Vertical Steam Locomotive

[Pete92]

Hello folks!

I am planning on building a Vertical boiler steam locomotive in 5" gauge.

I could do with some advice on the engine and boiler im planning on using. I have been looking at the GLR Kennions 4" diameter vertical boiler with a working pressure of 80psi and a Stuart score engine used vertically rather than horizontally.

Will this plan work? And will the boiler be capable of running a locomotive.

Also what sort of transmission should I use.

Below is the rough design I will be copying



Cheers,

Pete

 

[lennardhme]

Hi Pete,
The Welsh DeWinton style loco is a favourite of mine - slightly different to the one in your pic. I have built them in 00, 0, & 71/4"g........just building the second 7 1/4"for my wife.
I would say that a 4" boiler would be too small for people moving. Go for a 6"copper boiler if you can, or a 8"in steel or copper [may be getting too large for a 5 "g ].
Boiler, loco & engine size is a balancing act & is dependant as to how you want the loco to perform. Smaller boiler = smaller engine & steam availability & smaller load.
A vertical boiler should preferably be a wetleg design - harder to make, but much better steamer.
Give some consideration to going for a 71/4"g. design, then you can use a steel boiler, which would work out much cheaper than a copper one. Cylinders in the order of 2" would be required, & a set of castings from a normal loco can be modified to suit. I got my plans in 7 1/4g from the UK which call for a 8"copper boiler, but decided to design & make my own boiler - not so easy to do in the UK. I have the advantage that my son is a qualified boiler maker & has the coded materials available.
I too looked at the Stuart engines, but didnt consider them large enough.
Maybe you could give us some idea of the work load you anticipate using this loco for.?
cheers,
Leonard

 

[Pete92]

Ahh, thats a bit of a blow to the project. The design requires for the boiler to sit down between the frames (which is why the 4" boiler is the max I could use)

It will only be used to pull my self around, if not that then maybe just have to sit on a self looking pretty.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[Charles Lamont]

Ahh, thats a bit of a blow to the project. The design requires for the boiler to sit down between the frames (which is why the 4" boiler is the max I could use)

It will only be used to pull my self around, if not that then maybe just have to sit on a self looking pretty.

A lot of vertical boiler loco's have outside frames, which would give you quite a bit more room.
http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2011/coffee-pot-gathering/

 

[lennardhme]

No, all is not lost. My Chaloner DeWinton plans have a 1/2 round 'bulge ' in the outside frames adjacent to either side of the boiler, allowing a bigger boiler. You will certainly be able to fit a 6"boiler in a 5"g loco, certainly big enough to haul you & a few other passengers.
Leonard