5" gauge 0-6-0 Sweet Pea

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tom_tom_go
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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:

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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:

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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):

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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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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!

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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):

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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 7137 times

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

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

Post by tom_tom_go » Thu Sep 26, 2019 8:53 pm

First go using a proper four stage chemical blackening process, these parts are for the axle boxes on the tender:

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IMG_20190926_203713-01.jpeg
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:37 pm

Efforts have continued since my last response, however, my job keeps me busy and enthusiasm to post has lessened as I don't feel there is enough interest in posts of 'large scale' projects.

The tender frame was undercoated with grey primer before I owned it to protect the metal although surface rust had developed. I applied paint stripper over the frame and left it for 24 hours:

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To aid grinding the chassis back to metal I dismantled it and got one of the buffer beams cleaned up (not a great picture, the metal is brighter than shown):

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On the loco front, new commercially made safety valves by Blackgates Engineering have been fitted and steam tested. These are 'progressive lift' type which means they don't blow off violently like pop safety valves but still close quickly once pressure has been released:

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Each valve has a locking ring so that once set to blow off at the desired pressure they cannot be tampered with unless the ring is unscrewed.

Also, the reverser has been refitted after extra notches were added:

IMG_20191005_134247-01.jpeg
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And the firebox nuts have been replaced with knurled nuts so they can be easily undone by hand (with gloves) if the fire needs to be removed from the boiler quickly:

IMG_20191005_134331-01.jpeg
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by dewintondave » Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:40 am

Good work Tom! Stick with it, forums are a great venue for recording a project :thumbup:
Best wishes,
Dave

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

Post by Keith S » Thu Jan 30, 2020 8:37 am

I'm pretty interested in this project. I just don't have much constructive input- but I watch out for new posts and read every one. I find the Bagnall "drum" boiler very elegant and does away with a lot of the tricky and high-stress bits like the mud ring and throat-plate.

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

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:07 pm

Just for you two, I will carry on :mrgreen:

The chimney as supplied was secured to the smokebox with this clamp (the clamp attaches to the bottom of the chimney inside the smokebox):

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In practice, with the fluctuations of tempature and the movement of the loco on the track this clamp did not hold the chimney securely.

So, the smokebox was drilled and tapped to take BA bolts:

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IMG_20191018_085407-01.jpeg
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Re: 5" gauge 0-6-0 'Sweet Pea'

Post by HugoFitz » Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:27 pm

Great work Tom, looking really good!

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

Post by tom_tom_go » Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:32 pm

Glad you are still with us Hugo as your introduction way back had many interests that you were planning to share?

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

Post by TheChestnutLine » Tue Feb 04, 2020 10:27 am

Looking great, Tom :thumbright:

Also following your build as I help run my father’s 3 1/2” Penrhyn ‘Charles’ and L&B ‘Yeo’, so it’s nice to see some large scale on this forum.

Cheers

James

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

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Feb 04, 2020 10:37 am

I'm watching too Tom, although I can't contribute to the thread I read each and every entry every day.... 'We are all different'..... (Life of Brian!)
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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

Post by philipy » Tue Feb 04, 2020 10:56 am

As Peter said, I watch but have nothing to contribute, but it's interesting to see.
I'm sure the same thing applies to others as well.
Philip

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