Speedy Boiler Feeds

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Progress is slow in making my 5" SPEEDY loco, and I am now on to the boiler feed arrangements. There are 3 'cold' water feeds. The hand pump feeds via a clack valve into the bottom of the boiler via a bush on the backhead. The axle pump which has a bypass valve feeds into the top of the boiler adjacent to the safety valve on the tapered boiler barrel. Likewise, the injector feeds hot water in on the opposite side of the barrel.

Now I can understand the injector feeding in at the top of the boiler, but why feed cold water (from the axle pump) into the top as well ? Surely that should go into the bottom of the boiler.

Any comments ?

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

The hottest part of the boiler is the firebox. Squirting cold water into the gap between the firebox and the backhead is possibly the worst place, although on a small copper boiler I doubt it matters, especially on the hand pump which shouldn't get a lot of use. There are plenty of locos out there set up like this

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