3.5" Gauge Live Steam build 'LBSC Virginia'

syrtismajor · 3.5" Gauge Live Steam build 'LBSC Virginia'

Hello all!
I have finally gotten round to getting a photo of that train I bought. I spent most of my time removing fifteen years of rust, reaming out axle blocks, re-turning bits to bring them into specification or removing suspect engineering. Not to mention bending the frames straight as they were a bit 'off'. Oh yeah, and finishing off the equaliser bars, then waiting for the delivery of the front wheels and the faux springs.
She looks a bit cleaner now. And to help you get an idea of the scale I put the mighty Sir Rillian next to the frame:

As you can see, IT'S FREAKING HUGE! The cylinders alone are bigger than a Mamod SL1 smoke box! The frames are 1/4" thick and main wheels are 4" in diameter. This is one mother of a Mamod (I'm ignoring the fact that it has nothing to do with Mamod, I just liked that phrase

)
I've already sourced places for parts, raw materials and tooling and am now slowly acquiring them. I've already done a fair bit like milling bits into things to make them look less 'flat'. Not really noticable in the pic though. A friend of mine is willing to turn or mill anything my little Unimat SL1000 can't handle, and give me advice on *gulps* boiler manufacture

Any advance made on this loco will appear here slowly for the next millenia or so until she's finished.

Oh yeah, I also had to think of a name. I thought of many such as 'Emmett' (reference to Back to the Future Pt.III), 'Jack O'Lantern' 'Matilda' etc, but thought that none really captured the American look of it but still keeping in mind that it's being made in the UK.
(see here to get an idea of its appearance: https://vault1.secured-url.com/reeves2000/shop_item.asp?sub_cat_id=40 difference is mine will be black with white lining with a few other cosmetic changes)
So I decided to give it only a number rather than a name. So from this point on, she shall be known as...

No. 64

Dull I know, but thought it would look nice painted in white of a black tender

I'm sure I'll an expert by the end of all this.. so any advice I learn I will gladly dispense to you lot as doing this should make smaller and simpler engines a piece of cake!
Well, that's the plan at least

SillyBilly

You certainly got a bargain there. Can't wait to watch your progress. It's not that big!

Sandman

I'm going to follow this thread avidly.

I bet this project will turn out to be a cracker.

Keep the progress reports coming mate.

tmuir

Got some serious work to do there, but the results will be all worth it in the end.

bessytractor

wow looks better built than my Rob Roy (actually thats not hard to beat lol). All looks well machined and it sounds like your setting to with vigour so well done

I'll post pics up of Rob Roy later this week.

Steve_S

You're going to have lots of people waiting for the next installment... for the foreseeable future.

(Me for one!)

IndianaRog

SM...wasn't quite sure what it was you were tackling there and if it was possible to finish it up...but you have made a grand start and I can see more installments entertaining us for months to come.

Nice job of cleaning up thewheels and frame etc., they look like new!

cheers,
Rog

johnreid

This is going to be a project to watch, and you have done such a good start. I too will be anxiously awaiting each installment of your progress reports.

Graham-Jilly

put me on that list too
will eager to see its progres.

MTA

I'm about to start building an engine in 5" gauge Alun, so I can sympathise with you! It will be many years depending on what time you have available to make it but it will be worth it in the end

syrtismajor

It's been a while, and I have no pictures as nothing really that exciting has formed, except a few part made components.
Since I'm making numerous things at once and trying to juggle that with some sort of social life, work has been slow. I'm going to reach a nice point of construction soon and will posts a few progress pictures.
I'm halfway through the front wheel truck, the main wheels and cylinder blocks are currently being finished by a friend and the beginnings of the valve gear are beginning to form.
I currently forsee completion sometime around 2999

johnreid

Social life? Whats that?
Keep us posted once you get going again, this one looks to be a real fun one to watch.

syrtismajor

Right,
I am beginning to understand why these things are often sold half built. You work and work and work on them, and nothing seems to happen! I honestly reckon I put an average of half an hour a day into this and it looks the same as the last photo I posted!

A few bits from the last photo aren't there as there's nothing really interesting happening with them... but as you can see, the bogie (truck) for the front wheels has been constructed! A friend kindly faced off the driving wheels so they are finished now other than finishing and painting. The frames have been squared up, straightened even more and had the front tie fitted (the whole frame is ridgid as a rock now

).
I've made a start on the front wheels but my Unimat Lathe just doesn't have the power to turn them effectively. This means that they will join the cylinder blocks for machining by my friend with a much bigger Lathe

Hopefully these will be done in by the end of June so I can mount all the wheels and start making the valve parts and steam chests.
You will also notice the the motion plate is in place with the beginnings of the water pump bolted to it. The machined eccentric is for the water pump and will be fitted on the forward main axle with the valve gear eccentrics (it will be Stevenson's gear mounted between the frames). I am currently hunting down an old Unimat four jaw chuck so I can finish the eccentrics and springing parts.
A few other bits have been made and not shown as they don't look interesting (bits of valve gear) but I will photo them when they're all machined, so you may see them in the next decade or so...

It is my fault that I'm not progressing quickly on this as I do start too many projects, at least I can say that I never get bored! I am very likely going to build a scale Delorean for this thing to push along before it even has a boiler

Oh well, back to the ~~future~~ lathe.....

bessytractor

brilliant! Looks like your keeping up the engineering standard you started with

seven.mpd

Looking great keep us posted !

tmuir

Well the bits you have done look top notch.
I can fully understand when owners of the bigger engines say they took them 10 years to build.
I would love to do something like that but my skill isn't there....yet.
Keep the pictures coming.

Cam

wow that looks excellant....cant wait till its DONE!! hope your going to give us progress reports!

syrtismajor

YES YES YES YES YES!

No, I am not using 'Organics' shampoo, but have just won this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAP...;ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:GB:1123

*dances*

It may seem a bit pricey but will hopefully be invaluable in the build.

As for updates on the actual thing, I'll try and get a photo or two done soon as I managed to get a four jaw chuck and have done all the major machining on the eccentrics. All the alxe boxes for the bogie are complete. And the best news so far... Both cylinders have been bored out and faced off by a friend at work as well as all major work to the front wheels!
Unfortunately the frames were dismantled again due to dodgy engineering work left over from the person who sold it to me. All the measurements seemed ok, but I didn't check to see if the were all aligned with each other. For an hour or two it seemed as though I would be scrapping them and building new

Luckily I found a way to salvage them, but will take about four hours worth of rough filing to get them into some sort of usuable shape. All will be well, is just a pain in the bottom.
If all goes to plan, I should have all the springing done, wheels mounted and valve gear in place by this Halloween!
Well, that's my goal at least since the thing I named 'No. 64' seems to have picked up the nick name 'Jack'O'Lantern along the way

IndianaRog

SM, good to hear that work on your loco beast is still progressing, nothing like a challenge !

Atticman

Keep going, me Dad has a TE he started in the 1970s, nearly finished..........

It will all suddenly come together

syrtismajor

Picture as promised!

The keen eyed amongst you will notice the finished expansion link above the eccentric straps. Just another ten hours or so and the other one will be finished

And a quick windows paint sketch of what she'll look like in about 50 years!

johnreid

I do believe that this will be worth all of the effort.

steamyman

that'll look fantastic once complete.

tmuir

A lot of work but what a great sense of achievement it will be once it is all finished.

mogogear

Not a railroad man myself- but your perseverance is showing.... That is a lot of metal that you are coaxing towards becoming a steam engine... Good job!! I do like following this build and others locomotive boiler builds

AzRob

Any progress?