Federation Boiler certificates UK

[SteamgeekParticipant @steamgeek]

You need to be cautious when dealers offer a loco for sale with a commercial boiler certification, generally a commercial test does provide a level of comfort as to the soundness of the boiler , however they are not acceptable to a club as they do not include a steam accumualtion test to ensure the safety valve(s) can cope with the steam output of the boiler.

The best advice I ever received was join a club before you buy a loco, and talk to the boiler inspector before you take the plunge and part with the cash.

[SteamcoalnzParticipant @steamcoalnz]

Steam Geek.

My original post question regarding Federation certificates related to there relevance to the certification process as I have ( on two occasions now ) purchased from the U.K two steam boilers, one a loco and the other a VFT boiler. Both times I have received a "Blue Book" from the Southern Federation and I, thought a personal view, see this as a partial admission of confidence in that the boiler has been built to "federation" standards, both in my case by commercial boiler companies.

Is this a relevant assumption or a false sense of security.

The VFT boiler was un-steamed since built, the loco had been used.

To other posters.

Could I ask you knowledgable fellows, if like myself as a foreign purchaser of a steam boiler, be it a VFT stationary boiler or functioning locomotive, type what process would you undertake to verify that the model boiler that you are interested in purchasing is up to standard? Owning to the fact that you cannot personally view the item from afar, what steps would you take?

Note that I have till now only desired to purchase through a (respected )outlet like Station Road Steam, Steamdays etc how does this sit as a worthy means of buying a model.

My experience has been OK but my loco model advertised as good runner did require a far bit of remedial work, new pistons and expansion die blocks etc. Of course what you see and what you get are two different things but in my case I have to take a chance or in the case of a boiler be doubly sure as she cannot go back once exported.

I would be interested in other experiences or thought

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

The only thing I would suggest is to ask the dealer/seller to arrange to get the boiler/engine independently tested and offer to pay for the test, that way the engine/boiler should come to you without any worries also if the seller/dealer say's he has not got time etc walk away.

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

No disrespect intended Harry but one could go on a foreign holiday for less than it costs to have a boiler independently tested. With companies like SRS if they state that the boiler is sound then you have legal recourse if it later proves not to be – but beware, very different regulations exist from country to country if you intend to use it in public. If you are buying off ebay then unless it has a current uk cert dont go near it !

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

(1) The boiler in question is potentially to be bought in one country and steamed in another country ?

So :

Which countries regulations apply ?

Is model boiler certification of one country valid in another country ?

(2) I’ve often found in industry that a good way of gaining confidence about a piece of potentially risky machinery being bought second hand was to :

(a) Get the vendor to give me a live demonstration .

(b) Get the vendor to sit on top of it while it is working .

Roughly adapted to present situation I would want a live demonstration of the engine in steam with vendor driving it .

MikeW

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