What's happening here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl0GyAe4a64

I know Standards wheeze like that but why does this sound a lot worse than normal?

 

I don't think there's anything wrong. The engine is simply rolling with no steam on and the drain cocks open.

 

:-k Had an inkling it was that but I thought.. Better safe than sorry! Lol.. Thanks

 

No steam and with drain cocks open - You can tell the engine was struggling!!! I'm sure i've seen an 80000 tank do this before???? :-k
Are they pretty much free rolling with hardly any steam?

 

sounds like someone needs to look at the lubricators it sounds very dry i dont know about the 80xxx tanks but standards generally are quite free running that one was certainly wheezing well 8-[

 

Lubricators sounds like a possible issue here?? Thanks... Are they the same kind of Lubricators that the Std 5's have? As if that is the case then I have never seen a Std5 wheeze like that!! But I have seen an 80XXX wheeze like this before - So is this a common problem with the locos? Maybe someone can shine some light on these 80XXX's?

 

Also, the driver has chosen to use only the steam brake so the lack of noise from the vacuum ejector tends to show up every little squeak.

 

Black Book Page 59!

Steam operated cylinder drain cocks. The actuating lever also operates the steam supply to the atomisers for the cylinder lubrication (mech fed, like any Std). With the drain cocks open, there is no lubrication to the pistons and valves.

 

Pressumably Ed, it then relies upon the fact that you should never coast with the regulator completley shut and oil in the steam to carry on lubricating with cylinder cocks open?

 

Well I thought it was a nice piece of driving. No wasted effort, no wasted steam and most of all no heavy contact with the coaching stock! Well done driver! Just put a card in about the lubrication...

 

Or is the loco coasting in full gear and all the noise is from the snifters ? (it should be coasting in 45% cut off) - in which case perhaps the driving is not so good (it would also be poor driving to drift with the cyl cocks open due to this stopping the flow of oil).
Braking should always be using steam brake only on this type of loco when running light engine (BR Std types).

 

Coasting in with the drain cocks open and no steam on. My guess would be the loco is in full gear hence the amount of time per wheel revolution that the wheezing is heard. There is quite a drop down into the station from the home signal at BL so rolling in seems very sensible. If this was the first working of the day it might account for the dryness of the cylinders - no chance for oil to build up.

The standards are very free running - are the std4 tanks all roller bearing axleboxes? I can't remember it's so long since I was on one.

To answer the question about coasting with steam on, there is much argument in loco circles, but with the taps shut (so the atomiser is working) there isn't an absolute need to have steam on when coasting, it won't increase the lubrication just possibly cushion the pistons at the ends of the stroke, but adjusting the cut off shorter can also provide a degree of cushioning too. You have to do what seems best for the engine by feel really.

 

Lots of half understanding in this thread.

You're refering to the GW system, with the jockey valve on the regulator. The last portion of the travel of the lever closes off the atomiser. Steam has already been shut off. With this system, steam to feed the atomisers has nothing to do with the regulator. See the diag I refered to above.

Rolling onto a set is hardly coastng, in the sense of doing it with steam on. That's all about cushioning mechanical parts, nothing to do with lubrication. You do not have steam on in the situation shown. Don't quote specific cut off % for coasting either; it's a question of judgement & experience.

 

Sounds like it needs to give up smoking \/

 

Cheers Ed for explaining, still got a lot to learn. Yep i understand the GWR system but was opening the topic up to the more general situation of running/ coasting with regulator shut. Obviously your not going to have steam on for short distance movement like that. The implications from the video is that the engine has been running without sufficient lubrication for more than just the movement into the paltform, hence my point about coasting. Diagram in question is page 89 in the 1957 edition.

Chris

 

The cocks are open and the change in noise from that we are generally used to hearing is caused by air been sucked back into the cylinders through the cylinder cocks. This noise isnt normally heard as the cocks would normanly be shut and the air would enter the cylinders though the snifting valve, this type of noise is more often heard when shunting on shed and towing around dead engines as they suck and blow air from though the cylinders cocks.

Next time you hear an engine been towed listern carefully there is a diffence between the noise that air makes and the noise made by steam, remember steam is wet and is escaping under pressure where as air is dry and at atmospheric pressure.

 

What you say is correct, and the cause of most of the noise heard. I assumed that Richard & Chirs realised that already; what I posted was intended to shoot down some of the more far fetched theories above.

However, listening to that loco through the imperfect media of a laptop, it does sound a little "dry", and if it was fitted with a hydrostatic, I would be giving it another "drop" or two. If you factor in a basic understanding of the cylinder lubrication system fitted to that class, alongside there being no obvious reason for running around with the taps open, you have to wonder how long there had been a lack of oil being fed