Email extract from William 27 Dec

"This one isn't going to be all that easy...  It involves at the least, taking the cylinders off the loco, or possibly removing the boiler as an alternative, and at present, I can't see how to get the boiler off without having removed the cylinders first, thanks to some very odd design and assembly.

 

The existing exhaust pipe is silver soldered to a "manifold piece" that joins the two exhaust pipes from each cylinder.  I hope that by undoing both cylinders, one can gain enough movement to get the stub pipes out of th eend of the centre manifold piece, and allow it to be removed.  This piece is NOT directly below the chimney, but somewhat forward of that, and it curves around to get under the chimney before going vertically to the top of the boiler, where it ONLY JUST pokes out of the top with the usual crimped end with a crude filed slot some way below that, and invisible.

 

The 3 pics attached show the manifold piece from below, on an upturned loco, the curved pipe snaking up under the boiler from the manifold piece, and one of me gamely making like I'm trying a chuffer against the exhaust pipe in the boiler 'ole (which is of course inside the "cosmetic" smokebox when assembled).  I assume what will be necessary, is to remove the manifold piece compete with curly pipe, and cut that shorter, then shove the chuffer onto that, hoping I have the length right so it is inside the chimney. The height is moderately critical, as too high and the chuffer will be level with the top of the chimney, and all too visible and too low, and the slot will miss the bottom of the chimney.  Is there a critical distance up the chimney it needs to be, to sound OK?  I'm assuming it is not possible for you to make the chuffer any shorter from slot to top, or it'll sound the wrong note?

 

Email extract from my response 27 Dec

"A few words on the final position of the chuffer first. The normal position of the chuffer in most locos is 5mm down from the top of the chimney - but in the case of the RH Russell, which has a short chimney, the top is virtually level with the top of the chimney. A little black paint disguises it. However, this is because the Chuffer slot needs to be inside a tube to create the secondary resonance. In the case of your loco, the flue itself comes to the bottom of the chimney and is effectively continuous. Thus if your chuffer was mounted lower, it probably would not matter. There is no reason why it should be mounted lower though as there is plenty of adapter tube on the one you have.

 

The first thing to do is to obtain the measurement for the internal length of the chimney. Provided that measurement is more than about 53mm (48mm for the chuffer plus 5mm below the top) then you know you have plenty of room for it. It would then be a case of cutting at the slot in the exhaust and then cutting the brass pipe to give about 20mm overlap (10mm minimum). If your loco has a chimney of less than 47mm then it becomes marginal and you can either try mounting it lower (which will probably work - see para one) or we can make you a special 5mm shorter. The sound will be a fraction higher but not a lot (see the video of Phil Sixsmith's Taliesin on the website). "

 

Email extract from William 27 Dec

If you reckon its feasible, my intention is to use my Accucraft Earl chuffer body and stick that on the end of a shortened exhaust pipe, as long as I can get the damn thing off!  (Earl won't be here for a couple of weeks, at least, giving me time to get a replacement.)  I am hoping I can get the cylinders off, but still leave them connected to the motion work, as that will reduce the amount of stripping down required.  I have already stripped off various bits that it transpires weren't necessary, but hey, thats what a bit of research is all about...  it does seem to me that the least I can get away with is removing the bodywork, front pony truck, and cylinders. I would like to find Mary, who apparently assembled my loco for Pearse, and ask her if she really thought it was clever to assemble it so one of the cylinder steam feed pipe retaining collars was completely obscured.  She must have done it while the loco was a bare chassis, as it is completely impossible to get at.  This shouldn't stop me getting the cylinders off, but I am not sure right now. I'm only slightly scared..."

 

Email Extract from William 28 Dec

"Sorted...!

 

"Plans A and B were just too much effort and disassembly, so Plan C was invoked.  Plan C could be regarded as a bit crude, but it is achievable by yer average meddler.

 

It does involves the use of a mini cutting disc on a Dremel or similar (in my case a flex drive on a Proxxon) so the very squeamish had better look away.

 

Remove bodywork - tiny allen bolt in front face of smokebox, below smokebox door, and 2 slot head screws under loco at extreme rear corners of footplate.

 

Stiff paper towel around exhaust pipe in the flue opening in the boiler.  Cover the rest of loco as best you can.

 

Slash off the end of the exhaust pipe, with its nasty crude crimped end and roughly filed slot, as far down as you can get with the disc, then tidy it up with a fine file down the hole.  Then try the chuffer on the end, where you wil find it is WAY too high, so you will have to take a cutting implement to the chuffer, too.  After a couple of trial fits, I cut mine down to a total length of 63.5mm, but it will depend on how far you can persuade the chuffer onto the existing exhaust pipe.  The fact that the hacked off end of the exhaust pipe is a bit rough, doesn't seem to worry it.  Check the height of the chuffer by comparing it with that of the chimney which is sat on the bodywork on your workbench, the top of the chuffer shouldn't really be more than about 125mm above the footplate.

 

I've only tried the loco out on blocks in the kitchen so far (its dark out there) and its pretty impressive.  Marguerite could hear it from the living room, and the kitchen door was shut.... "