Smokey Sophie - A Roundhouse/Riverdale Amy coal fire build

Discussion of Live Steam locomotives should be located here
User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:06 pm

Progress!

Image
Image
Dome and pipework now painted and installed.  Firebox door now complete with brass rod in place to be connected to a servo later on for R/C damper

Image
In the smoke box you can see the exhaust pipe at the front (nozzle still to be fitted) and the blower pipe to the rear.  The brass screws are temporary and will be replaced with painted hex bolts

Image
Smoke box now painted using a different high temp paint to offset from the boiler colour

User avatar
Keith S
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:44 pm
Location: Canada

Post by Keith S » Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:44 pm

Nice. I now agree that the engine will look good with blue body on a black boiler. I am quite envious of this build. Luckily for my bank account, Riverdale refuses to ship boilers to Canada. If I seriously could justify the purchase, that would really piss me off.

User avatar
Dr. Bond of the DVLR
Retired Director
Retired Director
Posts: 4481
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Suffolk
Contact:

Post by Dr. Bond of the DVLR » Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:56 pm

Interesting that the boiler has only two flues rather than more smaller ones. I wonder why they chose to do that.
Image
The railway which people forgot
(to build)

User avatar
MDLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4027
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:38 pm
Location: Near Ripley, Derbyshire, UK
Contact:

Post by MDLR » Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:14 am

Mr. Bond of the DVLR:97855 wrote:Interesting that the boiler has only two flues rather than more smaller ones. I wonder why they chose to do that.
I suspect there'd be too much flue and not enough water space (remembering that scale boiler tubes would never keep clear) - there's got to be enough water space so the boiler will steam for a good few minutes before needing to be topped up.
Brian L Dominic
Managing Director
Flagg Fluorspar Co
www.mdlr.co.uk/ff.html

User avatar
DolwyddelanLightRail
Driver
Driver
Posts: 2579
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:27 pm
Location: Lost

Post by DolwyddelanLightRail » Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:51 am

I noticed that as well, another thing which surprised me is how high up the tip of the blast pipe is going to be once finished. I would have thought that the blast pipe and blower would follow full scale firing principles and finish half way up the smokebox?

User avatar
Dr. Bond of the DVLR
Retired Director
Retired Director
Posts: 4481
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Suffolk
Contact:

Post by Dr. Bond of the DVLR » Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:53 am

I presume with that one its also a scaling issue and the jet of steam would have expanded too quickly to be of use in the ejector pump if the nozzle were lower down.
Image
The railway which people forgot
(to build)

User avatar
Keith S
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:44 pm
Location: Canada

Post by Keith S » Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:29 pm

One of the selling points of Riverdale boilers in particular is they are meant to be loaded up with coal and sent off to chuff around unattended like a gas-fired one. Well, more so than a conventional coal-fired one anyway. Perhaps this is why they use this particular configuration of tubes: the tubes can stay submerged even when the water gets quite low, like Brian pointed out. Perhaps they sacrificed a bit of efficiency to make the boiler more idiot-proof. Really with its dry firebox and large double flue, it has a lot in common with a gas boiler compared to a conventional coal one. It's a compelling design. I can't help thinking the tubes must be easier to clean after a run this way too.

Perhaps also the location of the blast nozzle is different than we are used to because of the particular draughting requirements of the two large tubes. They would have to taylor the "strength" of the suction generated by raising or lowering the pipe. I'm just guessing.

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:33 pm

Whistle valve, blower, regulator and 1/2" pressure gauge attached:

Image

Just waiting on Locoworks to send me the running board set so I can bolt these on when I screw the smoke box into place. I can then run an air test and eventually fire her up :)

LnBmad
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 884
Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 10:17 pm
Location: North Devon

Post by LnBmad » Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:40 pm

Exciting times these are!
If it can be made full scale it can be made 16mm

My line: http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about7200.html

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:10 pm

Air test all good, however, no charcoal - how frustrating!

User avatar
Lner fan Sam
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:57 pm
Location: Sunderland, north east of England

Post by Lner fan Sam » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:29 pm

Wow Tom! It looks a lot different to the chassis with one cylinder fitted we saw last summer.

Great work Tom. :D
my first live steam engine build thread:
http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about6685.html

Sam Wake

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:40 pm

Thanks Sam, it's come a long way from a pile of bits although she does not look very clean and tidy anymore after her first steaming ;)

So I spent last Saturday learning how to fire her up (and to not use charcoal from an instant BBQ as most of it isn't acutally charcoal) and managed to get her doing laps round the garden. I was impatient waiting for the coconut charcoal on order, however, soaked lightly in lamp oil this is much better to use to light her up before adding coal.

I am hoping this weekend to run her around at a more relaxed pace with longer stopping times. All part of learning :)

Will try this time to get you all some pics and a video.

User avatar
Dannypenguin
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:57 am
Location: Forest of Dean, UK
Contact:

Post by Dannypenguin » Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:45 pm

Great to hear you've got her steamed! :) Looking forward to the pics and video! :thumbright:
Dan

Visit the PFLR website - http://poultonfarmlightrailway.webs.com/
Dean Forest Railway Society website - http://dfrsociety.org/

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:31 pm

Forgot to say thanks TonyW, chassis ran perfectly ;)

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:44 pm

No videos yet as until I get the R/C sorted she just belts around my track sling-shooting out of the tight radius curves.

A few pics at least though:

Image
Image

Wiring and whistle in place.  To my surprise it all works and have tested R/C with a servo with no issues.  Air test with water in the boiler showed no leaks coming from the whistle set up:

Image
Image

The servos will be fitted on the other side to control whistle, regulator and damper.

The Roundhouse safety valve just wastes steam so I am waiting on a supplier to source me a pop safety valve instead.

User avatar
laalratty
Retired Director
Retired Director
Posts: 3887
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: Morecambe

Post by laalratty » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:29 pm

Excellent work, good to see it out on the track.
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a model icebreaker sir."
"It's a bit big isn't it?"
"It's a full scale model sir....."

User avatar
MDLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4027
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:38 pm
Location: Near Ripley, Derbyshire, UK
Contact:

Post by MDLR » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:25 am

Looking at the safety valve bonnet and chimney cap, do I detect a GWR influence?
Brian L Dominic
Managing Director
Flagg Fluorspar Co
www.mdlr.co.uk/ff.html

User avatar
TonyW
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1357
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am
Location: North Wales
Contact:

Post by TonyW » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:14 pm

tom_tom_go:98534 wrote:Forgot to say thanks TonyW, chassis ran perfectly ;)
:thumbup:
Tony Willmore
Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works: http://www.rhoshelyg.me.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhosHelygLocoWorks

User avatar
Lner fan Sam
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 491
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:57 pm
Location: Sunderland, north east of England

Post by Lner fan Sam » Mon Mar 31, 2014 8:42 pm

great progress tom! :thumbup:
my first live steam engine build thread:
http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about6685.html

Sam Wake

User avatar
Gremlin
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 695
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Gremlin » Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:00 pm

looks marvelous, brilliant job

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests