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Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:01 am
by DonW
Runs lovely on air. You are getting to the exciting bit next.

Don

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:15 am
by dewintondave
:thumbup:

It's nice to see a mechanical lubricator.

Snap! I'm making a rolling road set-up right now

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:38 pm
by tom_tom_go
dewintondave wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:15 am It's nice to see a mechanical lubricator.
Even better when it works unlike when I first filled it up (spot the problem):

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It's fixed now as you can see in the video I posted yesterday!

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:59 pm
by dewintondave
tom_tom_go wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:38 pm
Even better when it works unlike when I first filled it up (spot the problem)
What is that liquid in the lubricator, not steam oil eh?

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 9:43 am
by tom_tom_go
As it's running on air I am using light machine oil.

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:32 pm
by Busted Bricks
For a sec I thought you were using lager for lubrication..... ;)

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:50 pm
by tom_tom_go
The bubbles do make it look like beer now that you mention it!

The oil chamber was bubbling as one of the ball bearings was stuck, easily fixed and now pumping freely to both cylinders.

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:58 pm
by DonW
It looks like detergent with all those bubbles. I presume you were using a light oil to reduce drag while running on air.

Don

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:29 am
by dewintondave
Very wise. Did you notice how cold the cylinders get when running on air? It's quite a surprise

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:46 pm
by Big Jim
Looks great Tom, the Metermaid is a cracking engine, well appointed and well designed.
You will have some fun with her.
Now, when are you coming down to Wales to have a play?

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:21 pm
by tom_tom_go
dewintondave wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:29 am Very wise. Did you notice how cold the cylinders get when running on air? It's quite a surprise
I was using light machine oil while running on air and yes I did notice how cold the cylinders were while running in this way. With the friction of all the moving parts I was expecting at least some heat.

Re: 5" gauge 'Metre Maid'

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:22 pm
by tom_tom_go
Big Jim wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:46 pm Looks great Tom, the Metermaid is a cracking engine, well appointed and well designed.
You will have some fun with her.
Now, when are you coming down to Wales to have a play?
Thanks Jimbo, it's very easy to work on.

I believe the club I have joined do visit other lines throughout the year so we may take you up on that offer one day!

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

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:21 pm
by tom_tom_go
Time for an update.

Depsite running on air a few times I was still unhappy with the stiffness of the motion (she still would not move when pushed or pulled and sometimes would lock up when the regulator was closed too much).

The piston in the cylinder that I had issues with at the beginning of this post was still stiff and therefore required further investigation.

Under guidance from my model engineering friend via WhatsApp I worked out the piston would slide freely in and out of the cylinder, however, when the slide bar was fitted and tightened up that's when the stiffness would be introduced.

After trying to resolve this myself using shims and adjusting the slide bar I decided this was beyond my skill and workshop facilities to resolve and so my friend kindly collected the loco to fix.

He discovered that the slide bar was not made correctly and so a new one was fabricated. There were also other small corrections made to the cylinder fittings that didn't match the drawings so we both concluded that the original builder had done a brilliant job on the chassis, wheels, quartering, etc but someone else then tried to the finish the loco to get it running and lacked the skills required or had poor eyesight...

The loco was returned once tested on air and I then tested it on my tiny test track as shown, it now glides along when pushed or pulled by hand!

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The track was supplied by PNP Railways (https://www.pnp-railways.co.uk/) using their plastic clip system and works very well. I may buy more track in the future so I can run the loco up and down my driveway and into the workshop.

Now the more observant of you would of noticed in my last picture that the chimney was missing. I have never liked the look of the 'Metre Maid' and when purchasing this loco my interest was in the chassis and not the bodywork.

So, after two attempts at buying a suitable quality tube a larger chimney was made and today she was finally put in steam:

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And here is a short video of her running outside on the rolling road:



Steam test tomorrow at my ME club (so that the loco can be used for public running), wish me luck!

Tom

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

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 7:00 pm
by Big Jim
Have fun with that.
The cartridge system used on these engines for the grate assembly is a brilliant design. Both my engines have grates that drop out of the bottom and are fiddly to get back up. Handy if you need to drop the fire quickly though.
Don't forget that steam engines are normally referred to as a 'she' for a very good reason.
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.

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

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 11:09 pm
by DonW
It must be a relief to get the issues sorted. The new chimney looks good and seems to draw the fire well. Good luck with the steam test.
You mentioned the short piece of track. It reminds me when they re-furbished the boiler of the Iron Duke. It was stood on a very short piece of 7ft track, barely past the front wheels. I was on the footplate with the boiler in steam, but no chance to run it. A rolling road would have been helpful.

Don

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

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:43 am
by tom_tom_go
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!

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

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:48 am
by tom_tom_go
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).

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

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 1:49 pm
by DonW
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

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

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 8:31 pm
by tom_tom_go
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):

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

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

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:01 pm
by tom_tom_go
Video of her running today, drivers are MES members: