A J Reeve 5" 51XX Prairie Parts

[geoffbr]

Hi, I have just picked up the Former and test parts for the 2nd Radius. Has come up ok but can improve with tweaking the initial Spun form (can make shorter) so giving a bit more wall thickness and less work hardening. I will shorten the inside pressure spigot by 5mm to give a bit more room for the spinners tool and still have enough locking face of part when forming radius.

www.dropbox.com/sh/05nv42t8svqzh8t/AAAHaSK5hzpjFecXoQIOsOG-a?dl=0

So will get some more test parts made once I have do the small alterations.

regards Geoff

[geoffbr]

Hi everyone.

Sorry for the my absence, I had to find a new job due to redundancy but am ok now. I also helped my son to build a 5” gauge Electric Tram which took me away from other important things I thought ha ha, but now back into things.

I have drawn up in CAD the Cylinder Liners and Valve Liners also the Combined Ejector and Brake Valve mainly to check position of holes etc as some of the measurements are lacking or obscure (reference my first post for Dropbox links).

The Safety Valve spin former has gone well, but am making some small tweaks to the Top Radius former to give my Spinner a bit more space to get his form tool in to give a smoother radius. A fellow modeller has machined a formed part and has fitted it to his Loco as a trial to see if the form is ok and from his feedback has worked well.

If other Prairie builders have come across errors or discrepancies within the plans are they able to share to help others, thanks.

Regards Geoff

[geoffbr]

Hi Again, sorry for the length of time. I have been pottering with the Loco parts as time permits, recently I have been able to make a start on the Radial Axial box. See the link to the progress photos in my Dropbox folder, the Model Club I am with (CSMEE nz)has a 3D printer and am making models of some of the parts before cutting metal to check Drawing and positions of parts are correct. I have machined the main Axial box casting and think will do the trick, the Bronze Bush I will machine soon and have also going to make a plug to fit into the shaft area to help hold the form while I face to size to suit Axial Bearing width. Though would be easy to hold in the collet to face. Hope all are safe and well under the current situation.

www.dropbox.com/sh/1q1ps3n2hy3nayr/AABrSYfbROE7qQG2ESa0mfCYa?dl=0

regards Geoff

[dscott]

Wonderful progress and inspiring. Thank you ever so much for posting Geoff.

I now find I have all the bits for building 2 of these magnificent beasts. This enables me to invest
more time on producing parts to assist an easier build. Yes I have 2 sets of the CYLINDERS to do!!!

Of course having access to the Ultimate GUIDE TO BUILDING ONE. in the shape of 4121 Trevors own model
helps.

Rushing out a part built Jessie from again Station Road steam. Their Archive is superb on many part
built models showing things nicely laid out.

Regards.
David and Lily.

[geoffbr]

Thanks David. I try to do bits as much as work and scouting allows. Does lend a bit more time at the moment due to covit 19 lock down. You are a beggar for punishment to build 2 locos but yes does help looking at other builds for ideas, the jigs sometimes take more time than the actual machining of the parts. I will endeavour to post more, have just been machining the bushes the caps after that. Have added to the photo the Bushes made last night.
Regards Geoff

[geoffbr]

I have added some more photos in the above Dropbox link (8th April), slow progress as still working and a change of shift hours (to separate Engineering support staff) but Loco moving in the right direction.

regards Geoff

[geoffbr]

Hi,

I have been able machine the radius on the Radial Axial plates and have fitted the Radial Axial Box to a smooth fit, I have added more photos of the Radial Plate machining in my DropBox folder
Also have machined the slot in the plates to accommodate the Yoke Radial Plate, so now to fix the Control plate and sort the Compression Bush and Pad etc. will keep you posted.

Geoff

[ducatibob]

Hi chaps
I have been building a 51 since 2008, in between have also made a Ken swan Wren that I run at public running days at my club in Newport wales. Not this year yet due to the lockdown.
My progress to date is as follows:-
I have run on air
I have made the boiler and have been tested
I am currently on the super heater/regulator.
Smoke box is made and including chimney and door.
Brakes done
Cylinder drains done
Front pony and radial truck fitted

[dscott]

ibb.co/sFzYZfq

Here is my Inspiration Got proudly from Station Road Steam for my 60th Birthday last year.
Yes she is the one built by Trevor himself and of an actual preserved locomotive 4121.

Yes I now have TWO SETS OF EVERYTHING including a commercial boiler for one of them.
Strangely... Building 2 at a time is far easier as after setting something complex up just run another pair off and it becomes easy.
Especially when bending the rear of the frames.

In fact the press tool is in a queue for use later in the summer when the interested bodies can visit the workshop.
20 ton press housed in the current Workshop Extension. Heat may be needed again like last time!!

Yes the ultimate cheat on a manual of how to build one.

David and Lily.

