ASTER A3 Arguably the ultimate driving machine

[main131]

Just a few minor changes to make it the 'sweetest of runners'
Made absolutely sure that the loco was not leaking steam which meant stripping it down and putting in new caskets on all three cylinder assemblies.
Aso drilled out the rusty steel grub screws securing the centre cylinder block and replaced them with stainless ones. Whist at it. replaced the grub screws in outside cylinder valve chests as well with stainless ones.
Reassembled making sure that the smokebox was leak tight.
Please see the video of it's first run yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJoCsd4NH-s

 

[Steve]

Wow , Very nice

 

[minimans]

Superb!! bet the cameraman keeps fit chasing that all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KeithT]

Wonderful but fast moving,heavy and costly locos on raised tracks make me very apprehensive.

 

[Ferrysteam]

It's better than me rollers.......

 

[Rhos Helyg Loco Works]

Lovely, and a pleasant change from 4472!

 

[hornbeam]

Think thats the key Tac. I like my steamers to run at low scale speeds Long as the track is in good nick should be no problems.

 

[Railfan]

We have been doing it like that since around 1898 or so. ...
tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/ < Link To www.ovgrs.org
RLGSS Member
G1MRA 3641

Tac, 1898? You're older than I thought! And even older than I am.

 

[Gizzy]

Just a few minor changes to make it the 'sweetest of runners'
Made absolutely sure that the loco was not leaking steam which meant stripping it down and putting in new caskets on all three cylinder assemblies.
Aso drilled out the rusty steel grub screws securing the centre cylinder block and replaced them with stainless ones. Whist at it. replaced the grub screws in outside cylinder valve chests as well with stainless ones.
Reassembled making sure that the smokebox was leak tight.
Please see the video of it's first run yesterday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJoCsd4NH-s

Very nice!

And I see all the snow has now gone there too....

 

[themole]

I can steam this, without any track! and it will pull me along! Markie Showmans Scenic 1/10th scale Alyn Click on the error picture for a picture.:wave:

 

[Moonraker]

.... You also see many 16mm locos looking a bit battered after taking tumbles off scenic tracks and I guess those who have such delicate Asters are a bit wary of having derailments with virtually unreplaceable trains costing close to £10,000...........

You struck a nerve with this comment. Yesterday I took my Roundhouse based steam railmotor to run on an elevated club track. All went well for ten minutes but then it decided to pretend to be an aeroplane and failed miserably. It landed on the ground half a metre down and I now have much some repair work to do. Thankfully, Roundhouse stuff is very robust so it was only my scratch built coach and cab which got smashed. Subsequent investigation suggests a combination of track subsidence, a slghtly dodgy track joint and a strong gust of wind.

But now I have a problem. Sitting in a box next to my desk is an Aster GWR Castle kit waiting to be started. I was planning to run it on the club track and at speed (how else would you run a Castle). I would hate to see yesterday's accident happen to it. Is the Castle condemned to a life on rollers?

Peter

 

[steamtom1]

Or run it on the center track of our club portable layout...


[align=center]

John Helmer photo
[/align]