5" gauge 0-6-0 Sweet Pea

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:43 am

The new taller chimney is very effective, I only had to crack the blower open when raising steam and it was shut off during the entire running session.

I didn't find firing her difficult, the axle pump fills the boiler quickly and there is a hand pump as a backup or for use when stationary. Not sure if I will bother fitting an injector as she has a large saddle tank unlike the smaller standard gauge 5" locos where running a tender is required to carry sufficient water (and that the water is cool, very important for injector use).

On my way now for the steam test, weather is good so hopefully if she passes it will be a full day of running!

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:48 am

Big Jim wrote: Sat Sep 14, 2019 7:00 pm I have found with both the Little Green B@##%r and the club engines that they need regular attention, don't like being left alone, sulk for no apparent reason and cost you a fortune.
I am not finding 5" gauge anymore expensive than 16mm scale as I am no longer having to buy RTR, kits or materials to make everything that is required to build a railway. At least in 5" gauge I can justify the price of a part that has been engineered to a high standard whereas with today's prices in the smaller scales to me they are bonkers.

There is talk of my ME club building an outdoor smaller scale track for various gauges so my Silver Lady and rolling stock may get a reprieve from the auction house as it was my first and best loco (Roundhouse sell the version today of the SL I own and it's price is hundreds of pounds more, an exhaust enhancer is the only addition).

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by DonW » Sun Sep 15, 2019 1:49 pm

I assume the cost of track is the biggest factor. If you are happy to use an ME club track or run on others tracks when invited it would greatly reduce costs. However I presume you will only have a limited number of running days available.

Don

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 15, 2019 8:31 pm

The club I belong to is very active with Friday evening running sessions and Sunday running throughout the summer (we run a passenger service to the public on Sunday afternoons):

http://maidstonemes.co.uk/

I have loads of video of the loco running today so will produce a film in the week, however, here's a shot of her pulling passenger services this afternoon after a successful steam test in the morning (I am not passed to operate passenger services yet so the driver is a club member):

IMG_20190915_150718_1-01.jpeg
IMG_20190915_150718_1-01.jpeg (409.36 KiB) Viewed 7179 times

The taller chimney transforms the look of the loco for me!

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:01 pm

Video of her running today, drivers are MES members:


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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by dewintondave » Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:54 pm

Excellent progress Tom. You had some good weather. That's a nice whistle :thumbup:
Best wishes,
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by DonW » Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:14 am

Runs beautifully Tom and showes plenty of pulling power. You are right about the chimney.

That looks a pretty good run on the MES track a lot bigger than some. Your club does provided a lot of running sessions. The nearest to me at Taunton only seems to have a couple of Sunday public sessions and a couple of evening club sessions in a month (which I suspect will not be held in winter).

Don

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by idlemarvel » Mon Sep 16, 2019 12:10 pm

Agree with Don. We'll driven as well, your club driver has a smooth touch. When do you get your passenger licence?
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by Andrew » Mon Sep 16, 2019 5:45 pm

Looking good!

Love the tall chimney - if you get the cab right she'll look a beauty. Kinda reminds me of the Peckett "Jurassic" and sisters... What colour are you going to go for?

I'm amused at the thought of you riding up and down your drive behind her... Don't suppose you can break through the garage into the back garden for a longer run???

And, just a thought, but if you fancied a nice long run for your Silver Lady, could you re-gauge her to run on the bit between the 5" and 3 1/2" lines?? There's a Model Engineering club line in a park near where some friends live in Manchester which is publicly accessible (ie not behind a fence), and I quite fancy sneaking my Konrad in for a good long trundle...

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:11 pm

dewintondave wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:54 pm Excellent progress Tom. You had some good weather. That's a nice whistle :thumbup:
I am very pleased with it, having a pressure button rather than a lever or pull cord allows you to create some nice alternating tones.

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:13 pm

idlemarvel wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2019 12:10 pm Agree with Don. We'll driven as well, your club driver has a smooth touch. When do you get your passenger licence?
I have to apply to run solo first (means I can run my loco, the club locos or anyone else's on my own) then once the committee are satisfied I can do that without issues then I can request to be put on the roster for public running duties.

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:19 pm

Glad you like it Andrew.

The middle wheelset on the loco is flanged so not sure if I can put in a large enough S bend in the garage to get it into the garden, needs some thinking but possibly achievable.

I hadn't thought about running my SL on the existing track, I will have to ask next time I am there to see if that's allowed!

Colour wise I am going for chemical blackening everywhere to create a used looking workhorse. I am going to practice on the tender before committing to the loco so I will post my results when I make a start.

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:33 pm

So after her first proper run on the club track a few things need sorting before I take her back.

The brake screw failed during use as shown below:

IMG_20190916_194207-01.jpeg
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I have ordered a proper square thread screw and nut from Blackgates which will be more durable and suited for this type of application.

New safety valves will also be ordered from Blackgates as the current valves fitted appear to be home made and not up to the job as to pass the steam test I had to set them to blow off before 80 PSI so they could release enough pressure with the blower on full whack.

The plug for the saddle tank is so well made that the seal it creates is too good and when the loco is hot it does not sit properly due to pressure. I have drilled a small breather hole that you can hardly see:

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The reverser frame needs more forward gear notches as it runs so well:

IMG_20190921_213512-01.jpeg
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And finally, the firebox needs nuts that can be turned by hand incase it needs to be removed quickly (also an ashpan required to sit in that space where the drain plug can be seen):

IMG_20190917_202903-01.jpeg
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by idlemarvel » Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:16 am

Not a bad snagging list. You clearly know your onions as well as your sweet peas :)
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by DonW » Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:19 am

You can expects a few things need doing after the first real runs especially when the build was initially not your own. I suspect some of things things you would have done differently. One thing I dont quite understand why would you need to remove a firebox quickly can you not simply drop the fire?
Don

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by GTB » Sun Sep 22, 2019 12:16 pm

DonW wrote: Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:19 am One thing I dont quite understand why would you need to remove a firebox quickly can you not simply drop the fire?
The Sweet Pea boiler design isn't a conventional locomotive type boiler, it is based on the Bagnall drumhead design, which has a marine type firebox.

You can't drop the fire into the ashpan like a conventional loco boiler, as the firebox is cylindrical and surrounded by water. The only way to remove the fire from the boiler is to take off the dry backhead and rake the fire out the back of the firebox.

Regards,
Graeme

ps. This Wikipedia article describes the marine boiler type that the Bagnall boiler was based on....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launch-type_boiler

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by DonW » Sun Sep 22, 2019 4:13 pm

Thanks for that. It would be a bit awkward simply dropping a fire in a boat.

Don

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:32 pm

Here are a few photos to go with Graeme's response:

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IMG_20190922_182907-01.jpeg
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:08 pm

Did you spot the wheels in the last post?

These are for the tender and as you can see they need a clean!

IMG_20190922_190225-01.jpeg
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I have tested removing rust using white vinegar (soaking the parts overnight) and it's proven effective so far, hopefully it will work on the wheels.

Here's the underside of the tender (paint needs stripping and parts cleaned up):

IMG_20190922_190247-01.jpeg
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I don't know if I will ever use it, however, I am restoring it to test out my chemical blackening ideas for the loco.

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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Sep 25, 2019 10:01 pm

First round of cleaning:

IMG_20190925_215943-01.jpeg
IMG_20190925_215943-01.jpeg (323.88 KiB) Viewed 7141 times

These will be chemically blackened so the finish doesn't have to be perfect.

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