Hi all. First of all, I am reliably informed that it is now May...how has this happened?! This morning on this dreary Bank Holiday Monday I was steaming my 3.5" gauge GNR Atlantic. The engine hasn't steamed since September, through one thing and another, but now I am determined to get it back up & running again. It's even out of ticket, hence the steaming at home prior to its booked steam test this Wednesday evening at the club. It failed last September with the handpump refusing to work. This has now been rectified and so today's run was to try out both water pumps and the newly fitted safety valve spindle. Steaming at home is a messy affair and I really don't like doing it. Coal and oil and water gets absolutely everywhere and it amazes me just how much mess the engines make at home compared to at the track! However, in some cases, needs must. The engines wheels were blocked up in readiness to try the axle-pump and the fire was lit...
The domestic authorities then gave the usual lecture about the carbon footprint and the local residents and their washing. Anyone would think I was bringing an over-loaded 8F up the drive with 50 coal wagons tagged on the back at 50% and all the regulator - different perceptions astound. The vision of scores of dozens of ash drenched housewives running for the laundry baskets in vain as a 3.5" gauge engine sits ticking over in the garden. In the first instance I kept the fire burning wood only, just in case the safety valve didn't work at all and the blaze had to be quickly extinguished - you never know! The fire was burning brightly with the electric blower whirling away...
Soon enough the safety valve was lifting and all pressures were maintained no matter what you did with the fire or the blower. I even built the fire up to just above the foot of the door ring and it still refused to creep more than 10% above the red line at full blower chat - just the job! The engine sat happily, expelling a jet of steam hurriedly skyward...
The engine was then turned over for a while to get some oil round her and to check the axle-pump was working as it should be. I'm happy to say that she was running well...
The engine was soon disposed and put away, thankfully just before a Spring shower began to come down on us. Now, if we take a trip back to February time we see the tender on its side and the loco looking longingly at it...
The handpump was removed back in February to check what was wrong with it. Accumulated muck, rust and grime had seized the two bronze balls solid in the delivery chamber and thus everytime you pumped the handle you got the water coming back. The non-return system just could not work. With the pump apart and cleaned up well, things were looking a little brighter: at least it was nothing sinister...
The inside of the tender was boil washed during March to get rid of the accumulated coal dust, swarf and general muck that seems to gather in it. The idea behind this thorough clean up was to give the handpump a chance of new life...
Once the tender was nice and clean inside, the handpump was refitted with a newly repacked ram and looked quite smart...
"The Handpump Cleaned, Unseized, Repacked and Refitted"
The pump was tested out of the tender before fitting, with the household authorities expressing their hatred for jets of water being launched up the cupboards. My comments that it was all good news because the pump was working did not manage to provide contentment at the mess in the kitchen! Well, that's all folks for this one. The Atlantic is now ready to go to her steam test this Wednesday evening and, barring any unforeseen planetary alignments, I'm sure it will be OK. Best Regards, Sam...
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