Help with 'Speedy' valve gear and other issues...

[Roger]

Jan 27, 2019 9:08:29 GMT 92220 said:

Lovely job Roger. I'm just glad my drain cocks are steam operated!!

Bob.

Hi Bob,
Thanks, it's fiddly getting rod past the firebox and the horns. More to come on that. Yes, steam operated solves those problems!

[JonL]

If I can find a compact and easily-done-by-a-novice design I think Steam operated might be my route too. I can't do fiddly, fat fingers!

[Roger]

Jan 27, 2019 16:51:58 GMT JonL said:

If I can find a compact and easily-done-by-a-novice design I think Steam operated might be my route too. I can't do fiddly, fat fingers!

Some designs use Bowden Cable, that solves some of the problems with routing linkages.

[uuu]

I'm attracted to these, but haven't seen any in use:

Model Engineering website

They could probably be reduced in size.

Wilf

[JonL]

I like the principle, but they don't appeal visually, I know how daft that sounds.

[Roger]

Does anyone have a drawing, works or 5" for the coupling linkages shown here?


20140204_112722 by Roger Froud, on Flickr

[92220]

Hi Roger.

I thought one of the drawings I have for the 9f was very similar. It is very similar but not EXACTLY the same. If you would like a copy I can let you have one and you can probably work out sizes by comparison between your photo and the works drawing, afterall they must be very similar in size. let me know and I'll scan it.

Bob.

Edit:    Do you have a photo that shows the other coupling. It could be different. They are on my loco!

[Roger]

Jan 27, 2019 17:53:44 GMT 92220 said:

Hi Roger.

I thought one of the drawings I have for the 9f was very similar. It is very similar but not EXACTLY the same. If you would like a copy I can let you have one and you can probably work out sizes by comparison between your photo and the works drawing, afterall they must be very similar in size. let me know and I'll scan it.

Bob.

Edit:    Do you have a photo that shows the other coupling. It could be different. They are on my loco!

Thanks Bob,
This is the one on the rear which looks the same to me.


DSCN5675 by Roger Froud, on Flickr

[92220]

Hi Roger.

That shows me what I needed. I will get a scan done of the drawing, tomorrow, and email it to you. This photo looks as if my drawing is only different in very minor detail.

Bob.

[Roger]

This is the lever that goes on the drain cock front shaft...

20190126_201032 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

... parted off and then filed flat...

20190126_213045 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

... so it ends up like this.

20190127_153556 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

Again, it's pretty small.

20190127_153615 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

The 2mm Silicon Nitride Ceramic balls for the automatic drain valve arrived yesterday...

20190127_194407 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

... so I can finally assemble the steam brake cylinder arrangement. There's only a Viton 'O' ring on the top cylinder cover.

20190127_191957 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

It's not easy to test the valve, but the piston rod moved in and out without much resistance with a finger over the steam inlet, yet it resists strongly if I push faster. Applying an air line to the cylinder, it doesn't leak as far as I can see. Until I get a proper sealed connection onto the inlet I won't know for sure. It's a good start though.

20190127_192531 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

This is one of the spring retainers for the coupling hook. The corners of the rectangular pocket were drilled 1mm before machining with a 2mm cutter.

20190127_172143 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

This is the arrangement, with a 2mm diameter piece of Silver Steel held captive by the recess in the back.

The spring can be made from up to 1.6mm diameter wire.

20190127_190727 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

[delaplume]

Hello everyone,

Roger, the one on the rear is a GWR type}--------------->





the one on the front looks like an LMS type but with the fixed tommybar missing}----------->






Remember this is a shunting loco first and foremost and I would expect the "Instanter" coupling to be used but it is operated by a Heritage Railway and in that mode it'll be coupled to all and sundry at some time or another so the screw type is preferred ( You don't want loose-coupled coaching stock on a service train, eh ??..........Plays havoc with the Brown Windsor soup on a Sunday Diner special !!!!............









