1.
Oil around the chassis using
a syringe type oiler with a fine needle fitted – 3 in 1 oil is fine.
2.
Drain off lubricator and
refill with steam oil if you didn’t do it last time you ran.
3.
Fill tender with water to
just below the by-pass return pipe.
4.
Close by-pass lever [down to
close], open regulator and blower and using pump handle in tender hand pump,
fill boiler to 2/3rds. full. This will avoid possible priming when up to full
steam pressure.
Note: Priming occurs when a boiler is over-filled either using the hand
pump or if the by-pass is left closed too long when running. You will be aware
of it because if running, the engine may suddenly accelerate and start to throw
water out of the chimney and safety valve. Stop the loco immediately and open
the blow-down valve on the bottom of the water sight glass allowing water out of
the boiler until level is 2/3rds. full again. Be careful not to scald your
hand!
5.
Close blower and regulator
and open by-pass valve.
6.
Make sure meths tank tap is
closed and fill meths tank.
7.
Place electric fan and plug
in chimney, open meths tap one turn and start fan.
8.
Using a gas torch, light the
burner.
Note: If access to the under side of burner is difficult, a small twist
of wick material on the end of a piece of wire is dipped in meths and ignited
and the burning wick end inserted under the burner.
9.
Watch pressure gauge until it
shows 2 BAR and then open the blower a small amount and remove electric fan and
chimney plug.
10.
At 3.5 BAR approx. the safety valve
will blow off. If it hasn’t done so lift both s/v spindles with a small pair of
needle nosed pliers. They very occasionally stick a bit particularly if you
haven’t run for some time and should be routinely checked using this method
before every run. Almost close the blower but keep enough selected to retain the
draft on the burner until the regulator is opened.
11.
Open the cylinder drain cocks [if
fitted] by pushing the button lever on either side under the boiler backwards
[9F]. Open the regulator slightly and steam will be seen to issue from the drain
cocks under both cylinders. Move the loco forward two or three feet and water
will be seen to be expelled [this will need to be repeated several times for
non-drain cock fitted locos]. Close the regulator and stop when you are only
getting steam out and close the button lever fully.
12.
You are now ready to go. I
recommend a quick circuit of the track once to warm through the cylinders before
backing on to your load.
13.
Attach your load and when you
have the OK to proceed, open the regulator slowly closing the blower as you
accelerate away. With a light load you may find it necessary to keep a little
blower going to keep the draft up.
14.
From now on driving is a question
of balancing water consumption [steam usage] with water supply via the axle
pump. Remember that the by-pass is open still so keep a watch on the water level
in the sight glass and when you see it drop to half a glass almost close the
by-pass valve. Watch the water level in the sight glass and see what happens.
Take appropriate action by closing if water still dropping in the glass, opening
more if it rises too far to avoid priming.
15.
Try and remember to maintain a
scale speed depending on the load. A freight train, even fitted [braked] was
usually driven at slower than 50 mph. An express was rather quicker but in the
case of the 9F never more than 90 mph and then only recorded at that once!
16.
Keep your eye on the water level in
the tender and don’t let the level get below 1/8 inch from the bottom. If you
do, the axle pump will start to suck in air and pumping will stop. If this
occurs you should stop the train and after closing the by-pass fully, give the
hand pump a few strokes to re-prime the water system. Try and fill the tender to
a level a little below the by-pass return pipe so that you can see how much is
being pumped and by-passed back to the tender.
17.
When you have had enough or you run
out of meths bring the train to a halt prototypically. DON’T slam the regulator
shut but close it slowly. If you stop the engine too quickly you will notice a
roar from the chimney. The water surges forward in the boiler and may well start
priming with water shooting out of the chimney. Sometimes there can also be a
meths surge which should be avoided where ever possible as a track fire may
result.
18.
If you have finished your run turn
off the meths tap even if the meths has all gone [good discipline]. Make sure
the sight glass water level is sufficient to allow for the cooling down period
and open the blower a bit. Keep an eye on the engine as it cools and when the
blower goes quiet – pressure below 1 BAR, open the regulator to avoid it
seizing.
19.
When it’s cool and pressure at zero
drain off residue in oil tank using a syringe and refill with steam oil. Drain
off the water in the tender and wipe the engine down with a cotton cloth.
