Garden Railway Forum

Come on now..... you've been out and bought new ones, haven't you?

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Wed May 23, 2018 10:09 am Come on now..... you've been out and bought new ones, haven't you?

Red room, our toolroom was called “The Blue Room”….mainly because a couple of the guys were members of the local Railway Club, that had a room for committee members only which was called “The Blue Room”.

I joined when my parents asked me to go with them for a drink…..couldn’t believe how cheap the drinks were then!

FWLR wrote: ↑Thu May 24, 2018 7:19 am Red room, our toolroom was called “The Blue Room”….mainly because a couple of the guys were members of the local Railway Club, that had a room for committee members only which was called “The Blue Room”.

I joined when my parents asked me to go with them for a drink…..couldn’t believe how cheap the drinks were then!

There is a "Blue Room" here as well, but only for work.

Yesterday was one of those Saturdays that one is grateful to have a heart beat.
Hand on Steam with #974
and what made it so special was being with a very good crew of trainee mates and a good tutor who goes by the name of Adrian.
I have done a wee bit of firing before (nothing that be could called remotely proficient) and it was nice to to get it down the front of the 8" long grate, after a wee bit of practice and not hook it all to the left or make too much of Turkey's nest in the middle. A long way to go but.............
Also got a wee drive up and down the Gympie yard, a first for me.

Morning Sun


Oiling up


On the table


Backing up the table road.


The 2000 Class Railmotors waiting, for the branch to be opened and trips with happy families. These have Rolls Royce Engines.

A great day and good to have some time for yourself.... I bet you heart beat just a little bit faster!

Nice loco's! I can imagine that it needs some practice to keep a fire going in these kind of machines..

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 10:56 pm
I have done a wee bit of firing before (nothing that be could called remotely proficient) and it was nice to to get it down the front of the 8" long grate, after a wee bit of practice and not hook it all to the left or make too much of Turkey's nest in the middle. A long way to go but.............

It all comes with practice. It soon becomes second nature. Wide fireboxes are the hardest to master. LNER engines can be difficult to fire through the "cat flap", especially if they have a long narrow firebox.

It's a fantastic feeling though when it all goes well and you have a good mate on the footplate. Days don't come much better.

Ian

IanC wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 11:50 pm

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 10:56 pm
I have done a wee bit of firing before (nothing that be could called remotely proficient) and it was nice to to get it down the front of the 8" long grate, after a wee bit of practice and not hook it all to the left or make too much of Turkey's nest in the middle. A long way to go but.............

It all comes with practice. It soon becomes second nature. Wide fireboxes are the hardest to master. LNER engines can be difficult to fire through the "cat flap", especially if they have a long narrow firebox.

It's a fantastic feeling though when it all goes well and you have a good mate on the footplate. Days don't come much better.

Ian

Ian , yes, it is great day when you have a good team on the loco and train. The 2 hour drive home after the day is one of reflections of the things that went well or adjustments needed and also the things learnt during the day. Last night it was home for Salmon, home made chips and peas and two glasses of red grape juice to cap it all off. One lives for those days, the other days you have just got to get them over and done with and get on with tomorrow. It is not long now till the Mary Valley Rattler starts operations down the 20km branch. Just waiting on the track to be signed off and we can start learning the road etc. If all goes well, July!

daan wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 11:38 pm Nice loco's! I can imagine that it needs some practice to keep a fire going in these kind of machines..

The hard bit is bouncing along on the rough branch line track and getting the swing right, the technique so the coal just flies off the shovel through the fire hole and lands where you want it on demand, 8 feet away. I am yet to master this, but I just need more time firing. By the time I have put 50 to 100 tons onto the grate I hope my driver will no longer laugh or frown down upon me.

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: ↑Sun May 27, 2018 3:46 am

IanC wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 11:50 pm

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: ↑Sat May 26, 2018 10:56 pm
I have done a wee bit of firing before (nothing that be could called remotely proficient) and it was nice to to get it down the front of the 8" long grate, after a wee bit of practice and not hook it all to the left or make too much of Turkey's nest in the middle. A long way to go but.............

It all comes with practice. It soon becomes second nature. Wide fireboxes are the hardest to master. LNER engines can be difficult to fire through the "cat flap", especially if they have a long narrow firebox.

It's a fantastic feeling though when it all goes well and you have a good mate on the footplate. Days don't come much better.

Ian

Ian , yes, it is great day when you have a good team on the loco and train. The 2 hour drive home after the day is one of reflections of the things that went well or adjustments needed and also the things learnt during the day. Last night it was home for Salmon, home made chips and peas and two glasses of red grape juice to cap it all off. One lives for those days, the other days you have just got to get them over and done with and get on with tomorrow. It is not long now till the Mary Valley Rattler starts operations down the 20km branch. Just waiting on the track to be signed off and we can start learning the road etc. If all goes well, July!

It will happen. Dazza. I have had 15 years now on the footplate, and a lot of trips with many engines and drivers. Every one different. The best drivers are the ex BR ones. When you did things daily, as they did, then everything becomes easy and second nature. Experience and practice are invaluable. The bad days are just as valuable from a learning point of view as the good ones.

Ian

Just enjoy the moment of having been on the footplate and driving it, even if it was only a little bit, it looked like you had brilliant day…..


It’s a brilliant looking loco too……

Made a temporary reverser stand and completed the reach rod and pins. I am using this to confirm the eccentric rod lengths. Working on the eccentric rod drawings now.

You get close to testing now.. really close.. Do you make a filmclip of the test please? I am very curious on the way it works.. If as smooth as it looks it will be a treat!

daan wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:56 am You get close to testing now.. really close.. Do you make a filmclip of the test please? I am very curious on the way it works.. If as smooth as it looks it will be a treat!

Yes, getting closer, I am anxious and nervous and I have fears that it all will go bad. I did a lot of redesigning of the valve gear geo. I will take a video when the day comes. I am going to be pulled away some weekends now as the Mary Valley Rattler restarts. If the track is signed off we might be doing light engine trips in the Diesel to learn the 20kms. Exciting times in the Red Room and on the 12" to the foot railway.

When one reads texts describing valve gear setting by many published "designers" I cannot help but think their descriptions are vague and brief. An easy to follow detailed described method that is in a logical sequence seems to be lacking ATMCO. (according to my current opinion)
One text says, "clamp the expansion link" No mention how you clamp it, considering it's size and shape and allowing the radius rod to move and be able to check measure the eccentric rod centres.
Any how I gave it some thought and then made an adjustable clamp last night for the expansion link so I can check the eccentric rod length that should be 46.08mm as per the drawing if the stars and planets align.
I will see if this clamp works as intended tonight.

The clamp worked a treat. I intend to make an adjustable Eccentric rod to get the between centres dimension with more accuracy then fumbling with verniers with attached points and or dividers. Using dividers is fraught with peril ATMCO.
I did some chicken scratching drawings for this device but as much as I want to get stuck into making this tomorrow, I am off tomorrow to do some diesel driver training at the Mary Valley Rattler.

Sorting back and front dead centres





Adjustable eccentric rod in action. It seemed to work OK.







Measured then taken to the mill and DRO.
My eccentric crank (return) seemed to be running on a bigger radius than the drawings, was to be 7.57mm but I have 7.90mm and the eccentric rod length is + .10mm than the drawing. I had allowed for the eccentric rod inclination in the crank setting. I will go with this and see how it all goes.
The left hand side eccentric rod is underway. Getting closer to a test run on air.

Looking good Dazza, if the eccentric rod is working then thats all that matters hey….

Looking forward to you getting this on air.

Any chance of a video of it running on your bench when you do please?