One of the issues that came out of the steam test was the non-functioning of the lubricator.

I have now recalibrated and set the lubricator several times. I have used a fair amount of rapeseed oil and steam oil in the process!

The setup that Polly suggest is as follows:

1 – With the outer spring and ball bearing removed, half-fill the lubricator with a cooking oil.

2 – Blow down a pipe attached to the front of the lubricator and adjust the nozzle in the front until bubbles appear when the activation arm is forward but cut off when the arm is vertical.

3 – Remove the cooking oil and refill to half with steam oil.

4 – Wait for the steam oil to appear at the front of the nozzle.

5 – Insert ball and spring and attach the feed to the steam T.

All sounds sensible, actually doing it without reaching 4 and no oil appearing even after hours or doing all the steps and then finding that the locking nut on the nozzle wasn’t tight. All in all, I think I have been through these steps 4 or 5 times.

Anyway, I think I have now set it up correctly. I can’t wait to run the loco again which might be on 24/11.

I have made all the other tweaks from the steam test too:

1 – Checked water flow to the injector

2 – Adjusted the reversing lever to allow the latch better movement

3 – Replaced the pressure gauge, tested it and marked it. I managed to break my first pressure gauge in getting the bezel off to mark the card.

So we are all good to go for another run soon.