Steam engine not working.

[paseo]

Hi,

I recently purchased an unused live steam Flying Scotsman train set. A few days ago I tested it and it seemed to work OK. Today I tried it again and when first starting, while the water is heating up, a red light is supposed to show in the cab of the locomotive and that turns to green when the locomotive is ready to go. But today the light started of green and the locomotive didn't work. I tried it twice today and it didn't work either time. Can anyone help please.

Regards,

Clive.

[Chrissaf]

Our resident 'Live Steam' guru is 'GoWest'. Whilst you wait for him to reply, perhaps you would spend a few minutes reviewing the TIPs in the TIP page link below:

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TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[gowest]

Hi Clive

as the engine did work the first time you tried it let's hope it is some thing simple that is stopping it from running now?

I suggest the following.

Fill the tender tank to the top by insert the syringe needle through the filler hole, an empty tank will take about 35 mls of water or a syringe full roughly, there is an over full pipe which will dump the over full into the back end of the tender. Before replacing the filler screw check the rubber seal and make sure it is in good order and fits the screw well if so replace the filler screw and thighten then mop up the waist water with tissue paper never try sucking up the water with the syringe as any dirt can contaminate the water and cause problems later on.Do not put the coal cover back on the tender yet.

 Add the oil by removing the filler screw in the chimney and using the small oiling syringe add a small quantity of oil, check the very small rubber seal on the end of the screw and make sure it is in good order. If any of the 2 seals look poor replace as if you do not get a good steam tight fit the engine will never run.

With the engine on the track and the power ON set the round control wheel to the middle position the volt meter should read about 15 volts any higher will indicate a poor connection. Now move the regulator lever on the Hornby controller first to the left and the volts on the meter should drop to about 9 volts and you will here the electric motor going and the RED and GREEN light will change, stop then the RED light shows but be aware that though this indicates that the steam valve in the engine is shut to the cylinders it may also be the it is open to the whistle and as the water heat up you may hear the faint sound of the whistle starting to blow. You want this to stop for as long as the whistle is sounding the engine will not make pressure to run properly so move the regulator lever in the same direction as before indicating by the GREEN light just one second at a time till the sound of the whistle stops.

All you need to do now is wait it can take up to 10 minutes for the engine to warm right through to the cylinders and rease steam at about  or before the 10 minute point the safety valves on top of the boiler will puff steam in short intervals the engine is at this point ready to run and moving the regulator as before in the same direction as the GREEN light on the controller but short movements of 1 second only the engine should run at some point but its always a good idea to add 4 coaches to the engine which helps control the speed and make it easy to drive, if you do all this but it is still just sitting there try a little push to help it start as some times the first run tend to leave old oil or water trapped in the system.

if the engines safety valves are not puffing out steam check the following the tender filler screw see if any water or steam can be seen in this area which if so would point to a failure in the screw seal. If ok check the small rubber pipe from the tender to the engine if this is damaged water and steam will be seen on the sleepers and track bed. Next check the 2 brass safety valves on the top of the boiler if steam is seen coming from them continuesly it's a good sign the valve is stuck open and no steam pressure will ever be made so the engine will never run.

If the safety valves are puffing steam now and again then the engine and tender look to be steam thighten and pressure is being built up And the engine should run you can if after moving the regulator many time you can go round in a complete 180 degree circile at some point the whistle will sound very loud and indicate you have pressure.

you can check and try the above and let us know what you find