Coal Fired Locos blower pipe alignment

[John Morgan]

Hi Group,

Attached are photos of an L shaped bracket I have constructed to keep the end of the blower pipe in the smoke box correctly aligned.
It seemed that how ever careful I am sweeping the tubes out and cleaning the oily deposits from the chimney I managed to move the end of the pipe out of alignment and you dont have to move it to much either!
Now the end of the pipe is in the correct position and will be far more difficult to knock out of alignment.
The photos should speak for themselves but any questions please ask.

John.

 

[400Parker]

Very clever John. I know an old sailor who has had a similar problem keeping it up (if you'll pardon the expression). The alternative is to look into the smokebox when you're cleaning out the tubes and make sure that you don't touch the blower pipe. It's even more important to make sure you don't knock the blast pipe around.
Steve

 

[tagorton]

He is a cheeky s*d that Steve Jackson..... However in the tradition of the problem with keeping it up, let me say that it has never happened before

 

[Rhos Helyg Loco Works]

John, you show the absolute best way of checking the blower pipe alignment should it be (or you think it has been) knocked out of place. Pump the boiler full of water until it has some pressure, then open the blower valve. The column of water should leave the blower pipe and exit the chimney top without touching the inside of the chimney in an uninterrupted flow, and as near to the centre of the chimney as possible. If it touches the inside of the chimney then it needs adjustment.

The DJB locos I have seen have the blastpipe and blower nozzles combined in to one fitting, so it is almost impossible for the blower to be moved.

John Shawe's locos have a removable nozzle in the blast pipe which is also used to hold the blower pipe in place, unless tube brushing gets very vigorous!

 

[tagorton]

John, you show the absolute best way of checking the blower pipe alignment should it be (or you think it has been) knocked out of place. Pump the boiler full of water until it has some pressure, then open the blower valve. The column of water should leave the blower pipe and exit the chimney top without touching the inside of the chimney in an uninterrupted flow, and as near to the centre of the chimney as possible. If it touches the inside of the chimney then it needs adjustment.

The DJB locos I have seen have the blastpipe and blower nozzles combined in to one fitting, so it is almost impossible for the blower to be moved.

John Shawe's locos have a removable nozzle in the blast pipe which is also used to hold the blower pipe in place, unless tube brushing gets very vigorous!

One of mine is like this but the Ragleth is a fairly simple bit of pipework. Seems to work very well however ? indeed we raised steam with little problem even though the blower was well out of place. I am considering a small mod to make sure that it does not happen again...