Member postings for Derek Drover

I started off with a CL300M some 10years ago now, and I found it very useful but too limiting, so I upgraded to a Chester 9x20. Now I know its not the best piece of kit out there, and to get them working well they require some minor modifications, but once these are done they're actually very versatile pieces of kit at a very low price.

If you spot one for sale on the 2nd hand market, its worth considering.

There's a guy on Youtube who does "engine teardowns", he's done the 1.0Ltr Ecopoo and it failed due to the wet belt stripping.. he wasnt very complimentary with Ford's design. His videos are very interesting to watch.

When I began my time in model engineering I started out with a mini-lathe, it was a very good piece of kit, and very simple to use, but it did struggle with anything particularly large or tough.. excellent for brass fittings but useless for screwcutting. So I upgraded and bought a used Chester 9x20 (same as the Warco 9x18).

The 9x20 is a chineese lathe and does require some fettling to make good, but as I was needing a bigger and more powerful lathe for making my Simplex it proved ideal on a cheaper budget than buying a Myford.

I've now have the 920 for 10 years and its made my simplex and almost finished my L1.

Hi All.

I'm getting very advanced with my 5" LNER L1, so I'm wondering where I can turn to obtain a smokebox door number plate & shed plate. Ideally etched or machined.. I've been looking on the web but I havent found anyone out there.. what do you guys do for these??

Thanks

Del.

The firm I work for (ABC Stainless) were contracted to supply and install alot of the pipework there about 6 or 7 years ago during an expansion project.

Whilst we're talking about lubricating the axles... I'll again suggest sealed roller bearings, as this removes the issue altogether. This is what I'm doing on my L1 project.

What I've done on my Simplex rear axle (which needed rebuilding after only 4 years running due to ash ingress and excess wear), I now lubricate the rear axle through the ends of the axles, with a large dia hole drilled some way deep into the shaft. The end is sealed off with a stainless ball held closed by a spring. This is stopped in place by a smaller dia coned piece, loctited in. The axle shaft is then cross-drilled through somewhere about the mid position of the axlebox. This allows for oil to be pumped into the axle bearing and keep a good few ml as reserve whilst running.

D.

A couple of mods that are worth considering are sealed needle roller bearings on the axles (the axleboxes are very large), and instead of having an ashpan which drops as a whole and is difficult to seal to the boiler foundation ring, fabricate a fixed ashpan with a tipping grate. This I have done on mine and it works very well... so far virtually no ash landing on the rear axle/axleboxes.

Also, split your running boards to allow valve timing adjustment without the need to remove the side tanks... saves ALOT of effort !!

Rgds

Del.

Hi Oscar

With sliding valves, both faces not only need to be to a good polish, but they need to be flat. If you've not used a flat surface to polish on you may create slight gaps.

Also, are you running it dry or with a little oil applied? I'd try adding a little steam oil and see if that helps seal things up.

Rgds

del.

If people are concerned about the emissions from "model" steam locomotives which are used on a very infrequent basis, perhaps they should spend more time worrying about their own personal CO2 emissions and hold their breath !!

Hello all.

I'm currently building the 5" LNER L1 to Clarkson's design (or lack of design).. and I'm desperate to get in touch with anyone who has one, or is in the process of building one as I'm getting very frustrated with the lack of detail in the drawings. At present I'm trying to figure out the valve gear hanger assembly, but there are no details on the plans, just the overall GA drawing.

If there is anyone out there who I can share knowledge with please get in touch.

Many thanks

Derek.

Hi all.

I'm in the process of spraying my Simplex, I'm using Precision PAints (Phoenix), ready mixed aerosol cans. I bought three cans.. the first can seemed to go on ok, but the second and third cans (now applying the second coat), I seem to be getting air bubbles in the surface. If I'm quick enough I'm getting the bubbles out with my scalpel before the paint starts flashing off, but I'm getting really hacked off with it.

Any ideas from anyone why I'm getting these bubbles????

Ta

Del.

I did it 6 months ago on my L1 axleboxes.. came out spot on !

The top "Tee" isnt as complicated as it first appears.. the screw-in section should be turned and threaded, then measured to allow approx 30tho ball lift . You may need to use packing washers to get this. Once you have this you know the approx position of your top bars.. cut machine and thread, then silver-solder to the first piece.

Simplex isnt quite as simple as its made out to be, but then I dont think any loco is "simple" for a beginner.. but its a good way to learn, and to end up with a loco which can actually do a good days works rather than something tiny which can barely pull the skin off a rice-pudding!!!!!

Not having a clamp for a faceplate I recently machined my axleboxes thus:- Clock on the mill to locate centre point and centredrill deep enough for a pointed wobbler to locate. Place onto lathe in the 4-jaw with wobbler in the tailstock and a dti measuring the movement on the wobbler. Adjust till the wobbler says you're on the hole.

Once one is done and removed, even if you retighten the same jaws as loosened the next will require some reclocking, but with practice its pretty quick and accurate (so long as you were accurate to begin with).

So far frames and stretchers done but to ME std widths not the plans, wheels quartered, axleboxes to my own design with roller bearings. Cylinders machined and fitted. Buffer beams thicker than on plans and buffers unscrew to aid lifting. Boiler is on order.. Oh... Smoke box is rough machined and saddle done BUT not using Blackgates casting as this is unsuitable. That's just about where I'm at.. All on hold this winter whilst I rebuild my Simplex. Del.

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Well having moved house two weeks before Xmas, and a builder has just extended our garage, I'm now rebuilding the workshop... Walls all painted white and it's so bright with only one batten light fitted I cant believe it ! Wish i'd painted the walls in my previous workshop.

I too bought an unfinished Simplex that had been started some 20 years previous and changed a few hands... Thankfully I managed to complete it without having to bin too much, but it has taken a fair bit of re-jigging to get things to go together.. I dont think many Simplex's will win beauty awards, but when they're running well they're powerful and reliable locos.. I know mine shocked some of the gents at Bedford SME with the load it can pull.

Del.

I concur... I have a Chiverton No4 injector on my Simplex and its excellent. Cleaned regularly it gives reliable service. I'd previously gone through two other "commercial" injectors which were useless.

D

I think most people aim for about 30 tho. Any more and you loose out on the time it takes to re-seat from the lift, especially if running fast.

D.

Hello Julian.

Thankfully I'm not a complete novice as I've successfully built my Simplex and was looking at the L1 as my next venture as I do like the big tank engines. Having spent a lot of time inspecting the plans I came to the conclusion that to ensure I'm going to do this right, I'd best re-create it in CAD.. at least that way it should all fit together.

There's alot of missing dimensioning.. and I don't quite trust trying to take measurements off the paper plans directly.. I also don't like the running position of the axle boxes when sprung (not enough upward travel).. so I'm redrawing with the axles in a lower position, but that of course changes the angle of the cylinders slightly... All has been redrawn and last weekend tested on a valve timing simulator (valve timing appeared to work better if the union link is extended to 1.5".

I'm a little stuck with regards the smokebox saddle, screw reverser, regulator and the bracket that holds the cross-head slide bar/radius link pivot.. these do not appear on the drawings.

Rgds

Del.

Edited By Derek Drover on 10/02/2015 19:37:27