Preparing my steam loco, a 5" gauge Simplex design, for steaming and an afternoon of running. It's an engine I built some years ago and named after my mum 'Joan'.
excellent...we are building a 5" garden railway with an electric loco and a long rebuild on a French steam loco. thank you for keeping the passion going.
Hi Johnathan, Finding these video's very helpful as I have just purchased a just built and boiler tested Simplex. Its my first foray into the world of steam loco ownership and am delighted to find such interesting videos that you have done. Cheers Brian,Melbourne
all so important to avoid costly repairs/replacements, I remember the film THE TRAIN, they shot the driver, he put a coin in the oil feed box, burnt out a main bearing.
Hi, it'll not be to long before I start more videos. I'm back at my editing station after quite a long break rebuilding my new house. The Simplex I probably run every couple of months depending how much time i have. My gas mechanical has far more outings.
@@jonathanguilbert8658 I have multiple steam engines and I run each at least once a week I think you need to make use of the boiler ticket as from my experience a new one isn’t cheap
@@thevioletvalleyrailway346 Hi, I've not found my boiler ticket to be expensive only cost me membership of my local club and a boiler test is included.
Where I am my engine has to have one every 10 years. I don’t run at a club but every so often I’m called whether the engines boiler ticket is valid. To get it tested can take up to half a year as along to the boiler other things are found around the engine that need attending to. Just the boiler ticket can cost up to 500€. Not including the other repairs
It's rapeseed oil I add not grape seed. It was suggested by Keith Appleton another TH-camr. The rapeseed oil has a long chain molecule that helps to maintain an oil film under pressure. I use thick gear box oil and add a little rapeseed. I don't use automotive engine oil it's too thin, has strange additives and pumped continually under pressure to car bearings. On steam locos we need oil that'll stick to bearings and stay there for a while.
That's very interesting. I will have to look into it. I have always used a supply of oil I have on hand that was purchased many years ago from Sulphur Springs Steam Models but they are now out of business. Their oil was not an automotive oil either but a blended oil with anti-wear agents and oil stabilizers. They say it has a viscosity of ISO VG32 and a SUS of 153 at 100 degrees F. Does this look to be an oil with similar properties to your blend of rapeseed and gear oil? I enjoy watching you build and steam your loco's. Thanks for posting them.
Rape seed oil seems to be difficult to get in US. I got mine through Amazon from UK. I've found buying oil from model suppliers expensive so I get the gear oils from Walmart for a few dollars. See my other video: th-cam.com/video/PJGQ1jKTCYw/w-d-xo.html at 4.50 minutes for details. The most important thing is to oil regularly while you're running. The engines do a lot of hard work and the oil gets thrown off.
The heavy gearbox oil I get from Walmart in the US - Super Tech 80W-90 High Performance Gear Oil. Lots of guys use light weight oil like engine oil it's not as good. I even use this heavy oil on my small engines because it sticks and doesn't break down under pressure. The rapeseed is a long chain molecule and just helps the oil stick even better. Don't think you can get it in the US, I got mine shipped from UK through Amazon. But don't sweat the rapeseed oil if it's difficult. It's just a little cream on the cake.
Have bought both these and works well. But not the rapeseed oil as awkward to get right amount not loads. Is a smear of the lube stuff good on the rods and slide etc?
Hi Matt, got it from a scrap yard, cost very little. It's 20 feet length of hot rolled steel bar 5/16" x 1" section slotted in pressure treated 2' x 4''s. Works really well.
excellent...we are building a 5" garden railway with an electric loco and a long rebuild on a French steam loco. thank you for keeping the passion going.
Hi Johnathan, Finding these video's very helpful as I have just purchased a just built and boiler tested Simplex. Its my first foray into the world of steam loco ownership and am delighted to find such interesting videos that you have done. Cheers Brian,Melbourne
all so important to avoid costly repairs/replacements, I remember the film THE TRAIN, they shot the driver, he put a coin in the oil feed box, burnt out a main bearing.
You could put a traverser in your train room to make it easier
Great video! love the paperclip idea! might try it with my Minnie :)
What a lovely engine! One thing that is an excellent degreaser is coca cola. The British Army use it to degrease engines.
