Coal Fired Edrig

C

Chris Bird

Steam,gardening, photography
Hi all
Earlier this month I mentioned a visit to Steve Jackson's railway to see his
newly converted DJB Engineering Edrig. While there I shot some video and I have
now put this together in a short film to show the firing, running etc.


You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5KZ0GM2HeA

And on my "Coal Fired 1" page here on my website:
http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk/#/coal-fired-1/4538566495

Happy Christmas everybody!
Cheers
Chris
135f9420708742ec8f99eaa3f09aa92d.jpg
 
Great videos Chris, and the more I see of coal firing the more I like the idea. Does anyone supply them in ready-to-run form from new ( in exchange for a Kings Ransom I would expect ) or is it a case of assembling all the constituent parts for an artisan to complete?
Is there a video of the other end of the process, the loco disposal, as I imagine that is a very important part of the running day as well?
 
Thanks - glad you liked it. I am afraid I didn't film the disposal as it was getting rather cold! Steve has a pair of rails at the end of a siding that project over the edge, allowing ash to fall onto the garden. He reversed the loco so that the rear was on these rails and then pulled out a single brass pin to allow the grate to drop down with the coals. The thorough tube cleaning and Gunking would have taken place the next day.

I am not aware that you can buy these Edrig conversions ready done - I think you put your name on a waiting list for a kit. You can buy out-of-the-box coal fired Roundhouse conversions, though, for £2K+ from Sabre Steam and ELR Engineering, though again there is a waiting list.
Cheers
Chris
 
Chris Bird said:
You can buy out-of-the-box coal fired Roundhouse conversions, though, for £2K+ from Sabre Steam and ELR Engineering...
Click to expand...
And from Shawe Steam Services too, who were the first to come up with a coal-fired 16mm scale loco about 20 years ago. The current Roundhouse list includes Fowler, Jack, Darjeeling, Sandy River, Atlantic/Argyll, William.

Interesting that at 03:57 in the first video the water pump bottle is used to top up the boiler. Does this mean that the crosshead pump can't supply sufficient water, or that the loco steams too well (note safety valve blowing constantly when running) so a lot of water is wasted, or that the loco was running with the bypass valve open (i.e. returning water to the tanks) for too long?
 
It's a very free steaming loco Tony. I topped up the boiler manually before the loco set off and the crosshead pump took over, to make sure there was no risk of the water level dropping too far. As Tag mentioned, there's a damper mod he's done to his firebox door so he can crack it open a little and reduce the heat of the fire, making the loco more docile. It's on my list of "to dos".
Steve
 
That looks good Tom! I can't think why I forgot John Shawe in my response up above - especially as I have one of his coal fired locos......
I am not sure what his waiting list is now - the others quote months - is he still years?
Cheers
Chris
 
Rhos Helyg Loco Works said:
Chris Bird said:
You can buy out-of-the-box coal fired Roundhouse conversions, though, for £2K+ from Sabre Steam and ELR Engineering...
Click to expand...
And from Shawe Steam Services too, who were the first to come up with a coal-fired 16mm scale loco about 20 years ago. The current Roundhouse list includes Fowler, Jack, Darjeeling, Sandy River, Atlantic/Argyll, William.

Interesting that at 03:57 in the first video the water pump bottle is used to top up the boiler. Does this mean that the crosshead pump can't supply sufficient water, or that the loco steams too well (note safety valve blowing constantly when running) so a lot of water is wasted, or that the loco was running with the bypass valve open (i.e. returning water to the tanks) for too long?
Click to expand...


Couple of points Tony. Think you have forgotten the Archangel Jack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZow...se locomotives then I would change the grate.
 
Tag, I agree with your comment. In one of my earlier posts about my Sabre Steam Annette, I mentioned that I, a novice, had difficulty getting it to fire. I mentioned that when I worked the fire from beneath and cleared up some of the ashes, the fire took off. The shape of the grate material may have kept ashes from falling clear of the grate.

Will
 
Dear Thumper and Tag,

I've had quite a number of runs with my Annabel and one thing that I must constantly take care of, is removing ash. I run on a 110 foot loop and after around 8-10 laps or so the fire gets a little sulky and I know it's time to give the fire a good poke and clear out the ash/debris beneath the grate that I've loosened up. Dunno if an alternative grate design would work better?

