North Clipperby - Live Steam - New Video

[thebuisnessman]

:Shout:

Thanks for the warning Terry.

I'm having a bit of a problem at the moment. I can't get power into the loco, and the red light in the Cab isn't coming on. There is an 'audiable alarm' whenever I turn on the Superheater after about 20 seconds.

I don't know why this is, but it is probably 1 of two problems. I have had to lengthen the wire that goes from the control unit to the Power track as they only give you a 20cm Section which seems absolutely stupid. I need at least 2m of it, so I've used some of my wire to get to the power track.

I also have a bit of a strange Y Point on the line which was playing up earlier that may be a problem.

I was thinking of testing the track with DC again, to try and find the problem. It was working fine on DC earlier though.

[thebuisnessman]

Hmmm....

After considerable pondering, I have solved the power issue. The power track provided with the set is faulty. The electrical pickups do not touch the track, so no circuit is made. The black bit on the top is also broken, so I don't know if this has a part to play.

I presume it is OK to solder Live Steam wires to the track as in theory, the power track is just a fancy way of getting the power to the layout, for use in more trainset like layouts, but If I was to solder, it wouldn't affect it would it

[TerryB]

Hi ..........Are you using the "block" type power connector to your track,live steam connections have to be better than ordinary DC ones,its no use using the "slide under the track" type connector,it wont work.
I've got about one metre of orn'ery household cable to make my power cable longer,it works ok,I cant say if it would work if it was longer,I aint tried it.
Have you tried placing the tender wheels on the actual section of track with the power connector on it,that should eliminate the "Y" points problem.
The red/green light is activated by a small slider to the right? of the chimney,its possible,by over-oiling the loco,that some oil could be stopping it from working........it should not stop the rest of the loco working though.
Does the regulator motor "whirr" when you operate the regulator lever,this moves the said slider into red or green position.
A normal DC loco will work on a track that will not let the live steamer work,I had a faulty block connector,it worked OK with DC,it would'nt work with my Live Steamer .......I replaced it,and all was OK again.
I have'nt got any points on my "live steam loop" so I cant say whether points work or not with a Live Steamer.
If all else fails,just try the power track under the tender and a single length of track to support the loco wheels,that should eliminate any track probs you may have ...............if it does work,then I'm afraid its just trial & error to find the problem joint.

Hope this helps .......gimme another shout if it dont [although its saturday night,and I'm off out to the pub shortly]
Terry

Edit ..........I must learn to type faster .........Yeah,try soldering it,its only one peice of track.

[TerryB]

The steam regulator is controlled by a small electric motor,there is a time lag between you operating the controller and the loco doing as you want it to do ............all will become apparent as you learn to operate it.

I can see 'shunting' with one of these being fun then

Inglenook mk2?

Hi Dale ..........I dont shunt with my A4
My "00" layout consists of three other loops all connected by points and connected to a goodsyard,a shunting yard,some sidings and a "two road" locoshed.
I also run a Hornby Dublo [3rail] system beside my 00 set with two connected loops and a siding.
Ample oportunity for shunting IMHO.
I have no wish to fry any of my DC locos [or damage my live steamer] by inadvertently leaving a set of points switched the wrong way and putting the wrong voltage into any of the motors .
My A4 only pulls four Gresley Teaks on its own loop,if I cant be bothered to fill it,oil it,boil it & clean it when Ive finished running it ..............I pull the teaks with my A3 or B12 ...........although "the hand of god" is needed to change locos,as I have no points on that particular loop either.
Best Regards
Terry

[leopard]

I can well understand the idea of keeping these thing seperate

as for points.. I'd be very tempted to make sure the switch rails are not used as a 'switch'. wire electroforg points with seperate contacts and allow heavier duty wire to carry the current (not the switch rail - stock rail contact).

While soldering the rails should work fine, no reason for it not to, I'd be very tempted to get that power track replaced.

I did read something on the Hornby site about getting these working with DCC at some point, but not yet. Presumably this will allow these to work ok with others.

They do look amazing though, fantastic they have got it all in the space.

thinking about it an A4 isn't exactly a shunter but I dare say with practice at working out how long it takes to brake etc service with a terminal station is possible... but I'd be tempted to have functional buffer stops...

[thebuisnessman]

Hi Terry,

Problem solved on the Power front. The Power clip is actually dodgey, so no wonder it isn't working. I have now soldered two wires to the bottom of an R600 straight and it seems to be fine. The kettle boils at least.

I still haven't got driving worked out very well. If it goes, then it seems to start, then stop, the motor will wizz and then it'll start again. (I have a vid of this that'll try and upload).

I've watched the little video demonstration on the CD, and they make operation look so simple. I've tried doing the 'five to ten flicks' thing, and I can't get it to work. The wording in the manual is very confusing and it makes things very difficult.

Have you got any tips/methods on basic operation? I'm a little bamboozled with this so far!

Oh, BTW, this is a video of the intermitent bugger, you have to wait a bit for it to show up. I wasn't fiddling with the controls when this was happening, and this has been happening more than when I was trying to get it to go.

