uuu
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Post by uuu on Jul 15, 2024 11:35:23 GMT
If you go to the bottom of the Home Page you’ll find a section called ‘Forum Information and Statistics’. In the sub-section called ‘Threads and Posts’ there’s a link called ‘Recent Posts’. Clicking on that link will bring up every recent post in chronological order. I tend to stay logged in and just refresh the page every day. That way I don’t have to do any dotting about. Reg Or... In the same place there's a link "Recent Threads". This is the page I have bookmarked, and it shows threads with a "New" flag on any that are active. I mark boring threads as "Mark as read - forever" and this supresses the new flag, so I can see them near the top of the list, but I can leave them alone. Wilf Edit - this is the same as Normm's link.
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Post by chris vine on Jul 15, 2024 16:07:22 GMT
Thank you Norm, Reg and Wilf,
Every day is a learning day. That will save me so much time, and now it doesn't matter how the forum is organised! I have made that the new link in my bookmark for the forum.
All best Chris.
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Post by dhamblin on Jul 15, 2024 17:53:05 GMT
It doesn't matter where it sits Malcolm - we'll seek it out ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) Good to see more progress. Regards, Dan
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jma1009
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Post by jma1009 on Jul 15, 2024 23:33:41 GMT
Hi Malcolm,
I would keep this thread where it is. It’s a special build and not a generic build of Winson or such like.
It is also more likely to be seen on the ‘General’ threads section.
Just my own thoughts of course. I for one might easily miss your updates if else where on this forum.
Cheers, Julian
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mbrown
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Post by mbrown on Jul 23, 2024 20:00:19 GMT
Well, "the people" have spoken, and the result is inconclusive!
But as the original question led to a useful lesson in managing the various threads on the forum, I guess the thread location doesn't matter so much and I will stick with the status quo, at least for now, and leave the build diary on the General Chat pages.
Thanks to all who shared their thoughts.
Maybe before long I'll find time to make more workshop progress to report....
Best wishes
Malcolm
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mbrown
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Post by mbrown on Jul 28, 2024 16:08:17 GMT
Front running board bracketryTime is at a premium right now, but I have managed the odd hour here and there in the workshop over recent weeks. The front running boards are properly in place now. As in full size, they are supported by small angle brackets at the cylinder end. These are almost invisible unless one bends right down, so mine are folded rather than the rather complicated angle and rivet design of the prototype. DSC00411 by malcolm brown, on Flickr The flash, at close range, picks up every blemish - it really looks much better than this! 20240728_161846 by malcolm brown, on Flickr At the buffer beam end, there are brackets for the steam heating valves - for some reason, 99 3462 and one or two other MPSB locos had steam heat connections on left and right of the buffer beams, whereas other locos had only one. The valves are a bit complicated and I will have a go at making them another day - but the brackets were cut from a short section of 1" square x 1/16" thick hollow steel tube. The holes were marked out and drilled on each of the four faces, then a bit of careful sawing turned it into four identical angled pieces (two are for the tender). 20240728_165738 by malcolm brown, on Flickr The German lamp brackets are lost wax castings from Knupfer in Germany. The base of the lamp sits around the tapered upstanding part, and a square peg on the base of the lamp locates in the hole in the top. I haven't fixed them permanently yet as I want to be sure the lamps can be lifted on and off Ok - which means making the lamps at some point. Not a lot of progress, but the workshop now goes quiet for a few weeks while I have a few weeks driving on the Talyllyn. Best wishes Malcolm
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mbrown
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Post by mbrown on Sept 1, 2024 17:41:45 GMT
Pump PipingBack from holidays - and back in the workshop for a bit. Having lifted the boiler from the frames to trim some of the cleading which was fouling the running boards, it seemed like a good moment to do the piping to and from the pump which lies under the smokebox and can't easily be reached with the boiler in place. The pump is under the smokebox with its valve box just behind the front buffer beam and the pipes have to negotiate the solid vertical stretchers which form a box between the cylinders. I made provision for this when making the stretchers and they have suitable holes to take union fittings. 20240901_164459 by malcolm brown, on Flickr Here is a view from below with the horizontal stretcher, which is part of the box between the cylinders, removed. The inlet pipe has a union pointing rearwards and runs to the lower fitting on the pump valve box. You can see the outlet pipe curling down between the cylinders with its union awaiting a pipe to connect it to the pump. 20240901_173012 by malcolm brown, on Flickr This is looking from above with both inlet and outlet piped up. 20240901_174528 by malcolm brown, on Flickr Above shows the outlet emerging below the smokebox and above the running boards. In full size, this was the steam heating connection with piping running back to the cab. I will use it for water, connecting to a by-pass valve in the cab. The inlet pipe will take the route which, in full size, is the flange watering supply pipe, clipped to the bottom of some of the stretchers between the rear of the smokebox and the rear axle. It will be a tad oversize - I will use thin wall 1/8" stainless tube which is about the same bore as the 5/32" tube used for the rest of the pump piping and should be fairly robust. 20240901_174332 by malcolm brown, on Flickr Finally, here is another view from below with the horizontal stretcher in the process of being replaced - fitted with raised head countersunk screws to simulate the low-headed rivets on the prototype - the rivet heads are visible in full size if looking from a low angle - I am hoping the slots in mine won't show! Best wishes Malcolm
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Post by jma1009 on Sept 1, 2024 22:16:38 GMT
Hi Malcolm,
A very dinky pump!
Did you consider a banjo attachment to the top of it, or is that what you did as the pics are not too clear on this?
How are you getting on with the last of the Welsh Steam coal on the Talyllyn? There has been a lot of controversy about this in the local South Wales press, and just at the point that Ffos y Fran got to the very best seams of steam coal (Caerphilly Observer 22nd August). Does the Talyllyn have any qualms about buying a large amount of coal from Ffos y Fran when the whole deep open cast mining very close to Merthyr and Dowlais leaves a huge problem because the money supposed to be set aside for the reclamation of the land is lacking?
Cheers, Julian
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mbrown
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Post by mbrown on Sept 2, 2024 6:46:28 GMT
Thanks Julian.
It's not all that dinky - 5/16" bore x 5/16" stroke. I reckon that should maintain the water level in the boiler, especially given the small diameter of the wheels and thus the rate of stroke. On my Bagnall, albeit a smaller loco, a 1/8" crosshead pump beats the boiler.
I didn't think of a banjo fitting - on reflection, it could have been a viable option. Despite being hidden under the smoke box, once the plating between the buffer beam and smoke box is lifted, the pump is secured by two 4BA nuts and can then be wangled out. A banjo might have made that a bit easier, but too late now.
Last winter, the TR bought as much coal from Ffos-y-fan as we could accommodate at Wharf. It looked a great deal but I guess we've got through nearly 3/4 of it and the remainder won't get us far into next season. I was at the Rheidol a few weeks ago and I gather they have managed to get some decent coal from Poland - but no idea of the cost or whether it would suit the much smaller fireboxes on the TR. We did try a different lot of ovoids on No.1 a week or two ago - apparently it was OK provided the fire was kept very thick, but as with the bio-mass fuel last year, they needed an extra supply of coal taking to Abergynolwyn by van to ensure they could get the train home - not very ecological... So I'm not sure what the plan for next year, or longer term, is.
Best wishes
Malcolm
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mbrown
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Post by mbrown on Sept 2, 2024 17:18:49 GMT
Incidentally Julian, details of my pump are near the bottom of p.7 of this thread - from which I see that the bore is 7/16" not 5/16" - shows how memory can lapse in the 4 years since I made it!
Malcolm
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