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Yes with that hooked up, I can get her to crawl along, up and down the bumps on the line
Re: New Millie
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:21 am
by markoteal
Thought I'd share a couple of photos of CHLR's Millie at speed at the recent Kent 16mm steam up
spitfire.png (567.82 KiB) Viewed 6315 times
Compared to the tight and gradient heavy CHLR, Spitfire was able to open her cylinders fully and get up to NG 'Main Line' speed - at times the safety wasn't blowing - which if you know a Millie means she was working hard - the momo wagon (disguised as a coal wagon) helps tremendously
I'm now adding more 'bling' in the shape of buffer beam overlays, more coal in the boot, step inlays - with cylinder covers and other upgrades planned
Re: New Millie
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:01 pm
by tom_tom_go
Get those wheels painted and the buffers chemically blackened or painted Mark
I was impressed with the control you now have of the loco since R/C was installed.
When you need to change direction does the loco require a fair bit of force to push/pull it? I was wondering if on your line at home if you had raised track at the end of each station you could let the loco roll back after stopping to then run around your run round loops?
Re: New Millie
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:16 pm
by markoteal
Yes, wheels, rods and buffers in the blackening list band thanks for the feedback about control - much more relaxing
To change direction, the loco needs to do one 'chuff' in the opposite direction (about one rotation of the wheels) - at the moment its need 'Maradona's hand' to change direction but having inclines is an interesting idea - I think for it to happen without any outside help would involve inclines more akin to a funicular!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:59 pm
by Big Jim
I tried this with a single cylinder Archangel Brick. You do need a steep slope and it is very dependent on how far the regulator is open and how much pressure is in the boiler.
Probably a non starter.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 9:17 pm
by markoteal
IrishPeter wrote: ↑Sat Jul 29, 2017 10:24 pm
I have had a 'Millie' for about five years, and she is still my favourite locomotive just to let run. The first 10 hours of running time she was decidedly skittish with the regulator not taking that much adjustment between 'gentle plod' and 'warp speed.' However, she now has a very nice level of control especially on the relatively flat temporary basement line I am using at the moment. Mine has gained a full cab, cylinder covers, and a safety valve bonnet, and I am wondering what over "fluffy dice" items I can add.
My other favourite locomotive is one of the Roundhouse Annas from c.1990 which is also a docile beast.
Cheers,
Peter in Va.
Peter - I've acquired some cylinder covers - not immediately obvious how I fit them - please advise
Ta
Mark
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 9:36 am
by JMORG
Hi Mark,
They should just clip over the cylinders, no tools or anything required.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 10:12 am
by tom_tom_go
The cylinder covers are the same ones they use on most of the Roundhouse locos so they should clip over the cylinders as mentioned.
You may need to bend the curved part of cover to fit snugly to the cylinder otherwise you get a gap which is my issue with these covers.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 12:33 pm
by GTB
markoteal wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2017 9:17 pm
I've acquired some cylinder covers - not immediately obvious how I fit them - please advise
Unlike a lot of the Roundhouse range, Millies have a footplate above the cylinders, so you will need to remove the bodywork to fit the clip on cylinder covers.
As Tom said, the cylinder covers don't fit all that well as supplied and it is worth doing a bit of fettling during fitting. Nothing drastic, just some reshaping with the fingers until you get a neat fit.
Graeme
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 1:38 pm
by IrishPeter
I did not have to do anything near so extreme. If I had, they would still be in the bit box awaiting the arrival of the next batch of heavy duty Roundtuits, which seem to be in very short supply/high demand right now.
My recollection is that I simply bent up the flange at the back of the flat top of the cylinder cover so it was at about a fifty degree angle and would fit through the gap between the footplate, and the top of the cylinder. I then gave it a good shove so that it flexed a bit and clipped over the cylinder snugly, and, as they say, Robert's one of your parent's sibling.
Cheers,
Peter in Va
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:15 pm
by markoteal
Cheers guys - Peter, I thought that may have to be the approach otherwise the bodywork would have to come off as GTB said - I shall have a play!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:36 pm
by tom_tom_go
These engines are not spacecraft, take it apart Mark.
You must play about with your Land Rover after all!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 10:16 am
by Big Jim
What he said ^^^^^
If you find you have a small gap around the covers, a small bit of silicone sealant can work wonders to hold things tight. But as others have said a little bit of manual manipulation should see you right.
Re: New Millie
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:23 pm
by Chris Cairns
I picked up a nicely detailed 2002 Millie 2nd hand late last year, although curiously the wheels have not been painted.
As you can see in this short video it is very capable of running manually at nice slow speeds (the point where it stops furthest away from the camera was indicating that the track had dipped there, which the owner then corrected with some packing).
Incidently the yellow Millie, 'Jeanie Deans', Roundhouse reckon is the first Millie with the cab option that they have painted in yellow.
Chris Cairns
Re: New Millie
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:58 pm
by markoteal
We all love a bit of Millie magic! You are right, you don't see many yellow ones!
Re: New Millie
Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:49 am
by markoteal
A quick video of Spitfire getting a run out on the main line at the Kent 16mm steam up last week - not often she gets the chance to give her tubes a good blast for 30 mins continously!
