Fits in well me thinks

Ferrysteam said:
and no,they're not better runners or better made than Ragleth
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I don't want to open Pandora's box (again) but...
I have a small 32mm line in a small garden.
There are 2'6" radius curves and a couple of 1:20 curved grades.
I have three Roundhouse locos and three Accucraft. All bought used.
The Roundhouse, Billies in particular, romp around with little hesitation.
The Accucraft all struggle and stall on the grades.
Wrekin and Lawley, minus centre flanges, usually "manage".
Edrig (with it's Owain body) is abysmally poor.
All Accy's need full pressure, with the gas up high, and consequent short run times.

I would say there's no comparison, give me Roundhouse any day.
Based on experience, not prejudice.
 
Rhos Helyg Loco Works said:
garrymartin said:
Very nice, a sort of baby Lady Anne. I wonder if George's tender is available seperately, because I want one for my Billy and to my eye that one looks better than the other 4 wheel tender.
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Roundhouse confirmed my order for two George tender kits this afternoon. Delivery will be when they have them in stock, which should be about a month.
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Cheers Tony & Tag.
 
MRail said:
Ferrysteam said:
and no,they're not better runners or better made than Ragleth
Click to expand...
I don't want to open Pandora's box (again) but...
I have a small 32mm line in a small garden.
There are 2'6" radius curves and a couple of 1:20 curved grades.
I have three Roundhouse locos and three Accucraft. All bought used.
The Roundhouse, Billies in particular, romp around with little hesitation.
The Accucraft all struggle and stall on the grades.
Wrekin and Lawley, minus centre flanges, usually "manage".
Edrig (with it's Owain body) is abysmally poor.
All Accy's need full pressure, with the gas up high, and consequent short run times.

I would say there's no comparison, give me Roundhouse any day.
Based on experience, not prejudice.
Click to expand...
Not going to argue with your experiences, that's what is happening, but I wonder about the reasons for it? I find the Accu locos in general more powerful (I have 3 of each, Accu & Roundhouse) - BUT!! I am running on 45mm, and don't have the sharp curves that you do, but I do have steep gradients - 1 in 40 - makes me wonder if they are a bit wide on gauge on 32mm (or the curved track is tight), and it's flange friction that causes your problem? My Accu Mortimer is more powerful than the Jack and Fowler, and about equal with the VoR. The Caledonia will pull the VoR backwards! There must be a good reason for your findings to be different from mine? Food for thought. I love em all.....:love:
 
The point I am making is not about one make being better than another because both makes have their good and not so good points.What I am saying is,in these economic times, why build a similar engine to Ragleth at twice the price?.....I love them both... :love:
 
New Haven Neil 2 said:
....makes me wonder if they are a bit wide on gauge on 32mm (or the curved track is tight), and it's flange friction that causes your problem?
Food for thought. I love em all.....:love:
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Yes, I'm quite sure it's flange friction.
My little Ogwen hauls the same load no problem, helped by its short wheelbase.
Jane has a brave try, but slips with lack of weight.
My Accy's seem happier on a friend's 45mm line with gentler curves.
Thing is, I'm using the Accy axle dimples for 32mm, and they cope with the check rails OK.
 
Sounds like a bit of incompatability with the track, yes. The only 32mm line I knew here is now closed as the owner passed away earlier this year, I only ran my Jack there, and it had no sharp curves, but fearsome gradients as it was based on the Darjeeling!

Allan, I agree with you totally!

I do like the look of Mildred, but where does the coal go....&:
 
MRail said:
New Haven Neil 2 said:
....makes me wonder if they are a bit wide on gauge on 32mm (or the curved track is tight), and it's flange friction that causes your problem?
Food for thought. I love em all.....:love:
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm quite sure it's flange friction.
My little Ogwen hauls the same load no problem, helped by its short wheelbase.
Jane has a brave try, but slips with lack of weight.
My Accy's seem happier on a friend's 45mm line with gentler curves.
Thing is, I'm using the Accy axle dimples for 32mm, and they cope with the check rails OK.
Click to expand...
What does worry me slightly Rob is the lack of power you cite with Accucraft. This should not be the case. Certainly when new and stiff the burners will need to be set higher because the locomotive is new and stiff, requiring a deal of running in. After this they should certainly be as powerful as Roundhouse. I have had quite a few of each. Currently more Roundhouse than Accucraft ? but this is in process of changing yet again. First of all I would look at the piston valves. These should be fine on all new Accucraft but some of the earlier had blowby on the regulator valve. First thing I do with a new Accucraft piston valved loco is to put in steam, clear condensate with a run forward and reverse. After this I put out of gear and wind the throttle open. If steam issues from the chimney at this point then replacement valve chests are required from the seller ? cannot be fixed just replaced. I have to say i have commissioned over ten of these locos in the past few months and this has not happened at all. Some of the early locos had this fault however and it should be addressed immediately on purchase.

