Peter, Maybe the valve stem is either bent upwards or maybe the hole in the steam chest where the spindle travels through is slightly high precluding the valve from seating properly. A mate of mine had the same problem with a super simplex and that is what we found was the casue of all the trouble. Regards, IDP "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO - What a Ride!" "Never drive faster than your gaurdian angel can fly" Priest & Sons Model Engineers http://www.kinvermes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/p1.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Beevers" <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 11:34 AM Subject: [modeleng] Re: Valve Problem Bede, It's the valve not seating properly, maybe because it doesn't have enough vertical movement to seat it or not bedded in well. Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: <bede@xxxxxxx> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: 26 May 2009 03:27 Subject: [modeleng] Valve Problem > Hi All, > > Looking for help troubleshooting my Martin Evans' "Conway", 3.5" > gauge narrow gauge 0-4-0. > > Tried to steam the loco over the weekend and it raised steam ok to > working pressure (80psi), but when I opened the regulator/throttle, the > steam just whooshed directly up the blast pipe, no power to the > cylinders at all in either direction, tried pushing the loco back and > forth, but no luck. > > I have to admit that I did an idiot thing- the smokebox was full of > cinders and ash and my steaming buddy and I took the lazy way out and > tipped the whole engine upright to dump the debris out. I'm thinking > now that this somehow caused one or both valves to become unseated which > resulted in the steam just going straight out the exhaust port. This > loco has outside cylinders with the steam chests inside the frames, > Stephenson gear with the slide/D valves vertical against the port faces. > But I can't imagine the valves coming away that easily, esp. as > they're vertical... > > Any suggestions on what steps to take to remedy this, I really hope I > don't have to strip the loco down... > > Thanks, > Bede in breezy Brooklyn > MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, > modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject > line. > MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.