Coles C611 Horizontal Centre throw Steam engine

[Jo]

Yesterday as some of you may have seen my little friend went exploring at the MEM show as was caught red footed bringing back a box. Closer inspection and discussions (after he had been given a snicker bar or two) revealed it contained a set of castings for a Horizontal Steam engine.

At this point I feel the need to have a whinge: normally the company who supplied these castings are honest but the photograph they posted to sell these castings hid what was very obvious defects I will not have problem sorting them out but others might have so this sort of thing is not on  The company who sold these castings did not know what they were for or have any drawings for it but a bit of tracking down proved they are for the Coles C-611 Horizontal Centre throw Steam engine. This engine is about the same size as the Stuart No 9 but a bit plain.

Lets talk casting issues/faults: It looks like Coles failed to send out two of the main crankshaft bearings, instead they sent out what I suspect is two crossheads  The piston is missing - the Coles description mention one aluminium casting so I am assuming this should be it. And then we come to features in the castings that mean they should have never left Coles in the first place and that the company who sold these to Surus should have been honest about 

• The Steam chest casting looks like a piece of Swiss Cheese: this can be filled with JB Weld 
• The Crankshaft balance weight has had a loose part of the pattern slip during casting but Coles still sent it out: this will require cutting out and replacing with another piece of bronze but it will always be noticeable unless those bits are painted 

I've promised to repair these before they are put into the casting cupboard - there is nothing worse than getting out a set of castings and finding problems with them 

We have no drawings for this model: the best I have found is a partial view on an Ebay advert that corrected a wrong assumption I had from looking at the original Coles sketch of this engine. If anyone has any more information it would be greatly appreciated.

Jo

[Jo]

The steam chest has been filled with JB Weld. I am assuming the surface will be milled flat later.

I have inserted a replacement piece of bronze onto the balance weights and cleaned it up sufficiently that it can be machined to size with the other later - once the size is worked out.

The missing main bearing was more of a problem: Trying to make a second up was always going to result in an engine with different coloured main bearings  Instead I have chosen to find two new pieces of bronze from which to make the main bearings. Once I know the dimensions of the two bosses I will silver solder those into place on either side of the main bearings 

I have added a spare cast crankshaft to the set: This is off a Stuart No 4 Vertical Steam Engine but I have no use for it and machining a crankshaft out of solid is something different to do 

The set is now ready for the casting cupboard, while I attempt to put together some drawings. Does anyone have any more clues of the original Coles design?

Jo

[Jasonb]

Piccy

[Jo]

That's the Beastie 

What I need is more information about it 

Jo