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       The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum Forum Index -> Locomotives
Mamodevon

New Generation Mamod Loco Triple Header

Hi, I took my three new generation Mamod locos to the Dartmeet layout last weekend to try and run a triple header.  I have posted some video on my website under the News and the SDGRG pages.  It may take a few seconds to load and you will have to allow Active x controls if you see the message saying so.

Enjoy
CCairns

I will need to wait till I return home to watch this video.

Have you found what the pulling capacity of 1 William is yet, as I would have thought it could easily handle the 7 wagons in your heading photo? I'm currently running mine with 4 wagons around a standard Mamod loop and need to be careful with its' speed, or it falls over after the curves.

Did you run the new style passenger coach over any Mamod points as mine currently derails on those points. I cannot see what wheels you have on the coach - is it the black ones or the old style Mamod loco ones I've seen in the photos of the current William Sets for sale?

Interesting to see your green William has brass wheels, as opposed to mine with the black wheels.

And a final question - what gas do you fire these Williams with, Butane or Butane/Propane Mix?

Chris Cairns.
Mamodevon

Hi Chris, thanks for your questions.

CCairns wrote:
I will need to wait till I return home to watch this video.

Have you found what the pulling capacity of 1 William is yet, as I would have thought it could easily handle the 7 wagons in your heading photo? I'm currently running mine with 4 wagons around a standard Mamod loop and need to be careful with its' speed, or it falls over after the curves.

1 william seem to be able take 6 wagons but not very far, only about one loop of the layout, which is 40m.

Did you run the new style passenger coach over any Mamod points as mine currently derails on those points. I cannot see what wheels you have on the coach - is it the black ones or the old style Mamod loco ones I've seen in the photos of the current William Sets for sale?

The new wagons have the new black wheels. I have not used Mamod track, but the Dartmeet layout has Peco and custom made points and they run over those ok.

Interesting to see your green William has brass wheels, as opposed to mine with the black wheels.

As I understand it, Mamod made too many brass wheels when they developed the Jubilee William, and have just used them up on standard Williams until they have all gone. Hence why you will find older Williams with brass wheels and newer ones with black wheels.  Mine is an older one as it also has a different steam block between the pistons than yours.

And a final question - what gas do you fire these Williams with, Butane or Butane/Propane Mix?

If it is cold we generally will use the mix as it keeps pressure better and burn hotter.  However, I think Mamod recomend just Butane under normal conditions.

Chris Cairns.


Cheers, MD
CCairns

Thanks for your quick response.

Looking forward to viewing the video once I get home late on Saturday.

Hopefully get some time to get a video of my William running, but it will probably be around the kitchen as my car will be in the garage if this wintry weather continues next week. Mine seems to be suffering from either the oil running out too quickly, or my changing to another brand of Butane/Propane mix - need to look at the gas jet setting as suggested in my posting - http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about7921.html

Chris Cairns.
Mamodevon

CCairns wrote:
Mine seems to be suffering from either the oil running out too quickly, or my changing to another brand of Butane/Propane mix - need to look at the gas jet setting as suggested in my posting - http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about7921.html

Chris Cairns.


On one of the Jubilee locos the black knob on the regulator started melting, and I think this one had a slightly different jet setting, which I must look at.

Different brands do make a difference, and the members of the SDGRG seem to only use two brands, but I don't know which they are other than the one I use from PPS.  He recomends it as the only one to use.

On you posting about gas, you mention about removing the burner from a William.  It is very easy, just four scews hold the burner in place.  

I also had the William boiler out last night by drilling out the two rivets that hold the metal band in place behind the smoke stack, and undoing the two screws either side of the sight glass.  I wanted to see how eaisy it was and to replace the aluminium band with a brass one.  I am also going to fit exhaust pipes up to the smoke stack today.

MD
CCairns

Yes I'd seen those 4 screws on the burner, but wondered if you need to remove the jet first before shoe-horning the burner out as it is very easy to break the ceramic on these burners, and I'm not sure how to remove the wheels/axles at present.

Good news on the boiler removal as fitting another boiler bush for a water top-up valve is one of my thoughts.

Titan had suggested the fitting of these exhaust pipes in his posting ( http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about7304.html ), and I've succesfully rotated the valve block on my SP6. I was considering fitting a short exhaust pipe to the block, attaching this to another pipe using silicone tubing through the chassis, and then fitting this second pipe to the chimney (this would allow easy removal of the valve block if required). The dummy smokebox fitting looks to be a bit adjacent to where an exhaust pipe coming up from the valve block would exit the chassis/running board.

Look forward to hearing about your progress in due course.

Chris Cairns.
CCairns

Sorry forgot to add, on the SP6 I got recently it has a black plastic knob on the regulator. On my first steaming I could not get any steam output, as the regulator was stuck fully closed and the plastic knob just unscrewed.

Looked like it had been fitted with a Uhu type glue. I tried loctite first but that did not work, so I used super glue the second time and that seems to have held. The 'O' ring on the regulator had been crimped so I replaced it, but I still get a small steam leak from this regulator - further investigation required.

The 'O' ring fitted on the outside of the brass knob on my William's regulator keeps coming off - probably need to lightly glue this on.

Chris Cairns.
steamyjim

That is a great vid!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really want a G1 William!
Titan

I do like that vid, seems like it was fun!  I also noted the clouds of steam around the cylinders and someone chasing them wipiing a rag on the track - exhausting steam + oil directly on to the rails is not the cleverest of designs !

Haulage capacity of a standard William is pretty much the same as the standard SL series - the wheel diameter is the same, the bore and stroke of the cylinders are also the same, and the build quality is the same!  Result is they have similar characteristics - they like to run fast with a moderate load.

The main reason for this is that the cylinders are not particularly steam tight. At higher speeds this is not so much of an issue, since you are relying more on volume of steam produced and the pressure in the cylinders is lower, plus the higher speed means less leakage time per wheel revolution.

At low speeds, the pressure in the cylinders should rise to nearly that of the boiler - even without the regulator opened fully. This enables the loco to give it plenty of grunt when it slows down on a hill with a heavy train.  If it is all leaking out this does not happen!

Hence why Much Modified Titan will pull over 2x what William does at half the pressure!
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