Running issue

[pragmatist]

I’m quite a new driver and think I am getting the hang of things but the last 3 visits to my track (a small oval one) I have ran out of steam after barely a lap. I have a Speedy and am setting off on 90psi so plenty of steam but I’m back down to 30 by the end of the lap.
Two things I’m thinking. I’m running about 30 foot before closing the drain cocks so perhaps that isn’t helping. Also a couple of times I’ve forgotten to turn the blower completely off. Before I go again could these two things be an issue?
Subsequent runs after this are a little better and I’ve managed 2 or 3 laps. Best is 5 but that was a few weeks ago. I do seem to be fighting the loco to keep her in steam.

[borderer]

Is the engine known to be a good steamer when someone else drives it, or do others have trouble with it?

If it won't steam for anyone else, is the smokebox airtight and door closing properly, and is the blast nozzle the right size and correctly aligned with the chimney?

You may need a bit of blower to keep it going when you are driving solo, as it won't be working hard enough to create much blast. It may be quite different when pulling a heavy train. All this of course assumes a good fire, and I think managing the fire is something you have to learn by experience.

[chris vine]

Often for the first run, the fire looks bright but there isn’t much real heat being generated.
If you used charcoal to light up, much of this may still be under the coal and has already burnt up most of its energy.
If you keep the blower on and add more coal before you drive you may have more luck. During this time you can test/run injectors. If they knock the pressure back a lot that would indicate that the fire isn’t fully established.
Enjoy it all!!
Chris 🚂🚂

[pragmatist]

Mar 7, 2024 15:38:06 GMT borderer said:

Is the engine known to be a good steamer when someone else drives it, or do others have trouble with it?

If it won't steam for anyone else, is the smokebox airtight and door closing properly, and is the blast nozzle the right size and correctly aligned with the chimney?

You may need a bit of blower to keep it going when you are driving solo, as it won't be working hard enough to create much blast. It may be quite different when pulling a heavy train. All this of course assumes a good fire, and I think managing the fire is something you have to learn by experience.

Many thanks. Yes it steamed well when one of our experienced members demonstrated it for me.

[pragmatist]

Mar 7, 2024 18:36:48 GMT chris vine said:

Often for the first run, the fire looks bright but there isn’t much real heat being generated.
If you used charcoal to light up, much of this may still be under the coal and has already burnt up most of its energy.
If you keep the blower on and add more coal before you drive you may have more luck. During this time you can test/run injectors. If they knock the pressure back a lot that would indicate that the fire isn’t fully established.
Enjoy it all!!
Chris 🚂🚂

Aaah you could be right. That would explain why subsequent circuits aren’t as bad.

[SteveW]

Practice. Practice. Practice.

There's a whole lot more to driving these things than just sitting there and opening the big steam tap.

Too much water in there and there won't be enough room for the steam to blow you along very far and you'll stall.

Too much feed water going in and it'll cool it all down, no more steam and you'll stall.

Too much fire and you'll over pressure, the safeties will blow because you can't use all that steam fast enough. You'll back off too much and you'll stall.

Too little fire and there won't be enough steam generated to get you anywhere and you'll stall.

Too much coal going in, the fire will cool, no more steam and you'll stall.

Too little coal going in and the fire will go out ... You know the story.

It's a balancing act. You need just enough of everything going in and at the right times.

[jo479]

As SteveW says ,it's a balancing act and to make it worse, every engine is different

[Neale]

But it's a whole lot of fun learning! Sounds as if it's driver error - just give it a few years...

I get my track time on the club loco. Sometimes I'm struggling after a lap or two, sometimes I can manage a number of laps. Just try to get a feel for what worked and what didn't. It's certainly true, though, that a lot of locos run better with a decent load. Works harder, better blast, better fire, etc.

Good luck,

[JonL]

I've never driven two locomotives alike. I do find coal quality can play a large role in things.

Some of the Anthracite I have been using lately does require a bit of blower all the way round, even when climbing our modest incline. With the Welsh Steam Coal I use you only need the blower when going downhill or stationary.

[jma1009]

Of the Speedys I’ve had a drive of they have all been to the original design and with the stainless piston valves and original valve gear.

You have a grate that slopes down to the front that I never particularly like as you can’t see easily the front of the fire.

All the examples I drove used a hell of a lot of steam because of the blowing piston valves and far from optimal valve gear.

There is a simple test for the piston valves.

One ought to be aware that piston valve lubrication is very important with the original design, and it it would only takea few laps with the lubricator not working to cause major issues.

Are you firing ‘on the run’?

Can you see the fire properly and know where to put the coal?

Are the small tubes swept and the superheater flues?

Is the ashpan thoroughly clean?

There is a bit of a knack to firing a straight then sloping grate on a GWR type loco but every time I drove a Speedy I had no success due to blowing piston valves (principally) and (secondary) the indifferent valve gear.

Cheers,
Julian

[simon6200]

Julian, speaking of valve gear, could I please have your improvements for Pansy, discussed in other threads some time ago. I PM’d you but like me, you probably don’t check.