John
Do you have the Helen Long drawings? I know somebody who would love
to get his hands on them.

David


--- In halfinchlivesteamforum@..., "John Baguley"
<baggo@f...> wrote:
> Have started work on my version of Helen Long and will post photos
etc
> as work progresses.
>
> I've used Black Five wheel castings for the driving/coupled wheels
> although these will only machine to a little over 3 1/4" ( Helen
Longs
> are 3-3/8"). Main axles are 10mm silver steel running in drawn
> cup needle roller bearings with seals to keep out grit etc. The two
> rear axle boxes are sealed 'cannon' type as they will be under the
> firebox. This should protect the bearings from ash etc. I'm using
> Molly horn blocks as the axle boxes are quite wide due to the
> bearings. The two bogies will have 8mm axles again running in needle
> roller bearings in cannon axle boxes.
>
> Anyone thinking of using these drawn cup needle rollers should note
> that the housings have to made slightly under size so that the cup
has
> to be pressed in. This compresses the outer cup and gives the
correct
> clearance for the axle. If the cups are just a light push fit or
> loctited in, the axles will be a very sloppy fit!
>
> I think I will bore the cylinders out to 13/16" or maybe even 7/8"
as
> the boiler should be able to cope with this. Cylinders will be
piston
> valve with the middle valve driven by 2 to 1 conjugated drive behind
> the cylinders. The levers will be driven from the rear of the
outside
> valve spindles as the middle cylinder is too far forward to use the
> Scotsman type drive. This is a better layout anyway as it avoids the
> problems with taking the drive from the front of the cylinders via
> extended valve spindles.
>
> I'm not too happy with the very long, narrow firebox for Helen as I
> can see it being a pig to fire properly. I have thought of widening
> the firebox so that the foundation ring sits on top of the frames as
> in Austere Ada etc. but this would mean the frames would not be very
> deep over the top of the two rear axles. The frames are not very
deep
> anyway. I guess I'll just have to try it and see.
>
> I'll be making a full set of drawings as I go along and will make
them
> available to the Association, assuming the design is successful. I
am
> also doing a set for the original Helen Long but this is not so easy
> as the original articles and drawings are pretty vague and some
> dimensions are very confusing. I have been corresponding with Alex
> Ellin who is also trying to do this. We both agree that the inside
> valve gear for Helen will not fit as drawn! The combination lever is
> too long ( no pun intended!)to clear the bogie bolster unless the
> middle cylinder is inclined far more than intended. It would then
come
> above the top of the frames.
>
> John