Fireless

A place for discussing diverse methods of powering locomotives, such as Internal Combustion, Wind, etc...
Post Reply
INJIN
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:55 pm

Fireless

Post by INJIN » Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:29 pm

Here is something you don't see every day. A fireless locomotive built by Mike Gaskin. You just "Pump it up" away it goes.



Image


Image


Image

Here is a video if it in action...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRT_OjiUnU


Keith

User avatar
Dr. Bond of the DVLR
Retired Director
Retired Director
Posts: 4481
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Suffolk
Contact:

Post by Dr. Bond of the DVLR » Sun Sep 29, 2013 6:47 pm

What pressure is it taken up to?
Image
The railway which people forgot
(to build)

User avatar
Chris Cairns
Driver
Driver
Posts: 2364
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:25 pm
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Post by Chris Cairns » Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:11 pm

An interesting model.

So this operates on compressed air rather than steam like a true Fireless?

Chris Cairns.

INJIN
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:55 pm

Post by INJIN » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:33 pm

Chris Cairns:89868 wrote:An interesting model.

So this operates on compressed air rather than steam like a true Fireless?

Chris Cairns.
Yup, Just pump it up to about 120psi & away it goes!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRT_Oji ... 8X6xxnTtow



Image

McRuss
Cleaner
Cleaner
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:39 am

Post by McRuss » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:40 pm

How long does the loco run?

Markus

INJIN
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:55 pm

Post by INJIN » Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:47 pm

Errr well.........................'Bout 30 yards!!

User avatar
Chris Cairns
Driver
Driver
Posts: 2364
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:25 pm
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Post by Chris Cairns » Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:47 pm

Thanks for posting that photo.

I guess the next model will be a true Fireless although getting a suitable source of steam at 120 PSI will prove interesting.

Our railway group, the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group, is restoring an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 Fireless (AB 1952/1928). As we do not have a stationary boiler it has/will be filled using our working Barclay (AB 2244/1947), which means a lot of work for the fireman as it needs maximum pressure to transfer the steam and is done over 2 days. It has been a long restoration but it is hoped it will be in steam again next year to celebrate the group's 40th anniversary.

Chris Cairns.

jay1976
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 326
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:32 pm

Post by jay1976 » Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:37 am

INJIN:89890 wrote:Errr well.........................'Bout 30 yards!!
A bit like the real ones then..
there used to be on at bressingham which stood at the entrace for years but before that it did go up and down there short mainline on cab rides I can remember it doing a few runs and needing topping up with pressure..

Jon Taylor
New User
New User
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:08 am
Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK

Fireless Loco

Post by Jon Taylor » Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:29 am

This loco was originally built by Mike for me, in (I think) 2001/2, and is a model of the S&KLR 'Unique'. Mike used a Roundhouse chassis, and the air receiver is a seamless copper tube, with a very substantial girder stay threaded, screwed and silver soldered into the end plates for strength. Cylinder lubrication was by a gravity feed tube.

The loco was intended for shunting my layout, and was originally pressurised via an electric tyre inflater.

I donated the loco to the SKLR a few years ago- good to see it running again!

BTW- there is an older model of the same loco around somewhere, using Mike's own chassis with a short valve cut off to use the air with maximum efficiency- an article about this inspired me to get in touch with Mike to commission the one seen here.

Jon Taylor, Stowmarket, Suffolk.

INJIN
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:55 pm

Post by INJIN » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:32 am

Hi John
Great to here from it's original owner.

Derek Wiggins borrowed it from the SKLR for the show at Peterborough so we decided to give it a run before handing it back. The air pipe had a blockage when we first tried to get it to run, young Luke put a new one on & away she went.

The other engine was also at Peterborough this year, here are a couple of photo's of them together.

Cheers

Keith
Image


Image

JCSteam
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 6:52 pm
Location: Darlington

Post by JCSteam » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:02 pm

I know this is an old thread but are these two still running, to me it seems a fairly cheap way of running a railway on small lines. And I'd be interested in knowing thickness's of the end plates and seamless tube steam tank 8)

Roundhouse chassis £400
Bits for steam tank £150
Bodywork £70
Paint £50
Bike pump £40
Smile of face seeing your creation quietly running PRICELESS! :lol: :lol:
Jon

Have fun steaming
Now put the kettle on....sit back and browse my webpage  http://fwpl.webs.com/

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests