A Roundhouse SR&RL joins the battery locos

I got around to steaming her for the first time today!

I'd been itching to see how well she ran and to get to grips with the steaming and operation, but was curious to see whether any of the parts I had added dropped off under heat. Surprisingly they didn't!
She ran fantastically. I cant wait to get some Bowaters coaches and get her on the track now! I have a feeling this is the start of a slippery slope...
SRRL24 first steaming on rollers

I say surprisingly because the thin brass foil bands on the domes are CA'd and I was pretty sure that wouldn't be suitable.

Whilst it was in steam, I decided to get some readings of various parts with the IR thermometer
SRRL24 steam IR temperatures

Finally, just for interest I decided to try and get some thermal footage
 
Last edited:
Rhos Helyg Loco Works said:
Well done!

Give 'em time.

Safety valve needs some attention if it is lifting at 30psi.
Click to expand...

I suspect you're right.. :)

Thanks for the spot re the pressure. I'd thought the safety seemed to be lifting early. I need to look at that. I've swapped the gauge so it may pay me to pop the RH gauge back on to double check it's definitely the valve and not an under-reading gauge first I suppose
 
DGE-Railroad said:
I suspect you're right.. :)

Thanks for the spot re the pressure. I'd thought the safety seemed to be lifting early. I need to look at that. I've swapped the gauge so it may pay me to pop the RH gauge back on to double check it's definitely the valve and not an under-reading gauge first I suppose
Click to expand...
Yes good plan ensure that the pressure gauge is reading correct at blow off which should be 40psi. Then put the replacement one on and adjust to blow off when you get to 40psi. That is assuming of course that the original safety valve is set correct and that the PG is also correct. do you know how to reset the gauge? RH ones can be done by carefully winding the top with a pair of fine tweezers. You should not need much adjustment to get things correct. Wish I could remember from my Boiler Testing days which way to wind them!
 
dunnyrail said:
Yes good plan ensure that the pressure gauge is reading correct at blow off which should be 40psi. Then put the replacement one on and adjust to blow off when you get to 40psi. That is assuming of course that the original safety valve is set correct and that the PG is also correct. do you know how to reset the gauge? RH ones can be done by carefully winding the top with a pair of fine tweezers. You should not need much adjustment to get things correct. Wish I could remember from my Boiler Testing days which way to wind them!
Click to expand...

I hadn't realised the valve could be adjusted! Doh :blush: Thanks JonD
A quick check of the RH tech docs informs me it's clockwise to increase pressure (and so the relief-point)
 
The headlight has been spliced into the servo power with a micro connector, so that it can be removed if it's ever necessary. Works a treat!

Now to get the cab painted - cockpit green inside and black on the outside with the engine number
 
I'm after a bit of advice in diagnosing an issue on my second roller run.

I have refitted the OEM pressure gauge, to confirm that the safety valve was lifting early.
I ran up with a full boiler (less 30ml) and a full gas tank. While waiting to get up to pressure, the safety spat lots of water at around 20 psi and after about a minute of this, the blower went out and i observed the water level gauge change to 100% full.

Here's a video of what I've described Roundhouse Fountain

My uneducated guess is that the safety hadn't seated properly (spitting) and that the flame was perhaps extinguished by spitting in the chimney/chuffer (I can hear occasional water spitting in this area)

I was just after a bit of a sanity check as the behaviour seemed so different to the last (good) run!
 
I have had this issue once with my RH Fowler, dried it off cooled down, started again and all was fine!!
 
Glad to hear it's 'a thing' :)
How strange though. I'd like to understand why it happens. Presumably it is just a valve seating thing. Perhaps once the Fowler had cooled down, it'd allowed the valve to reseat properly?

I haven't been able to adjust mine when according to the Roundhouse tech info it should be. I've ordered a replacement for the time being and may confine this one to the spares bin for the time being.
 
I must admit I didn't Paul. I tried pulling the valve up and letting it drop down again a couple of times once it had cooled down, with a pair of pliers.
I might pop it back on and try again while I wait for the other one to turn up, to see how it behaves now.
 
Thank you Tony
I can only imagine the number you must have sorted out, given the number of locos that have passed through your hands!

So the engine was issued by the factory in March 2015. I think it has spent a while unused as the owner passed and it do don't *look* to have been used very much at all in his care.

I've had to replace a couple of other O rings and washers which looked to have detoriated, so I can well imagine the last steaming may have caused the one in the safety valve to worsen

I'll see if I can unscrew the adjuster to get at the internal o ring on this one and take a look/replace it. It'd be quite handy to pick up an adaptor so I could fit one any time to my little compressor - a quick and easy way to test/set them I'd guess
 
Last edited:
I use replacement safety valves from Wee Bee Locomotive Works. They are a proper safety as in they blow off then reset and do not weep/waste steam. They have a ball with a spring to keep it seated inside them. You can get them from The Train Department if your stateside or Anything Narrow Gauge(I believe has them) in the UK. Beautiful work on making a fine model even better! AD
 
artfull dodger said:
I use replacement safety valves from Wee Bee Locomotive Works. They are a proper safety as in they blow off then reset and do not weep/waste steam. They have a ball with a spring to keep it seated inside them. You can get them from The Train Department if your stateside or Anything Narrow Gauge(I believe has them) in the UK. Beautiful work on making a fine model even better! AD
Click to expand...


Brilliant. Thanks AD! Well worth knowing about.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top