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Tich
Sept 15, 2006 9:31:05 GMT
Post by spurley on Sept 15, 2006 9:31:05 GMT
Hi All Having just watched Lancelot's recent sale of his Tich parts and the responses from 'Standardsteam'. I am keen to know who else, apart from me, on this list are building examples of this locomotive? I am interested in completed models as well as those, like mine, still in the making or even those who want to build one later. I am about 2 1/2 years into my build; 3 1/2" gauge Walshaerts version, and have it at the 'air chassis' stage. I have made the lubricator and pretty much all of the goodies between the frames so I'm about to start on the boiler construction. I have all the materials ready for this and will be making the small boiler version, which probably confirms me as a true masochist!? Other chaps at my club that have finished their Tichs have told me that they can be a real handful to keep steaming but are a real pleasure otherwise. I will be making a boiler for my 1" Minnie at the same time to keep the work in the workshop the same. Here are a few pictures of mine at it's present stage, I will try to improve the quality. You may notice that she is sitting on my homemade 'rolling road' and also that I have fitted temporary perspex valve chest covers for me to monitor valve events/travel etc. It keeps me amused anyway!! The GM versions have been made and fitted but are simply removed at present for my delectation I do have another project which I need to finish before starting boiler work though; my 16 year old daughter has just bought a 1985 Mini Mayfair which she wants me to fix up for her to learn to drive in! I have until next May for that but also want to keep my hand in with Tich so it's a balancing act at the moment. Anyhow I really look forward to hearing from all those 'Tiches' out there ;D Maybe enough of us to have our own section? Cheers Brian
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Tich
Sept 15, 2006 11:55:33 GMT
Post by baggo on Sept 15, 2006 11:55:33 GMT
Hi Brian,
Good idea to post pics of locos etc. under construction as I for one am always interested in seeing what other people are up to! You can learn a lot from other peoples successes (and failures!). One of the reasons I started my website was to show my locos being built bit by bit in case it would help someone else. I think many 'beginners' jump in at the deep end without realising exactly what is involved, even in a small loco such as Tich. They get so far and perhaps realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew or they have a lot of problems and just give up. Just look at how many part built Tiches and Rob Roys come up for sale.
One of the problems with Tich is, as you suggest, it is a very difficult loco to keep in steam due to the very small boiler and actually takes quite a bit of skill to run successfully, so is perhaps not a beginners loco in that respect. I think it was Tich that LBSC designed to use up all the 2-1/2" gauge castings when this gauge fell out of favour and people moved up to 3-1/2" and 5". Basically it's just a 2-1/2" gauge loco on a 3-1/2" track!
Look forward to following your progress,
John
PS your workshop looks a lot tidier than mine ;D
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Uzzy
Hi-poster
Posts: 153
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Tich
Sept 15, 2006 12:15:28 GMT
Post by Uzzy on Sept 15, 2006 12:15:28 GMT
I to am building "Tich" although mine is very on going I started in about 1983 when I got the steam bug after a visit to Wembley and I am sorry to say that all I have for my troubles are the frames, buffers and pump stay I have almost completed the Horn blocks. I to have been told that 31/2 gauge locos in general are not good starter engines but I will persevere as to giving up, No hope even if it becomes a retirement project although I would like to be building something else 20 years from now! I also have a small vertical engine built by my late grandfather that needs some sort of boiler which I am hoping I may get my 12 year old son to work on. I keep looking at part built "Tich's" and at present I am contemplating the purchase of a rolling chassis the resell what I don't need! But I will not gain any skills that way!
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Tich
Sept 15, 2006 13:59:26 GMT
Post by standardsteam on Sept 15, 2006 13:59:26 GMT
As you know I'm building one, I'll get a photo off my 'phone so I can post it up as it's the only digital camera I have. My engine was started when LBSC was still alive by my father so I think I might be in the running for "longest time taken to build a Tich". I keep seeing Tich chassis'isese where most builders tend to stop; which was pretty much what mine looked like when I started on it. I was going great guns until I no longer had access to a workshop anymore and it's back to gathering dust nearly although I have roughed out some of the motion and the only choice now is to get busy with a file! (I skipped over the motion, I didn't and still don't feel much like making it!)
