J27

[FiftyFourA]

Just thought I would share a few pictures I took from the top of the new tender tank of the J27 after fitting the rear handrails - it is easier fitting the nuts from the inside (before the water is put in of course ) than soldering on a model.

This is where I had just escaped from ...


... and the view from the top.



That's the engine (the wrong way 'round surely ) just waiting now for the boiler to be completed and delivered. The cylinder casting is the new one we had made a couple of years ago for something about £45,000 (steam engines are NOT cheap).

The J72 ('Joem') in the background is just completing her winter maintenance and all this 'clutter' will have to be moved shortly to get her out for her annual steam test before she's off for another season on the Wensleydale Railway.

Underneath the tender looks like this ...


And this is something rarely modelled (that includes me) -



the water valve under the tender that controls the water to the injectors. JB knows the other end of the valve quite well (as do all other firemen).

And the injectors themselves ...



In this case the right hand side one.

Hope you find these interesting and/or useful.

Peter

 

[Osgood]

I was about to ask if that was a new fabricated cylinder block (looks like fabricated!) until I scrolled down and saw your mention of a new casting.

Have any blocks been recreated by fabricated steel?
I guess mild steel cylinders would not give acceptable wear rates, and the use of cast liners in a welded steel fabrication might be problematic?

Tony

 

[Steph Dale]

Tony,
The world leaders in fabricated welded steel cylinder assemblies were probably the East Germans. The technology is interesting even now in terms of their approach to selective tempering, use of inserts etc. I'm not certain that any of the techniques have been used in UK preservation.

There are some good papers about, if your German is good enough!

Steph

 

[Martin Shaw]

An inside valve and cylinder block for £45k, sounds pretty much like a bargain. For that price I would imagine a poly pattern rather than traditional wood. We potentially have a similar problem with Maude in due course, although we have sorted out a hole on 419's cylinder block with a resin sealed cast iron patch. Once the resin has cured you can machine it as easily as the CI.
The Brighton Atlantic recreation at the Bluebell has fabricated cylinders with cast liners, although of course they are outside, and hence somewhat smaller. I've only seen photos but they look pretty good, and necessarily they haven't done any work yet.

Regards
Martin

 

[FiftyFourA]

The pattern was done in wood as in the old days (we still have them), but it then had to be machined and that cost just a bit more.

Peter

 

[Archie Atkinson]

It would be nice to see more pictures of the restoration of the J27 . I am trying to bring my Piercy/ DJH kit into the 21st century and having to scratch build new parts. Can still remember working on the restoration of the real thing at Tyne Dock in Autumn 1967.

 

[FiftyFourA]

Glad you like them Archie. Working tomorrow with the guys on the J72 getting her ready for the summer. Hopefully the boiler will be back on the P3/J27 by the end of April with running in during late September.

I have built one of the Piercy J27s and am currently building another 2 (see my 'workbench' thread under 'Area 51'). I originally got these from Walter Hodgson himself (shows how long they lay on my shelf untouched due to family/work etc) so I am building them 'as-is'.

Now that Perth Green show is out of the way, and once the N10 wethering is complete, its back onto those two.

Then all I have to finish is another two J72s, A8, K1, B1, A3, Q6, K3 and Q7, oh yes, and re-build the A3 I dropped and the J21 that needs new bearings to replace the 30 year old worn out ones and my layout "54A" for somewhere for them all to work. Should keep me busy for a little while

That is of course if I can resist the temptation of a B16 (and a D20)

Peter

 

[Martin Shaw]

Peter
I have a B16 kit to dispose of, so be tempted. PM me if your interested. I was talking to my colleagues on Saturday re cast cylinder blocks, may wish to discuss this with you off thread in due course.
Regards
Martin

 

[Rob Pulham]

Q6, and Q7,

Hi Peter,

Whose Q6/Q7 kits are you building?

 

[FiftyFourA]

Rob,

Hmmm, building, eventually, they are about 4th/5th in the queue. The Q6 is the DJH one and the Q7 is (wait for it) Medley Models.

peter

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob,

Hmmm, building, eventually, they are about 4th/5th in the queue. The Q6 is the DJH one and the Q7 is (wait for it) Medley Models.

peter

I can't really complain because I plan to get a Q7 from Steve too. I think that my Q6 will be either Gladiator or Haywood railway when I get that far though.

 

[FiftyFourA]

Rob,

Of the two you mention I think the Gladiator is the better - certainly the chimney/dome and other castings look more like NER ones to my eye. The Gladiator one is the one I built may years ago (both are about a similar design age) and it went together OK. Admittedly not up to Finney standards, but sound enough to make up a working model that you can use as the basis for 'super detailing' as they used to say, without having to throw too much away (from a financial point of view of course - vital to a Yorkshireman ).

Peter

 

[Rob Pulham]

It's good to hear that you have built one Peter. Without commenting on the castings because I haven't studied them in detail I have heard good things about the buildability of the Haywood kit too. Mind you if I have as much trouble getting a kit from Haywood as I have getting some parts recently, it will be Gladiator all the way for me. I have given up and will go to Sidelines for my coach bits.