[geoffbr]

Hi again, I have had the chance to make the Brake Bracket Arm. I have added a Dropbox link to the photos and model drawing.

www.dropbox.com/sh/a5cp27oebqxcey4/AAD_hUkVERV3GqglQR2Vdb1_a?dl=0

Geoff

[Rex Hanman]

Just to prove that I have made some progress on my 7 1/4" version.....



Yes! I have bored the cylinders. I know they aren't as per GWR design but no one will know unless you tell them!

Geoff, I looked at your pics. Very impressive! How I remember making that rear radial axle box!

Keep up the good work and keep posting!

Rex

[geoffbr]

Thanks Rex,

Great to see you've made progress as well. Think is a good option in the way you have made the cylinders, would have been a complex casting to reproduce.

regards Geoff

[Rex Hanman]

May 31, 2020 20:25:24 GMT geoffbr said:

Think is a good option in the way you have made the cylinders, would have been a complex casting to reproduce.

Cheers Geoff.

Not my idea, they are from Ian Holder's mogul design.

I don't think I could have managed the half saddle/cylinder arrangement.

[dscott]

Funny that last year I met a builder and I mentioned 4121 the one Trevor built?
Yes I got a long list of her faults including the wheel webs being wrong. "They should be filled in" he stated.
"18 months!! To build!"
One of those moments where you can't say "SO where is yours?" as his was in steam in front of us.
Did a look through photos and of course the 4100 section had the wheels this way.

I now have 4 halves of cylinders waiting for the complex setting ups!
And 2 sets of everything to build 2.
Water cut frames are a delight to behold.
Needing space for the 20 ton press leads to a workshop extension.
Then it gets used for 20 minutes!!

Yours is looking lovely Rex.

David and Lily.

[Laurie_B]

Apr 7, 2020 23:26:12 GMT geoffbr said:

Hi Again, sorry for the length of time. I have been pottering with the Loco parts as time permits, recently I have been able to make a start on the Radial Axial box. See the link to the progress photos in my Dropbox folder, the Model Club I am with (CSMEE nz)has a 3D printer and am making models of some of the parts before cutting metal to check Drawing and positions of parts are correct. I have machined the main Axial box casting and think will do the trick, the Bronze Bush I will machine soon and have also going to make a plug to fit into the shaft area to help hold the form while I face to size to suit Axial Bearing width. Though would be easy to hold in the collet to face. Hope all are safe and well under the current situation.

www.dropbox.com/sh/1q1ps3n2hy3nayr/AABrSYfbROE7qQG2ESa0mfCYa?dl=0

regards Geoff

Very nice work Goeff.There's a lot of work in that radial truck!
Here's a photo of mine just before fitting to the loco a few years ago.
I've just made a start on the coupling rods after a bit of a break from the model.

Rear radial truck. by Laurie 73082, on Flickr

[geoffbr]

Hi Laurie, looks like you are making good progress to. I am still not getting enough time in the garage to make big head ways but every like step helps, have you got a link for your project. Update on that - I see if you click on your reference by the pic it takes you there, looking good.

regards Geoff

[Laurie_B]

Aug 6, 2021 10:25:51 GMT geoffbr said:

Hi Laurie, looks like you are making good progress to. I am still not getting enough time in the garage to make big head ways but every like step helps, have you got a link for your project. Update on that - I see if you click on your reference by the pic it takes you there, looking good.

regards Geoff

Yes I find the same problem finding enough time.As you can see from the Flickr album I'm approaching rolling chassis stage with still a lot to do on the coupling rods,and then the and valve gear next.

[dscott]

We must get together Laurie as I have just got in 2 Class 2 Tender body kits from Model Engineers Laser.
Plus now doing 2 Prairies. A full set came up at an incredible price when I only meant to buy the wheels.

David and Lily.

[geoffbr]

I know what you mean David, one of our member passed away a few months ago and some of his workshop came available. So I ended up buying (for a very good price) a bit over half built 9F Evening Star, so splitting my tasks between the 2 Loco's.

Geoff

[geoffbr]

Hi, I trust everyone is coping with Covid 19 ok. Has been a busy time here, but not as much on the Loco as I would hope. But did get some time to machine the Main Cylinder Liners. I also brought a part built 5"g 9F Evening Star from a members estate, so have been pottering on that also. In the photo of the Liners you will see the 9F Boiler Cradle bracket (3Dprinted the 2 half patterns and got LG casting made), anyway enough on that.

I am looking at making some repairs to a Cylinder casting defect, as an area in the porting has a small hole with machining an area to give some relief for the mainframe so will look at fixing that before assembling onto Mainframe.

www.dropbox.com/s/43ycccuhwyu7hgb/Main%20Cylinder%20Liners.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/lps0d1abikcrxy8/Valve%20Casting%20Defect%202.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/bnwprtwtdcspel9/Valve%20casting%20Defect%201.jpg?dl=0

regards Geoff