Member postings for julian atkins

Hi Ken,

Your work on here has been excellent, but if you have never made a copper silver soldered boiler before then I would echo Jason's comments that to enter the world of professional boiler makers requires a great deal of practice experience and skill, plus CE marks etc.

I do not think your first boiler build should be a contract job for a punter.

Just an amateur boiler maker here with no axe to grind!

Cheers,

Julian

Hi John,

Duncan and Steve are absolutely correct, and having seen one pic of your 5"g Tich boiler in your album I would highly recommend you get it hydraulically tested by your club boiler inspector! He may refuse to issue a certificate if he has not seen all stages of construction, but at least a proper hydraulic test might suggest whether you want to sit so close behind or allow anyone else near and dear or not so dear so close to a potential 'bomb' (as all boilers are, potentially, of course).

Cheers,

Julian

I would echo previous comments about new supply not being soft iron rivets.

I always add a sprinkling of fine brass file swarf onto the rivet snap that the preformed head sits in, before belting the other end.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi John,

I havent used Dockstader but use the Hall Simulator a lot at various times, and have had a go with the Alan Wallace Simulator.

There are 2 issues.

1. The Rocker arm (this is very easy with the Bill Hall simulator

2. The top or bottom suspended links.

The top or bottom suspended arrangement is very sensitive to weighshaft arm dimensions and lifting link lengths, and positioning of the weighshaft itself.

If you would like to PM me your email address we can perhaps discuss further.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Derek,

If you have a look at ME for 1981/82 Derek Collin and Paul Wiese described a 2.5"g Flying Scotsman (there were later corrections published in 1992). The boiler is descibed in the 5th May 1982 edition, being a tradtional LBSC type boiler for solid fuel with large combustion chamber and syphon tubes in same.

You would have to study the drawings very carefully to see if it would fit your chassis.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Derek,

Old vintage cars worked well in their era with a few ifs and buts.

Most of the small Bassett Lowke designs were very poor. You have only to read the famous 'Battle of the Boilers' in ME in 1923/4 to see this. Bassett Lowke were in a complete fix after this 'battle'. The whole of their design and manufacturing output was for, in 2.5"g, for spirit fired 'scenic' railway locos for rich clients. They continued with this policy despite the dramatic effect LBSC's designs in 2.5"g caused to the ME hobby (and also dramatically increased circulation of ME magazine). Bassett Lowke had to save face and not admit their faulty and inefficient designs for wealthy gentlemen with their garden scenic railways were now a thing of the past. They carried on regardless, with Greenly on the payroll designing locos in 2.5"g that did not match LBSC's designs in performance and haulage.

This is the background to your own acquisition.

No one would build a Greenly design these days.

If you want to build a spirit fired boiler for your 2.5"g Flying Scotsman chassis and run it with a rake of coaches (no driver or passenger hauling) for 20mins or 30mins at a time then so be it. The Model Engineering world realised in 1924 that this was a thing of the past for only rich gentlemen with large gardens.

This is the historical background to your design.

Cheers,

Julian

Edited By julian atkins on 19/07/2016 23:50:38

I am sorry if my original post was flippant.

However the Bassett Lowke 2.5"g 'Flying Scotsman' is a very poor design and seriously dated.

I was aware of Derek's ebay pics which influenced my original flippant remarks which got 'moderated'.

There is a more serious question as to whether older defective/outdated designs are worth the trouble time and expense in restoring, which in this case will require significant work.

The time effort and expense spent in sorting out an old Greenly design must be heavily weighed up I suggest.

I trust this less flippant post wont also get 'moderated'.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Bill,

Do not attempt to cut out the firehole ring in the backhead until the inner firebox has been completed and crown girder stays silver soldered to the outer wrapper.

Glad to hear you have a solution via more copper plate.

Cheers,

Julian

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Edited By Neil Wyatt on 18/07/2016 01:39:37

In 2011 I built a miniature loco boiler for a 5"g loco in 6 weeks of spare time (at the time fulltime job on the railways working long varied shifts).

A very great late friend of mine used to build a boiler in one week's of annual hoilday.

Cheers,

Julian

PTFE discs would be a better and simpler solution with steam, if other metal to metal methods have not proved ok.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Bob,

I havent taken much notice of the Doug Hewson articles as of no relevance to me.

