Restoration of 5" gauge 0,6,0 tank loco

[Dougs]

Hopefully some home stretch news,
I had a reply from the club saying that my membership will be considered at the next committee meeting
In preparation for running I am trying to source a 12v fan that I can use to draw the fire on the boiler

Tried this one but its way too powerful it will prob pull the coal out of the fire box time to go shopping

[Dan4th]

Tried this one but its way too powerful it will prob pull the coal out of the fire box

Why not just run it through a
rheostat so you can control the
fan speed ?

Danf.

[Dougs]

Tried this one but its way too powerful it will prob pull the coal out of the fire box

Why not just run it through a
rheostat so you can control the
fan speed ?

Danf.

Lol I tried that dan4th it's digitally controlled so it just speeds up and trips out due to excess current, I found one last night for about £3.50 so it's game on!

[34053]

Pleased that you located the fan you needed, Dougs. Keep us posted!

PW

[Dougs]

Great news my membership came through I am now a paid up member of the Northwest Leicestershire Society of Experimental Model Emgineers
I have been doing some detail work on Butch
Shackles anyone?
Bending the rod

Half a shackle the hoop is made by filing half the diameter then bent over and brazed

It has to pass through the hook before the second hoop is formed

The first shackle all done well mostly

The completed shackle


And on the loco

Just have the other half of the assembly to make then I get to do it all again

[Dan4th]

I mostly know about shackles from
sailing, but even so, they are a more
versatile piece of hardware than most
people realize...

I have one I've used as a key fob for
well over 25 years !

I have never MANUFACTURED one, though

Danf.

[Dougs]

I mostly know about shackles from
sailing, but even so, they are a more
versatile piece of hardware than most
people realize...

I have one I've used as a key fob for
well over 25 years !

I have never MANUFACTURED one, though

Danf.

Me neither tis my very first one Dan4th
A couple of update pics
All cleaned up

Fitted to the front of the loco

Close up shot

One down one to go

[34053]

They look really great, Dougs. Well done

PW

[Dougs]

They look really great, Dougs. Well done

PW

Thanks PW they are my very first attempt so I am hoping to improve quite a bit by the time I make the set for Speedy
I have a technique now that I can improve on so hopefully I can get them just right
It is also my first silver soldering job too which seems very easy to do I have an awfull lot to do when I build the boiler on speedy so need all the practice I can get

[Dougs]

I have been busy again making the rear shackle links

Just have to get them finished by stripping the metal back to bare

Almost finished

[34053]

Thanks Dougs. Looks great!

PW

[Dougs]

Wowsers what a busy day, it all started with a trip down to the club to arrange a boiler test, I took the loco with me and a copy of the original test cert. I spoke the the club boiler tester who had a look at the loco and said he was happy with the construction and as it had been tested before it would not require a full strip down, and it would be helpfull to test it on the loco which will verify the water pump and pressure guage so with a plan setup I returned home to make the required blanking plugs

I then decided to pump up the boiler and do my own "pre-test" I found just about every fitting in the boiler leaks at 160psi so I decided to go at them one by one
The regulator bush first

Unfortunately the rod in the above pic fell out of the regulator and wouldn't go back in so I had to strip the regulator too it was starting to become a BIG job now grr

It also gave me the opportunity to fix a little problem it had when the regulator closes it has no stop so closes and goes further to open again so I decided to make a stop for it while I had it to bits
The below pic shows the closed position but it will go much higher than this position

The open position below

The stop being made

The stop fitted the slide will now not go up past the closed position

As I have a small leak through the regulator I decided to remove the chimney and super heater and block it all off so it will make the testers job a doodle and I can check it all over as well.
I also made a blank for this end and resealed the blower valve pipework to the left

And then the other end re sealed

The loco now ready for testing

And all the removed parts the super heater elements and safety valves etc.

Phew I am going for a lie down

[34053]

You certainly have had a busy day, Dougs. I am very impressed indeed Well done!

PW

[Dougs]

Turns out the superheater element needs to be tested during the boiler test so out came all the tools again to make some more blanks
Four blanks required to block the superheater, first off the wet header no.1

Then no. 2

Then two more on the hot header

Some really odd threads on some of the fittings they are BSB (british standard brass 26tpi)
Hopefully that's it the next instalment should be a boiler test in progress with a nice shiny new cert. at the end of it.
All loaded up ready to go


I will be taking all my parts and tools just in case though

[Dan4th]

At least you won't be needing one of these::::::::::





Danf.

[34053]

Hope all goes well with the Boiler/Superheater Tests, Dougs.

PW

[Dougs]

Thanks PW I do feel a bit like an expectant father at the moment

[Dougs]

just for giggles I decided to make a web site about my hobby its a big work in progress but have a look and tell me what you think and any ideas and sugestions would be great.
the address is
http://WWW.modelsteamloco.co.uk

[34053]

Website looks good Dougs. Has a lot of potential.
BTW, congratulations on passing the 900 Views for this particular Topic.

PW

[Dan4th]

I agree with PW

Just make sure you leave yourself enuff
time to Work On The Locomotives !

Danf.

[Dougs]

Thanks guys the new web site is only a luch break project at work so won't dent my loco time I have been tinkering tonight as it happens making more progress on speedy an update should be forthcoming in a few days when the next part is complete.
Still looking forward to getting the boiler test done this weekend then and only then can I finally get the old girl steaming round the track
Although it looks like I am going to have to do some driver training first

[Dougs]

The boiler test
Well the boiler test is split into two parts a hydraulic test and if that goes well a steam test
So the first part checked and it works fine it has to be pumped up to 1.5 times the working pressure no issues there it only leaked a tiny bit through the fittings.
So with that part complete I started to build it back up for the steam test


They guys were not happy with my fire starting kit so it got binned and they took over note the fan on the chimney

Well turns out butch is a fussy old girl and would not start at all got total stage fright even though I have never not been able to get the boiler lit it just would not get going
So I couldn't complete the test unfortunately I have now got to wait till the 13th till it can get checked out which is just as well as it would not pass the steam test any way.
The problem is the steam pressure is only allowed to go 10% above working pressure! it currently goes 20% above so the safety valves will need setting up.
I got it home and decided to light it up to do another pre test to check it will pass the next stage
Back to my old trusted method of starting up front door open

And alight no problems at all

Got full steam on so all up a good day not quite ready to run but at least it has a boiler cert on its way
Also got loads of useful info and tips from the guys at the club I am going to have a very busy "off season"
Loads and loads of mods to do
TBC

[34053]

Must have been quite a disappointment for you, Dougs. Temperamental things these Locos. Hope all goes well on the 13th. At least it's not a Friday. But then, I'm not superstitious, 'touch wood'

PW

[Dan4th]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's all I have to say

Better times are on the way !

Danf.

[Dougs]

Thanks guys I am not too down hearted it is an old loco after all and all the problems so far have been little ones I just got a little disappointed it didn't get done on the day but as I am finding you can't rush these things. I am also quickly finding the difference between a model and a work horse butch was a model definitely not a work horse.
I need to reset my thinking put my new loco on the shelf set butch right and move on from there. I have so much to learn, I need to use butch as an apprenticeship find out what to do and what not to do, what works and what does not. At the moment I feel like I have been driving through fog I can only see what's just in front of me the more I do and the closer I get to having a running loco the more I find I have to fix and make better.
When I go to the club and see how well the loco's work there It shows just how much more I need to do to get it up to scratch, I feel at the moment that it will work but it won't be great so I am going to spend some more time and effort on just one loco. Hope fully then I won't feel so pressured to getting it running.