[TerryB]

Hi Businessman .........it needs running in before it works properly.
The "five to ten flicks" is a load of **** .......you'll work it out for your'self when you learn how to drive it*.
They [Hornby] prob'ly used a well run in model model when they made the video [video what video,I did'nt get no video on my cd]
* I find [and I put a disclaimer on this,ie,dont blame me if it dont work] ...........
[1] Let the loco boil with the red light on.
[2] Switch your heater to "simmer"
[3] Open the regulator with short flicks until the green light shows.Make sure you remember which you opened the regulator [I always move mine to the right,its easier to remember that way]
[4] The loco will now try to move under its own steam,but the green is only just showing,let it "blow off" a couple of times.
[5] Now give it the "short flicks.
[6] There is now enough steam power to let it run.
[7] Its running? ..........now switch the heater off .............wait until the engine begins to slow .............then give it "superheat"

[8] Switch "superheat" back to simmer .....open the reg with few flicks,if it starts to slow,give it more heat ........or a flick less regulator if you think you cant control the speed 'cos its too fast[thats back to the left .......remember,thats why you went to the right in the first place ]

[9] Now .........youre driving it .........enjoy
[10] Wnen you wanna stop ..........Hold the lever to the left [thats why you started to the right ......remember ] ..........but bear in mind,it aint very accurate.

That the way I do it.
HTH
Terry

[thebuisnessman]

Top Man Terry!

I've just found that the words 'Speed Regulator' and 'Steam Regulator' get mixed up in the Manual. I don't think anyone has proof read it. Or it could just be good old incompetent me!

I gave it two steamings yesterhither, so I'll try it again today!

Cheers, and thanks for all your help!
Owen

[TerryB]

Hi ..........I had not read it so thoroughly myself to notice,but as I see it ...

The heater "steam regulator" is the wheel [marked 0,1 11,111] .........it varies the amount of heat generated in the boiler. The "superheater" [marked "111"] also activates another heater in the loco body.
The lever is the "speed regulator" ........it alters a valve just under the loco chimney,allowing more steam into the cylinders or out of the two safety valves just forward of the cab. [the whirring noise you hear as the light goes from red to green is the motor altering this valve]
The green light will come on at your control box indicating the direction the lever was moved,this light will go out if the steam reg [wheel] is switched to "0" ..........thats why I also advised you to move the lever to the right to start [I also have three of the old DC controllers controllers which move in this way] ..........it will still work if you use left to start it,its just that I find it easier to remember that way.
Occassionally,the loco will try to reverse when the lever is moved "right" .....the theory [or hornbys theory] is to then move it "left" ....I find it easier to give the loco a push forward to reset the direction,it will then move forward on a "right" setting ......and "left" is there for slowing down.
It is of course possible to attempt to shunt using this method,but it aint very accurate,and theres nothing to shunt on my live steam loop anyway.
Also,By juggling the heater wheel,and speed regulator,you can keep the engine going for over an hour [I think my best was around 64 minutes,and it was pulling a rake of four Gresley Teaks]
Clear as Mud
Dont worry,all will become apparent as you get used to it.
HTH
Terry

[sishades]

It all sounds more "bovver" than fun. For that kind of money "giving it a push" should not be an option.

[waz]

Hi Owen !!!!!!!!!!

Your escapades have had me on the edge of my seat for the past 24 hours. Honest!!

Best of luck and looking forward to good news today and perhaps a video of it running in steam.

My Very Best Regards

BILL.

PS Good man Terry B !!!

[Stuart Reid]

Exciting stuff indeed and I look forward to more. I'm not at all surprised at your troubles with the handbook; the proof reading and editing in the catalogue is shockingly bad and allthat comes down to is putting the right bit of text with the right picture, so how they do with real text...

[TerryB]

It all sounds more "bovver" than fun. For that kind of money "giving it a push" should not be an option.

Hi Sishades ............Its not exactly neccessary to "give it a push" .....It is an option I choose ............for me .....because I do it for ease of operation [to keep the regulator on "right" for speed & "left" for slow ........as I stated] .......bear in mind,that in a running session,I am also operating another six other locos too ....all on DC..........[shortly to become seven if the proposed NG set up on my layout ever gets going]
It helps [me] to have a standard practice for all of them.
The main "bovver" is filling,oiling,boiling and cleaning it out when I've finished [sounds a bit like a real kettle ] ..................I do have running sessions where I cant be bovvered to do this,so I just run all my DC locos.
Regards
Terry

[thebuisnessman]

Sorry for keeping you chaps waiting!

I've built another module on the boards this morning because I really want to get a loop in place. Just one more section to go! (The hardest one though. D'oh!)

I've managed to understand controlling it a bit better thanks to Terry . I set up a sort of 'rolling road' by lifting the wheels off and this meant I could practice my starting, stopping a speed control. Now I'm getting the hand of it, it is much more fun!

Anyway, here are a couple of pics of the thing 'in motion'. The smell and steam makes a very impressive spectacle. I think I'll melt when I get it going over the viaduct!



I just need to log onto windows to edit out a vid, shant be long (famous last words!)

Enjoy!
Owen

[Raider]

Glad you are getting the hang of it.

Did you get the live steamer as part of a set? Just wondering what radius curves come with it.

Chris