RMweb Gold farren Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) Good to see you some modelling again. I was wondering if I could pick your brains for a moment I have been reading a topic on another site. It's to do with a topic I expect you should be very knowledgeable on. The GWR Castle. It comes down to what the elongated casting on the side of the smoke box Is. And for my self after looking at some photos it seems to be on ether side or not depending on the photo. So what is it and what does it do? I did think it was a steam lance/cover. Edited April 17, 2015 by farren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 Good to see you some modelling again. I was wondering if I could pick your brains for a moment I have been reading a topic on another site. It's to do with a topic I expect you should be very knowledgeable on. The GWR Castle. It comes down to what the elongated casting on the side of the smoke box Is. And for my self after looking at some photos it seems to be on ether side or not depending on the photo. So what is it and what does it do? I did think it was a steam lance/cover. It covers oil pipes where they emerge from under the boiler cladding and pass into the smokebox. The size of the cover varied according to various factors such as level of superheat and type of lubrication. The lance cock is on the front of the smokebox, about seven o'clock position as viewed from the front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzler Fan Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) +Thank you Castle for your assistance from the 1:1 prototypes picture survey at Didcot.You have indeed now brought all the variations of the Pollen E's to life as finished models. It has been a long and expensive exercise to get it right, but well worth while on a project over 5 years.The synergy for success, was an expanding library, finding an excellent CAD draftsman, meeting you, and the advent of commercially available 3D printing services.With the introduction of Shapeway's FXD, I am now reviewing my attempt at producing the SDJR 25a "Dazzler" in progress for 3 years!The Sheave Wheels can also now be available at 15' diam for N Gauge. Noel Edited April 17, 2015 by Dazzler Fan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thanks for that. Would the oil pipes be for feeding the oil to the cylinders by the steam chest? As it would be hot following the route next to the boiler 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Hi Farren and Mike, Absolutely what Mike said! The pipes from the lubricator in the cab travel under the boiler cladding until near the smokebox. They then curve upwards in a sort of 'S' bend until they can clear the outside of the smokebox and enter the smokebox via a 90 degree union. If you think about it, if you want to hide the pipe, it has to be done like this. The pressure vessel part of the boiler is actually a smaller diameter than the smokebox and it is the lagging and the cladding that make them look the same at the smokebox end. If the engine has just one cover on the driver's side then it is an early loco fitted with the 3 glass hydrostatic displacement lubricator, if there is a second smaller one on the fireman's side it has the 5 glass version. Basically, each sight glass has a pipe to the front end coming off it. There are a few anomalies in this and there are two different types of mechanical lubricator to deal with too but that is about the long and the short of it. What they are most certainly NOT is a superheater cover. This is a common misconception. The superheater header in even a 2 row castle is an absolutely massive casting that is almost a wide as the boilers diameter, is about 9" - 12" square in profile and has 14 superheater elements coming off it going back down the flue tube in the boiler! It won't fit under the little cover... If you look at the 3 row or 4 row ones in Thornbury / Clun or Edgecumbe respectively, they are even bigger! The lance cock is the little tap on the smokebox as Mike said and we found an interesting one in the society stores the other day. We thought it was the one for No. 4144 but when we bolted it up we found it jutted out at a silly angle. It was only when the head boilersmith turned up and said 'that's an early Churchward one' that we realised our mistake. On some early locos it's on the other side so this fitting must be quite rare. Needless to say its now been put away somewhere safe! I hope this is of help and interest! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thanks for that. Would the oil pipes be for feeding the oil to the cylinders by the steam chest? As it would be hot following the route next to the boiler Yes it would - the regulator, valves and cylinders! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thanks for the kind words Noel - I have a transfer or two and some weathering , packing wood and chains to go yet but we are getting there! They are essentially running. I had to do something called 'sorting out the garden' today though... I didn't like it much! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 Sorry for being a pain. One last question would the boilers get swooped around like the lms did. or did the boilers have to stay with the same type of locomotive. Ie early late. even in BR times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) Hi Farren, You aren't being a pain - it's nice to talk to somebody who is interested and I'm sure everyone else here will say the same! The Castle boiler was the standard No. 8 and it was unique to the class but as there were over 170 of them it really wasn't a stretch to call it a standard unit. They were swapped about within the class. There were actually more boilers than locomotives so that there was always an available overhauled unit to go in the frames of the next finished Castle out of Swindon. I hope this helps! All the best, Castle Edited April 17, 2015 by Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 Ok just to get this straight in my head would the early boilers with the 3 glass hydrostatic displacement lubricators been faded out then. Or did the GWR keep building the older boiler versions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) The lubricator is a removable thing. The most common type of Castle boiler was the 2 row superheater version (the same as No. 4079 has). She was built with the 3 glass lubricator but was later modified to the 5 glass type. The boiler is the same, the only difference would be to drill and extra hole or two in the smokebox to allow the extra lubricator pipes through. The 3 glass types were phased out fairly early on. All the best, Castle Edited April 17, 2015 by Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted April 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2015 I see makes sense now. Cheers Mr castle look forward to your progress on your models and off course 4079. