Member postings for David Bothwell 1

I have a part built traction engine 2" and just completed the water pump, although I have the pump working (just in a few millimetres of water) when attached to the engine it is not. I have tried "priming" the pump (adding water to the outlet with the plunger at the top of stroke, still did not go. Any suggestions gratefully accepted, sluggish output!

I recently saw on Youtube a chap had riveted his wheels with "blind" screwed round head screws, these were nutted on the inside, he then used a Dremel tool to round off the rivets. I have followed this idea as I was a bit worried about riveting the spokes. My question is that the nutted screws look OK to me without being rounded and they are not very visible being in the inside of the T rings. Just wondered if this has ever been the practice in full size? If it is "acceptable"in a model?

First may I say thankyou to all who have replied to my post, Today I dismantled the cylinder after removing it from the boiler, after a morning and afternoon session on the cylinder, by applying compressed air at the base ( the other hole has been sealed by previous owner) finally got it moving the piston in both directions! So it should work back on the boiler. I also suspect that when I did the adjustments (for equal movement) of the valve buckle I may have helped to "lift" the buckle off the base of the valve chamber. I carefully held it against the base this time, not sure if this was the part of the problem? It was quite a while that I could only get the piston moving one way, but when I "shortened" the length of travel the piston moved. i.e. When it would not move I had it fully extended to the back of the cylinder. If I get it all re-assembled by tomorrow I will do a post. Once again my sincere thanks

Hi the air was rushing from the exhaust. The slide valve was set equal movement at each end it moves equally. I think I have all the other things mentioned covered, but not 100 per cent sure. I can confirm there is definately NO pressure whatsoever in the cylinder. I have been trying to add images to the post but nothing seems to work, Tried pasting but asks for sequence of button presses including "command" button, google says this is alt?

Hi Paul,

I have just finished trying to get some life into the traction engine, I am at a complete loss as to what is the matter with the traction engine. I have messed about with steam and model engineering for about twenty years or so. The motion is not tight so as you say it should move, but it does not!! I put air (a lot of pressure) to no avail.It is a bot frustrating inasmuch as I have completely removed the cylinder earlier this week and tried air directly down the regulator cavity to see the piston move, it did at either end?

Thanks for the latest information which I did find quite useful, one question arises,location of blowdown boss.? Do you mean the side of the boiler? (which I was going to try next)

Hello Paul,

I have not removed the slide valve, I removed the regulator (so that air was able to travel straight down to the valve chamber, hope it clears things up. I just wanted to see it run! Before going on to other parts.

Hello Jason. The answer to your question is no, Before the cylinder was fixed to the boiler I did apply compressed air to the cavity in the regulator and this moved the piston and altering the valve position it moved in the opposite direction? The blower was opened at first burt I blanked that of as there is no completed chimney

Hope that I am in the correct section? I am currently building a 2" Durham and North Yorkshire traction engine, bought part made, got to the stage where I fitted the cylinder to the boiler and after following the designers instructions,i.e. he says block off one of the steam holes, (the one that allows entry of steam or air from the boiler, then attach an airline through an adaptor in place of one of the safety valves, i.e top of cylinder, Did all this, but getting no pressure whatsoever into valves or cylinder, I can only hear air escaping through the exhaust! could someone throw some light on this for most grateful, I can add that a couple of things I did were to place most of the bolts around the cylinder, but took off the valve and buckle

Has anyone who has built the 2" Ransome SImms and Jeffries (or other scale) a picture (or drawing) of the gear layout for this engine?, The large 70 tooth side would do.

Thanks Vintage, that seems a very good idea, might have to but a MIG welder

Thanks Jason, I think the firm you mentioned is a bit far from me, but I have found a local welding firm, awaiting a quote, I am in West Yorkshire, so by the time postage there and back would be prohibitive

Thanks for the very useful advice. Thinking of sending out to a pro welder

Many thanks Andrew, I am coming round to welding, I did Mig welding in kitchen equipment a long time ago (pre 1980) may even try Tig

Thanks Jason, I have an arc welder, need to brush up my skills

Hi thanks for the reply, the top has a "knurled" top adjusting screw, is that alright?

I have just bought a set of wheels for a 2" traction engine, I agreed to take them without the inner rings fitted. I am scratching my head as to the best way to fix the rings. My idea was to drill from the outer of the wheel into the ring and fix with small (6ba or 8ba) countersunk screws. They are too big for silver solder, but any suggestion/advice would be most helpful, I will be covering the wheels with rubber tyres (hopefully)

My two oilers on my ML7 do not work properly, I have tried to adjust the top screws but the oil either runs out too quicly or not at all, any suggestions most gratefully accepted

Many thanks for the relies, I think I have it sorted, S3i I think is the supplier to go with

I am (trying to) find out the correct size of links for the steering chain on a 2" Durham and North Yorkshire traction engine. I have seen a post on here saying 2 m.m. but in the drawings it shows 11/32" as size (outer of links) both cant be right? Any suggestion gratefully received.