Certainly after the benifit of joining a club, Tich isn't the engine for a beginner to go for, although on the positive side someone said, "if you can keep a Tich in steam you can drive anything". A small engine requiring a precision build if you are not to waste steam. I don't think my cylinders are quite up to it, I'm reasonably pleased with them, just you can feel the odd tight spot and I know it will sap the power of this engine. I drove a 5" version recently and it went like the clappers, the blower on it was amazing and I do wonder how effective the standard exhaust and blower arrangement will be on this engine and whether it would benifit from "tweaking" (don't let Curly hear that!).
One thing I'm slightly dissapointed about is there is not much in the way of web resources about this little engine, I've seen so many in exhibitions etc you'd think someone would do a construction serial on the web or something. I might have to put some pictures of my engine up (showing off my inexperience as a beginner with machining) . I never look at a finished Tich without crediting the builder with at least patience and perseverence, but some of the paint jobs on these little engines are appalling especially if they're destined to spend the rest of their days on the mantlepiece.
PS - Spurley: A fine job on the motion by the way and thanks for putting up the photos.
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Tich
Sept 15, 2006 19:21:34 GMT
Post by ron on Sept 15, 2006 19:21:34 GMT
Brian, that looks great, I've a Tich at a well advanced state, rolling chassis almost complete, boiler finished apart from the superheater, fire hole door and safety valve dome but none of the platework done, I haven't done anything to it for a while as I started to get interested in the Stuart Turner engines [just started a No 9] and I'm beginning to think of selling the parts on Ebay to raise cash for other projects but can't bring myself to actually do it. Ron
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Tich
Mar 13, 2007 10:45:02 GMT
Post by standardsteam on Mar 13, 2007 10:45:02 GMT
Finally got there and made the rest of the motion. Only problem is, it's pretty locked up.
I'll have to go back and check each component and I know there are points in the revolution of the wheels that the connecting rods are binding, which in my case is to do with the centre distance rather than the quartering. The gaps in my expansion links need easing, and the bearings are a bit tight.
Not much space between the combination lever and the crosshead is there? I had to cut back the radius rod slightly to get the full range of movement.
The way I have built it there is not enough room for the front brake hanger so I've used a countersunk screw in the rear cover at that point.
Since I have already made the running boards it does appear that holes in the tanks are required to get the full lift of the expansion link. How did you find it?
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Tich
Mar 13, 2007 13:54:40 GMT
Post by GWRdriver on Mar 13, 2007 13:54:40 GMT
Hello Brian, I am also building a TICH, after a fashion. Mine is the 2X version based upon the Kennions drawings. I say based, because my curse is I cannot leave well enough alone and I've "improved" the design in several areas, thus burdening myself with significant additional building time. One change I made was to use 5" driver castings (Reeves/ K. Swan BRIDGET) which I had laying around and some (but not all) chassis proportions where changed a bit to accomodate that. At the recommendation of several builders I also enlarged the cylinders a bit. This requires a redesign of the valve gear and . . . . . . Here is a photo of a Tich which IIRC I first saw pictured in ME some quite a few years ago and which I ran across again by accident on the www several years ago. I failed to get any other information about the model or its builder except that it is named PUDDING, a delightful name. Some folks may be revolted by the color, I am not, and the thing about this TICH that I found most attractive is that I believe it is the best and most pleasing "rendering out" of the design I have seen. By rendering out I mean the balance between finishes, bare metal, paint, etc, and I hope to achive the same convincing effect. If anyone recognizes this loco and knows more about it I would appreciate being pointed in that direction.
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Tich
Mar 13, 2007 14:19:32 GMT
Post by chris vine on Mar 13, 2007 14:19:32 GMT
Hi Brian,
I wonder if this might be a good idea for a small boilered Tich, or any other small engine come to that...
I have seen, but never made, a special regulated blower valve. It's output depends on the boiler pressure, going up as the boiler pressure goes down and vice versa. The trouble with small boilers and the standard type of blower is that it is an inherently unstable system. As the boiler pressure goes down, so does the power of the blower and then it goes out. Alternatively as the pressure goes up, so does the power of the blower until the safeties lift.
Somewhere, perhaps 10 years ago there was a design for a blower valve like this, I kept it out for a long time and will try to find it. Maybe someone with an index can find the article.
Maybe someone has made one and can tell of their experience, good/bad........
John Baggo, why are you a guest now? Have you been ejected from this august body?!
Chris.