Also, this might help}----------- www.cplproducts.net/couplings.html

[Roger]

Jan 27, 2019 19:55:28 GMT delaplume said:

Hello everyone,

Roger, the one on the rear is a GWR type}--------------->





the one on the front looks like an LMS type but with the fixed tommybar missing}----------->






Remember this is a shunting loco first and foremost and I would expect the "Instanter" coupling to be used but it is operated by a Heritage Railway and in that mode it'll be coupled to all and sundry at some time or another so the screw type is preferred ( You don't want loose-coupled coaching stock on a service train, eh ??..........Plays havoc with the Brown Windsor soup on a Sunday Diner special !!!!............









Also, this might help}----------- www.cplproducts.net/couplings.html

Thanks Alan

[baldric]

I would say that both couplings are standard GWR ones, the front one looks like it has just been uncoupled and has just been dropped down so lever that does the coupling up is hidden behind the screw. Normally I would have expected the fireman (or shunter) to have hung the coupling up as was meant to be standard GWR practice....
Baldric

[Roger]

Jan 28, 2019 8:39:28 GMT baldric said:

I would say that both couplings are standard GWR ones, the front one looks like it has just been uncoupled and has just been dropped down so lever that does the coupling up is hidden behind the screw. Normally I would have expected the fireman (or shunter) to have hung the coupling up as was meant to be standard GWR practice....
Baldric

Hi Baldric,
Yes, that looks to be what's happened. I have found another picture of the front of 1501 showing the coupling correctly stowed on a hook on the RH buffer stock. That's two more things to make!

[92220]

Hi Roger.

I've just sent you an email.

Bob.

[Roger]

Jan 28, 2019 13:12:57 GMT 92220 said:

Hi Roger.

I've just sent you an email.

Bob.

Thanks for that Bob.

[Roger]

Looking at the size of the eye on the end of the 'U' link, I can see that it's not going to fit through the slot in the existing draw hook. So here I've set up the fixture again and I'm opening out the slot.


20190128_202508 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

It's a little longer but the same width, even though it doesn't look like that in this photo.

20190128_210439 by Anne Froud, on Flickr

[Gary L]

Jan 28, 2019 8:39:28 GMT baldric said:

I would say that both couplings are standard GWR ones, the front one looks like it has just been uncoupled and has just been dropped down so lever that does the coupling up is hidden behind the screw. Normally I would have expected the fireman (or shunter) to have hung the coupling up as was meant to be standard GWR practice....
Baldric

They were hooked up to make sure they cleared the ATC ramps. So if you are modelling the loco in BR days, the couplings should be hooked, but in preservation (no ATC) anything goes.

-Gary

PS From another posting, I've never seen a GWR loco with an Instanter coupling, but no doubt somebody will find a photo to prove me wrong. None of the 15xx photos I have seen show anything other than WR standard screw couplings. -G

[Roger]

Jan 29, 2019 2:24:44 GMT Gary L said:

Jan 28, 2019 8:39:28 GMT baldric said:

I would say that both couplings are standard GWR ones, the front one looks like it has just been uncoupled and has just been dropped down so lever that does the coupling up is hidden behind the screw. Normally I would have expected the fireman (or shunter) to have hung the coupling up as was meant to be standard GWR practice....
Baldric

They were hooked up to make sure they cleared the ATC ramps. So if you are modelling the loco in BR days, the couplings should be hooked, but in preservation (no ATC) anything goes.

-Gary

PS From another posting, I've never seen a GWR loco with an Instanter coupling, but no doubt somebody will find a photo to prove me wrong. None of the 15xx photos I have seen show anything other than WR standard screw couplings. -G

Interestingly, in my collection of outline drawings of various locomotives, I've got one side view that shows the free end of the coupling hooked up on its own drawbar. I wonder why that isn't done rather than add a hook off to one side?

[uuu]

Because when you're coupled up, one of the couplings is not in use and can't be parked on its own hook?

Wilf