Overhaul of a 9F

[mbrown]

I think you are going to have to shrink your fingers to drive this beast! But it looks fantastic.

Malcolm

[don9f]

Hi, today 92167 turned its wheels under steam (on the rolling road) for the first time since probably late 1995....it still works, as you can see here !

This was really a steam test, to check the new injector steam valve that had been replaced, the new driver’s graduable brake valve, plus some other minor tweaks & repairs.

Unfortunately I’m still not happy with my homemade gauge glass frames as the blow downs don’t really work properly, probably because the drain pipes are too small and both glasses suffer from excessive “bubbling”, the cause of which is currently unknown. If I have to, I can revert back to the original, non blowdown gauge frames I’ve still got....although sadly they’re a bit “chunky”!

Cheers   Don

[Roger]

That runs really evenly, a cracking job Don!

[Deleted]

That looks fantastic Don....runs and looks superb....

Pete

[JonL]

Beautiful, excellent work!

[don9f]

Hi all, its been about three weeks since the last post here and I've got some news to report....Its hard to comprehend but its now been nearly three and a half years since I started this overhaul, but after numerous other projects, deviations and distractions, today 92167 had its formal 1.5 x hydraulic plus steam test, thanks to some of my colleagues and friends at the BPMR who turned out specially to help. Everything went well and once the tests were complete, the engine was coupled to its tender for the first time in about 25 years and we went off round the track for a celebratory run.

There are a few photos below, starting with a box I have made over the last few days, as I never had one for the engine before. I decided all the plywood sizes beforehand and ordered it all from a company that I've used before, who supply it ready cut to your dimensions. It takes a while to arrive, but the quality and accuracy etc. is very good. Other stripwood, handles etc. were sourced locally.

There are also some links to youtube videos of today's running (I'm not currently able to upload videos to imgur):-





Unfortunately the engine looks a bit "naked" without its cab, smoke deflectors, running boards etc. but they can all be fitted now the tests are done:-





And the videos:-

Leaving the steaming bays

Station_1

Station_2

Must get back to the 7F tender soon !

Cheers for now   Don

[JonL]

Utterly fantastic. Superb work.

Can I ask the name of the company that supplies the wood? I despise cutting ply.

Jon.

[don9f]

Hi Jon and thanks for the comments. There are other similar suppliers, but I use “Woodshop Direct” and their Russian Ply for the loco boxes. The rails are 1/4” x 1/2” flat steel with the running edge rounded a bit. No doubt aluminium, or even hardwood strips would work!

Don

[Deleted]

Excellent news Don, you can rightly be very proud of your model, brilliant...

Pete

[mbrown]

She still looks the part Don, even without cab and running boards. There are plenty of photos of the full size 9Fs under construction, in exactly that state, and if a model looks like the real thing even when stripped down, that's quite an achievment!

Malcolm

[don9f]

Thank you very much Pete & Malcolm....I have always loved this engine and have deliberately kept as much of the original paintwork as possible and not polished all the motion etc. as after all the years, it’s gained a lot of “patina” as they say. When I was getting it ready on the steaming bay, the boiler inspector’s good lady said “you might have cleaned it”....made me chuckle !

Don

[barlowworks]

They were a hardy bunch them BR footplate men . Top job Don, a proper engine.

Mike

[don9f]

Hi, this “update” is really to say that the overhaul of 92167 is to all intents & purposes complete. I’ve spent the last few days fitting all the remaining parts....including the cab with all its associated valve spindles & pipework, smoke deflectors, running boards....all involving many 12 & 10ba screws & nuts in hard to reach areas! Still I got there in the end and today, I had another run to make sure everything was ok. One particular check was to satisfy myself that the Doug Hewson steam operated cylinder drain cocks were working properly....which they were....so that leaves the very final job of fitting the discharge pipes, which are suggested by Doug to be soft soldered into their cast-in nuts that are provided in the main body castings. I might loctite them in place, haven’t decided yet. These need to be removable if it is ever necessary to unscrew a valve from under the cylinder block. It would probably have been better to turn the cast nuts off and cut threads and use proper nuts, but it’s too late for that....maybe in the future?

Unfortunately I’d only taken a couple of photos when my phone battery went flat, but I think you all know pretty well by now what a 9F looks like! One of my pals took a short “going away” video that you can see on youtube here

After about 3 hours steaming and during a yarning/tea drinking session, I let the fire die down a bit too much so that curtailed activities for the day, but all being well we should be having another run one day next week, so I’ll try and get some more photos/footage then.





Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in this thread, who knows where the time went since it started back in 2017 !

Cheers for now Don

[Deleted]

That's a lovely model that you've made there Don....looks the part 100% sir

Pete

[JonL]

A fantastic achievement.

[coniston]

Really looks the part Don well done.

[Roger]

What a cracking job Don, that's a fabulous locomotive.

[stevep]

Don, on your video, it looks like you have a station platform that goes under the footrests of your club trolleys. Can you tell me what arrangements you have made to ensure that feet can't get caught when a train arrives at the station? Does the platform slope up gently from nothing to its full height?

We have an anti-tip rail on the Tiverton track, but have been thinking about a station platform as well. Apart from the fact hat many members have their own trolleys, so the exact height of the platform is an issue, we were also worried about feet being caught.

Lovely looking engine, incidentally.

[92220]

3.1/2 years of superb work, giving it it's 'major service'!! Really looks a lovely loco!!

Bob.

[don9f]

Sept 17, 2020 8:54:02 GMT stevep said:

Don, on your video, it looks like you have a station platform that goes under the footrests of your club trolleys. Can you tell me what arrangements you have made to ensure that feet can't get caught when a train arrives at the station? Does the platform slope up gently from nothing to its full height?

We have an anti-tip rail on the Tiverton track, but have been thinking about a station platform as well. Apart from the fact hat many members have their own trolleys, so the exact height of the platform is an issue, we were also worried about feet being caught.

Lovely looking engine, incidentally.

Hi, I don’t think there is any special arrangement, the vertical gap between the underside of the foot boards and the “platform” (paving slabs) is quite small. I have only been a member at this miniature railway for about 4 years but am not aware of any foot trapping sort of incident and have never heard the potential for such discussed. The platform is at the same level as the general ground level on the approach to the station, so no abrupt change under the footboards. Incidentally in the video, I’m running round the track in the opposite direction to normal running!
Before the start of any journey, passengers are warned of the requirement, amongst other things, to keep their feet on the footboards etc. We always have a Guard riding in the rear seat when passenger hauling, to keep watch on things (but not so far this year)!

Cheers   Don