RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

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FWLR
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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by FWLR » Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:51 am

Forgive my ignorance, but don’t all steam locos have them chauffeurs. I have the same in my “Billy” and I thought it is a standard issue. Mine is loose also…do they just push fit, or would she need dismantling….. :scratch: :scratch:

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by IanC » Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:32 am

I had no end of trouble fitting my chuffer and it's still not straight. Directs too much steam down into the smokebox for my liking, but that may be in part due to it not being central in the chimney.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by GTB » Tue Jul 31, 2018 3:03 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:41 pm I am going to give her a good clean as I have found two dead spiders already!
Dead ones aren't a problem, it's the live ones you need to worry about around here.......

Your loco maintenance skills are improving from the sound of things. Nothing like a bit of practice to increase the skills base.

Regards,
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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:18 pm

GTB wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 3:03 pm
Your loco maintenance skills are improving from the sound of things. Nothing like a bit of practice to increase the skills base.

Regards,
Graeme
I will take that compliment from such an accomplished engineer, thanks!

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:26 pm

This has all gone rather well so far Andrew (should I have said that?)

Out with the old:

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And in with the new:

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Range check went well, I could still control the loco from my front room while the loco itself was in the garden.

I gave her a short run but without a Slomo on my little line it's not worth a video. I have forgotten how sprightly these locos are without any inertia so you will definitely see a big change in realistic running Andrew when we get your one fitted to Russell.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by Andrew » Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:53 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:26 pm This has all gone rather well so far Andrew (should I have said that?)
Yep, definitely!

I'm very glad it's all going well - I was a little concerned that some of the RC problems might have been exacerbated by previous tinkering I'd undertaken...

It's a shame Russell isn't much use to you until the Slomo's fitted - I was hoping you'd get some use from her while it was being built and delivered. She works fairly well for me, but I think my gradients may help - something to work against going uphill, and downhill I can almost shut off steam and let her roll... It's the run-round at each end where I think the Slomo will really come into its own... Anyway, great work so far, thank you!

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Aug 01, 2018 2:58 pm

I did adjust the regulator as when shut off the loco tried to move slightly when in forward or reverse. Now, she does as she is told.

I will see if my old inertia wagon will help with running on my little line although you don't have chopper couplings and I have found these types of devices work best with a fixed coupling and not on a chain as this allows the wagon and loco to bash into each other.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Aug 01, 2018 3:01 pm

FWLR wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:51 am Forgive my ignorance, but don’t all steam locos have them chauffeurs. I have the same in my “Billy” and I thought it is a standard issue. Mine is loose also…do they just push fit, or would she need dismantling….. :scratch: :scratch:
Summerlands chuffer are not fitted as standard to Roundhouse engines although Roundhouse have recently started fitting new locos with 'exhaust enhancers'.

Billy is a push fit type chuffer so this is normal.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:08 pm

I might have another look at the chuffer as it's not meant to be loose according to Mr Bird:


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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:00 pm

How loose should the exhaust pipes be as they move about freely including being able to be moved in and out of the cylinders?

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by GTB » Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:12 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:00 pm How loose should the exhaust pipes be as they move about freely including being able to be moved in and out of the cylinders?
The exhaust pipes are threaded into the steam chest on current production. They'll rotate fairly easily, but the in/out movement should be small, as the thread is fairly fine. If the pipe can move in and out of the steam chest without being rotated, the thread has probably been stripped.

If the thread is badly damaged you will hear and see a steam leak when the throttle is opened. Unfortunately replacing the exhaust pipes requires removing the cylinders.

if Tony W is reading this, he'll likely know if the older cylinders fitted to this loco have the same arrangement as current ones.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:06 pm

Running without the smokebox shows no steam leaks from the exhaust pipes and the cylinders.

I think the reason why the chuffer wobbles about is the exhaust pipes are not level so the chuffer is only firmly slotting down onto one pipe.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by FWLR » Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:39 am

tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:08 pm I might have another look at the chuffer as it's not meant to be loose according to Mr Bird:

Thanks Tom, I think even I can check and do that…. :thumbright: :thumbright:

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by GTB » Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:53 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:06 pm Running without the smokebox shows no steam leaks from the exhaust pipes and the cylinders.

I think the reason why the chuffer wobbles about is the exhaust pipes are not level so the chuffer is only firmly slotting down onto one pipe.
No leaks is always a good thing...... 8)

Looking at the photo it appears that the exhaust pipe with the lower top is also low where it bends to enter the steam chest.

If it hasn't hardened with age too much, you should be able to reshape the lower part of that pipe so the top is level with the other one which might improve the way the chuffer sits.

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Graeme

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Aug 04, 2018 4:19 pm

I got the chuffer to sit firmly after adjusting as Graeme mentioned although to get it to be a secure fit I had to rotate the chuffer slightly once slotted into position.
Maybe this stops the exhaust pipes from moving around and puts them under a bit of tension? I have never had to play about with the slot type chuffer as on my Silver Lady it screws into the steam block.

Andrew has said I can take Russell to a Kent 16mm NGM steam up tomorrow so I will try and get some video of her running.

Meanwhile, I have started my test patch using SBR:

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This photo was taken 10 minutes after spraying the area with neat SBR. I did wipe the rails, not sure if you need to bother though?

If this goes well I will apply a second layer of coal dust to fill in the gaps.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Sat Aug 04, 2018 7:38 pm

Although the blue colour looks alarming it is perfectly normal and will disappear in time. It may not be an issue where you are located but it is important to keep rain off the SBR until it dries. It is also easier to remove SBR from the track when wet but isn't difficult when it dries as it peels off easily.
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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:30 am

Hi Peter,

I did read your advice before starting with SBR but as we are in high summer I did not bother covering it up.

This is what is looks like this morning:

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I am out today so I will see if it's hardened this evening, it will get cat tested as well by plonking one of them on it!

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:45 am

Looking good Tom, I hope your cats appreciate your efforts!
If they do leave a little pressie for you it will wash off without causing any problems.
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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:35 am

I hope it works out as I can continue to use real world materials but can set it all in place permantely like I use to do in OO gauge with PVA/washing up mix.

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Re: RWLR - Robin Wood Light Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:55 pm

I had a good day running Russell, video to follow but a quick picture of her before the first run of the day:

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Things that need attention:
  • Gas adjustment is not very fine when turned down low, it's either on or off. I will check the jet and the gas valve, it was suggested to use Vaseline once taken apart
  • I think the regulator needs a service as even with it adjusted the loco wants to start off when put in forward/reverse even though the regulator is shut off

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