Member postings for Brian G

I find putting a chamfer on the end (with a single point threading tool - please don't judge me, it saves setting the compound) helps start the thread.

Brian

I'm not sure the Marshall looks that strange, to me it seems fairly conventional as traction engine locos go (in other words a bit like an Aveling geared 0-4-0), and such locomotives were almost the standard type for chalk quarries, perhaps because the drive on many of them could be disconnected to allow them to operate crushing machinery.

Hall & Co. had already operated one traction engine locomotive for over 30 years when the Marshall was supplied, and ordered another several years after rejecting the Marshall. They weren't even the only operator of traction engine locomotives in Croydon.

Brian (G)

It looks to me that the boiler is at a similar height compared to the buffer beams as that on Sydenham (pictured), which has 4' drivers. If so there should be enough room for the Marshall loco's axles to be set 9" higher.

Brian

I would guess that as the Pepper's loco was built with components from a standard undertype engine of the period, this one would also use standard parts. If it helps to determine the component's used, the Hall's locomotive was standard gauge, with a single 9" x 12" cylinder, 5' 6" driving wheels, an overall length of 21' 6" and a wheelbase of 6'6".

Incidentally, Hall & Co. already had an 1867 Clayton & Shuttleworth traction engine locomotive, and in 1915 bought the second and final McLaren locomotive shown in this photo, an almost exact replica of the 1867 locomotive and the last non-Aveling & Porter loco.

**LINK**

As a model I suspect the performance of any traction engine loco would be a little underwhelming, as even a 7 1/4" gauge loco would only have the boiler of a 1 1/2" traction engine. One of the narrow-gauge Aveling geared 0-4-0 compounds might be a better bet, especially as there are several standard gauge locos in existence, as well as the remains of a narrow-gauge loco at Hollycombe.

Brian

According to the book, the locomotive was "prone to leaving the rails at the first opportunity". This seems to have been in marked contrast to Aveling and Porter's locomotives of which 130, plus a number of convertible "Steam Sappers", were produced between 1862 and 1926.

Brian

Edit (Is there any way the code for "smileys" could be amended to only recognise three-character (with nose) emoticons?)

Edited By Brian G on 08/09/2019 07:52:51

This is the second (and last) traction engine locomotive built by Marshall's, 36741 was an 8hp built in 1899 and supplied to Hall & Co. in Croydon in 1902. It was rejected by the customer, and remained unsold at Gainsborough, becoming the works shunter. Like their first locomotive, the Pepper & Sons' undertype, it had gear drive to the rear axle and connecting rods. "Traction Engine Locomotives" by Ian K Hutchinson has the dimensions, but no drawing I'm afraid.

Brian

Are you using a switch-mode power supply or a transformer Fred?

Brian

Sorry, I thought you meant it would turn the screw at minimum power but not when you turned the power up.

Brian

It doesn't sound like a mechanical problem Fred, otherwise the motor would not turn on minimum power. If the motor will operate at the lowest power setting but not when you turn it up, it could be that either the power supply is insufficient or that under load the motor draws more than the 5 Amp limit of the controller.

Perhaps try putting an ammeter into the supply?

Brian

MEW Issues 16 and 17 (available on this site) have the original article, and there is an online article about its construction here **LINK**

I had wondered about using a small bench grinder as a grinding head for one? Yet another item on my ever growing "to do" list.

Brian

Edit: MEW 16 is April/May 1993, and 17 is June/July

Edited By Brian G on 05/09/2019 16:48:35

Could you use a radio control servo and a servo tester to work the valves. I have seen this solution work for Columbia's regulator.

Brian

I suspect a lot of us have been there, they seem to be designed to make the belt difficult to tension properly. I removed the headstock on my son's Warco mini-lathe before realising the sound was a slipping belt and not the back-gear. The belt was so loose I didn't need to loosen the motor bolts to remove it, but as it was undamaged I didn't think it could be the problem.

I couldn't find any information on how tight the belt was supposed to be, so used the same method as for Volkswagen timing belts, setting it so that I could nearly twist the belt 90 degrees in the middle of the run, since which the same belt has been trouble-free

Brian

Quite possible to achieve that price. One reached $271,400 three years ago and on eBay there is no buyer's premium.

**LINK**

Brian

There is also Harold Hall's design, made without castings Link . I had wondered about this for a future project (unfortunately it would join a very long queue with very slow progress) as the reduction drive means that the lathe (or indeed any spare motor) could be run faster.

Brian

Could you use push-fit pressure fittings and PTFE tube as on page 37 of Just The Ticket's (mainly gauge 1) catalogue?

Brian

Having used it to weld ABS and Polystyrene MEK (butanone) comes to mind but that will also attack the ABS although to a lesser extent than the polystyrene. From what I have read of limonene, that seems far more pleasant to use than MEK, unless of course you have an allergy to it.

You might be able to find degreasers containing limonene by looking for a high enough concentration of "orange terpenes" in the ingredients. Otherwise I notice that Reprapworld will despatch limonene from the Netherlands to France.

Brian

I don't quite understand why the length of the stock would make a difference, even a short casting can need support at one end when setting up on the table?

Personally, I haven't needed one so far, and have got away with parallels and 123 blocks, although I will probably get around to making some one day.

Brian

This was annoying as with a Smart I had no spare tyre.

Brian

Might be worth measuring the ambient temperature as well as the motor temperature. It is nearly 30c outside in Southern England right now, so it could be 40+ in a shed or garage, which will of course increase the motor temperature.

Brian

According to NEM10 issued by MOROP the current large scale gauges and scales are:

0 32mm (No equivalent stated) at 1:45 (7mm/ft is 1:43.5)

I 45mm (1 3/4" at 1:32 (G1MRA standard 10mm/ft is 1:30.5)

II 64mm (2 1/2" at 1:22.5 (Gauge 3 in the UK)

III 89mm (3 1/2" at 1:16

V 127mm (5" at 1:11 (but we use 1:12 in the UK)

VII 184mm (7 1/4" at 1:8

X 184mm (10 1/4" at 1:5.5

Personally, I won't lose any sleep over these differences, I quite enjoyed riding on the RHDR today, and wasn't worried about 1/3 scale locos running on 1/4 scale track.

Brian