P2 Locomotive Company and related matters

That would be sensible... I didn't see those on the photo...

 

Looking at it close up I can see you are right, makes more sense but I didn’t know the Trust had one

 

It arrived having left GWSR a few months ago.

 

Hands up... I've been referred to cataract surgery this past week.....

 

I see a number of palletts, which are you referring to?

 

The one on the pallett trolley to the right of the cab

 

I see one pallet with 4 'things' and another with 2 'things'. I'm guessing that they are the 6 valve assemblies.
Pat

 

To me they look like cylinder heads of an ICE engine, there’s more in the distance? Haven’t they just acquired a 350 shunt?
Certainly to me not part of the rotary gear design as I last saw it? See link …..

https://www.a1steam.com/valvegear#/

 

Thanks, I’m not familiar with what the Lenz valves look like. The 350HP shunter was stabled on the next road

 

There's 6 of them and an 08 has six cylinders (6KT engine).

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=203047312485696&id=100083412843802

They look very similar to the pictures in the above link.

 

Helpful.

Presuming FEA is stressing, and there will be a fluids analysis to help with valve events...

If so, timing the valves for optimum flow through the ports, probably the first time anyone has ever done that for steam. That alone will make a significant difference to performance, and then the increased valve openings on top, has potential to be impressive.

Good to see oil for the cam etc being focussed on. Contamination is also a factor. All of that is going to want to wear as quickly as possible, so not only oil choice, but oil cleanliness, will held the chosen materials to live.

Top ups on the go are going to be the main source of contamination. Worth thinking about how to manage that. Even small particulates will drive life out of the cam and followers etc.

If you want to get really cute with it, use one of the drivers to drive a gear oil pump to re-circulate oil under pressure through a membrane filter, same as a car engine. Have cartridge filters on the outside for quick changes.

That will also retire the risk of lubrication failures as oil pressure in the cam box can be monitored from the footplate. If there is a sudden drop in cam box oil pressure, you get a warning in the cab.

Cannot do that with a passive, or gravity fed system.

It sounds like a lot of hassle, but that would actually be a prudent step to take. There are a plethora of existing parts on the market to make that work relatively easily.

Id be looking at agri pumps and filters if it were me. The duty cycle on modern agri machines is brutal, the fluids are well tested at this point, and the components will be roughly the right size for a box of that size and that volume of oil flow.

The last point is run all of that on ball/roller bearings. Dont even bother with plain drive bearings in any of that.

This is another benefit of a closed and pressure based oil system, it gives you standard part number bearings that can be sourced and changed quickly, without machining. Helpful when she is away from home.

Drives out cost, and builds in quality.

Context, im working in civil aero where line replaceable units are a big focus of my current role. The more straightforward the design is, whilst also meeting requirements, the easier it makes life for customers, who may find themselves anywhere on the globe when gremlins come calling.

 

Tangible progress on the valve gear ….
https://www.a1steam.com/valvegear#/

 

That is good news, that is part of the original strategy, so it does imply that things are keeping (belatedly) to plan.

Fascinating as to where you draw the line with modern tech. If building it from the ground up, would you even bother with mechanical actuation, or simply follow F1 pneumatic valve tech (or steam powered) with an electronic actuator. Computer-assisted infinitely variable cut-off...

 

Are you sure it's not LEGO?