Firing tips wanted - Britannia 70008

[Martin Wynne]

New member David Hodgson writes:

Hi, I have recently bought the silver crest Britannia 70008 from Kingscale this is a coal fired model gauge 3.

Lovely model. Any help regarding, controls, firing tips would be much appreciated.
 
Thanks

David.

[MikeWilliams]

The Society published a book on coal firing.  A guide of what to do and what not to do.  I'm not experienced enough to comment but others have said it was very good.  Not sure whether it has now been incorporated in the "Welcome to Gauge 3" booklet?

Mike

[cabbage]

I do have the coal firing booklet - even though I do not (as yet) have a coal fired engine... It is somewhat "olde fashionede" reading. Having watched people start firing coal locos on my track the initial problem is the most difficult -lighting the fire!

Most people use a centrefugal exhausted fan, but the device used by Andy Boothman best be described as an updraught carburettor (?). Initial combustion seems to best with a combination of softwood sticks soaked in meths.

Regards

Ralph

[Ralph Webb]

The Gauge One Association have produced a very comprehensive book on coal firing. I have found it extremely useful for firing my G1 and 16mm locomotives.

It goes into lighting, different types of coal and firing techniques for different sizes of firebox.

Available to non members for £17 from their sales officer Adrian Johnstone who can be contacted by email g1mrabooks@g1mra.com

Ralph

[AshleyW]

hi David, one thing to note (despite the brochure stating otherwise!) is that the firebars don't come out of the kingscale model, nor is there any ashpan to drop. there is however small openings in the front corners of the "front firebox detail". of persons i know (and i had experience in firing the prototype and others) after running, once cooled, you will have to scoop out the remaining ashes as much as possible via the firehole, then make an adaptor pipe to go onto you vacuum cleaner and vac out remnants above the firebars , that still leaves burnt ashes beneath the firebars, i know one owner, who then ran a water hose throught the firebars to disolve any remaining matter as much as possible .
a good idea for regualr running would be to re-work the pipework for the bypass and make an aperture in the plate beneath the fire,for ashes to drop out when running and also to aid air intake . if you look through my videos, some earlier ones have both brits 70021 and 70000 running at the parkwood railway, youtube wattam100

[Peaky 556]

The Society published a book on coal firing.  A guide of what to do and what not to do.  I'm not experienced enough to comment but others have said it was very good.  Not sure whether it has now been incorporated in the "Welcome to Gauge 3" booklet?

Mike

The G3S still publish the "Running and Maintaining Coal-Fired Locos" booklet.  It's listed in the shop page of the latest Newsletter, for £4 plus postage.  I believe the A4 welcome book that we prepared a year or so back contains a condensed version of this, but I'm not experienced to comment either!
Cheers, Tim