Help with a Little Husky ....... I think?

[Jasonb]

I meant that any remaining steam that did not come out the exhaust may still carry on condensing to a small degree as the piston is going back up. Eventually it will end up being compressed.

The slot is more to stop the piston rotating than coming out the top as the spring below takes care of that and keeps the tappet on the cam. I could not really see how the holes /slot connected from the earlier photos. But looks like the top drilling and then the one towards the cylinder keep a passage open once the valve has covered the inlet thus allowing trapped air /steam out via the head.

These engines don't work quite so well on compressed air due to the lack of expansion but if linked to a flash steam boiler can break records, this is one being tested



There were a few steam cars, this one went for the record



Multi cylinders of a uniflow type design

[PaulR]

does testing usually involve burning down shrubs and a garden shed? 

[Jasonb]

Maybe that is why they usually run them on a pond

[Charles Lamont]

I meant that any remaining steam that did not come out the exhaust may still carry on condensing to a small degree as the piston is going back up. <...>

Perhaps on starting up, but once the cylinder is hot, it doesn't. Condensation is caused by the inlet steam touching the lower temperature cylinder walls. As expansion takes place, and particularly as the exhaust opens, the pressure and boiling point drop and the now relatively hotter cylinder walls cause the condensate to 'flash' back to steam. This is what gives full size wet steamers (ie not superheated) like GWR pannier tank locos their distinctive bark. 

[Sanjay F]

Lots of words better described by a conceptual indicator diagram.  If you are interested, I will try and produce some diagrams to illustrate what it all means.

But most important, your engine is a runner.  Hooray!

MJM460

Thank you so much for another explaination; it never ceases to amaze me how much collective knowledge there is in the forum. A picture says a thousand words, and if and when you have the time I would gratefully like to view your diagrams .....thank you ............everyone! 

P.S. that picture of the engine test put a smile on my face