Member postings for Weary

Yes!

Apologies for my mistake and thereby adding confusion.

The model is indeed slide-valve and the inlet is at the top with the exhaust through the frames as Duncan writes. When you get the drawings this will be clearer.

There is a four page article about a similar 5" gauge model 'Hall' in Model Engineer magazine, Vol.80, No.1987, June 8th 1939, pages667-670, which although unattributed appears to have been written by Greenly.

I have uploaded Greenly's dimensioned General Arrangement drawing to my album.  You may be able to compare principal dimensions with what you have?

Thanks to Duncan for the prompt correction.

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 19:56:43

The sealing surfaces will have gaskets to seal them, tho' during construction they may not be fitted. There are a number of suitable methods of sealing ranging from 'oiled brown paper' through PTFE sheet, to high tech liquid gasket type sealants.

The exhaust steam exits through the top of the cylinder. If you carry-out an image search for 'Hall Class Loco' (or similar) you will see the pipes running from the top of the cylinders into the smokebox.   There should be an 'inlet' on the rear face of the cylinders around valve-chest level through the frames.  I can see the hole in the frames to accommodate the pipework and connection in one of your pictures which shows the side of the loco & frames without a cylinder.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 16:49:50

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 16:50:55

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 16:52:20

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 16:55:48

Hello Andrew,

The cylinders on your locomotive appear (from the colour shown on-screen) to be gunmetal. If this is the case then retain 'soft packing' or, maybe alternatively fit 'O' rings. This second option would almost certainly require new pistons.

Worth bearing in mind that there is nothing 'wrong' with graphite impregnated yarn, or PTFE, etc., as piston sealants. They provide good service. In my opinion.

To answer your further question posed on MECH website about completing the locomotive (& to try and keep most of the 'general info' in one place):

As John Baguley has written above you have all the most 'awkward' castings (i.e. loco wheels & cylinders) already machined and fitted.   Anything else can be fabricated or made from solid etc.  The Great Western (GW) were exponents of standard fittings so castings from other designs may well be appropriate.  Similarly a tender (and associated castings) from another GW design may be suitable.   I'm not a GW 'enthusiast' myself so cannot advise; MECH, where there are some extremely knowledgeable posters, is the place for that kind of detail information.

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 27/03/2022 16:31:03

Phil H,

you are possibly recalling the GW Models rivet press. It includes a table moved by a metric screw for regular straight-line embossed rivet patterns.

Regards,

Phil (R).

Construction series in Model Engineer magazine began in 2005 with Volume 195, issue number 4256, and continues in even numbered issues until volume 196, issue number 4276 in 2005.

Model Engineer index here.

Phil

The 'box' fastened to the motor contains a capacitor.

You can replace it with any suitable capacitor. 'Condenser' is a synonym for capacitor, so from the details you have furnished you know that you want a 140 micro-farad, 250 volt capacitor. Usual on-line sources will furnish something suitable. If the 'box' is very small then you may need to look for a physically small capacitor, but the 'box' is normally quite capacious. There will likely be two screws holding the box-top onto the motor, undo those, remove old capacitor, replace with new. Copy wiring and fastening method exactly, as you have observed there are only two wires.

Note that you can run your lather with a failed capacitor, you will have to turn-it-over by hand to start it, then it will run as per normal.

Regards

Phil

Dave (Silly Old Duffer),

Referring to your previous post on book-sales sudden decline in 2012:

Physical book-sales reductions in 2012/13 were almost compensated for by increases in e-book sales. Yep, I googled the question to find the answer!

Regards,

Phil.

Suggest that you get a generous squirt of oil into the cylinder every so often as well and gently turn the mechanism over a few times - the cylinder on this model is cast iron.

Pleased to read that you have decided to keep the engine.

Phil

Hello br,

Better price and return to the vendor, Dean, in this case.. Many of the engines sold at the Dreweatts auction a couple of days ago are already on ebay starting at around twice the realised hammer price. If you do a careful ebay search comparing with the Dreweatts catalogue then you will spot them

Just my opinion as to which is probable to realise more for the vendor.- others will have different ideas. As we 'model engineers' all know, there is no set price for these sorts of items which are actually only worth what someone is prepared to pay 'on the day', and that can be highly variable.

The vendor may not wish the hassle of advertising, answering questions, dealing with (prospective) purchasers, shipping, etc., but merely wish to realise capital, in which case selling to a dealer (ie Station Road Steam - there are others!) or passing the selling to an auction house is a painless and relatively quick solution, even if it may realise less 'cash' at the end of the process.

Personally, like others, I would keep the model, especially as it has a family link (and I know how many hours construction it has likely taken!), but that's for the vendor to decide.

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 03/03/2022 19:55:46

To give you some idea of value, A Model Engineer (ME) Beam Engine, with surface rust and part-completed sold on ebay about six weeks ago for £700. Another ME Beam Engine, part completed sold at auction just a couple of days ago for £450 plus 25% buyer's premium. Your example is obviously far better than either of those.

There is currently a similar albeit significantly smaller beam engine for sale at Station Road Steam for £875 (plus carriage).  Whilst superficially more 'glittery and shiny' It is not such a nice example of the general type as your father's build, nor as detailed..

Should you decide to sell by auction rather than personal ad's then personally I would recommend ebay over an auction-house and suggest that you provide shipping within UK if required to maximise your potential market. You can always list on ebay and in personal advert's concurrently of course.

Best of luck whatever you decide,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 03/03/2022 19:36:43

So, received a 'Your Model Engineer subscription is due for renewal' letter this morning, Saturday 19th Feb. 2022.

