[barber007]

I hope there is someone out there who can help a very frustrated fellow live steam enthusiast!

I have a 50 year old 3.5 inch LBSC Maisie. When I first steamed her up I found that when opening the regulator all the steam went up the chimney. So I stripped down both cylinders, lapped in the valves and ran each side independently using air.Then i ran both sides together using 50lb of air, making sure that no air went up the chimney in mid-gear.

When I re-steamed her, she held steam on mid-gear for a short while but it wasn't long before all the steam went up the chimney again and the loco went nowhere.

Could anybody please advise me as to the next step I need to take. I have set myself a task to get this loco running again so that the 92year old whom I bought it from could see it running once more. Needless to say time is of the escence.

 

[John Webb]

There is at least one book by LBSC which deals with a range of aspects of building and operating live steam locos; I saw it recently in a book fair at Hatfield House, but I regret I cannot recall the title. There are also more recent books by Martin Evans which might hold relevent advice.

I'm fairly sure too that most of LBSC's designs have books/booklets about them. A check with Camden Miniature Steam Services www.camdenmin.co.uk and other advertisers in 'Old Glory', 'Model Engineer' and similar mags may be of help. Also booksellers specializing in transport/railways/models may be of help.

The other possibility is to see if there is a group of model engineers about that are close to you - most counties seem to have one or more societies of 'Model and Experimental Engineers' - and seek help from them.

Regards,
John Webb

 

[barber007]

Thanks for the reply John. I have the book "Maisie in Words and Music " which may have been one that you saw. Unfortunately it doesn't really have a trouble-shooting section. As to going to a local club - I went down that route and found the members very clicky and unwelcomming of newcomers. I struggled to get a hello out of many of them let alone advice

. My nearest club is a round trip of nearly 40miles and as a working father of 2 - time is not something i have in abundance.
So,

I will await any further help anyone can offer. Thanks again Trev

 

[ChrisE]

Barber007

Please reassure us that you have had the boiler tested before steaming up the loco. If not you have an potential bomb.

Good luck, I just love these locos but do not have the engineering skill to build one.

Chris

 

[John Webb]

Just come across the following book in Herts Library's reserve stock: "A Manual of Steam Locomotive Restoration and Preservation" by D W Harvey. (The noted Mr Harvey who was Shedmaster at Norwich in steam days.) While aimed at the 12inch to the foot scale, it does have a section on trouble-shooting and in particular checking valve gear settings which may be adaptable to a model.
Regards,
John Webb

 

[60134]

Some books you might look out for - "Model Locomotive Valve Gears" by Martin Evans, "Manual of Model Steam Locomotives" by the same author and "The Live Steam Book" by LBSC.

60134

 

[silver760]

Dear Barber007,
Did you rectify your problems with your Maisie?You dont say where you are,but if your still having trouble,drop me a note to [email protected] and I'll see if I can point you in the right direction as to what is wrong,or if your not too far away,bring it over and we'll sort it,all the best,Stew.

 

[Dan Hamblin]

If Stewart can't help you then I suggest you go to your nearest Model Engineering club and get some advice on what may be wrong.

There is a list of them at http://www.stationroadsteam.com/Clubs.htm

Regards,

Dan

(owner of 3 1/2" gauge Britannia, non-working

)

 

[locoworks]

what an old thread, but my guess is the slide valves are a bit dry of oil and falling off the face of the cylinder. if you put it in gear and push it along with the regulator open the movement/rattling of the valves should allow them to seat back where they should be with the pressure. this happened with my winson pug. i stripped it once but realised what was going on in the valve chests. while stripped i lashed lots of oil in the valve chests to help them stick in place.