70036 Boadicea

[Jim]

Thanks Brian for your kind thoughts.

Alan Wallace also recommends a spare motor as a stand by which I already have.
Actually There are bibs and bobs of Boadicea scattered around the site and for a while I was posting on another site along with Simplyloco before returning. It's all a fair while back now and part of the great journey we all undertake in building a model.

I shall certainly be doing a test steam up after I've put 70036 through a warming up stage to ensure the paints are cured and all is settled where it should be.
What's next on the agenda? I'm not sure though I do have a couple of thoughts buzzing around in my head plus there are 2 BR Mk1 coaches in need of interiors.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Jim]

I decided to start the warming up process today with a small fire of eucalyptus sticks from our Eucalypts or Gum Trees, it was also a chance to try the mini blower to see how it performed drawing a fire in the fire box.
I only kept the fire going until the water was hot and had started swell in the gauge glass before letting the fire die down and turning off the blower.

My apologies for the out of focus photo of the fire which at that stage consisted of about 7 x 1/2"x 5" sticks.



Blower performed well and a test of the regulator suggests the PTFE seals may need easing or maybe not, the real test will be when steam is raised.

Jim.

[barlowworks]

Good to see Adam's lighted match arrived ok. 😄

Mike

[Cro]

The next one is on its way....great stuff Jim you must be very excited to get a real fire going now.

Adam

[Jim]

The long stemmed matches you're sending Adam are just the ticket for the journey out here. The postmen bring it in relays like a mini Olympic torch.
I must admit to getting keen to see what happens on the next light up, I'll try some char as I still have some of the old stuff which burned well and will test the airflow on the Rosebud grate.
Interesting times are ahead.

Jim.

[Jim]

It took a bit of juggling but the Britannia was eventually eased out of the workshop and coupled up to its tender for the really big day and lo and behold right on cue the postman arrived with the Adam's burning match! Thanks Adam.

With the electric blower on the firelighter was lit, kindling added and a start was made on raising steam. For today's session I used Char which burned well. At around 40psi the steam blower was turned on. At 50psi the whistle was tested for the first time on steam to be answered by the neighbour tooting his car horn.
With the pressure building and the cylinder drains open the regulator was eased open and for the first time 70036 was running on steam.

As was to be expected the first steam up revealed a couple of leaking screwed unions. As the pressure continued to rise the safety valves were re adjusted to lift at 100psi.

There seems to be some issues with the injectors. I suspect they are blocked, which I'll take up with our club boiler inspector.

All in all a very satisfying and enjoyable afternoon. The photos below show a couple of highlights.

Jim

Out in the sunlight for the very first time.



The needle starting to move up wards off the peg.



Steaming for the first time. I've just deleted the Imgur link and replaced it with this one on YouTube which has the sound too

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLW9P_E32a0


Jim.

[barlowworks]

Beautiful Jim, absolutely beautiful. It runs like a Swiss watch. You must be so proud.

Mike

[Jim]

Thanks Mike, I must admit I was rather thrilled with the way it just started as the regulator was opened. As you'd expect there are some things to attend to apart from a couple of leaking unions. For me the other big thing was the ease with which the regulator worked as I was worried that as it got hot it would seize up but it didn't..

Thanks again

Jim.

[Deleted]

fantastic Jim....she's running like a Swiss watch mate...well done sir.....look forward to seeing video of her first lap....

Pete

[Jim]

I will admit Pete that seeing the wheels start to turn with jets of hot oily water shooting from the drains did put a pretty broad grin on my face.
I still have some issues to sort, nothing big but the sort things you expect on the locomotiove's first run on steam.

Jim

[steamer5]

Hi Jim,
A moment you won’t likely forget in a hurry! Thanks for sharing the journey with us.

The celebratory ale will be all the sweeter, hope not to much of it dribbles down your front with the smile on your face!

Cheers Kerrin

[simplyloco]

I have to say Jim that your success has increased my resolve to get hold of my Brit and shake it when I get back to Blighty! It has been dwelling far too long.
John

[GWR 101]

Jim, well done mate that's 30 seconds of shear delight, bet there was a warm glow that needed a few cooling ales to quench. Regards Paul

[racinjason]

Jim,
when will we see it doing laps at Orange.
Cheers Jason

[Andrew C]

That's fantastic well done. You must be both please and relieved the first full steam went so well. I got three chuffs and a squeal on each revolution the first time I ran

I'm sure a man of your caliber will figure out the injectors, then Club track here we come!

Well done Jim

Regards,

Andrew

[olly]

Mar 16, 2018 20:23:41 GMT GWR 101 said:

Jim, well done mate that's 30 seconds of shear delight, bet there was a warm glow that needed a few cooling ales to quench. Regards Paul

Well done Jim hope you have many hours of driving fun

[Jim]

Thanks everyone for your very kind thoughts and wishes for the future.

I will admit to a celebratory ale or two or maybe it was three, four?..I can't remember now

I suspect my problem with the injector was too much steam and not enough water, a second steam up will show whether that was the problem. I will admit I got carried away and opened the steam valve full bore.

Another issue I need to check is the movement in the weight shaft lifting arm that can be seen in the video. It wasn't there when running on air and I suspect the problem may be related to a screw holding the weight shaft bearing working loose which was spotted by my old friend John who was observing on the fireman's side that was in the video.

Sadly before I can do another steam up I'm going to have to extend the front porch/landing to make getting the loco out a much easier exercise. At present it's like trying to thread a camel through the eye of a needle

We'll get there and there are still a few more posts to come yet so keep the soothing ales handy.

Shanks, Ji JJ Shim ah,  Jim.
 

[Roger]

A fantastic achievement Jim, a day to remember! Well done indeed!

[Jim]

Thanks Roger I will admit that after 10 years of fun building a loco there is a special feeling of excitement as you nervously open the regulator for the first time and the wheels start to turn as it comes to life.
Next I have some carpentry to do to modify the landing so I can get the loco out and into the back of the station wagon. I thought it would be a straight forward exercise...I was wrong!..again!
A visit to the track is still a way off yet.
Your Speedy is looking superb and every component you make and add brings the steam up day closer.
Thanks again Roger.

Jim.

[don9f]

Hi Jim, congratulations on a fine achievement!

I noticed the weighshaft movement in your video and wondered if your Britannia has an oil damper arrangement like the Warnett 9F? The real things had a big spring to help offset the weight of the lifting arms, links, radius rods etc. but the model doesn’t really need that, so Les replaced the spring unit with an adjustable oil filled damper which helps damp out the “oscillations”. This valvegear does suffer from a fair bit of die block slip, which reacts back into the reversing gear.

Cheers Don