Prices shown on 'Priority Renewal Form' not available on-line when logged into my account on subscription site. For example mailed form offers £66.00 for one year Cheque/Credit Card, website only offers £68.99. Other 'packages/payment methods' similar differentials.

Renewal by 'phone' on back of Renewal Letter', quote: "Lines open 8am - 8pm Monday to Friday, 9:30am - 3:30pm Saturday". Nope! Incorrect. Recorded message: "Lines open Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00 only".

Suggest that someone prods the marketing & renewal department(s)/companies with a sharp stick in order to resolve contradictory information. Letter 'signed' Beth Ashby, no other references.

Regards,

Phil

Suggest that yo also post your question over on Model Engineers' Clearing House under 'General'. There are a number of 'Britannia' builders and owners on there who may be able to identify parts. The proprietor of Model Engineers' Laser is also a regular poster there, tho' despite being an enthusiastic model engineer himself may be no wiser than you on this particular matter!

Regrads,

Phil

TEE Publishing?

Mark,

With your 'option 1.', applying heat from water side it will be difficult to heat the tube-ends and tubeplate in the middle of the 'nest' of tubes as they will be sheltered from the direct flame. The advantage of this approach is that you can check penetration of solder easily from the 'firebox side' after soldering and the finished article is perhaps going to look neater. However, who will look inside your firebox??

If you prefer this approach you could get-round the issue of heating the tube-ends etc., if you soldered the tubes in stages/groups, soldering and subsequently inspecting those in the middle first and then adding the next layer outwards, etc. making sure at every stage that the flame could easily reach the unsoldered tube-ends. This would of course involve a number of re-heats with the issues around that. As a precaution it may be worth covering those tubes already soldered with flux.

With your 'option 2.', when applying heat from the firebox side it is far easier to heat the whole end, including the tubes uniformly. There is a risk of 'burning' (overheating) the tube-ends, however, in my opinion this risk is overstated - let's face-it, once you see the solder flow you will remove the heat.

Your option 3., soldering the firebox sides in a separate operation merely involves cleaning and a re-heat of the job after soldering the tubes to the firebox top. The advantage is that it will be a little easier to heat the tube-ends and firebox end and see what you are doing without the side 'in the way', and subsequent inspection and any additional repair of poor penetration at tube-ends will be easier.  Heating the sides and firebox-top (with tubes attached) should be relatively easy with good flame access to locations needing soldering from the 'outside' of the job/structure. So, easy flame access throughout the job.

Downside of the separate operation to attach firebox sides is time and gas used in reheat and risk of re-melting some previous soldering of tube-ends to firebox roof. However, a layer of flux around the tube-end soldering should mitigate this eventuality provided that you are sensible.

For any of your options above you would not need different melting-point solders - unless that is an approach that you prefer, nor any heat protection beyond perhaps a few pieces of scrap metal strategically placed to protect tube-ends etc., from direct flame during reheats.

Ya pays yer money and takes yer choice. I would (probably - not having seen the boiler in detail) take option 2 as recommended by Fizzy (he has a lot of experience and knows what he is doing!) = heat tube-ends/firebox top from firebox side with (structural) firebox side in position. One heat for whole job.

Regards & best of luck!

Phil.

Edited By Weary on 22/11/2021 11:54:34

Edited By Weary on 22/11/2021 12:15:56

Roy,

You may already be aware of this, but, there is an issue with the boiler as designed for this loco, so, when you come to this item I suggest that you measure and calculate very carefully.

In brief, as drawn the firebox fouls the suspension. Narrowing the firebox and raising the boiler a little 'solves' the conflict. The firebox is also too-long, this results in the blowdown valve only fitting with great difficulty unless re-sited.

You may wish to add a shoulder to the crankpins to save them scuffing the wheels.

Not sure about the cause of the conflict between your (dummy?) springs and the wheels - depending on how advanced the work on springs and axleboxes is and how-much 'reworking' you are prepared to do you may have to resort to some judicious grinding there. The options need careful consideration following a detailed look and measure.

One of the regular posters/visitors to Model Engineering Clearing House forum has built one of these locos, and I recall that another has restored one.

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 22/10/2021 17:07:18

Maybe worth also posting and posing your question on Model Engineering Clearing House? Suggest using 'General Chat' section.

From memory one of the regular posting members is (was?) building one, and another was basing a model on the Charlatan design. Some have experience from club locos too.

Regards,

Phil

I believe that cadmium bearing 'Easy-flo No.2' equivalent solders are still marketed In Australia. From comments on another forum you need to source from Model Engineering suppliers, not 'Buntings'. This silver-solder composition, whilst being more expensive, may make your life a little easier with a lower melting-point and greater propensity to 'flow' than the 45% silver composition that you are currently using.

Regards,

Phil.

Architectural drawings - or indeed any drawings produced at 1" to the foot ratio (???)

How and where can I get hold of Peter Cauley's injector drawings and/or manufacturing descriptions please?  I'm especially interested in the vertical injector.

I have tried searching t'net & and the ME index without success.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 13/09/2021 11:42:21

The two 'A' frames, the large flywheel, and the beam adjacent look like castings for a 'Vulcan' beam engine. Can't spot any of the other castings from this engine. Not worth a grand sum I'm afraid, I revently paid just over £100 for a full set of castings.

I pay around £20 for flywheels like those (you have another similar albeit smaller flywheel on show).

As regards the loco castings some dimensions or sense of scale may help identify some of them.  Look like a pair of 'Tich' cylinder (rear) cover castings in there near the Vulcan castings, but they may be from a similar sized 3 1/2" gauge loco.

Regards,

Phil.

Edited By Weary on 10/09/2021 21:04:08