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Acquiring a steam engine

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by John Honeychurch-Kyle, Jun 6, 2021.

  1. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    They can’t be very important Scottish icons if they’re still in a scrapyard after all these years.
     
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  2. Cartman

    Cartman Well-Known Member Account Suspended

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    Didn't what's his name have a Barclay with no boiler?
     
  3. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    He did, I think he may have sold it?
     
  4. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Just going on an article (SR or HR, I think) I came across a while back. Perhaps the sales you mention lie behind the tone of what I read.
    Someone evidently isn't planning to visit Scotland this year! :)
     
  5. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    I thought it had been "claimed" by the place he stored it at, in lieu of unpaid storage/work fees?
     
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  6. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    not quite , it was taken for non payment of debts , now sold and parts for sale with the rest being scrapped . so our erstwhile hero played his part in the scrapping of a coach and an engine
     
  7. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Despite all the sensible advice being posted here, the OP still hasn't come back to explain what sort and size of "steam engine" he's looking for. Table-top toy? Triple-expansion engine from a redundant ocean liner? Steam turbine from a power station that's closing down?
     
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  8. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    Might be worth pointing out that there are some engines built for 'Laboratory' purposes that could be used?

    Also that the existence of Model Locomotive Efficency Trials suggests that it may be possible to get worthwhile esults from a model

    https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=64687
     
  9. Footbridge

    Footbridge Member

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    Schools went back yesterday
     
  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Repton or Stowe?
     
  11. Jimc

    Jimc Part of the furniture

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    A Mr John Honeychurch-Kyle of the right sort of age and location is listed on the companies register as director of various small companies, at least one of which is registered as active, but its not immediately evident to me what their actual company business is.

    It seems to me that the best advice we could offer is that anything to do with full size steam engines comes into the heavy engineering category with consequent expense, and also that complete refurbishment of non functioning and dilapidated steam locomotives may require a budget in the same order of magnitude as new construction. From that it follows that typically engineering projects of this nature are best started at model scale, and the engineering resource that delivers a functional prototype at model scale would be best placed to advise on next steps.
     
  12. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    if the OP cannot offer any more insight as to what is intended then the thread can be closed
     
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  13. Richard Roper

    Richard Roper Well-Known Member

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    Just to add my own two penn'orth, has the OP even considered the H&S aspect of using a steam engine in a situation which may lead to "irrepairable beyond repair", in what area is he meaning? You can't just run a steam boiler and associated pressure-system components to destruction willy-nilly.
    I also would hate to think that we'd lose a Locomotive (if that's what he wants to use) which has thus managed to survive so far, for the sake of experimentation.
    Working as I do in a University Chemistry department, I can say from first-hand experience that there is a very fine line between those who conduct safe experiments in a responsible environment, and those who, to be quite frank, are crackpots who think they can get away with doing anything, using equipment that's either out-of-date, or totally unsuitable for the job. We've had one or two very near misses with the latter over the years.

    Richard.
     
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  14. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

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    it's a shame the counter pressure S1 is not around . he would have struggled to break that !
     
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