Having said that, fullsize steam locos have very similar grate principles, from what I've seen so far, bars running lengthwise, as opposed to the square plate version I own. I've not seen hot ash fall through the grate though, just the warm orange glow, if anything I wish it did, then I might not have to go to the aforementioned trouble. Still, this is my first coal fired loco so Tag, you may well have some valuable experience to offer?

Finally, I tend to only run my Annabel now, 1-2 hours run time, smell of coal on my jacket...
 
scaleandy said:
Dear Thumper and Tag,

I've had quite a number of runs with my Annabel and one thing that I must constantly take care of, is removing ash. I run on a 110 foot loop and after around 8-10 laps or so the fire gets a little sulky and I know it's time to give the fire a good poke and clear out the ash/debris beneath the grate that I've loosened up. Dunno if an alternative grate design would work better?

Having said that, fullsize steam locos have very similar grate principles, from what I've seen so far, bars running lengthwise, as opposed to the square plate version I own. I've not seen hot ash fall through the grate though, just the warm orange glow, if anything I wish it did, then I might not have to go to the aforementioned trouble. Still, this is my first coal fired loco so Tag, you may well have some valuable experience to offer?

Finally, I tend to only run my Annabel now, 1-2 hours run time, smell of coal on my jacket...
Click to expand...
A traditional grate design would work better certainly. I hardly touch the fire on either my DJB or Shawe locos ? other than putting coal on. I use anthracite largely, with a leavening of coal from the coal pile at Buckfastleigh. The Sabre locos are the only ones I have seen (in any scale) with this sort of grate ? and to me, it seems set to fail. Certainly after experience with his Edrig, Steve Jackson modified the grate on his Annette and reports that steaming was markedly improved. I think Sabre have tried to re-invent the wheel on this one ? it ain't never gonna work well because it will block by design. Suspect Tony Wilmore will agree with me on this point. I would certainly look at replacing the grate.
 
thumper said:
Tag, I agree with your comment. In one of my earlier posts about my Sabre Steam Annette, I mentioned that I, a novice, had difficulty getting it to fire. I mentioned that when I worked the fire from beneath and cleared up some of the ashes, the fire took off. The shape of the grate material may have kept ashes from falling clear of the grate.

Will
Click to expand...
Changing the grate sheet for bars would make a huge difference.
 
Yes, I took my courage in both hands and sawed through the lateral bars, leaving just longitudinal bars, as on the Edrig. It made a big difference and I no longer lose the fire for no obvious reason, which used to happen.
Paul Bailey sent me a modified firehole door with a damper fitted for my Edrig. It's similar to Tag's arrangement but with two small holes in a rotating disc rather than one big hole - and that makes a huge difference. It can now potter around like Tag's without blowing off all the time.
Steve
 
400Parker said:
Yes, I took my courage in both hands and sawed through the lateral bars, leaving just longitudinal bars, as on the Edrig. It made a big difference and I no longer lose the fire for no obvious reason, which used to happen.
Paul Bailey sent me a modified firehole door with a damper fitted for my Edrig. It's similar to Tag's arrangement but with two small holes in a rotating disc rather than one big hole - and that makes a huge difference. It can now potter around like Tag's without blowing off all the time.
Steve
Click to expand...
Nice to know you are no longer blowing off all the time Steve... I enclose a couple of pics of my modified John Shawe Fowler. A fair number of mods here. I have fitted a simple quick release feedwater connection so that I can disconnect the tender quickly and easily for both cleaning and boiler filling via bottle. I have added vac and air stands together with associated pipework and air reservoir. The latter is white metal from GRS but all pipework and handrails are blackened piano wire. Have added motion brackets begged from Roundhouse (VOR) and modified. glazed spec plate, cream painted half cab (twas originally a full cab and trying to find the regulator lever was like trying to find 'G' spot. I might later fit automatic draincocks.
fd4a49c6152e48e2b67beb9c3925c55c.jpg
7d8d1f1926984c2f93f27bf13094dc2b.jpg
 
Isn't it funny how much cutting the cab roof back has changed the look of it? Or is it just me......looks a lot older now (just like me!).
 
New Haven Neil said:
Isn't it funny how much cutting the cab roof back has changed the look of it? Or is it just me......looks a lot older now (just like me!).
Click to expand...
You an' me both. Certainly, along with other improvements it has made to locomotive much more enjoyable to run ? and yes ? I like half cabs anyway....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top