Sabre Steam Annette as Overhauled and with Short Blast Pipe

[400Parker]

The trouble with coal firing, Gareth, is that it can be addictive and it tends to make everything else seem dull in comparison!
If you're thinking of dipping your toe in the water the best way to start (IMHO) is to get hold of a second hand Edrig (or a brand new Ragleth at the other extreme) and a conversion kit from DJB Engineering and put them together. You'll end up with a delightful loco, an in-depth understanding of coal fired locos, and lots of advice if you have any problems (Tag Gorton is a huge fan of coal fired Edrigs and Ragleths) as you'll have seen from this part of the forum.
Even if they don't pop up very often some of the most respected coal firers lurk on this forum. Or you could build your own like Dan (LlongfordRailway) is doing.
Go for it!
Steve

 

[3Valve]

See you're just making it even more tempting now

 

[whatlep]

See you're just making it even more tempting now

Feel the force Gareth: you know you want to......

 

[tagorton]

See you're just making it even more tempting now

Well you know ? I like them (nearly) all. I do think however, that purchase from a supplier that has supplied coal fired steam and has been in the hobby for a long time is a prerequisite for avoiding tears at bedtime. I do, as Steve says, particularly like the Ragleth versions ? and this is because you can get a pedigree 0-4-0 steamer for 4 or 5 hundred squid less than a Roundhouse based one. Although I also have one of these I am extremely pleased with. It did however, cost me 3,500 sovs. My RTR Ragleth came with automatic working draincocks and steam whistle cost half that ? and it is the one I use the most. My original Edrig (also with whistle and draincocks) is also a delight to run. It has had quite a few years heavy use and the running gear (in terms of wear) seems no different to that of Ragleth. I did however, purchase spare running gear from trackshack because, when I eventually sell, I want my locos to be fully serviced and re-fitted.

The main thrust of my post however, is that one needs to take advice and purchase from a respected (by other coal-firers) supplier. One can buy a superb commissioned and purpose crafted individual locomotive from the likes of the two Johns (Campbell or Brittain) or, at the other end of the coal-firing scale, one can purchase a coal firing kit from DJB Engineering ? or indeed one can purchase a Ragleth RTR (if you supply the loco to DJB). All are wholly excellent ? as is my Shawe locomotive and the ELR Roundhouse based models. All will provide a lot of pleasure ? but all require a bit of a learning curve in terms of running and regular maintenance and cleaning. Same goes for your car doesn't it. Ya gotta put air in the tyres and top up your windscreen wiper bottle.

There is no reason to be afraid of coal-firing ? it is, after all, easier to learn than driving a car and it certainly has expanded my running pleasure.

One does not have to choose solely by price (after all a now defunct company whose name we won't mention was significantly more expensive than my Ragleth but never came near it in terms of quality) but it does pay to ask others that have gone down this route ? however much you want to pay.

 

[3Valve]

Thanks for your input Tag, as always very informative and very useful. As it happens I've been looking at the DJB Ragleth this afternoon. Certainly something to aspire to methinks.

Same goes for your car doesn't it. Ya gotta put air in the tyres and top up your windscreen wiper bottle.

Not if you're the current Mrs Cook you dont.

 

[mmts]

Not if you're the current Mrs Cook you dont.

Let just hope the "current" Mrs Cook get wind of this message!!!!

 

[John Morgan]

And I could not agree more with these comments! I have just finished a coal fired Edrig conversion and its a good way of learning how the loco works. DJB to a great conversion and once built the loco is a treat to operate. Gas firing is now a bit boring compared to coal. Coal keeps you on your feet keeping a living breathing machine in steam is a challenge but so satisfying once you get the hang of it.

John.

The trouble with coal firing, Gareth, is that it can be addictive and it tends to make everything else seem dull in comparison!
If you're thinking of dipping your toe in the water the best way to start (IMHO) is to get hold of a second hand Edrig (or a brand new Ragleth at the other extreme) and a conversion kit from DJB Engineering and put them together. You'll end up with a delightful loco, an in-depth understanding of coal fired locos, and lots of advice if you have any problems (Tag Gorton is a huge fan of coal fired Edrigs and Ragleths) as you'll have seen from this part of the forum.
Even if they don't pop up very often some of the most respected coal firers lurk on this forum. Or you could build your own like Dan (LlongfordRailway) is doing.
Go for it!
Steve

 

[tagorton]

We had a parade of the Dartmoor Irregulars today under the command of Major Ted Dixon. It was absolutely persisting down here in the South West and so we ran on the indoor line and I had a thoroughly good time. Took my 'Ragleth' along and she performed impeccably, with a run of an hour and a half, and on completion returning my train to a siding and then going back on shed to drop the fire. These really are nicely balanced little beasts and, once I had a deep fire, I was attending to the loco around every 10/15 minutes. I never even bother these days to put the blower on when I stop because after I have filled the tanks and topped up the fire, I still have plenty of steam in the boiler. The only thing I do need to keep a weather eye on is the water gauge ? although that is not important as it was because I can recognise when the loco is getting a bit water bound and so just open the bypass.

Over the next few runs I will try to get a comfortable 'cracking' of the bypass valve so that I keep the water level generally in the same area. Also I do try to run without wasting steam ? except my leaky draincocks. In fact it is the work of a few moments to stop these leaking but, in all honesty it does not use much steam and I do like the effect of slightly leaky cocks (Ooh Missus!).

I have to say I am so delighted with this little beast from DJB ? it is a pleasure to run AND clean. The use of non ferrous metal throughout makes proper cleaning and degreasing very easy with spray degreaser and the garden hose on jet ? although I have to say one should be careful with the DJB crosshead fitting for the pump ? which is NOT stainless steel. This is easy to sort because after its wash down I use the little red tube on a WD40 can to disperse the water around the crosshead. One must be precise here ? we don't want WD 40 on the piston rod where it comes into contact with the 0 ring.

The loco is currently drying in the breeze before re-oiling and final cleaning ? much more enjoyable than watching bl00dy 'Casualty' on TV!

Yours Aye

Tag

 

[taperpin]

Steve, that drawing is fine... the way to do thew holes is , drill through the finished size from the top , turn the grate over and use a countersink, to undercut abouthalf the depth.easy.

Gordon.

 

[400Parker]

Thanks Gordon. Obvious really, but I never had the definitive explanation from you before.
BTW Tag, although your loco may have a good head of steam in the boiler when it stops, without a draught pulling the fire it will gradually die. Don't hang around too long without the blower on otherwise when you set off your good head of steam will suddenly disappear and you'll be left with nothing to draw the fire. That said, DJB locos are very forgiving and it doesn't take much to get the fire going again and get pressure back up. My 'George Lawley' can start off at the bottom of my 75ft long 3% gradient with 20psi on the gauge and be blowing off when it gets to the top. Very impressive!
Steve

 

[tagorton]

Thanks Gordon. Obvious really, but I never had the definitive explanation from you before.
BTW Tag, although your loco may have a good head of steam in the boiler when it stops, without a draught pulling the fire it will gradually die. Don't hang around too long without the blower on otherwise when you set off your good head of steam will suddenly disappear and you'll be left with nothing to draw the fire. That said, DJB locos are very forgiving and it doesn't take much to get the fire going again and get pressure back up. My 'George Lawley' can start off at the bottom of my 75ft long 3% gradient with 20psi on the gauge and be blowing off when it gets to the top. Very impressive!
Steve

I know. if I stop for any length of time I put my blower on. Of course the state of the fire is also important. if one did this in the first 20mins of a run one would be likely to lose the fire because there has not been time to form a really deep fire. They are very flexible locomotives certainly...