Next thing to check is the valve timing on all three of the piston valves. I can sort a set of instructions for this if anyone wants them. I also usually take out the gas regulator and put a bit of 'starters' (vas or KY jelly) on the shaft and 0 ring of this. One can either replace the burner complete with an exchange one from Milton Loco works ? or do as I do and sleeve with stainless steel mesh. Once run in then these locos should at least match Roundhouse.
They do however, run in a different way given the piston valve reversing and they will be slower running but just as powerful. 2' 6" curves are very punishing on any steam locomotive and indeed on its owner ? largely because of the large variation in regulator setting required. My line has tight curves in places but 'all' of them are transitional. The way to do this is to remove one of the set-track curves, then curve the flexi-track to meet it ? this way a live steamer is drawn into the curve rather than going straight from 'straight' to dockyard curve. This sort of track works fine for high revving electric motors or even geared steam locomotives but NOT for the standard two-cylinder steam loco... operation is otherwise hard work even with RC.
 
tagorton said:
What does worry me slightly Rob is the lack of power you cite with Accucraft....
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Thanks Tag, for the input.
I was rather hoping someone might chip in a few hints.

Yes, my line certainly sorts out the men from the boys, and battery electric locos have no trouble.

The larger locos do manage, but Edrig, pre-owned and of doubtful provenance, was probably a bad buy - but my line was having a rebuild at the time, and after a trial steaming it was put away for the duration.
It was the rebuild and new workshop base that raised the level and led to the severe gradients.

Now, it does indeed suffer from blow-by. On advice from both Mike Ousby and Ian Pearce, I fitted a new valve assembly and piston rings. This has made no discernable difference. It still stalls on the grades with blow-by.

The burner is the later type with holes rather than slots, and after losing the jet during its body rebuild, I've fitted the Chuffed2bits mod. Juggling about with the superheater pipe position has improved the burn and I think it's OK.
It lights up easily with very little "fireball in the smokebox".

I've spent a good deal of time tinkering with the valve settings, as far as reversing the eccentric to give inside admission, and disconnecting each con rod in turn checking for imballances - none found.

The loco does seem happier on a friend's 45mm line, but not exactly brilliant.

I don't want to spend an unknown sum of cash getting it professionally "looked at", so I've decided to leave it as is for now, and try it on a few other lines.

BTW - SWMBO has just vetoed a new Mildred!
 
Tag, I now need a new monitor, as this one is covered in coffee - I haven't heard the term 'starters' for a loooong time!!!!:rolf::rolf::rolf:

Back on topic, I do see a little blow through on some Accu locos, but nothing that causes any issues. Of course, if people will use the wrong (or no) oil...... as Rob says, the provenance of his worst performer is unknown.
 
have one of each. i think your accy is poorly.... even "out of the box" my ragleth has run like a powerful sewing machine. hauls equiv to my lady anne. love em both!
 
Having asked Roundhouse about how Mildred is fueled, i can only presume that the fireman has to keep the coal in his trousers :rolf:
A possibility would have been to use the coal bunkers off Lady Anne??? but as these are part of the complete etch one cannot add these seperately if wanted.
i wonder if the Swift Sixteen bunker would fit in the gap between cab front and water tank cap?
 
New Haven Neil 2 said:
...... as Rob says, the provenance of his worst performer is unknown.
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The presence of a large cross head screw in the reverser rocker lever gives an indication.
I've just ordered some grub screws in the hope of rescuing it.
 
New Haven Neil 2 said:
Tag, I now need a new monitor, as this one is covered in coffee - I haven't heard the term 'starters' for a loooong time!!!!:rolf::rolf::rolf:
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don't understand *what* you mean Neil :-P :rolf:
 
Thought you might say that Tag - not really the place for us to explain, eh!!!! :rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf:

Rob, it may be that the reverser is miles out, it's easy to adjust....

As for thread drift - I am the world's worst! Me actually bring a thread back on track is something to cherish - it doesn't happen often!&:
 
New Haven Neil 2 said:
Rob, it may be that the reverser is miles out, it's easy to adjust....
As for thread drift...
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggeston, but I've been "into" the reverser etc using instructions from the USA forum mylargescale.
Essentially about building a Ruby, but of course it's the same valve system.
The Edrig has had a bout of running better backwards, but I seem to have sorted that.
In the interests of the thread integrity, I'll start a new thread shortly, asking for advice.
 
MRail said:
tagorton said:
What does worry me slightly Rob is the lack of power you cite with Accucraft....
Click to expand...
Thanks Tag, for the input.
I was rather hoping someone might chip in a few hints.

Yes, my line certainly sorts out the men from the boys, and battery electric locos have no trouble.

The larger locos do manage, but Edrig, pre-owned and of doubtful provenance, was probably a bad buy - but my line was having a rebuild at the time, and after a trial steaming it was put away for the duration.
It was the rebuild and new workshop base that raised the level and led to the severe gradients.

Now, it does indeed suffer from blow-by. On advice from both Mike Ousby and Ian Pearce, I fitted a new valve assembly and piston rings. This has made no discernable difference. It still stalls on the grades with blow-by.
Click to expand...

If this is the case either a) the replacement sets are duff or b) there is a leak in the main steam pipe manifold.
 
tagorton said:
If this is the case either a) the replacement sets are duff or b) there is a leak in the main steam pipe manifold.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Tag...
I've started a new thread under "Poorly Edrig".
 
ROSS said:
New Haven Neil 2 said:
Thought you might say that Tag - not really the place for us to explain, eh!!!! :rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf:
Click to expand...

Well, I know what you mean:rolf::rolf::rolf:
(and I had not heard the term for years either)
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Do I recall you were Fleet Air Arm, Ross???? That'll explain it....:@
 
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