Model Triple Expansion Steam Engine. First taste of steam tomorrow!

I was very excited to see my triple running reasonably well on air recently.  But it was tight, and required a decent gutful of air pressure to turn it over.  But it did go!

Then it seized.

The cause was the intermediate cylinder valve rod seizing in its guide.  Probably a bit tight,and not getting any oil.

So I have loosened the gland, installed a displacement oiler, and made and installed a flywheel.  I also finished the pipework around the condenser.

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Displacement oiler top left, brass flywheel, and pipework.  The condenser on a marine engine would have been cooled with seawater, pumped with a separate pump, but I have used the 2 pumps on either side of the Edwards air pump.  In future I might install another pump.  The book “Marine Steam Engines and Turbines” has been been very useful.  

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I just like all of the brass and copper and components in this picture.

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The flywheel is too big for the scale, but my model does not have the weight and momentum of a propeller shaft and propeller, so a sizeable flywheel seemed appropriate.  Later I will add some gear teeth on the flywheel and a cranking handle on a removeable pinion, which some medium size engines had to assist with cranking to a starting position.  

So, tomorrow I will hook my triple up to Stuart Tankard’s vertical boiler, and see what happens.  I am sure that steam leaks will be revealed.  Hopefully there will be a video worth posting!