safety valves

[steamjohn248]

The Safety Valves on our Winson Baldwin (supplied with steel springs and steel balls we have discovered) even with SS replacements do not work cleanly.
I seem to remember a post on the old site about 'Pop' valves using steel balls, does anyone have a reference, know of a supplier. or some drawings. 100 psi and 1/2" BSP thread into the steam dome.

Cheers

Steamjohn

[the_viffer]

Have a look through back issues of EIM for articles by Gordon Smith. He made, in accordance with his principles, a safety valave for one of my locos. It is wonderful. It opens at working pressure. It vents all the steam. It closes at a tad under working pressure.

[steamjohn248]

Thanks Viffer
My local club has copies of Model Engineer going back to before Pontius was a pilot and flew top cover for the ascension, but I cannot find anyone who has kept EIM. Is Gordon Smith still in the frame for making safety valves and to quote the old joke, "if I gave him the wool would he make me one?" If so could you put me in touch?

Many thanks

Steamjohn

[lancelot]

Hello,
check out the index data base for E/I/M for Feb.2001...3884...250....Smith....ref. improving the design of safety valve for steam locomotives, it would appear to be a follow up series from that date onward.
All the best for now,
John.

[the_viffer]

steamjohn248 said:

Thanks Viffer
. Is Gordon Smith still in the frame for making safety valves and to quote the old joke, "if I gave him the wool would he make me one?" If so could you put me in touch?

Many thanks

Steamjohn

As I recall Gordon published his contact details in the EIM series someone has just posted. I got in touch to ask if he'd be able to give me some hints on designing a valve suitable for my loco which failed a steam accumulation test (despite having a valid Southern Fed certificate and an new boiler certificate by a Royal and Sun Alliance approved inspector!)and to sell me the special spring needed. He said that for a couple of pounds he'd do a CAD drawing. He promptly did so and said that to prove the drawing he'd made and tested a valve. I suggested that we could both do each other some good by my buying the valve as well as the drawing which I did and I think it is wonderful.

I've not got his contact details to hand: they are somewhere but you'll be much quicker looking it up in EIM. If you can't find it let me know and I'll hunt.

I always liked that joke by the way but I don't think you are allowed to tell it any more.

[the_viffer]

Hah found it. And I thought my filing system was a Write Only Memory. Follow this link which gives a summary of Gordon's articles and also an email address for the man himself www.sarno.freeserve.co.uk/leyland/svalves.htm

[steamjohn248]

Many thanks to both, re safety valves.
Much to my surprise although the club was a non starter a friend has back copies of EIM and is going to look for the articles.

I have also E mailed Gordon to see if he can help us out , meantime have re-worked the Winson******* with SS Balls and springs spring guides etc. and they work on air after a fashion and will hopefully after a steam test get us, or rather keep us, out of trouble on our next running day until we can either purchase or make a new pair a la Gordon Smith.

Thanks again guys

[gordonsafetyvalves]

If anybody else would like to contact me (Gordon Smith) my email address is [e-mail] and my contact number is 01283 546176

[Steve M. W]

We had Gordon to one of our club nights to give a talk and demonstration one of our best nights, well worth going to if you can. A fair number of our members use Gordons valves.

Steve

[steammadman]

That shows you what you get for asking on here,
the answer straight from the horses mouth, and quick time too.

[mott]

If you get stuck with Winson safety valves get in touch with Polly Engineering. Their valves are excellent they shut down on my loco with a loss of no more that 10lbs. More to the point their screw threads are the same as Winson and Modelworks because years ago Winson owned Polly. Gordons valves are also excellent and just need a modicum of machining from the originals.Mott