Simplex on the track at last

[davidm]

I've been building this for 8 years, so some would say about time!

It will never win prizes for beauty, but I enjoyed working on it and it runs well. I had no experience at all of model engineering when I started, just getting stuck in was a superb learning process.

I have to pay tribute to the members of North London Society of Model Engineers, who have without exception been supportive and encouraging. Mind you sometimes when you ask 5 model engineers a question and you get 10 answers.....!

The photo was taken on the occasion of my first public run, and while still sorting out the safety valves which do a passable imitation of a volcanic geyser.

[alanstepney]

It looks good and obviously runs well too.

Congratulations, on your First.

Now you just need to decide what to build next.!

[ianmac]

Thats a great looking model

Well done

[odc]

You seem to be getting the hang of it now David

[steam4ian]

G'day David.

Well done & congratulations.

I'l bet your had dark hair when you started the project.

Regards
Ian

[drjohn]

Hi David - congrats ++ - great feeling - and I do like the new colour scheme - shiny domes are a bugger to keep even in the UK climate.

Keep it up - when are you starting your Black 5 ?

DJ

[spamcanman]

very well done David, I looked at the loco on the steaming bay and I think youv'e made a very good job of her and you should be proud.
see you on another track day at the club.

[davidm]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments and thanks Owen for posting the picture, can I have a copy please?

I should say that as a first project I'm as surprised as anyone (a) that it actually works, and (b) that it looks as good as it does.

I've sorted out the safety valves now, well actually I've fitted two that I made myself to Martin Evan's design. They are quite gentle and just behave like they should, rather than the commercial ones that I fitted at first. They took the pressure down from 100 to 60 in a few seconds!

As for getting the hang of it (ODC), well I've still got a lot to learn, but I can now get round the track without running out of steam. I MUST however stop forgetting the injector when I'm standing in the station talking. The resulting shower of water is not conducive to a clean engine or happy passengers!

As for the Black Five, well when I started to work out how much it was going to cost I had a fit, so I've changed my mind and stimulated by the free plans in ME I'm well under way with a Metro! It'll be an interesting and challenging loco to drive on our club track. The frames are more or less done, and I've started on the wheels and axles. I'll put some photos up soon.

David

[steam4ian]

G'day David

Its the best and most frustrating fun there is.

My little loco does not have much freeboard in the boiler. I leave the station with half a glass which drops to the bottom nut on the decent into the tunnel. On the climb out of the tunnel there is too much water which results in a shower as I start the climb. I completely lose vision due to the steam and water and finish up driving blind.

I still have a lot to learn about driving the thing . They won't let me loose with passenger yet.

Regards
Ian

[odc]

Iain - a very experianced main line fireman taught me that whilst blowing off is to be avoided, there is such a thing as strategic blowing off. But never in a station.