Burrell 4" - help required re getting water from tank to boiler

Hi,

I very recently acquired a Burrell 4" and I made my first attempt to get her fired up today - with mixed results. i was wondering if someone could help me out.

(1) How do I get the water into the boiler in the first place - I couldn't find a quick/fast way. Ended up taking off the nut at the top of the water gauge for the boiler and filling it up that way.

(2) How do I get the water from the tank into the boiler - I couldn't get it to work and ended up blowing the "fuse plug" out as I ran low on water.

(3) What is the best pressure for the Burrell to work at? e.g. 50psi, 60psi, 70psi etc.

(4) Where can I can buy the following:

a manual
a replacement fuse plug
brass screws to hold in the front caps on the wheels.

Many thanks in advance from a very much a novice female in Scotland

I think you are more then lucky that the boiler had a plug in it as if it did not the hole boiler / engine and yourself would off blow up as boilers are time bombs with NO Water.

Ok then you should be able to get a new plug from blackgates or from A J Reeves / www.pollymodelengineering.co.uk .

So to fill boiler up from the start befor that you start to steam there is a blow down tap on the bottom of the fire box that look just like a tap put a hose pipe on the end and open the screw on the end off the tap, then turn water on mains tap to fill boiler up. When you are filling the boiler up with the mains pipe open the whistle cord to let the air out to watch the water go up the glass on the boiler when 1/2 to 1/3 full turn tap off.
This should be enought to get the boiler up to working pressure to then use the mechanical pump which will be in the tender there will be a tap fitting that can be moved up and down to turn water on / off to feed in the boiler. Also there should be a injector to fill up the boiler with water, to work this you should have a steam tap and a tap from the tender to let water fill boiler up, you need to turn the water on first then turn the steam tap on then it should pick up the water to fill boiler.

There are some good books to read before you start agine rellay eg http://www.littlesamson.co.uk/ 'SCALE MODEL TRACTION ENGINE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Hope this helps

Also look at NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE TRUST ENGINE OWNERS CODES OF PRACTICE as this is how it all should be done in HSE Eyes:-b

OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR of TRACTION ENGINES.

http://www.ntet.co.uk/EOCOP%20-%20Intro%20-%20Oct%2007%20Web.htm