CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO

[cnr6400]

MiG - Good enough for Russian aircraft - good enough for drawbar brackets! .........er maybe aircraft ........       

(welds look great - just kidding re the MiG ref)

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks cnr6400 

I think you can describe my welding as functional, not pretty just welded.

Slow going at the moment so all I have done is fit the rear buffers. But here I met another problem. The buffers I made are drilled and tapped from the rear and fitted with 2 bolts through the beam. On the rear beam the lubricator is in the way on the left and the brake stand is in the way on the right. There is just enough room for me to drill each corner of the buffers. I then made up a drilling jig and drilled and tapped the beam M3



4 M3 studs fitted



The buffer now fits onto the studs



With 4 dome nuts



I'm busy working out transportation problems now. I have a gantry and hoist to lift it off the bench. I have a trolley to get it to the workshop door. I have a scissor lift to get it from the workshop and out onto the driveway. I now need something in the back of the car, a short length of track of some sort and something to connect the scissor lift to the car.

Cheers

Rich

[JC54]

Really enjoying your build and I am learning a lot thanks Rich. I have just built a trolley to move a 5" Metre Maid (bought not built by me) about in the workshop and transport it to the car. I fitted a lump of plywood in the back of the car with some track on it. I just roll the trolley to the back of the car and I have what I call a drawbridge that joins trolley to car. I made the trolley with just two wheels about a third of the way along its length and find this easier to position and of course when you lower the moving handle it sits there very stable. No need for brakes as on a 4 wheel trolley. Not sure if idea of any use, John

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks JC54 

Any chance you could post a couple of photos

Cheers

Rich

[JC54]

Sorry for the delay Rich, not in best of health at the moment but took a couple of pictures in the garage. Hope they are of help and give you some ideas. I just put drawbridge to shelf unit as housebound at moment. The loco is just as I bought to run at my local track (Melton Mowbray) and hopefully will be refurbished when I get my 2.5" Toby built and my Clayton Steam Wagon finished.  John

[Barneydog]

Hi John,
I get the idea of the two wheels. Rich has built his lift and trolley but I have yet to design and built mine. The problem I can see is if building a scissor lift trolley the two wheel design would need a fixed handle to allow the rear to be lifted to move it. Four wheel probably best in this case. Two swivel wheels and two fixed on an axle would give option to brake the axle.

Nice Metre Maid there mate. Let us know when you start steaming at melton again and we will try to come and see you. We are only down the road outside Leicester.

Jules

[JC54]

Many thanks for the comments Jules. The handle on my trolley is held in place with one pin, which makes it easily removable, saving space in the workshop. I toyed with the idea of a scissor table but needed something quick as Metre Maid was living in the back of my motor..  

[Firebird]

Hi

Got hold of some 1/2'' x  1/2'' square steel tube and started to make a transporting rail for the back of the car



Cheers

Rich

[ddmckee54]

Firebird:

Regarding the Hydro test of your grand-daughters loco.  Even if it does leak, I think it'll float just fine.  If it doesn't sink it passes the test right?

Don

[Jo]

Got hold of some 1/2'' x  1/2'' square steel tube and started to make a transporting rail for the back of the car

That looks very long  Rich have you considered how to strap the Loco down in the back of the car? (In case some idiot shunts your car up the rear and the Loco jumps forward    ) 

That leads on to other transportation questions:

• Do you have an estate type car with a flat loading area, or does it step down...
• Are you going to transport the Loco width wise or front/back.
• How are you thinking to prevent "tipping"
• Will you need to lift the Loco when getting it in/out?
• Will the tail gate get in the way when you try to get the Loco in and out...
  

I am sure you have thought of all of these but it always worth repeating them for others who might be thinking of making their own loco transportation frames.

Jo

[Roger B]

Excellent progress on both locomotives     

[Firebird]

Hi

Don, I think that was witchcraft

Thanks Roger 

Jo, advice is always welcome

We have an old hatchback car that we keep for shopping (keeps the dents off the new cars) and trips to the tip etc.

The track will go front to back and is approximately 63'' long. The rear seat splits 60/40 so I am just dropping the 40%. By doing it that way I can keep the other 2 seats in place, room for the grand kids.

The front of the track will be strapped to the folded down part of the seat. Then there are 2 floor fixings in the boot area for further fixing. The loco will be strapped down to the track. Further fixings will be decided upon if it becomes necessary.

The scissor lift I made will transport the loco out to the car. I am going to make a short bridge piece to wheel the loco from the scissor lift onto the track in the car. My plan is to be able to handle the loco on my own with ease.

The track is just above the level of the tail gate opening.

This is a quick photo of progress so far



Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

Still not much shed time  . I have done a little more on the track for the back of the car.

Another thing that is needed for a steam loco is a steam raising blower. Its a gadget that sits in the chimney and when turned on on sucks to create a draft when first firing the loco up. They are 12 volt. At our club there is a 12 volt supply on each steaming bay. They are commercially available at around £75.

Looking through my collection of bits that will come in handy one day I found all the parts needed to make one. Its a flu fan from a domestic central heating boiler. It has a metal fan and a motor on the exterior, ideal. The motor had to be removed to leave just the spindle. A 12 volt electric motor and belt fitted in its place. I have also fitted a motor speed controller so that I can select the ideal speed. They are easily available on ebay for about £3. A plate and a tapered cone from ally









A bit of video

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CPhuJ60mAc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CPhuJ60mAc</a>

Its a bit on the big side but hey it didn't cost £75

Cheers

Rich

[Roger B]

That's a nice use/reuse of materials at hand   

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks Roger

This is the bridge part that attaches to the scissor lift with one thumb screw. The three round bars sticking out of the ends push into the ends of the rails in the car.



Cheers

Rich