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Well after many months of umming and arring, I took the plunge and got a Millie
Here she is - arriving at Junction station after being transferred from the mainline - Kenny pulls her through the station to the depot last night for a steam up
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Now she is being pulled through Brewery Corner toward the east end of the line - which is where the CHLR undertakes test runs - and the journey highlights any gauging runs (which we have a few- minor tweaks - nothing major)
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And here she is at the run around loop awaiting her first test - our new driver Stan inspects his new machine and directs oiling of the motion
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We had two runs today - the first was a learning experience - including how much tweaking the regulator needs - especially just after pressure is reached - the second run was a bit less stressy and we managed more runs time at lower speeds _ i"ll circulate a video soon
I'll probably have lots of questions in the coming weeks as I develop my steaming experience - the first is very easy - after running my lovely new loco has lots of watermarks on it - what do people find the best way to bring that new polish back to life? Those of you who weather are given a pass on this one!
Cheers
Mark
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 11:40 pm
by James from Devon
Congratulations on your new loco - she looks lovey and I'm very happy for you.
Don't get disheartened if she's being a little tricky....it takes time to run her in and get used to her little quirks and character - every steam loco is different.
I use normal furniture polish on my locos - (except my Regner Konrad - which I never clean) I have never tried anything else on the paintwork and it seems to work fine.
looking forward to seeing the video.
Cheers
J
Re: New Millie
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 1:12 am
by dougrail
Someone else with a new slipex from RH - awesome! Millies are great if you like the pot boiler variety
Regarding regulator and especially after pressure reached - yep, do you mean she surges? Happens on new locos. Make sure you've filled it up then removed 35ml from the full boiler to prevent priming.
With the regulator, as the locos warm through and loosen up, you can use less reg and gas, making for longer runs - my new Bertie can now do 40mins with a load of 6 x heavy wood 4w coaches. Don't forget, the RH gas tank, once burner is lit, only needs to be open a fraction and with the reg almost closed.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 1:14 am
by LNR
Congratulations from down here too, your in for a whole new experience. Sounds like your first steamings were without issue, so your off to a good start.
Grant.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 7:49 am
by JMORG
Hi Mark,
Your Victorian maroon Millie looks lovely! Great colour for it. Any mods in the future (dome, cab ect).
In regards to your regulator, take out 50ml of water before each run. We have an old Millie and David Pinniger suggested taking out 50ml in his review in GardenRail. We've always done this and the loco has a lesser tendency to prime.
Millies now are much better than they were when we bought ours, a fellow club member has a new Millie and he's also taken out 50ml each time, but he also leaves the regulator open when warming up, closing it when it moves off. Runs like a sewing machine.
Cleaning off water marks can normally be done with a cloth, only serious cleaning requires something stronger such as paraffin
Hope you enjoy running it!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:42 am
by markoteal
Cheers guys for the input - all very useful and makes sense and I'll try them at the weekend - it was noticeable how easier the second run was compared with the first so all good - also managed to get the speed down to something approaching prototypical on the second run (after initial 5 mins) - also got a longer run)
Yes, I'll be adding other bits and bobs as we get going - trying the driver in a few spots and she has a bonnet so far - but more will come
Can't wait for Easter weekend to get a few more runs in - and I'll get busy on widening the clearance on the oldest part of the line so we can eventually get running end to end - although whilst I'm learning, the current easily accessible part of the line is probably safest!
Mark
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 2:09 am
by artfull dodger
Beautiful Millie in splendid marroon. All the upgrades from Roundhouse are well worth the price. My Sammie has everything they offer, then I went one step further and installed Walschaerts valve gear on him. I am also having to rework my line to suit my new Pearse Countess better(till the new elevated line becomes a reality). You can set Millie up on two blocks, one at each end, and do some break in running that way as well. This is how I run in my engines and enjoy them during the long winter months where we live in the USA. Mike
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:47 am
by markoteal
artfull dodger wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 2:09 am
Beautiful Millie in splendid marroon. All the upgrades from Roundhouse are well worth the price. My Sammie has everything they offer, then I went one step further and installed Walschaerts valve gear on him. I am also having to rework my line to suit my new Pearse Countess better(till the new elevated line becomes a reality). You can set Millie up on two blocks, one at each end, and do some break in running that way as well. This is how I run in my engines and enjoy them during the long winter months where we live in the USA. Mike
Hi Mike - thanks for that idea - I was thinking of warming her up on blocks at the beginning of each steaming as well to help get the priming out of her system and as you say help run her in - doing that also will allow me to open the regulator more than she gets chance on the line - only far to let her have a good 'go' every so often!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:05 am
by tom_tom_go
Reign your Millie in like Simon did for stress free slow running:
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:12 pm
by markoteal
Hi - thanks for that - I actually have got one from James in Devon who did a great job of building it into a coal truck and it has been INVALUABLE in reigning the maroon monster in - for the time being, it will become her tender!!
