Whistle or blow down on RH Argyll

[artfull dodger]

When I got my new(second hand) RH Argyll, he had a blow down fitted to the extra tap off the backhead. I swapped it out for a Regner whistle, but am thinking this engine, lacking a site glass, would be better off with the blow down to help with knowing boiler water level. Being able to fill, fire, then open the blow down till I get just steam, would help more than the whistle, espically when I refill under steam. I do not see an easy way to fit both. Thoughts? Mike

[Killian Keane]

I'm not sure but maybe it would be possible to make or aquire a three way valve of some sort, if you do fit a blowdown may I suggest routing the pipe to just below the front bufferbeam so as to make it look like draincocks or an injector

[artfull dodger]

He came with a blow down fitted, I just put it back on for now. It vents down to the track right behind the rear most drive wheel. Which is where most USA prototype steamers vent thier blow downs. I was just watching a video of W&L running and thier blow down is right blow the cab at the rear. I wish I had a Pearse Countess, but they are rare on this side of the pond and expensive to source from the UK. Argyll is pretty good looking in black though! Mike

[Killian Keane]

A little sketch I did to explain what I'm thinking of with regard to a three way valve

[artfull dodger]

What is needed is a "T" fitting to split to the whistle valve and the blow down, problem is mine is an early Argyll, has the fuel tank in the rear bunker, where as the later Atlantic had the newer cylinder fuel tank in the cab. So not much space for fittings in the cab. A blow down is more usable right now over a whistle. Mike