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Book launch, Castle work, 4144 steaming and work on model items-my goodness I HAVE been gone a while! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I'm on the scrounge again if your able to help, this time it's GWR buffer stops, the plan is to have these 3D printed again in 7mm but these could also probably be done in 4 mm as well. Pannier 16 has a good drawing of these. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Hi All, The rush for the Gala Weekend! I went to Didcot after work and another test of No. 4144 was done to satisfy ourselves that everything was good to go. I am happy to report that everything went very well and despite a few very small snagging points (mainly the odd small leak from cab fittings which are easily sorted) we are now happy with the mechanical side of the machine. We also did a bit of re-fenestration... We put the cab windows back in! My friend is now going to put a bit more paint on tomorrow and we have a number of mostly small bits and pieces to put back on and the sliding cab shutters are by far the biggest of these but the paint was still a little bit wet so they stayed in the workshop until Friday. After work I will be joining my gang and we will work until the engine is ready to go and light her warming fire before finding a corner somewhere to fall asleep in until launch day on Saturday! There isn't a great deal more to do to be honest but we want to go over her one last time to make absolutely sure. We will be launching No. 4144 on Saturday at 12:00hrs next to the turntable so if you can make it, please come and say hello! This is part of the May Gala commemorating the closure of Didcot Shed 50 years ago and we will be welcoming visitng locomotives No. 1501 and No. 1450. No. 3650 will be doing shunting demonstrations in the yard and the signalling system on the branch line will be in operation. The Swindon Panel Society are in attendance with a very interesting display and the Black Python real ale bar will be open to fund the restoration of No. 7202 and provide thier very unique form of lubrication... Early visitors on the Saturday might well get a pre-launch glimpse of a certain Prairie on a freight train too... All the best, Castle 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold sjrixon Posted April 30, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2015 Hope it all goes well.. In typical UK weather fashion it does look like this nice weather is going to break and we will see some rain over the bank holiday weekend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 ....we will be welcoming visitng locomotives No. 1501 ..... Any chance of some close-up pics of 1501? I'm particularly after anything in the cab, plus piston valve guides and the expansion link/die-block setup. Cheers! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted April 30, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 30, 2015 (edited) Hi Castle. Hope all goes fantastically well this weekend. We're exhibiting this weekend otherwise we'd be there, too. I'd also be delighted to see a pic or two of 1501. It was up against the shed heavily shaded by something else when we last visited the SVR. But 1450 looked and sounded splendid up at Llangollen for the Steel Steam and Stars IV so really worth going to see - an insight into how 1466 will be in the not too distant future? Have a good weekend, all. PS Hope we'll get some news from Little Didcot soon. Edit typo! Edited April 30, 2015 by southern42 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Was that 4144 parked next to the Railmotor shed this morning? I caught a tantalising glimpse from platform 5 while waiting for the 07:10 from Hereford this morning. Lovely way to start the day - looking forward to the weekend launch! David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium blackpete Posted May 1, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 1, 2015 Regarding 4144 repainted in FGW livery, I recently found this on a website: www.fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?S4566_fGW.jpg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Hi All, Thanks for the support for No. 4144s launch everyone! SJRixon: I hope the weather holds - any weather gods reading Little Didcot please take note... Horse: I will be going for a ride on the 15XX and I will have my phone on me so we will see! Polly: Thanks for that! Let's hope No. 1466 is taking notes... DavidB: No - No. 4144 is tucked away from picture taking persons in the locomotive shed right now. The black thing you can see is No. 5227. This is not nearly in as nice a condition as the large prairie on account of the fact it's a Barry wreck! Well spotted though! Blackpete: Thanks for that - that picture is both very well done and completely hideous at the same time! Coming soon: All the best, Castle 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted May 1, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 1, 2015 Good to see 4144 in steam. And always a pleasure to read what's going on at big Didcot. But no news on what must be one of the most important items at Didcot 4079. And do you know what if any work is being done or planed for 5227? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) ....Horse: I will be going for a ride on the 15XX and I will have my phone on me so we will see!..... Many thanks - I do hope so! ..... what if any work is being done or planned for 5227? I thought 5227 was being kept in its scrap condition to illustrate the start point of many resto projects. In any event, it has given up quite a lot of parts to other engines, namely the "new" 47xx......and its condition will no doubt keep on deteriorating authentically! Edited May 1, 2015 by Horsetan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Zero Gravitas Posted May 1, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 1, 2015 Just got back from my evening run - I was overtaken by 1501* as I went along the path by the railway on the Ladygrove estate. That engine looks really smart in that black livery! Best Regards, ZG. * This does not imply that 1501 was travelling at any great speed - rather that I wasn't. In fact, I once got overtaken by a powerwalker on the same stretch of path... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newling Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Castle, Can you do me a favour please. I am fitting an Brassmaster's Easichas conversion to my 72XX and have noticed that, alone amongst the pony truck fitted classes, the front vacuum pipe on the 42/72 tanks drops straight down from the buffer beam before bending back to pass through the pony truck. This is very noticable in any picture taken from the front but I cannot see why nor where the pipe run goes subsequently. Can you have a look for me and offer advice? Sorry to ask and please ignore the request if it is a burden, I would quite understand. Nigel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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