I'll get some video up over Easter of the beast in action! With some day 1 footage (with the sound edited out to avoid my swearing as she takes off up the track!) and then some more refined action - well thats the plan!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 4:05 pm
by artfull dodger
Once you get 10 hours or so running, she will become much more docile. The basic series do not get the run in time on steam that the classic series do(the last I knew). So the running in is left to the new owner. A great investment, and one I need to do myself, is purchase a rolling road and I see that Roundhouse is coming out with one now. Then I can run in my engines, or just run them during the months that my railway is put to bed for the winter. Mike
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:05 pm
by JMORG
From my understanding, the basic services are not run on air at all during the manufacturing process, which is a shame but I imagine necessary due to each engine being built for a specific customer rather in batches.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:00 pm
by James from Devon
markoteal wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:12 pm
Hi - thanks for that - I actually have got one from James in Devon who did a great job of building it into a coal truck and it has been INVALUABLE in reigning the maroon monster in - for the time being, it will become her tender!!
I'll get some video up over Easter of the beast in action! With some day 1 footage (with the sound edited out to avoid my swearing as she takes off up the track!) and then some more refined action - well thats the plan!
Glad to hear the the wagon had a run out on the line! can't wait to see the video! I really hope you are enjoying the Millie...you picked the best colour!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:16 pm
by artfull dodger
They are run on air for a few min whilst the timing is set and checked prior to boiler being installed. They do not get the 12 hour on steam to run in the chassis that the classic series get. Still a wonderful line of models at a very keen price. Mike
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:17 pm
by f.schulz
Hallo Mark,
it was an excellent decision to start with a RH Millie. I did it before 2 years in the same way.
In the meantime she developed with me to my best runner on my 32mm railway. Even good fellows, who create famouse home build engines love her as as best reliable and hard working horse.
This was not so from the beginning, she need a time to run in. I estimate mine has about 8 hours run time with waggons on the line. Pure running in on a bank or rolling road I think is not very effective.
My one is eqiupped with all enhancements and RC housed in the cab roof.
For additional informations and photos about my Millie please have a look at my thread about her in the german "Schiendampforum".
If any questions pleas ask.
Frederic
Re: New Millie
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:16 am
by markoteal
Frederic - thanks for your post - a great Blue Millie you have there!
Thanks for sharing your experiences of the 'running in' time - I'm hoping to get a number of runs out of her over the Easter holidays which should help.
Also seen you have fitted RC to her - thats something I'll be looking at in the future as I now appreciate how the gradients on my line will impact the driving - lets say they make it a bit more challenging that a dead level track
Here is the video I have been promising - spot the clip which was taken as she was running out of steam!
I think Mick should have had sunglasses, that's one shiny new loco. Well tamed by the momentum wagon.
Grant.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:41 pm
by James from Devon
Loved the video - nicely made little film. The loco does look great, you've got a handle on her. So, is she staying shiny or are you going to weather her?
Cheers
J
Re: New Millie
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:43 pm
by markoteal
Nice and shiny for now James - I'll keep her spic an span whilst she is the pride of the line - perhaps when I take the plunge for a second steamer, she can become a bit more workman like
I'm planning to weather my first battery loco, Lola as I do think the industrial locos look better 'grimed up'
One question for you all - when I oil her before her first run of the day, do I oil the Pistons or will the steam oil sort out that area of the motion out? - I do the wheels, links and behind the wheels for the slip gears - basically all the motion
Ran her twice today and she getting better - on the second run she didn't get going the same way - as pressure came up , she struggled to get the Pistons going- there was creamy coloured oily 'blobs' forming around the piston entrances to the cylinders - I shut the regulator, waiting a min then opened again, this time giving it a bit more, initially nothing then suddenly very brisk action -and the gunk cleared - it was though she was blowing her nose - after that she ran fine - is that what people call priming? Made me wonder if i shouldn't be oiling the Pistons before we start?
Cheers
Mark
Re: New Millie
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:52 pm
by markoteal
markoteal wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:43 pm
Nice and shiny for now James - I'll keep her spic an span whilst she is the pride of the line - perhaps when I take the plunge for a second steamer, she can become a bit more workman like
I'm planning to weather my first battery loco, Lola as I do think the industrial locos look better 'grimed up'
One question for you all - when I oil her before her first run of the day, do I oil the Pistons or will the steam oil sort out that area of the motion out? - I do the wheels, links and behind the wheels for the slip gears - basically all the motion
Ran her twice today and she getting better - on the second run she didn't get going the same way - as pressure came up , she struggled to get the Pistons going- there was creamy coloured oily 'blobs' forming around the piston entrances to the cylinders - I shut the regulator, waiting a min then opened again, this time giving it a bit more, initially nothing then suddenly very brisk action -and the gunk cleared - it was though she was blowing her nose - after that she ran fine - is that what people call priming? Made me wonder if i shouldn't be oiling the Pistons before we start?