Never heard that before.
I bet you're glad it's not 7 1/4" gauge!
Great video!!! Hope your good I even got my loco out in the nice weather !!!
I did get the loco steaming, thanks. I'll be putting part 2 up tomorrow.
Well done! Now your Thomas looks splendid!
Thanks, and stay tuned there's much more to come.
You don’t happen to have the paint ral code for the lovely blue on the loco?
Hi Richard, the paint is Caledonian Railways Royal Blue. Here's a link to Phoenix Paints: www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/products/caledonian
@@GandyDancerProductions thank you so much
Right ok thamks for info. Where do you recommend I get 3.5 gauge track? Are Maidstone steam good for that?
If I may ask 1. How much longer is it until the next video.
2. How often did you run your simplex.
Hi, it'll not be to long before I start more videos. I'm back at my editing station after quite a long break rebuilding my new house. The Simplex I probably run every couple of months depending how much time i have. My gas mechanical has far more outings.
@@jonathanguilbert8658 I have multiple steam engines and I run each at least once a week I think you need to make use of the boiler ticket as from my experience a new one isn’t cheap
@@thevioletvalleyrailway346 Hi, I've not found my boiler ticket to be expensive only cost me membership of my local club and a boiler test is included.
Where I am my engine has to have one every 10 years. I don’t run at a club but every so often I’m called whether the engines boiler ticket is valid. To get it tested can take up to half a year as along to the boiler other things are found around the engine that need attending to. Just the boiler ticket can cost up to 500€. Not including the other repairs
I found both the gear oil 80-90 and the rapeseed oil on Amazon. Are these ok?
I have heard you say that you use Grape seed oil for the motion work. Why do you use it instead of automotive type oil?
It's rapeseed oil I add not grape seed. It was suggested by Keith Appleton another TH-camr. The rapeseed oil has a long chain molecule that helps to maintain an oil film under pressure. I use thick gear box oil and add a little rapeseed. I don't use automotive engine oil it's too thin, has strange additives and pumped continually under pressure to car bearings. On steam locos we need oil that'll stick to bearings and stay there for a while.
That's very interesting. I will have to look into it.
I have always used a supply of oil I have on hand that was purchased many years ago from Sulphur Springs Steam Models but they are now out of business. Their oil was not an automotive oil either but a blended oil with anti-wear agents and oil stabilizers. They say it has a viscosity of ISO VG32 and a SUS of 153 at 100 degrees F.
Does this look to be an oil with similar properties to your blend of rapeseed and gear oil?
I enjoy watching you build and steam your loco's. Thanks for posting them.
Rape seed oil seems to be difficult to get in US. I got mine through Amazon from UK. I've found buying oil from model suppliers expensive so I get the gear oils from Walmart for a few dollars. See my other video: th-cam.com/video/PJGQ1jKTCYw/w-d-xo.html at 4.50 minutes for details. The most important thing is to oil regularly while you're running. The engines do a lot of hard work and the oil gets thrown off.
Thank you for the information. Your model work is really excellent!
I'm pleased I could help. Thanks for the comments.
Your blue train looks like an E2 class Tank Engine
It probably is
Where do you get that super lube oil from?
The heavy gearbox oil I get from Walmart in the US - Super Tech 80W-90 High Performance Gear Oil. Lots of guys use light weight oil like engine oil it's not as good. I even use this heavy oil on my small engines because it sticks and doesn't break down under pressure. The rapeseed is a long chain molecule and just helps the oil stick even better. Don't think you can get it in the US, I got mine shipped from UK through Amazon. But don't sweat the rapeseed oil if it's difficult. It's just a little cream on the cake.
Have bought both these and works well. But not the rapeseed oil as awkward to get right amount not loads. Is a smear of the lube stuff good on the rods and slide etc?
Where did you get your track from?
Hi Matt, got it from a scrap yard, cost very little. It's 20 feet length of hot rolled steel bar 5/16" x 1" section slotted in pressure treated 2' x 4''s. Works really well.