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Tich
Mar 13, 2007 22:18:08 GMT
Post by steamjohn248 on Mar 13, 2007 22:18:08 GMT
Hello Chris
Looking through my collection of torn out pages of "Usefull articles" from ME I've found one by Peter? Gardner in 1974. Page 1029 ME of 18th Oct. "A pressure-static Blower Valve". (Is this the same gentleman who designed the brilliant Vacuum Brake set up on the Frimly Lodge Railway?). If you think it might be usefull I might be able to photograph the pages and E mail them to you, (Our scanner has got the sulks).
Best regards
John
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Tich
Mar 14, 2007 10:26:26 GMT
Post by chris vine on Mar 14, 2007 10:26:26 GMT
Hi John,
that is not the article I was thinking of but it sounds as if it is for exactly the same thing. It really is for Brian "Spurley" as a possible aid for a small boilered Tich...
Chris.
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Tich
Mar 14, 2007 16:42:18 GMT
Post by bobpendleton on Mar 14, 2007 16:42:18 GMT
Hi John, that is not the article I was thinking of but it sounds as if it is for exactly the same thing. It really is for Brian "Spurley" as a possible aid for a small boilered Tich... Chris. I've scanned the parts of two pages of the 1974 version and combined them on one page which prints nicely on A4. At the moment it's a 1.24MB file but can no doubt be reduced. Happy to print and mail a few copies or if anyone wants an e-mailed copy I'll try to reduce the file size (I'm still on dialup!). Don't all rush - my ink cartridge has just expired. This certainly looks an interesting idea. Wonder if it ever caught on? Does anyone have any experience? The author's account of leaving his engine for half an hour and returning to hear that the safety valves had not blown and the fire 'though not bright, was quickly raised' is pretty impressive. BP
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Tich
Mar 14, 2007 18:21:38 GMT
Post by spurley on Mar 14, 2007 18:21:38 GMT
Hi Bob
Chris is right I would be very interested in a copy of this article please. You can email to my address which should be available by clicking on my 'name' at the side box, it takes you off to my profile (which is considerably better than full frontal!).
Look forward to that please.
Cheers
Brian
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John Lee
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 375
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Tich
Mar 14, 2007 19:28:04 GMT
Post by John Lee on Mar 14, 2007 19:28:04 GMT
This rather reminds me of a steam driven water pump (to feed a boiler) that maintained the level. An article in the early 80's. It sensed between steam and water on its top inlet (allegedly)
Tich drivers need all the help they can get !!. I 'll try to find it in the...errrr.. archives if there is demand.
Regards,
John
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Tich
Mar 14, 2007 19:58:31 GMT
Post by bobpendleton on Mar 14, 2007 19:58:31 GMT
Hi Bob Chris is right I would be very interested in a copy of this article please. You can email to my address which should be available by clicking on my 'name' at the side box, it takes you off to my profile (which is considerably better than full frontal!). Look forward to that please. Cheers Brian Brian: It's on the way! Chris: You did me a good turn recommending this Board. Thanks. As a beginner, it's good to find so many 'sound practical men' and girls. One day I'll hope to show some fruits of my labours but, so far, it's nearly all theory. Bob
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Tich
Mar 15, 2007 9:43:17 GMT
Post by chris vine on Mar 15, 2007 9:43:17 GMT
Hi Bob,
while a lot of people say that a pound of practice is worth a ton of theory, it is also true that all practice with no theory at all does not get you too far!!
Chris.
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Tich
Mar 15, 2007 10:46:00 GMT
Post by bobpendleton on Mar 15, 2007 10:46:00 GMT
Hi Bob, while a lot of people say that a pound of practice is worth a ton of theory, it is also true that all practice with no theory at all does not get you too far!! Chris. Ah, but Chris, if you could see the results of 3 months desultory activity you'd see how little 'practice'. True, I've turned and threaded the blast nozzle seen so prominently in Brian's third picture. And, er... well I've also followed Curly's 'mass production' (page 127 Simple(?? - not to me!) Model Locomotive Building) and made a neat little batch of unions and cones. However, my efforts to carve an eccentric rod with its offset fork do not look too beautiful. Best to start again, I think! Brian has been in touch and promised to reveal the results of his labours on the pressure-static valve in due course. We'd both like to hear if you have found the description of the apparently identical later device. Perhaps there are some 'second thoughts' there? Bob
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