However John Johnston has an excellent website on the trials and tribulations with his own 5"g Modelworks Brit.

**LINK**

I can put you in touch with John if you PM me.

Cheers,

Julian

A 3/4" whit eye bolt will safely lift 16 cwt, from my bell restoration project days.

Cheers,

Julian

I am rather proud to have made a replacement key for Llandaff Cathedral in daily use, and have done a few others for other Churches and repaired locks for same.

Repairing and making new keys for old type locks is quite a specialised subject, but well suited to the model engineer.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Nigel,

Rotate with brasso (wet - dont let it dry out), and only in the movement that the valve operates. Check with micrometers blue.

I have made some fiddly bits over the years and the above procedure has always worked fine for me.

Cheers,

Julian

Hi Michael,

Tichs have never had a retail value that reflects the time spent in construction and cost of materials and boiler making etc.

I remember one for sale (completed and finished) when in my teens at the Brighton and Hove Engineerium 35 years ago for £300. Inflation for Tichs has not been favourable since. They are pretty useless as a working loco so just a shelf ornament.

Now, if Jenny's Dad had built a different 'special' 3.5"g or a 5"g loco things would be quite different!

I recently had to sell one of my GWR locos which came 3rd in IMLEC in 1995. It was an unusual loco, and a 'one off' with lots of special features. It achieved quite a premium, which went to pay for replacing the large rear roof on the house, as the rain poured through the old roof.

'Bog standard' locos sadly are of far less retail value and interest.

I dont think the theft from Jenny's Dad's shed was pre-mediatated or by persons with specialist knowledge. It was opportunistic. Tich is easy to lift and carry. The lathe would have been worth more - but much heavier and difficult to remove.

Cheers,

Julian

I remember Alec Farmer (of Reeves fame) confiding to me they sold more sets of castings for Tich than anything else. Neither of us could understand why as the loco was pretty useless as a working loco unless very well made, and in the hands of a very skilled driver on a good track.

As for value, I am afraid part built and finished Tichs are two a penny. They are not worth much when completed. Their retail value does not in anyway reflect the time spent in the making.

If Jenny's aspiration is to re-unite a 'valuable' Tich with her father as builder, the 'valuable' part is singularly misplaced.

However if for emotional reasons then I can perfectly understand.

Cheers,

Julian

Edited By julian atkins on 05/07/2016 01:00:11

Hi Jenny,

I sympathise with your Dad's loss many years ago.

I am afraid 'Plod' will not be best placed to deal with these things.

If it is sitting on someone's mantelpiece or shelf, they would not know it was stolen unless they saw pictures that would enable it to be identified. Very few Tichs get steamed regularly and run. Those that do are well known. Some end up as ornaments. Most get taken to bits eventually and end up as junk in the scrap bin. Ebay is littered with dismantled or old Tichs.

If someone bought it, even if down a line, the original theft means it remains your father's property. If the current 'owner' realises from this thread or advert in ME it is stolen they are hardly likely to reveal their possession, unless they have a conscience.

If you do not have pictures of the loco as originally built you can provide then I am somewhat pessimistic. A nameplate can easily be removed, and a loco easily repainted. A picture/photograph is essential. That odd cheesehead screw in a certain position. That odd shape of a certain part etc.

Cheers,

Julian

Edited By julian atkins on 05/07/2016 00:05:45

I think the criticism of Jason's use of pins is a totally misplaced. It is a very sensible pragmatic approach and ensures that in the event of a joint failing the assembly remains secure without causing damage.

I would never use roll pins, and taper pins are unnecessary as they will never have to be removed, so solid parallel pins are quite ok.

In Jason's drawing above, I would loctite everything rather than silver solder, and I would dispense with the stepped journal.

Cheers,

Julian

Having known model engineers such as Don Young, Martin Evans, and Jim Ewins, and many who made parts for the trade, I would say that most really clever model engineers are an odd lot. Anti-social and introvert, difficult to get to know, and in some cases with challenging home lives.

In the club environment, some great guys depending on the club, who will do everything to encourage newcommers and help out.

I hope I follow the latter category!

Cheers,

Julian