Garden Railway Forum

Hi folks,

Weirdly, I replied already, even saw it said “101 posts”, then came back later and there’s no sign of it...

Got the Rx102 wired in, and the factory fitted aircraft style RC kit is no more. My observations:

• The control is beautifully smooth, just as I was told to expect.

• The servos have a habit of ‘twitching’ with no input, and controls neutral. As though they are waiting in nervous anticipation for me to twist a knob. Both the regulator and reverser. Doesn’t seem to affect the motion when you move the controls, but I wonder why it is, and whether it uses battery.

• The default seems to be that the ‘Speed’ dial on the Tx22 mimics the regulator, in direction and travel - that is to say that fully clockwise is regulator closed, and fully anti-clockwise is full chat. With a pause at the centre detent. This is obviously (and maybe hazardously) different from a battery powered loco on another Selecta channel. What alternatives are there? What do you guys do?

• The servo for the dummy drain cocks is operated using the Bind button, and to hold the servo in the drain cocks position you have to hold down the Bind button.

Really interested to hear your thoughts.


Alex

Hi Alex,

I have started a new thread for you yesterday (your original response is there) as the questions you are asking are not related to my loco:

https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 29&t=11583

Please use this new thread so others can help you.

Tom

Tom - back on this thread now, and back to the original topic: Silver Lady improvements.

1) I’ve fitted the SLOMO. What an excellent device. Now, I can hear the mechanism (and expect to, somewhat) but should I be able to grease it up with something, to keep that noise to a minimum? If so, with what?

2) RH have sent me 2 (your idea!) servo rods. These have a threaded end which links to the servo clip thing, and the other end has no thread. Did you use the threaded end to go into the piston in the exhaust block? It strikes me that this is a fiddly bit with expensive bits and I wonder if you could detail how you detached/disconnected the original rod and attached/connected the new rod, particularly at the piston end?

Thanks again!


Alex

Hi Alex,

The slomo does not need lubrication (confirmed by Terry himself) because I asked the same question when I first got my one.

The threaded end of the servo rod should be used for the piston that is used to direct steam up the exhaust or through the pipe work under the cylinders.

The piston simply screws onto the threaded end and is locked in place by a nut.

You just need to get in there mate and play around, if I can manage it with no engineering background anyone can.

Tom

No trains today as it is raining so I thought I would lag the pipe work on My SL:


I might leave this lagging white as I have singed it to burn off any fine hairs.

I am surprised how much the lagging has reduced condensate on this loco.

As it runs with a SSP Slomo and my line is not continuous I suspect I suffer more condensate problems than most so this is why it is noticeable to me.

I can now have the Summerlands Chuffer FX set to use the large hole (big steam plumes) without the loco being showered in oil.

If you plan to lag pipe work make sure the body will still fit around the pipes as I had to rework a fair bit of the piping to make the body fit back on easily with no resistance.

I want to repaint this loco as I have never liked the gloss finish but don't know whether to paint her as a well used black and grimy loco like Sophie (my Riverdale coal fired dragon) or keep the existing colour but start again with a satin or matt finish.

Then there is the problem of time!

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sat Mar 10, 2018 9:09 am I want to repaint this loco as I have never liked the gloss finish but don't know whether to paint her as a well used black and grimy loco like Sophie (my Riverdale coal fired dragon) or keep the existing colour but start again with a satin or matt finish.

Then there is the problem of time!

There is another alternative, if you like the original colour, then give the model a coat of satin clear on the red bits and matt clear on the black bits. You'll need to experiment a bit, as a lot of clear coats have acrylic in them and they will soften and get tacky when hot.

Can't help with extra modelling time, I found mine by retiring. I assume your missus is unlikely to go out to work to support you in the manner you might wish to become accustomed?.......

Graeme

I keep being told that you are busier when retired Graeme!

After painting the wheels on my Riverdale loco I decided to have a go on my SL:


Slightly weathered as with my other loco. It's nice to see the wheels rotating now in the evening sun.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:44 pmAfter painting the wheels on my Riverdale loco I decided to have a go on my SL:

Good man!

I thought you would approve Tony, shiny wheels urk me as well.

First run with her new painted wheels:

Nice touch..

Hi Tom, looking good. I too am not convinced by the Silver Lady dome and would like to change it like you have. Where did you get the shortened top up valve from?

Joe

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:38 pm Thank you gents for the comments (and nice to hear from you David, glad you have not been blown away or drowned in the weather where you are).

It's a standard Lady Anne dome sprayed by RH, however, to get it to fit on the SL you need to change the water top-up valve due to the size difference:


One on the left is original SL top-up valve

The safety valve is standard RH one although I cleaned it which is why it might look different

Hi Joe,

I wouldn't recommend doing what I did as it isn't perfect and tends to spit water out when steaming up.

There are now suppliers who sell water top up plugs that will allow you to fit a Lady Anne dome:

https://www.thetraindepartment.com/roun ... use-parts/

Anyone know of a UK supplier? The Anything Narrrow Gauge offering doesn't look like it supports the dome and is just a water top up valve?

https://anythingnarrowgauge.co.uk/16mm- ... h=Top%20up

Cheers Tom! I might just learn to live with it for the moment then. Or maybe see if it is possible to remove a bit more from the inside of a standard dome? Is it the same dimensions, but with just the extra lip and a hole? If so it should be possible to make space for the refill valve, maybe with just a very small hole in the top for the valve.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:38 pm Hi Joe,

I wouldn't recommend doing what I did as it isn't perfect and tends to spit water out when steaming up.

There are now suppliers who sell water top up plugs that will allow you to fit a Lady Anne dome:

https://www.thetraindepartment.com/roun ... use-parts/

Anyone know of a UK supplier? The Anything Narrrow Gauge offering doesn't look like it supports the dome and is just a water top up valve?

https://anythingnarrowgauge.co.uk/16mm- ... h=Top%20up

http://www.chuffed2bits.com used to sell them. I got mine from them, but it needs it's own dedicated top-up bottle.

Hopefully off to run on another railway this coming Sunday and so I decided to finally add a driver!


This was only possible due to the fact I removed the battery holder and pack from the factory fitted roof location years ago. I reckon I could get a fireman in on the other side of the cab, however, this will require moving the gas valve or the gas tank itself.

The driver had a bolt 'surgically installed' into one of his legs which is then bolted to the cab floor so he can be removed when the loco requires maintenance. No other butchery was administered to him much to see his relief.

Any name suggestions for the driver?

Do you think it was necessary to add a driver Tom, I quite liked it the way it was!

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:01 pm Any name suggestions for the driver?

...Clarence...??

Keith S wrote: ↑Fri Jun 07, 2019 4:40 am

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:01 pm Any name suggestions for the driver?

...Clarence...??

Dan River...

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:01 pm Any name suggestions for the driver?

Francis.

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 11:21 pm Do you think it was necessary to add a driver Tom, I quite liked it the way it was!

Who are you and what have you done with the real Peter Butler?