‘Brev’ one way water top up valve? SM32 live steam loco

[Philip Ball 2Participant @philipball2]

[Philip Ball 2Participant @philipball2]

Hi all,

first post post on here as I normally use a garden railway forum

I've bought myself a nice 32mm live steam loco, but the water top up is by a method I haven't seen before.

It seems to be what looks like a one way valve, the branding on the rubber surround reads 'brev' and I can't for the life of me work out how to get water in!

Any help much appreaciated

Thanks

Phil

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

"Brev" on a product normally stands for Brevetto, Italian for patent, so may mean that the valve (or at least the rubber component) was made in Italy.

Brian

[Sean CullenParticipant @seancullen60833]

Phil,

I hate to say it, but the garden railway forum might be a good place to ask. There may be people with the same make of loco there. It would be helpful if you told us what make your loco is as then we can figure out what type of valve they use.

Sean

[Philip Ball 2Participant @philipball2]

Hello again,

Thanks for the replies.

Its a scratch-built loco, probably by someone with a decent steam knowledge; as its alot more intricate than the run of the mill production stuff that I (and most of the garden railway fraternity) are used to.

The water top up is in a discreet place on the chassis, and fills via this valve(??) then a a thin pipe to the boiler.

Thanks

Phil

[John BaguleyParticipant @johnbaguley78655]

Hello Phil,

It sounds like it's what is known as a 'Goodall?' Valve.

**LINK**

These are usually filled from a spray type pressure bottle with a length of tube on the end that fits onto the valve.

John

[Philip Ball 2Participant @philipball2]

Thanks John,

So I guess that means pushing a pipe in will push open said valve(some kind of ball/spring) and allow filling?

Cheers

Phil

[Philip Ball 2Participant @philipball2]

I've tried a few bits of pipe, but none seem to open the valve. I don't think any of them are exactly the right size though.

Does the valve work on a pressure basis when a pipe is sealed tightly in placeand water forced through?

Thanks

Phil

[Sean CullenParticipant @seancullen60833]

Phil,

cab't find a diagram from where I am right now, but you do need pressure to open the valve. Various people sell suitable bottles with a pipe to pump water into the boiler. The Goodal valve has a piece of silicone tubing around the hole inside the boiler which opens under pressure, but some are like a standard ball non-return valve. Here is a link to one supplier – the bottle is half way down the page http://www.chuffed2bits.com/page9.html

Keep asking and you will get there

Sean

[martin ranson 2Participant @martinranson2]

Phil … try a pressure sprayer from JACKSONS MINIATURES in Gillingham … web- site is http://www.jacksonsminiatures.com … called a SUPERIOR water top-up bottle … 2 sizes available.

The silicone tubing might be a special type … at the moment I am using ordinary fuel tubing available from the local model shop … so far it seems to work … my own home-made valve is outside the boiler, so the tubing is not sizzling merrily INSIDE the boiler … I assume there is an exact size for the metal valve middle to match any particular size of silicone tubing … hopefully I will discover if there is an optimum size, but I am also learning about railways.

I was recommended to try a large size garden pressure sprayer with a capacity of 1. 5 litres … not much use because it ran out of pressure too quickly.

hope some of this may be useful … martin

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