Member postings for Bruno Taylor

Can any owners of a Pansy or other loco with slide valves below the cylinder please advise what sort of cylinder drain cocks (if any) are fitted. Would automatic ones work?

In a similar vein where have you fed in the cylinder lubricant?

Many thanks.

Bruno.

A really simple solution is to cut two octagonal pieces of plywood and drill to bolt through the buffer beams.

Hi John

Open and crossed rods are a bit of a misnoma as Stephensons gear the gears will always cross during rotation. Generally all drawings show open rods and the loco in mid gear for clarity.

The use of rocking shafts means the eccentrics are backwards but there is no effect on the rods themselves.

You say you are playing around with the valve gear.

In previous threads on Pansy errors in the valve gear are a keen topic. I suggest you read them if you haven't already.

I have recently built a Pansy valve gear with the assistance of Julian Atkins in particular. I modelled the gear using Don Ashtons theories and Docksanders simulation. I also built a 1:1 physical model.

The Chassis runs well on air.

Best of luck.

In my opinion wood preservative above and below ground is cosmetic. The important bit is at ground level. That is where the rot will occur.

Also, most fences, unless extremely well built get blown down long before they rot.

Tracy Tools are my supplier of choice for tooling consumables. Always there, always good advice, super prompt delivery. Unsung hero's of our hobby. I could add a few others, Kennions, Blackgates, JB, EKP to name a few.

I have two indexable face mills. One about 40mm diameter and a second about 70mm. Both bought from RDG at reasonable prices and work extremely well on a variety of materials. I have bought spare tips from JB Cutting tools.

Hi,

I bought Turbo CAD from Paul at the 2019 Ally Pally exhibition as an alternative to Drafgsight which was locked as l paid in 2017 but wanted to revert to free. Just couldn't fully uninstall the paid-for licence.

Anyway l plodded on with learning Turbo CAD with considerable help from Paul. Sent my first file off for laser cutting. Returned no-can-do. The curves were apparently a series of straights and not a true arc.

Gave up and returned to Drafrsight even though no longer free.

Another concern was that Turbo CAD appeared to be based on architectural needs rather than engineering so had some funnies.

The problem may have been surmountable but l got the feeling you got your £20 worth, just.

Hi,

I have a WM250V. The sheer pin is brass 3mm dia. Problem is in my case that it does not shear. Through carelessness the other day l locked up the carriage against the stop. The pin did not shear and the result was the carriage pinion shaft bending. This has happened twice now.

Okay it's a quick fix (the second time!!) Remove the carriage gear box and hit pinnion shaft with a hammer. After the first time l decided to fit a plastic shear pin. Will definitely actually do it this time.

Anyone else had this happen?

Here are two of the six split axleboxes l have just finished machining. The cast iron stock weighed in at 14lb. The six axleboxes weigh 1lb 4oz, a 91% wastage rate. I doubt if that's a record. Unless you know better.

Hi Robert

Here are some photos of my Boxhill Grate. Yes it is steeply sloped. I did not have to cut out anything from the boiler which is exactly as drawn by M Evan's. In use the little screws to hold the ash pan in place ade awkward. If I did it adina l would put a pin right through. May even do so for this one. The grate is cast iron a project over the winter is to widen the gaps to get more air through. A better fire may help steam production as she is prone to running out of puff on the back incline at Bristol's track.

Hope this helps

Hi all

Gosh where have those three years gone,

Anyway here are some pictures of my oh so nearly finished Princess Marina. Right now the paint is hardening before varnishing. Boiler is fully certificated and trial run a couple of times with limited success. It helps to actually connect the LHS steam pipe!!

The valves are piston type from Martin Evan's Euson Design. And a Stanier tender for a Stanier loco not the old Midland ones in prototype which were too narrow and looked absurd.

Here is the split smokebox which greatly helped the pipework. Sealed well with golden loctite.

This is the backhead.

Here are the loco pipework connections.

Finally the pipework under the tender note the use of commercial banjos and motorcycle fuel filters although l have upgraded these to removable cartridge ones.

Best wishes to all as many have assisted me in developing this design.

Hi All

Many thanks to Julian who sent me the dimensions for his modified valve gear. I have created a physical model with the assistance of Model Engineers Laser who cut the parts. I have made provision to adjust the lateral position of the rocker pivot.

First trials are promising and l will see what cut-off l get. It also demonstrates where the "slop" is so extra special care in machining. If you look closely you can see the cylinder bore is notched at each 10% of travel.

Regards

Bruno

Hi Matt

You asked a short while ago about my Princess Marina progress. Very Very nearly finished.

Do you have a query about the boiler and pipework?

I may be able to offer some advice, but l found it all pretty straightforward to plumb in the commercially made boiler.

Regards Bruno

Hi Matt

Thanks for asking. In short very well. Last Friday successfully passed Steam Accumulation test so now fully ticketed. Couple of tweaks to sort out and finish spray painting the boiler/firebox cleading. Then handrails and heat cladding and job done. I will try to post some pictures shortly.

Bruno.

My two-pennyworth on this subject is that if you want parts cut nice and accurately by CNC you really need to get to grips with CAD drawing, either by your own ability (a CAD literate Engineer) or via trusted CAD Jockey who can turn your sketch into a digital drawing. Which is how the professionals do it.

If you have a CAD drawing then print it, that is your dummy run and check it for fit, suitability or whatever.

Next important thing is to speak to your intended supplier for their input on what can be achieved and what limitations may effect the end product. In this Malcolm at MEL is excellent, especially for us as he is a model Engineer.

Finally the cost of the parts is generally low, little more than the material price with no wastage. So if unsure have it cut in thin material. But fundamentally if you drawing is correct so will the part.

I think if you look imaginatively at the components you may make them quite differently with CAD/CNC in your armoury.

Edited By Bruno Taylor on 04/08/2019 21:50:28

Not wishing to detract from this discussion can l make a practical observation. This is an emergency situation and the urgent need is to do something with the equipment you have immediately available and you know works. Hence pumps pumping.

Many years ago l was involved in a similar situation with a flooded quarry caused by an overflowing river, the ground was sand and the erosion of the sand threatened the railway embankment (a little south of LBSC for those that know their geography) Working for the DCE we had first 6 then 12 6"" pumps working before the "Consultant" design scheme of 2 x 12" pumps were even installed. Yes once they were working those pumps started to remedy the situation. But the bank of 6" pumps from the local plant hire companies off the shelf with miles of pipes kept the trains running and commuters happy.

In retrospect l don't think Chinnook's would of helped but it would have been fun trying.

Hi Julian

I know that this is an old thread, but l would be very interested in the modifications to Pansy valve gear as l am in the process of drawing up the valve gear prior to commencing a build.

Many thanks

Hi Peter,

I am doing likewise. My Maisie has no boiler so the largest task is building one which l am steadily doing. She runs well on air and some superstructure needed. Regarding drawings suggest you get the builders manual which are readily available secondhand.

I have digitized the drawing into 2D CAD. You are welcome to a copy if you can read/manipulete such drawings.

Regards, Bruno.

Hi Emile

If you want more friendly people make contact with the Bristol Society of Model and Experimental Engineers.

What you aimto do is right up their street.

Some fairly ambitious CNC machinists as well as conventional.

Regards

Sorry if this goes against the grain. But MEL ain't Airfix and presmuably you are a model ENGINEER. So wth your set of drawings beside you, you work out which bits are which and proceec.

Malcolm supplies the parts because wd can't be bothered to mark out and cut them to shape.

If you want a kit go to Kingscale (or similar) with £££££'s in your back pocket.