Achilles Report No80: Annual Steam Test...

"A pensive audience silently overlooks the steam test"

These days it's rare that I take my miniature steam engines out, mainly due to the ever tightening grip of time constraints. However, in an effort to blow away the cobwebs I thought I'd book "Achilles" in for a steam test today at its home track at Ryton Pools. During the week I had a good look around the engine but stopped short of steaming it at home. To be honest, it's far too much effort to steam at home and it makes such a mess. Here, the hoover gets to work clearing the smokebox char after I'd swept the tubes. The rakes never get the same amount out...

A midweek evening allowed me some time to polish the brass and paintwork. Regular readers will know that I always like the engine to go out looking smart. In some ways a clean engine seems to help shield the embarrassment of subsequent mechanical failures! The brass dome still comes up very well...

The forecast for today was fairly dire. A heavy rain shower was making its way across the Midlands and seemed to be hitting Coventry around about the time I should have been arriving at Ryton. Sure enough, driving over there with the engine in the boot, the rain was hammering down. These days it feels like a curse as it always seems to rain when the engine appears outside! Thankfully the heavy downpour had subsided by the time I reached the track, a little before 13:30. The engine was duly unloaded and the test kit soon appeared with Derek & Eric. The first task, as always, was to check the pressure gauge to ensure it was reading the same as the test gauge...

With the gauge having passed the test, it was time to connect up the electric blower and steam the engine up. I'd already filled her with water at home to save some time, though my back didn't thank me for it whilst loading it into the car!...

Once steam is sufficiently raised the safety valves are tested to ensure that they can hold the engine within 10% of full working pressure with the blower at full chat. The handpump is then tested before finally the double acting axle pump. The only way to test the latter (unless you're up on blocks) is to get the engine onto the track and so I duly marshalled up a train of four empty cars and we had a run round. (Taking the four empty cars saved splitting them). The first 1/2 a lap was a bit of a pain as the pumps refused to do anything. They must have been airlocked or something. Soon enough however, some fiddling about beneath the engine got them back into operation and they were faultless for the rest of the run. Here, "Achilles" sits at Ryton Halt with the empty four car train on this dismal afternoon. Though not at all prototypical, the freshly painted BR (M) lamps certainly brighten up the front end...

After 7 or 8 laps had been completed to blow away the cobwebs, I decided it was time to come off and get the engine disposed. She'd run well. I always gauge the running by how far we can get in one go. On this occasion we managed 2-3 laps without stopping and we only really had to stop to refill the water tanks. Ryton isn't the easiest track in the world to get around, particularly with a load behind, so I'm happy with that performance from the old engine. She does well...

What doesn't do so well these days is the coal. This stuff is from Signal Fuels I think. I've had "Achilles" since 2011 and have never changed my firing technique with it, whether on light duties or public running somewhere. Up until the last bag or two we've not really had any issues but just lately the fire clinkers entirely underneath after an hour or so. Due to the deep box on "Achilles" it's hard to get to the bars properly with the poker, but in past years it was never really required. On the last few runs the grate has come out of the engine completely clean, with the fire kept inside by the clinker...

Clinkered fire removed, it was time to blow the engine down...

And just like that, we're back in the workshop with a fresh boiler ticket...

Thank you to Derek for getting us booked in and sorted so quickly. At least we have a ticket now if we want to go anywhere. The engine is now back home and I have a small list of jobs I want to get sorted on it in the near future, as you always do with steam engines! I'm sure that there will be a post on those as they happen too. I think my next outing to Ryton is on Sunday 23rd July for my final crew turn of the season. It won't be a steamer though, it'll be one or two of those electric thingies. Thanks all, Sam...