Mamod Brunel

A very popular starting point for Live Steam. With their low cost comes a number of problems which can be discussed here
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kins73
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Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:58 pm

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Hi all, I am new to this forum and 16mm steam. I also model g scale trams. I have recently bought a Mamod Brunel, and ran it for the first time on tracks the other week. I have fitted a Clevedon Steam condensate tank and fashioned a chimney out of a coffee machine part! Has anyone fitted a Chuff pipe to a Brunel?
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tom_tom_go
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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:30 pm

Hi and welcome.

Not sure if it is worth fitting a chuff pipe to a geared loco?

Have you checked out the following:

http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by CSL » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:29 am

I fancy getting a Brunel one day!

I'm interested by your condenser mod. What route does the piping take? It's not quite clear in the pictures (there seem to be at least three ports, including the chimney exhaust, in the condenser) - and is the exhaust pipe from the cylinder missing in the close-up pic?

Also, did you deliberately keep the new steam exit away from the burner chimney? I've been doing some mental exercises (which are probably beyond my metalworking skills!) as to how the steam exhaust could look more like it was coming out of the main chimney, but I take it you had reasons for not doing that.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Sun Nov 26, 2017 8:24 am

Hi, the condenser tank is from Clevedon steam, it has three connections. The top one is the exhaust, one side is the steam in and the other is the drain. To drain the tank you need to block off the exhaust and use the steam pressure to blow out the water. The reason for not putting the exhaust next to the boiler chimney is to prevent water getting onto the ceramic burner. But, as I am new to this I am open to suggestions or improvements. Using the silicon tubing enables me to remove tank at any point for maintenance.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Sun Nov 26, 2017 8:26 am

Sorry, yes one photo doesn't have the copper pipe as it was during fitting/laying out

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by CSL » Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:50 pm

Thanks for the responses. I'm pretty new to this too, but I do have my eye on a Brunel and am interested in how it might be modified.

So you don't reckon you can put the exhaust near the chimney even with the condensate tank?

I'm sure I'd read that the reason for the Brunel's steam exhaust being remote from the chimney was to do with avoiding lubricating oil carry-over getting to the burner, while (now that I've looked at it!) the Clevedon website says that the purpose of the condensate tank is to remove the oil (not water) from the exhaust. Is that a simplification then?

I take it that the higher of the two side ports of the tank is the drain and you've fitted silicon tube over the side of the loco?

I don't quite understand how the condensate tank drain function actually works: how does the steam push the oil/water when the path of least resistance is direct from the input to the output? I presume it's something to do with the internal piping arrangement?

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Sun Nov 26, 2017 9:14 pm

Hi, yes the exit pipe that dissapears over the side of the loco has a blanking rivet in place. To emory the tank you need to removed the silicon pipe with blank. Remove the 'chimney' from the top and fit the short silicon pipe with blanking rivet. The steam from the cylinder will pish out the oil and water, and it comes out with quite a jet! I have only steamed it once with the tank
it stops the steam oil going all over the track and loco as it was getting splattered everywhere!

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:29 pm

Hi all, a few more photos to show the condensate tank.
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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by CSL » Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:32 pm

Thank you for sharing more photos. Were the latest set actually taken before the first photos you posted, since they seem to show an experimental clip arrangement holding the condensate tank in place, whereas the first set appears to show (?) the tank bolted down?

Out of interest, what is the brass fitting lying on the "footplate" next to the tank in the recently-posted photos?

I hadn't realised that the blanking rivet is simply pushed up the silicon pipe to block it off! (Or have I missed something?)

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by CSL » Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:35 pm

Correction: the clip is shown in one of the very first photos, but apparently not the other.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:59 am

Yes, the photos are out of order. But, hopefully you can see the piping arrangement-that was the point. The tank is held in place with a spring clip similar to the gas tank. The brass bit lying on the floor is a wind down handbrake which has yet to be fitted.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by kins73 » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:31 pm

Does anyone know what thread type the water fill valve is on top of the boiler on the Brunel? \I sam thinking about fitting a whistle.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by Chris Cairns » Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:02 pm

kins73 wrote:Does anyone know what thread type the water fill valve is on top of the boiler on the Brunel?
The standard bushing thread used on all Mamod products is 1/4" x 26 BSF.

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Re: Mamod Brunel

Post by steamie1 » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:13 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyNtELG4UQc&t=3s
Very pleased with this loco. Quality offering recommend

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