Garden Railway Forum

Short video of my Regner Konrad on a cold afternoon run with nice plume, espically when the safety lifts(WeeBee Loco Works Safety). Mike the Aspie
https://youtu.be/Jz_amrNt7bs

Very nice - festive too, with the read and green wagons! It looks particularly good when the safety valve lifts while the loco's under the bridge, just like the real thing...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Andrew wrote: ↑Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:45 amIt looks particularly good when the safety valve lifts while the loco's under the bridge, just like the real thing...

At which point, on the real thing, the driver would be admonishing his fireman for mismanaging the boiler in such a way.

I remember being on the receiving end of such a telling-off when I let the safety valve lift on the Festiniog's Blanche as we entered Garnedd tunnel. The noise was deafening, we lost an inch of useful water from the boiler, and the loco was filthy after blasting the muck off the tunnel roof.

I guess the PW guys were happy you gave the tunnel a good clean Tony

I use a WeeBee safety valve on my coal fired loco:



Although as Tony stated if it keeps going off you are not managing the boiler efficiently!

I wish we could get those Riverdale boilers stateside, his prices are better than anybody else I know that does coal fired ones and his design is more suited to my ablites to fire it. I would build up a coal fired RH engine as my next project, probably a Billy if he offered a boiler for that model and I had a method to get it to me via a proxy in the UK. I always enjoy reading about your engine! Mike the Aspie

Ta da!

http://www.riverdale-loco.com/ELKE.html

artfull dodger wrote: ↑Wed Dec 19, 2018 4:12 pmI wish we could get those Riverdale boilers stateside...

Indeed, and you are not alone in that view, as has been discussed elsewhere on this forum. I know of one in the USA but it only got there by a cunning plan that involved an amount of deception. Perhaps he'll stop shipping to the UK too when we leave the EU...

TonyW wrote: ↑Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:28 pm

Andrew wrote: ↑Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:45 amIt looks particularly good when the safety valve lifts while the loco's under the bridge, just like the real thing...

At which point, on the real thing, the driver would be admonishing his fireman for mismanaging the boiler in such a way.

I remember being on the receiving end of such a telling-off when I let the safety valve lift on the Festiniog's Blanche as we entered Garnedd tunnel. The noise was deafening, we lost an inch of useful water from the boiler, and the loco was filthy after blasting the muck off the tunnel roof.

Indeed, lifting safety valves in normal circumstances can be indicative of a poor fireman. A waste of fuel, water and effort. However, you can only keep a coal fired steam loco quiet for a short period once you've put on a good round ready for an on time departure, only to be delayed for operational reasons!

IanC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:02 pmHowever, you can only keep a coal fired steam loco quiet for a short period...

Back in them days Blanche was oil-fired, and all I really needed to do was turn it down a bit and put the feed on...! I think I was looking at the scenery instead.

Have you guys seen the adverts in "16mm today" (or maybe it's "Garden Rail") for a boilermaker called "Castle Instruments"?

They seem astonishingly inexpensive. In the last magazine they were advertising a wet-backed version of a popular 16mm homebuilt coal-fired boiler for £450 or thereabouts! They also make kits if you fancy silver soldering.

Now I realize Riverdale offers more than just a boiler: he is providing a full system ready to drop straight into a Roundhouse locomotive, whereas "just" a boiler from Castle Instruments is nowhere near all you will need to get a loco going. However, my curiosity is piqued, especially if you take into account the fact that a lot of chaps need to get the locomotive past the all-seeing female eye a small lump at a time, to be assembled slowly over the course of months. Like digging a tunnel out of a stalag, if you will.

Once I start getting the profit sharing checks from my employer, I will be on the hunt for either a second hand Riverdale/RH engine or someone to play proxy to get one to me. The gentleman that runs Riverdale reminds me of someone I know locally that is constantly thinking the sky is falling and everybody wants to sue him over nothing. Every reason I have heard is a load of BS IMHO. If your insurance company wont play nice, find one that will. A well drawn up release from liability form signed by both purchaser and seller is all that is really needed. Done over and over here in the USA when when selling stuff on various online places, espically stuff like four wheelers and other ATV's where someone can get hurt or killed. Never heard of any 16mm gauge engine, coal, gas or meths fired killing anybody. Maybe a good burn to a finger or hand. That however is part of the initiation into the "Burnt Finger Brigade" of live steam. For now I will enjoy my Konrad and Stainz, both from Regner. Once funds permit, I will pick up a Billy chassis and body kit, then see if I can sneak a coal fired boiler over here! If not, another gas burner will join the fleet next year. I think the bigger shame is that Roundhouse doesnt start building this boiler kit in house and sell it as an option. If they can make a Garret and a double Fairlie, then a Riverdale style coal boiler should be well within their abilities. Mike the Aspie

Keith S wrote: ↑Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:43 pm Have you guys seen the adverts in "16mm today" (or maybe it's "Garden Rail") for a boilermaker called "Castle Instruments"?

They seem astonishingly inexpensive. In the last magazine they were advertising a wet-backed version of a popular 16mm homebuilt coal-fired boiler for £450 or thereabouts! They also make kits if you fancy silver soldering.

I had a look at their website and they only list the Gauge 1 boiler at that price so not sure if the 16mm scale version as advertised in 16mm Today is the same price or just a one off commission.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:07 am

Keith S wrote: ↑Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:43 pm Have you guys seen the adverts in "16mm today" (or maybe it's "Garden Rail") for a boilermaker called "Castle Instruments"?

They seem astonishingly inexpensive. In the last magazine they were advertising a wet-backed version of a popular 16mm homebuilt coal-fired boiler for £450 or thereabouts! They also make kits if you fancy silver soldering.

I had a look at their website and they only list the Gauge 1 boiler at that price so not sure if the 16mm scale version as advertised in 16mm Today is the same price or just a one off commission.

I don't have my copy handy to check, maybe my memory is faulty but I thought it had the price on there. Of course, if it did, the price wouldn't include the blower and exhaust pipework, the cab footplate, the lubricator and regulator, water glass, water top-off valve, et cetera that you get with a Riverdale kit.

I've decided to be sensible and wait till I have a railway of some kind before thinking about messing about with coal. Mrs. Keith is *somewhat* tolerant of running the gas-fired loco in the basement. Not sure that would be the case with a coal one.

I normally try to run without the safety lifting much unless standing still for any duration. However, Regner gas valves are a bit tempermental and with the cold air I wanted to keep the boiler good and hot for the short run. If I was doing a longer run on a nicer day, I would have made a few station stops to gradually turn down the gas as the tank warmed up from the boiler heat. I wish all brands of gas fired engines had the burner quality and stability of the Roundhouse FG burner system. Definatly one of the best out there. Mike the Aspie