Ace Engineering Works Plantation locomotive

[ace]

Hi Guys,

After being inspired by a fellow member here, superbiker_uk, with his fantastic model of a MSR plantation locomotive (see a full account of how MSR came to be and also all of the unique parts involved in building one of these models here:  http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about7496.html ) I was lucky enough to find the person who used to make these models and have been in close contact ever since. I owe you a huge thanks superbiker! And also credit must also be given to Jim Wilson, who is sadly no longer with us, and Terry Shirley of ex Miniature Steam Railways in Texas for coming up with such a novel and different locomotive.

Well, my kit arrived Friday just gone (11th October 2013) and I wasted no time at all in getting it together. The plan is to get it to the Exeter garden railway show on the 19th October 2013, running!. Make no mistake I am not rushing the build at all, I am giving it my full attention. I do have other projects and repairs on the go at the moment, but they are awaiting parts or replacements parts due, so now is a good time to get this sorted quick smart.

Below is an account of the build as it has developed through the last few evenings.

Excited me and a box stuffed with parts



Tender body in galvanised steel



Cab in galvanised steel, this is a work of art!





Wheel set





Front cow catcher



Compressor & tanks



Side runner boards in galvanised steel



Heat deflectors in galvanised steel



MSR upgraded cylinders





Headlamp bracket



Wheels assembled into a pair of Roy Wood Models 'Janet' frames, just a tad thicker





A rolling chassis with an RWM reverser, RWM coupling rods, mss frame spacer and drag beam





As with all my mamod derived models I 2k epoxied the axle bearings in



The cylinders trial fitted



Beautiful



Trial fitting all together with the last 'new' spark arrester smoke box I found with Roy Wood Models and my latest silver soldered boiler.



And finally a test run on compressed air.



I welcome all your comments and questions, so please ask away. I am really enjoying this locomotive. It has inspired me to build in a logging area of my line when I eventually move house and lay it.

[Chris Cairns]

When I first saw the title I thought you were showing us what your SL2 project was turning into. So another MSR inspired locomotive is a welcome change.

Did you get stung for VAT & Collection Fees with that big box from the USA?

Any reason for changing from the RWM regulator/reverser valve to a standard Mamod/MSS one instead further down in your posting above?

Look forward to seeing how this project develops.

Chris Cairns.

[ace]

When I first saw the title I thought you were showing us what your SL2 project was turning into. So another MSR inspired locomotive is a welcome change.

Did you get stung for VAT & Collection Fees with that big box from the USA?

Any reason for changing from the RWM regulator/reverser valve to a standard Mamod/MSS one instead further down in your posting above?

Look forward to seeing how this project develops.

Chris Cairns.

Haha, no the SL2 'Sir Huffalot' is still ongoing. I will update that thread in time when I am ready for the next phase.

No the charges weren't astronomical, I didn't pay a fortune for it. I changed from the RWM reverser basically because that one is the test bed for some modifications and I used 'Sir Huffalots' old one with the soldered steam pipes to get me going on the compressed air test. I am a little short of reverser assy's at the moment tbh.

[Lner fan Sam]

Excellent!

[ace]

Thanks Sam!

Right then, I have completed a little bit more this evening.

I fully assembled the smoke box with all its accessories.

I started out by fixing the smoke box back together initially. I did this by drilling an 8 mm hole in the bottom (central to the chimney) so that in turn it is ready for a chuffer (as seen with Chevalier). I took it to work and used the bearing press and re pressed out the flanges on the inside of the chimney whilst gently heating with the oxy acetylene set. This was to try and alleviate any cracking that could have occurred in the metal. It is now as tight as a drum.



Bent the lamp bracket to shape



Drilled and tapped the lamp and the smokebox, and hey presto, my plantation locomotive has a face.



Does anyone want to see a cheeky little assembled (albeit in primer) shot?

[Big Al]

Yes please.

[ace]

Here goes. It doesn't have the cow catcher fitted yet, but you can get a general feel of what the model will eventually look like.

[Crackingjob]

Great...must finish mine...not as good as yours...more Java cane ish

[Peter Butler]

I prefer yours Dave..... it even has rivets!

[ace]

Nice one Crackingjob, both look great!

I did some painting the other evening and to be honest I am not completely happy with the result. The paintwork looks ok, but the colour I am not so sure about.

Fortunately one of the guys was painting a car after hours so I managed to sneak in the oven with him to do my bits. Below are some photos in the bake oven.

Side runner plates



Cab



Tender body





Headlamp



Cow catcher



I got all the parts home and threw it together for the photo. I be completely fair the red looks a lot darker in natural light.



Could I get some honest feedback from you guys as I am unsure of the colour scheme? I know Superbiker has done a sterling job of re creating in the satin black finish and it looks great, I just wanted something different.

[Lner fan Sam]

Looking excellent ace, really top job.

On the colour scheme perhapes some white lining on the cab and tender would improve things. I recall a vid I whatched some years back which featured a line in Cuba still in use today with steam locos. One of the locos was named but instead of normal nameplates the name of the loco was painted one one side of the tender with a rather nice paint scheme.

[Chris Cairns]

This is coming along very well Ace, and the different paint scheme stops it from being just another MSR tribute locomotive, but adds that touch of personality.

Narrow Gauge American Plantation type locomotives were used in both Cuba & the Philippines but I've never seen a predominately red paint scheme used in either country. What is left now in Cuba is purely 'plastic' steam catering for the tourist trade.

It is your locomotive but the only thing that looks out of place for me is the RWM high pressure safety valve. These are just too big in proportion to fit in the front insert on any Mamod/MSS boiler (normally hidden behind a Janet spectacle plate or under the optional cab roof). The original MSR used the old threaded Wilesco safety valve, and of course the current Mamod make a 40 PSI version of their standard safety valve. I assume that you want to use a higher pressure to cater for the larger volume cylinders.

Chris Cairns.

[ace]

Hi Sam,

Yes something like that would be good. On the other forum people have suggested to paint parts of the cab black so that the red remains as inlay, then line the inlays. I have done this on one of my other models and it looks ok. Another suggestion has come about to use wood on the cab to detail parts. I thought about detailing the window frames and possibly a square frame in the centre of the cab sides and putting the number on there.

This is coming along very well Ace, and the different paint scheme stops it from being just another MSR tribute locomotive, but adds that touch of personality.

Narrow Gauge American Plantation type locomotives were used in both Cuba & the Philippines but I've never seen a predominately red paint scheme used in either country. What is left now in Cuba is purely 'plastic' steam catering for the tourist trade.

It is your locomotive but the only thing that looks out of place for me is the RWM high pressure safety valve. These are just too big in proportion to fit in the front insert on any Mamod/MSS boiler (normally hidden behind a Janet spectacle plate or under the optional cab roof). The original MSR used the old threaded Wilesco safety valve, and of course the current Mamod make a 40 PSI version of their standard safety valve. I assume that you want to use a higher pressure to cater for the larger volume cylinders.

Chris Cairns.

Thanks Chris, in a nutshell yes the higher pressure SV is to accommodate that. I had no other way of getting around it here given the short time scale between the parcel arriving and the show. Ideally I'd like the wilesco one. It looks great on Superbikers model!

[Lner fan Sam]

Yes wood would look good too ace. For the safety valve you should contact DLRdan as he can make you a steam dome that can "hide"the tall safety valve on the loco.

[Chris Cairns]

Ah Ha, I had missed your tight deadline of getting it running before tomorrow Ace. Best of luck there.

Another alternative - putting a second 'O' ring under the top on a standard Mamod safety valve will increase its operating pressure.

Chris Cairns.

PS - Just confirmed on Facebook that Mamod are attending the Exeter Garden Railway show tomorrow - maybe David Terry will have a 40 PSI safety valve that you can borrow/buy?

[ace]

Thanks for the tip Sam, that may be a possibility. A second dome would look good I think.

Chris, thanks for letting me know about Mamods attendance. I can now ask them face to face why they don't reply to my emails. As for a 40psi safety valve, I think that is a little much. This loco has a standard boiler that is silver soldered but it still has the standard sight glass. Ideally I'd like to get hold of a wilesco one or make a mamod upgraded 25 psi equivalent look like the wilesco with a bit of modification. I worry about the sight glasses blowing this one also has a gas burner so plenty of steam is made. I just ran it on rails for the first time 'light' and it seems ok. I'll pop some images up shortly.

Ready for the show I will be!

Having said that I will change it to get it to look how I want in time, just the essentials for now.

[Chris Cairns]

Good to hear it is now running.

If you look at Page 3 of the 16mmngm Mamod handbook you will see that on a hydraulic pressure test the sight glass leaked at 120 PSI going up and re-sealed at 60 PSI on the way down.

The current Mamod Mark II/Diamond Jubilee locomotives use a sight glass at 40 PSI.

Be interested to hear the lack of e-mail replies response. I have had to write letters before to get an answer, and others have found a phone call is the best method of contact. They tried twitter previously, and have just embraced Facebook. If you get the chance can you ask them where they are with re-designing the cylinders for the Thomas Telford locomotive as their current activity seems based around the new marine engines & vertical boilers. Thank You.

Chris Cairns.

[ace]

Good to hear it is now running.

If you look at Page 3 of the 16mmngm Mamod handbook you will see that on a hydraulic pressure test the sight glass leaked at 120 PSI going up and re-sealed at 60 PSI on the way down.

The current Mamod Mark II/Diamond Jubilee locomotives use a sight glass at 40 PSI.

Be interested to hear the lack of e-mail replies response. I have had to write letters before to get an answer, and others have found a phone call is the best method of contact. They tried twitter previously, and have just embraced Facebook. If you get the chance can you ask them where they are with re-designing the cylinders for the Thomas Telford locomotive as their current activity seems based around the new marine engines & vertical boilers. Thank You.

Chris Cairns.

Thanks Chris, I was unaware of this. I may give a 40psi one a go if Mamod have one for sale.

I will be eager to hear and see of the Thomas Telford project, I will ask if I remember.

Right, I finished the smoke box and finally made the roof this evening.

Terry was kind enough to email me an actual size drawing of the panel itself so was easy to mark out the holes.

Here is the smoke box with pilot supports finished





Here is a little shot on test with the rolling road. I have managed to put about 6 boiler fills of water through it so far, just gets better and better.



Sorry about the poor shot, here is the plantation running a loop around my kitchen.



Finally the roof







I think finished for the show! Yipee!

[Peter Butler]

I'd be interested to know how you managed a smooth continuous curve on the roof panel?

[ace]

I'd be interested to know how you managed a smooth continuous curve on the roof panel?

Trade secret I'm afraid, I am a panel beater.