Whistling Tom Rolt(s)

[Mr ACME]

I've just finished some major work on a Accucraft Garratt......

Ooooh Details please! I'm getting very into these machines right now.

As for the Rolt, very cramped but shows off what can be done. Very nice work although I know not your choice but I find the centre buffers & original buffers makes it look a bit toylike. I would of just gone for centre personally. But horses for courses I guess...

Hello Pendo Pilot

This engine is three years old. The customer tells me that it has been a problem child from day one. Been back to have warranty work done but never run properly.

So:

Re-time engine.
Refit RC
Replace rear servo
Make everything happen as it should.
Replace gauge glass with pukkha English red line.
Make and fit gauge glass blow down.
Fit DJB tank warming valve after modifications.
Fit RC Bangham whistle
Test run.

Images are on my website under SAR.

[ianfolland]

Mike,

Just noticed this post and particularly like the fluorescent tube cab lighting system installed on the Rolt!

Your Garratt mods are interesting, particularly given my experience of getting mine to work reasonably well. I fitted a DJB gas tank water heater and now have that open when I initially put water in the boiler to get a more sensible indication of level in the glass. After that the level is more of an approximation and its largely down to experience that I know how much water is in there. And it does use an extraordinary amount of water (and gas), though of course the boiler is big, and there's two burners attempting to heat all that water (or at least they do now, rather than heating the world at large, following much fiddling).

Ian

[Mr ACME]

Mike,

Just noticed this post and particularly like the fluorescent tube cab lighting system installed on the Rolt!

Your Garratt mods are interesting, particularly given my experience of getting mine to work reasonably well. I fitted a DJB gas tank water heater and now have that open when I initially put water in the boiler to get a more sensible indication of level in the glass. After that the level is more of an approximation and its largely down to experience that I know how much water is in there. And it does use an extraordinary amount of water (and gas), though of course the boiler is big, and there's two burners attempting to heat all that water (or at least they do now, rather than heating the world at large, following much fiddling).

Ian

Hello Ian

Yes it's a strange light effect from the camera flash through the clear silicone tubing. It does look like a fluorescent light.

As supplied the DJB warming valve would have stuck out horizontally from the boiler back and the roll pin used a s handle was unreachable next to the regulator servo. I made and fitted a banjo extension to turn the valve to face upwards and made a banjo bolt; much better now.

For such a big engine the cab is quite small and crowded. Running the engine on blocks shows the weakness in the design in not having a balancing valve between power units. The front one is fed with superheated steam and does all the work. The rear one is fed with saturated steam and has to be helped along by the front. The problem is that the steam line on exiting the lubricator just bifurcates. I did tell Accucraft on batch one of this problem. If I owned one then I would certainly fit one and balance the power units performance.

[Mr ACME]

Mike,

Just noticed this post and particularly like the fluorescent tube cab lighting system installed on the Rolt!

Your Garratt mods are interesting, particularly given my experience of getting mine to work reasonably well. I fitted a DJB gas tank water heater and now have that open when I initially put water in the boiler to get a more sensible indication of level in the glass. After that the level is more of an approximation and its largely down to experience that I know how much water is in there. And it does use an extraordinary amount of water (and gas), though of course the boiler is big, and there's two burners attempting to heat all that water (or at least they do now, rather than heating the world at large, following much fiddling).

Ian

The Royal Mail have just called with a delivery from Ian. Ian has been busy developing a range of SAR bogies and I ordered some from his first batch. They are impressive. For anyone modeling SAR narrow gauge or WHR these are a must.

[James-Buzz]

Mike,

Whats the rough cost including parts for fitting an r/c whistle into say a run of the mill lady anne ?

[Mr ACME]

Mike,

Whats the rough cost including parts for fitting an r/c whistle into say a run of the mill lady anne ?

Hello James

The problem with the Lady Anne is that the cab is very small. Fitting the whistle in manual form is tight. I'd need to have a look at it. Also depends upon which RC system you're using.

I'm not accepting any more work at present due to my work load.

[ianfolland]

Glad you got the bogies OK Mike. Despite the castings only arriving a week ago, and with no proper advertising, 20% are sold already, though yours are the only ones to the UK. All the rest have gone to North America, and I'm reliably informed that there are in fact quite a number of 32mm gauge lines over there.

I've had my Garratt on rollers so seen the lack of balance between the units, but it now generally works acceptably so I won't spend any more time and money on it, other than if anyone produces replacement one piece steel drivers for the trailing wheels on the front unit to combat slipped tyres due to the heat......Mike....


Ian

[Mr ACME]

Glad you got the bogies OK Mike.

Ian

Sarcast bogies now assembled and fitted to the ,"B," class wagon I'm building.

I've modelled the version currently running on the WHR and converted to carry bicycles and luggage.





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[TonyW]

And it does use an extraordinary amount of water

Have you removed the "exhaust pipe" (and I use that term in its loosest possible sense) from the smokebox? It is a piece of 3mm tube about 2 inches long and attached vertically to the exhaust tee in the base of the smokebox. It generates an enormous amount of back-pressure so causing the loco to work much harder than it should.

Removal from my NGG16 reduced water and gas consumption (well, no, it didn't, it actually increased the running time between refills), eliminated the horrible "hissy" exhaust note and finally gave the loco a decent turn of speed.