Another Bowman 140 restoration

RocDoc · Another Bowman 140 restoration

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a really nice Christmas, Boxing day ... food, wine ... being merry and all that.
I was playing with my pop-pop boat on Boxing day ... but that is a different story.

(To the tune of Cliff Richard's Living Doll) ... Got myself a walking talking steaming hissing living Bowman ...

Won this M140 on Ebay for a bargin I reckon. She is in pretty good shape with lots of original paintwork.
Logo is pretty intact. No chimney or burner and the valve in definitly non-Bowman (easily replaced). Other points are
the excess solder round the steam dome (she must have had a chimney at one time) and a kinked steam pipe.

My first thoughts are to do the minimum required to get it back into full working order again ... good clean and polish,
no painting unless absolutely necessary, remove the excess solder and possibly replace the steam pipe.
Here are some photos for you to drool over ...

Happy New Year

Pete

Mamodman123

Thats a cracker

To remove the solder I would firstly clamp it on to the engine and make sure it can't fall off, because they are only soldered on. Secondly apply some heat till you see the solder melt. Then wipe away the excess solder with some wire wool, repeat till the solder is flat to the boiler then remove it with some fine emery paper, finally polish the scratches out with brasso.

MM

Atticman

Well done Pete a Bowman Stationary at last

Its a beauty, hope the SV works, looked more like a thumbscrew on ebay,

That will come up great- theres threads on chimney and burner fabrication here, look easy but not sure that I would make as good a job.

The kink in pipe may not be a problem, will post a pic of German engine with kinked pipe sometime, which Dad assures me was there from new in 1930- it works fine

RocDoc

James

That looks terrific Pete!

You're from Lincolnshire, so I have all confidence that you'll make her a cracker

Steve_S

That's great Pete, and it'll clean up a treat! Personally I'd probably replace the steam pipe, though it isn't badly kinked and it'd be worth trying to straighten it by finger pressure first. Chimneys and burners can both be made. ( I don't know if you've seen my efforts in that direction but they're in the library area of the forum, and on Odilon's website.) I'm sure you'll be pleased with this engine... they're great runners!

Cranko

Very nice piece , I'm sure it will clean up well

Wallace

That's a lovely looking engine.

Looking forward to the clean up pics

IndianaRog

Pete, you can't go wrong restoring a Bowman, they are made very well and deserve being brought back to life. Bet you have it shining and running in under a month!!

RocDoc

Minor1PJG

That looks really special - a great buy

Atticman

Hi Pete not the best pic but here is the dented pipe pic from Dads old marklin, he assures me its as it was when he got it new, and has run fine ever since.

I am sure that some people have the skill to renew the pipe- I think its Steve-S who is an absolute wiz with pipe renewal, from his pics I cant tell if they are new or not- amazing.

But having given a bit of thought I reckon that given the exit point of the pipe is so tiny- ie the inlet hole to the cylinder the pipe, bent as it is wont actually cause any probs to its running ability.

Certainly I wouldnt think its dangerous giving it a try with an SV that works.

On the other hand considering the end result of your seahawk resto..........

RocDoc

Hi everyone,

Some progress on the 140. Here are a couple of photos showing a cleaned up base plate and
the rather shiny boiler (without the excess solder round the steam dome).

The clean up did reveal some cracks in the solder at the base of the dome which will have to be fixed.

Given that the logo is virtually intact, I'll just treat the base plate for rust and probably give it a coat of clear varnish.

Next stop, the engine and firebox.

Steve_S

It's looking good Pete. The solder round the steam dome can easily be re-done.

Mamodman123

Looking good so far!

The decal has survived well!

Sandman

Keep up the good work.

Cranko

Looking Good

How many bowman models have the pressure tube emerging from the side of the boiler , I haven't noticed this before

Steve_S

Just the M122 and the M140, the twin cylinder engines. The steam pipe has to fit into a T-junction between the cylinders and this is the simplest way to do that... if the steam pipe came from the bottom of the boiler it would need some awkard bends to get to where it has to go.

RocDoc

Hi everyone,

Here she is, the M140 is back in working order complete with new safety valve. Repairs to the steam pipe and steam dome were done by Odilon (thanks mate).

I'm not sure what I'm going to do regarding the base plate. At the STiA I saw base plates in lots of different conditions ... some repainted, others like mine. I'll leave it for a while and decide later. Here is a photo and video of a Steam Toy in Action.

http://s164.photobucket.com/album...ion=view&current=MOV02532.flv

Les Marsh

That is a nice engine, personally I would leave the base as it is just to keep some of its character.

steamyman

that's a beauty.

Nick

That looks great! Plenty of paint on the base, you can always paint it later, but can't go the other way.

James

What a beauty!!

Leave the base

steamyjim

Very nice!

I'd leave the base

toxx

... terrific! The base is great the way it is.

Steve_S

That's very nice! I'd leave it as it is too...I don't think it's gone past that hard-to-define point where it would be best repainted.

(You could, of course, make a chimney and burner.

)