hi chaps, this is my bad due to forgetting to oil the cylinders after using the loco last year. My royal scot as stuck cylinders, all three. I have opened up the cylinders to see inside and there is a small amount of rust to be seen along the bore. I have tipped up the front of the loco on blocks and filled the cylinders with freeing oil.

apart from removing the motion from the cylinders and tapping the pistons lightly I am not sure of the best way to free off the cylinders. I don,t have excess to lots of heat bar propane gas. anyone had this problem and worked it out. michael

Thanks chaps, so it looks like off with the motion to free the piston, then oiling well after. michael

hi chaps, thanks again. today I was able to free off the two outside pistons. by undoing the crosshead bolts I was able to just tap lightly the piston with a bit of cut off wooden handle. there was very little sign of rust but I cleaned off what I could see with a bit of t cut and oiled the cylinders. so it looks like the inside cylinder is the fault. I need to wait until her indoors comes home so we can place the scot on its side. I have raided the house for all the old pillows, well I hope they are old. in the mean time I am going to mark all the motion gear before it gets moved about to aid correct positions when I put it all back together.michael