My Live Steam Loco's No.7 - Mamod SL1

[Chris Cairns]

So my Live Steam Loco No.7 is this Mamod SL1, which was purchased at STIA in 2005.



The trader told me it was a kit loco, and as it was fitted with a meths burner he recommended fitting a lubricator.



This is the meths burner which has been identified as an MGM Engineering one. The water top-up valve is the kind that Cheddar Models used to produce, and the safety valve is again unidentified and goes off at about the same pressure as the Mamod safety valve but at least it goes into a fountain upwards when it blows!

This loco is more of an SL1 than an SL1K, as the sidetanks are obviously SL1's, the cab front had a lot of paint loss and I've badly repainted it (it was an SL3 one), and the original cab back was also from an SL3 but that has gone to another enthusiast for his backless SL3, and has been replaced by an SL1 one. The boiler is the screw on backplate which is good.

I purchased and fitted an IP Lubricator, but as I've stated before on this forum it was very ineffective, so I will look at fitting it with a bigger feed pipe in due course to see if that will increase its poor performance. The boiler caused a lot of problems, so it was paint stripped, the bush for the steam nut has been resoldered, the solder fillet on the bottom replaced, and the steam pipe was re-bent to allow it to go right up into the steam dome and stop the condensate that I was getting whilst running (just like my MSS Saddle Tank).

I believe those pistons to be the upgraded 'O' ring type and these have required a lot of lubrication to get them going. Whilst I am still considering whether to fit a Roundhouse type lubricator or stick with the IP Eng one once modified, I've adopted a tip that I read on another Yahoo group.

Fit a silicone tube to the exhaust pipe to bring it to the top of the chimney, put the reverser fully forward, inject some steam oil into this tube, and turn the wheels backwards to suck this oil through the reverser and into the cylinders. Not too much oil or turning the wheels for too long will prevent oil getting into the boiler.

I was originally going to call this loco 'Iver' as I got some 'Iver' nameplates from the Cheddar Models sell-out at Merstham in 2005, but as I've now got a Cheddar Iver it will be called 'Archie' instead, after my late Grandfather who used to take me to that great model railway venue in Glasgow, the Clyde Model Dockyard, to buy some bits for my OO gauge model railway when I was a lad.

When I get the workbench built and have practised my spray painting skills, it will be repainted in red with lining and nameplates, and I've obtained the following bits to enhance it's looks.



L to R - Lamps and Lamp irons, plus brass tools from Brandbright, Tool box and brass whistle from IP Engineering clear-out (the 2 cylinder covers which had been badly punched to look like rivets will now be fitted to my IP Jane).

Thanks for looking.

Chris Cairns.

[steamyjim]

Going to be good when its finished Chris!

[steamyjim]

Any progress?

[Chris Cairns]

No!

Too many locos in the workshop (the kitchen) at present (7 in total). And I do not have anywhere good to start practising my spray painting skills yet - still not got a worktop fixed up in the garage yet, and it is too cold in there for painting (particularly with the northerly winds coming).

Just boxing up the MSS Saddle Tank for storage at present, and the Mamod William is next.

That leaves the IP Jane (cylinder covers & lamp irons to be fitted), 2 x SL1Ks running in, the IP Jane/PPS Janet composite rebuild (still to order parts for that, and modifying a combustion chamber courtesy of SillyBilly), and the Samson Works modified Mamod.

Plus lots of other stationary and mobile engines!!

[Spule 4]

Whilst I am still considering whether to fit a Roundhouse type lubricator or stick with the IP Eng one once modified, I've adopted a tip that I read on another Yahoo group.

Fit a silicone tube to the exhaust pipe to bring it to the top of the chimney, put the reverser fully forward, inject some steam oil into this tube, and turn the wheels backwards to suck this oil through the reverser and into the cylinders. Not too much oil or turning the wheels for too long will prevent oil getting into the boiler.

Chris, I know the Yahoo group and that tip that you were given.  I fear it is false economy for our purposes.....

That tip was the OLD trick back in the day of before lubricators.  You would modify your exhaust pipe, take a pump botte of oil and feed it in there.  It would keep things "goopy" for a single load of pellets (aka camel dung).

Now, 25+ years later, with top up valves, higher pressure safety valves, and especially O ring pistions, I would fit a proper lubricator to the model.

I am still thinking about what to do with the IP lubricator.  One idea kicking around was to keep the small capilary tube and leave a small "tail" coming out of the body.  Then solder this into a bit of tube that is then fitted into a T fitting, (imagine a T on its side, the feed coming in from the left from the regulator, the lubricator at the top of the T, and the feed to the locomotive being at the bottom, strait below the port for the lubricator) thus allowing the entire operation to be kept on the footplate of the loco and not look as daft as mine did.

This I think would allow for a small flow of oil (and not pinched as your thoughts with kinks and collapse of the smaller tube) and make for a proper fitting.  

The drawback I see is a small capacity.

Thoughts?

[Chris Cairns]

Although IP have sold several of these lubricators, and indeed I've seen them in use of some Mamod locos, I'm still not convinced that they were designed properly.

On another Forum a member was explaining that there should really be no difference between a dead leg lubricator like this as oppossed to an inline lubricator. And to prove the point he builds both types and uses them with equal success on his engines (stationary not locomotives).

I suspect that the problem lies with the use of a smaller diameter pipe, when all other installations/combinations I've seen use the same size pipe (usually 1/8" pipe), and of course being smaller is more prone to kinking when bent.

I've thought about taking my IP lubricator that does not seem to work, and replacing the pipe with 1/8" pipe, taking care with the bends (a trick I recently read is to use a drive belt spring inside the tube when it is being bent, although wonder how easy it is to remove afterwards?).

Of course if we do get these working properly then yes they do not have as much capacity as the Roundhouse lubricator, and I use up all the oil in one of those when running my IP Jane.

I actually bought 2 of these IP lubricators originally, but the second one remains unused in my spare parts box at present.

My reason for using the oil down the exhaust pipe on this loco is it has modified 'O' ring pistons and the screw/bolt holding them to the cylinder plate is too tight to allow you to lift the piston rod off the wheels and oil around, as recommended by Mamod. So this is currently the only way to get the cylinder plate faces oiled up properly.

[Chris Cairns]

Well being a little frustrated with the lack of performance from the SL1Ks in the workshop, and with 'Ginny' back on display duties and the IP Jane having a well earned rest after her double headed train, I thought I'd give this loco another run under steam.

As previously posted, it was going to be called 'Iver' as I bought some Cheddar Models 'Iver' name plates in their Merstham 'end of business' sale. Then it was going to be called 'Archie' in memory of my late grandfather. However I've now come up with a very appropriate method of naming my locos, and its new name will be revealed when I receive the name plates from alan2525.

So here is a very short video just to prove Mamod locos can run backwards as well.



And for those who prefer YouTube - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lnS5gBYyRHE

As we tend to run these locos without the cab backs so we can check the water level, this loco will probably need lead weight adding below the cab floor as it is a bit light on its wheels going backwards. I've read the suggestion of casting cab steps to disguise these weights, but not sure how easy or messy that would be.

Chris Cairns.

[ACLR]

all mine run backwards as well but tend to run them forward like everyone I guess.

marvin doesnt like pushing the tender as it derails easily

[Chris Cairns]

marvin doesnt like pushing the tender as it derails easily

That is a function of the Mamod/MSS coupling, as it is only really used properly when under tension. And it is partly because these locos are front heavy, hence my talking about adding weight to the rear (about 160g as I recall)

Would need to be converted to centre buffer couplings to allow propelling properly.