The Leawarra Nayook Railway

[drewzero1]

Whoopee, a cupee! I'll admit I get a bit confused if a loco component doesn't have a red (+) and a black (-) on it. (And even then I get mixed up sometimes!)

So would the exhaust steam come into the middle set of tubes from the cylinders, and depending on the position of the pistons it comes out either the one on the left/top of the photo (chimney) or the ones on the bottom/right (below the cylinders)? I can imagine the effect would be strikingly realistic, much respect to your friend Jock D.

[LNR]

Correct on both counts. Actually there is a red and black aspect to this as this pic shows .
The device applied to the loco showing the "drains" under the cylinders (not giving the identity of the loco yet, though those in the know might guess).

Simulated Draincock Device 2.JPG (37.93 KiB) Viewed 734 times

Grant.

[LNR]

Twenty eight hand filed (in a jig) nuts from 3/32" brass rod. I've said before "you don't have to be mad, but it helps"

Valve Chest Bolts.JPG (18.27 KiB) Viewed 703 times

To decorate the valve chest covers.

Valve Chest Covers.JPG (125.42 KiB) Viewed 703 times

Grant.

[Old Man Aaron]

Looks like a Sten gun.

Edit: That's what I get for replying before reading all responses.

Beautiful job. Those dummy valve spindle guides give it away.

[LNR]

Well this Pic. really gives the game away.
I wanted a boiler gauge glass that really worked. I did have some theories but the first iteration worked, so I didn't continue. I've made the upper passages as large as I could (all 3/16th diam.) but I think the main point is the blow down. On several steam tests
snapping the blow down open and closed causes the water to drop to the bottom of the glass then snap up to the correct level. Happy chappy!

Boiler Water Gauge with Blowdown 2.jpg (63 KiB) Viewed 679 times

The sharp eyed may notice another boiler bush hiding behind the pressure gauge. Not sure I'll go into that.
Grant.

[FWLR]

Neat that. Brilliant...

[LNR]

This Item caused much deep thought, consultation with experts Gordon Watson and GTB of this forum, and several mudmaps on various scraps of paper.

xx.jpg (28.66 KiB) Viewed 596 times

Very happy with how this turned out, and tested OK too.
And it is ???
Grant.

[ge_rik]

Not sure why it would need a flexible length of pipe - something to do with a steam whistle?

Rik

[Peter Butler]

I don't do live steam and have no idea how it works, but I love to see the wonderful work of Grant so will be watching with interest.
Just to join in with the guessing game, I see a flexible connection between two articulated units... e.g. loco and tender?

[Phil.P]

Flexible link of some sort..

Steam feed on an articulated loco, perhaps?

Phil.P

[LNR]

Sorry about this. I just posted an answer to Peter's comment but it didn't load.
So, another cupee doll to Peter, it is the flexible gas connection between engine and tender. I'm building a Roundhouse Fowler and don't want the gas tank perched up in the roof of the cab. I'm using a bigger gas tank in the tender which will also carry water.

I must pass on a very big thank you to Aaron(on this forum)for all the pics. he has taken of the remaining loco in Queensland and made available for anyone building these.

I also found 50 odd blueprints from John Fowler Ltd of these locos on the Queensland Museum Archives, I think it was. It has been quite a long gestation period as although I had the chassis running on air after 3 days, that's where it stopped to design the various fittings and make them.
Grant.

[Lonsdaler]

I've left it far too late in life to learn model engineering skills of your calibre, so am very envious of your skill. The nearest I've come to engineering is helping a friend last week to unload and install a 3/4 tonne Swiss lathe, previously owned by an aeronautical firm and used for making precision valves for Eurofighters. He is making clock parts, and a gauge 1 loco with it.

IMG_20240513_193844268-01.jpeg (2.09 MiB) Viewed 554 times

[LNR]

I'm sure that would beat my tired old machine, hands down Phil.
On the Fowler build, I was unhappy with the white metal frame casting provided. Apart from not liking white metal for something structural, the mold Roundhouse use is obviously well past its use by date, and according to the blueprints the rivets were wrong anyway.
A new under-frame was constructed out of aluminium, the correct rivets added along with proper bolsters to support the bogies. Even the step casting at the front had been drilled poorly and was eventually done away with.

Tender new scale underframe.JPG (116.14 KiB) Viewed 530 times

After impressing more rivets to the tank sides, soldering closed 13 holes in the tender tank and with a new top deck I finally had something to hold water.

Tender Top Plate.jpg (93.92 KiB) Viewed 530 times

More on the siting of the gas valve later.
Grant.

[FWLR]

Excellent build there Grant, very neat way of making your own wagon.

[LNR]

A certain Mr. H. Robinson recently stopped by my workshop.
This affair was required to adapt my rivet press vitals to be able to get inside the Fowler tender and add the extra rivets between those already etched in but too far apart for a water holding tank. I know it looks Heath Robinson but it worked and looked funny enough to take a piccy.

Rivet Press Adaptation 2.JPG (148.64 KiB) Viewed 384 times

The green bar goes up and down using the drill press and nails to guide it, and the mandrel and punch are circled.
Grant.

[Old Man Aaron]

The extra tank rivets really sell it as a water tank. Wish I'd thought of that. Will have to check my Victory Decauville etches against the prototype (coincidentally, on the same storage road with the Fowler at Woodford) before before I assemble them..

My tender frame casting wasn't too flash, either. Didn't realise the bolster rivets were wrong until after I'd replaced the cast-in blobs with sewing pins! I don't think the tender has that step at the front anymore. I'm not sure it ever did - then again you'd know better than I, you've got the drawings!

For anyone reading this now or in the future, you can find my Fowler prototype pics here.

[LNR]

Hi Aaron,
The blueprint does show the step. Big difference in height between cab floor and tender, fall plate would be running downhill.

Screenshot (783).png (227.62 KiB) Viewed 371 times

Just as a heads up on etched rivets, I set mine up on the line inside only to find when looking at the outside they were a little out of line (luckily so are the real ones it appears). It appears inside doesn't always match the outside of the etch.
And once again thank you for access to your pics. You make an apology about some of the pics. but your method is exactly the same as mine and does require a little interpretation along the line.
Grant.

[Lonsdaler]

A certain Mr. H. Robinson recently stopped by my workshop.
This affair was required to adapt my rivet press vitals to be able to get inside the Fowler tender and add the extra rivets between those already etched in but too far apart for a water holding tank. I know it looks Heath Robinson but it worked and looked funny enough to take a piccy.
Rivet Press Adaptation 2.JPG
The green bar goes up and down using the drill press and nails to guide it, and the mandrel and punch are circled.
Grant.

That's ingenious. How did you ensure that the pressure applied was the same each time? The end result is very good.

[LNR]

Thanks Phil, the pressure doesn't come into it as the punch is pressing the metal into a sized depression so when you hit bottom you're there.
Grant.

[Lonsdaler]

Thanks Phil, the pressure doesn't come into it as the punch is pressing the metal into a sized depression so when you hit bottom you're there.
Grant.

Ah, I see. Job done, then.