steamed it again that something was wrong with one of the pumps. After further dismantling he found that the ball had somehow gone down inside the spring, so obviously wasn’t seating properly (or at all). I think one end of the spring was a bit smaller, or formed differently than the other and without realising this, had turned it round during reassembly.
Spring turned again....problem solved!
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
|
Post by don9f on Oct 20, 2021 17:24:27 GMT
Great job and agree with everything that’s been said....also it’s been a fascinating “mini project” to follow for a few weeks!
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
|
Post by don9f on Oct 18, 2021 18:14:10 GMT
Yes Norm, impressive work and I like all the various detail / fittings. The dummy injectors along with the working water valves really look good.
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
|
Post by don9f on Oct 13, 2021 20:24:31 GMT
Hi, I agree with the honing approach.....it would be very easy to damage the bore with a reamer if the setup wasn’t rigid / true etc. and make things much worse. The loco I’m working on has gunmetal cylinders and came into my possession with about .003” taper in both bores. Honing managed to successfully reduce this and I’m using graphited packing on the pistons.
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
|
Post by don9f on Oct 11, 2021 15:52:03 GMT
Hi Norm, during the recent overhaul of my 9F and its tender, I discovered that there was virtually no sideplay in the tender wheelsets...as I think you found from the drawings. This had never been any apparent problem during the 7 years running the loco had seen, but I re-machined the axle ends/wheelbosses to create a total nominal 1/32nd inch sideplay on each wheelset....as this just seemed a sensible thing to do! Also to take into account is that "ideally", the gauge face of the rails should have a radius, not a square corner, so this would help a bit where the sideplay may otherwise be a bit lacking. Cheers. Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Oct 4, 2021 23:19:19 GMT
Actually a few days ago, but I’ve only just received the photo below from my mate today..... We attended the GCR Gala on the Thursday and had some trips behind our old 9F friend 92214, that we spent so many years working on during its restoration, plus the visiting 92134 from the NYMR. Thanks to two of the GCR staff that we knew, we had a tour round the shed and it was great to see the “real” smokebox numberplate from 92214 that has recently come to light and has been “donated” to the engine (the one it currently carries is a replica). The original is still in the condition that it was in when removed from the engine back in the 60’s, even still has its countersunk bolts! Good day out. Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Oct 3, 2021 11:18:48 GMT
It looks to me that parts of the boiler have had a lick of grey or silver paint. What can be seen of the boiler, looks well made....but you can’t see much of it!
Cheers Don
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 960
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Post by don9f on Sept 28, 2021 17:29:05 GMT
I think Reg means the mathematical constant “pi” (zoom in and its not actually “n”)?...for which I can’t find the proper symbol on my ipad !
Cheers Don
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