New Loco for the PMR

[DVT Dweller]

As Mr Bond says, white vinegar. Gently brew it up a couple of times with the safety valve removed and then give it a good wash out with clean water. Be careful as the leeks that sprung on ours stared off as white powder like deposit's on the outside of the boiler.

What oil are you using? I would say use Iso 460 (the heavier accucraft type stuff than the Roundhouse 220). We used to use proper steam oil in ours off a friends Ransome, Sims and Jefferies agricultural engine. it was like treacle but never seemed to cause any harm.

[Big Jim]

It is the thick 460 grade oil I am using. Thick is not the word, its a bit nippy here at the moment and I thought I was going to have to hack lumps off it and stuff it in the lubricator, never mind pouring it.

I will raid the pantry and try and find some white vinegar and give it a go.

[MDLR]

Oddly enough, kettle descaler works, too....................

[Gremlin]

looks nice on the viaduct

[Big Jim]

I am a bit weary of using kettle descaler as it can be a bit harsh and some can attack some metals. (I used to live in a very, very hard water area, so have used most types of wonder descaler that have come and gone!!!)
I am probably being paranoid but I think I will go down the vinegar route first.

[Big Jim]

Thanks for the nice comments every one.
I had been toying with the idea of filling in the space under the track with something but I might leave it as a viaduct/trestle type thing.
It depends how it looks with the final track base fitted.

[Big Jim]

I finally got around to sorting out the RC tonight.
The original servos worked when connected up to a 2.4ghz receiver unit and after only a little swearing I got it paired with a Spectrum transmitter unit.
All worked ok on the bench so it was off outside for a twilight steam-up.
Okay so I only have 6 yards of straight track to play with but it was rather nice chuffing up and down for a few minutes.
Need to lay a bit more track now I think.

[funandtrains]

I would not recommend descaling the boiler as it is brass, quite a few people of ruined Beck and Merlin locos with Beck boilers by washing out the boilers with acid as it attacks the zinc or running on acidic rain water. Brass boilers should be slightly scaled to protect the brass. I believe some German builders recommend after several runs having a run with a mix of tap and distilled water to leave a slight coating on the brass.
The oiler on these locos tend to blow all the oil out very quickly and it is best to use a thick steam oil however as they have PTFE pistons which should not need oil, only a small amount of oil is required for the valves and I find putting a small amount of thin steam oil of the protruding valves ends helps.