LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

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TonyW
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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by TonyW » Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:25 pm

Chris Cairns wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:35 pmAlso worth putting a piece of small diameter brass rod or copper wire into the sight glass tube to reduce the bubbles forming.
It is a brave man with a stock of the correct size glass tube and O-rings who takes a Wrightscale gauge glass apart.

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by JMORG » Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:08 pm

What's your recommendation Tony? The glass isn't as clean as it could be and I figured I could sort this at the same time as fitting 2.4G radio.

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by TonyW » Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:22 pm

It would be an act of last resort to muck about with the gauge glass on one of these. I'd really only tackle it if the glass was already broken. The glass is held in the end mounts by the pipes being bent correctly, so you need to bend them from their current position to get the glass out. The 10BA or 8BA (can't remember which) stud that runs from one end to the other through the glass clamps it all together, but if the pipes are not square with the end of the glass it will break. There is an O-ring at each end of the glass inside the end caps to seal it all up. Those copper pipes have been in that position for a long time and they will be rock hard now, but they were probably softly annealed when the glass went in years ago so were easier to line up. With that in mind, I'd go for a chemical solution: Vinegar, kettle descaler, dilute sulphuric acid. Leave it to soak for several days but agitate it at least once a day.

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by Chris Cairns » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:42 am

TonyW wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:22 pm It would be an act of last resort to muck about with the gauge glass on one of these.
Thanks for pointing out what to do with these sight glass tubes Tony.

The only Wrightscale Baldwin I've seen in the flesh has been fitted with a replacement boiler.

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by JMORG » Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:08 am

Cheers Tony, I'm guessing you'll need to remove the safety valve (and dome) to do this? Is there any difficulties in getting these apart?

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by TonyW » Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:31 am

JMORG wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:08 am Cheers Tony, I'm guessing you'll need to remove the safety valve (and dome) to do this? Is there any difficulties in getting these apart?
No problems that I recall, but it was a while ago that I last worked on one so I can't remember exactly how the safety valve comes out. I seem to remember the "vent" in the top of the dome unscrews, allowing access.

You could also remove the banjo bolt at the rear end of the boiler that holds the collar for the safety valve.

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by JMORG » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:08 pm

Managed to run the Baldwin again in the warmer sun. Still reluctant to go! Seems as though it's losing steam somewhere, opening the regulator from 60 psi causes a dive to 30 psi with about 3 foot of movement.
Suggestions?

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by workwright » Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:04 pm

Hi, how lucky, you have got hold of one of my Baldwins. The most likely sudden loss of pressure in the loco is the smplest and most obvious one. The in flue super heater tube (steam drier) has burnt through. If this has happened it is because some body not understanding gas firing has had the burner out and arranged it so that the burner slots face the steam pipe in the flue. So check this first- hook up an airline ending in an old syringe barrel. Plug and twist this into the boiler water fill socket. Pull out the smokebox door so you can see down the flue and turn on the air and open the regulator. Any air? any Water visible in the flue?. If there is it is the superheater, if not, keep the air on and hold the front end of the loco in a bucket of water . Any air bubbles??? The air has got to be coming out somewhere and that will be the same place that your stea pressure is vanishing from.
The saddle of the loco is as the prototype. The steam pipe and exhaust are soldered into sockets inside it. These were soldered in with Comsol. Misuse of the loco that caused it to get hot enough to melt this would have caused complete deconstruction of the body platework so you can rule that out I think.
Are the valves OK? ie put the loco in midgear, open the regulator with the air line on and see if there is a continuous hiss as you slowly rotate the driving wheels. If the hiss comes and goes slightly the valves are probably ok. DIsconnect the conrod from both sides , air line on, in gear, do the piston snap back and forth when the wheels are rotated by hand? If yes nothing too bad is amiss. If they are sluggish (one side or both) the O ring has gone.
You can report what you find to me on aboyne.workwright@gmail.com and I can advise you if you report what you find.
Water gauge, these do tend to work after a fashion. If I were building the loco today I wold keep the design but use wider pipes. One thing you can do is overhaul it. You can remove the glass the risk of breakage is very low as long as you realise you only have to move the brass caps apart by 1-2 mm to get the glass tube out. The advice above though is good you can get quite good results by washing the boiler out with some white vinegar. One thing I have just done to one of my Baldwins is replace the centre pin in the water gauge with a stainless steel one. 1/16 nom SS rod threaded 10BA and re-use of the original nuts. Do not overtighten, if you do this it is not so much the risk of breaking the glass but of the O rings compressing and narrowing the water way too much for the gauge to function. I put mine together with water in the boiler and only tight enough to stop drips. I then raise steam and only tighten it enough to stop any leak at 60 psi, then give the nuts (top and bottom) 1/4 turn AT MOST.
The boiler can be removed. Remove pressure gauge , remove safety valve(1/4 drive socket through dome) Un nut the steam pipe from T at the front end, take off cab It has Bayonets plus bolt under floor, take off gas pipe between burner and valve, remove firebox cover. THe boiler is a push fit into the smokebox so you will have to take the bunker off too. All this is a bit of a bore to do, so I would only do it if I had to!
My final comment - If you have the original instructions that came with the loco and its original boiler certificate you might find wording to the effect that "Wrightscale support their products.If you have a problem with one of our products, in the first instance contact us, we will make good the problem provided that the locomotive has not been altered or repairs attempted by others......" Even now most of that applies to your engine I will still support it. I am just rebuilding a 25 year old loco that was dropped- at modest cost to its owner, really just the cost of new etches. All the best with your refurb. Workwright.
Workwright

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by JMORG » Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:25 pm

Thank you Malcolm, I did contact you a few weeks ago about a new Baldwin but I saw this one and thought I'd give it a go as a pet project to turn into a WHR Baldwin! Definitely completely different to a Roundhouse or Accucraft locomotive.
I'll give those methods a go, it seems as though there are no leaks around the cylinders so it seems likely that if anything is wrong it'll be the steam lines.
Must say, the blue is very garish, but likeable!

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Re: LVLR new addition (NOT A GARRATT)

Post by JMORG » Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:34 pm

I've sent you an email Malcolm via the website.

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