What vacuum gauge for testing smoke box vacuum?

[Greg HParticipant @gregh]

Hi Julian,

I hadn't mentioned I was in Aus before and so there was no reason to think I was not puttting decent coal into it..

It could just be as simple as poor fuel, but if it was woudl have thought the fuel would have still have been ok to run lightly loaded on the rolling road..

I've taken boiler back out to change the route of the snifting valve. Here's a photo of the firebox. The white stuff makes me think there's a few impurities in the fuel, but I may be wrong.

I'll get some char and try that. I was aware that someone had recently started bringing welsh coal into Aus. I remember it was not cheap and I would have to get it freighted in from Victoria, but I think worth getting a bag to try it.

I'll wait for some different fuel before having another go.

Greg

[J HancockParticipant @jhancock95746]

And there we were , thinking you were just down the road with access to some lovely black Welsh stuff !

How spoiled we are.

Reads like you have solved the problem, not enough radiated heat ( incandescence ) from your fuel.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

In Greg's post on 23/08 he says it ran OK at first. Was this using different fuel? If so can you go back?

There is some evidence that driving a loco harder makes it steam better, you can of course have too much of a good thing!

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 25/08/2016 15:54:12:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 25/08/2016 15:26:30:

I've just stopped for a coffee having failed all day to get a new model mill engine to rotate on air. As it behaves just like a pneumatic drill I may have to pretend I always meant it to do that.

Try minimising any lead, which will also minimise expansive working.

Neil

Thanks Neil. I fixed some minor dimensional errors in the piston valve then spent 15 minutes or so winding the engine round by hand to loosen it up. Applying air still didn't work, but carefully adjusting the lead got it spinning.

Still lots to do, but now I know it works, hurrah!

Cheers,

Dave

[Greg HParticipant @gregh]

Hi Duncan, when it was originally running fine it was the same fuel, but since then I may have opened another bag and it's a different quality, I can't recall if it is a different bag..

i have my doubts that it is the fuel, but I'll try that. I might also get someone to try my briquettes and see how that goes in their locos.

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