Getting a boiler tested

To get a boiler tested, do I have to belong to a club or society.

If you pay commercially for a boiler to be tested, the cost may be expected to be more than a club membership. Club membership however, would include free testing by their own boiler examiners as well as many other model engineer community benefits like track access, friendship and advice.

Dave

But understandably club inspectors do get a little miffed by people who only join to get a boiler inspected in order to sell it at a higher price.

Bear in mind it takes 2 people an hour or so to do the test so they would hope for at least an equivalent input to club activities.

I am no where near the boiler stage yet but it is because I would feel that I would be taking advantage of the free facility and not putting anything back in to a club that I may not join one, however I am not sure what I will do about the boiler inspections. If I had more time than a few hours on odd evenings during the week the matter may be differrent. What are the other real options open to someone who can't or doesn't want to join a club?

Baldric

PS it is because of this and not having room for a track that I decided to build a road vehicle.

"What are the other real options open to someone who can't or doesn't want to join a club"

You will have to employ the services of an independant professional boiler inspector and take out insurance with one of the specialists such as Walker Midgely who have a specific scheme to cover model road steam (and many other types of ME activity)which will give you insurance for rallys and road use if you also want to get your engine road registered. They will also give you the name of a local inspector.

You will also get a NTET disc which all rally organisers will accept as proof of insurance and a tested boiler, far easier than having to produce lots of different bits of paperwork.

J

Edited By JasonB on 12/04/2012 15:26:03

Edited By JasonB on 12/04/2012 15:29:32

Eric and Baldric

It should be born in mind that if you have a boiler certified by a professional boiler inspector he or she will charge commercial rates. "Its only a little boiler" will not wash with them, its how they earn their living. By joining a Club you will have the benefit of the club boiler inspector examining the boiler at stages during construction. He can stop you making very expensive mistakes by offering advice and often assistance. I would venture to suggest that club fees of around £50-00 as opposed to hundreds for a professional inspection is a compeling argument.

Do clubs appreciate people who only turn up for a boiler test or are they deemed as people taking advantage? I am asking this seriously as if that is the route I go down I don't want to upset people.

I do note that there is the "model road steam vehicle society" for me they may be a better bet.

Are there other groups around who club together to get several boilers tested in one go to share costs?

As I said for me this is in the future so just hopeing for information at the moment.

MRSVS will certainly be woth looking into, I've been to their rally at Tewksbury a couple of times and they seem a nice bunch.

You could also look at Sarum traction engine group who again are not into locos. Or ask around the local clubs to see if they have an active TE section, Basingstoke & Guildford do and both have traction engine rallys, Basingstokes is this weekend.

J

If you are in Northants or Bedfordshire, or willing to travel to Rushden for testing, you could contact the Rushden Miniature Steam enthusiasts society, who exist mainly for boiler testing road locomotives, although the boiler testing weekends are over for this year. The club does have a social side as well, and members are happy to assist and advise, but was originaly formed so a group could get their boilers tested. The membership fee is much lower than a commercial inspector would charge. Anyone wanting contact detail please PM me.

Chris Gunn

Edited By Chris Gunn on 13/04/2012 11:04:39

Join a club, its the only way, and then it wont be easy!