Re: starting a steam loco

On 8 Oct, 12:21, a...@xxxxxxxxxx (Andrew Robert Breen) wrote:

In atmospheric engines, iirc, the weight of the pump rods descending was
used to start the engine - that pulled the piston up, steam was let in
behind it - and then the water sprays were put on to condense the steam
and create vacuum.

Yes, in the atmospheric engine the cylinder was constructed above the
boiler, and directly connected to it. The piston was normally at the
top of the cylinder, held there as you say by the weight of the pump
rods on the other end of the beam. Steam was allowed to rise from the
boiler into the cylinder, a valve was then closed, and water was
sprayed directly into the cylinder, thus condensing the steam, and
creating a vacuum below the piston, which was then pushed down by the
atmospheric pressure above it; there was, of course, no separate
condenser at that time. The water was then allowed out of the
cylinder, and air and steam let back in, so that the weight of the
pump rods pulled the piston back to the top of the cylinder, and the
cycle was repeated.

The Black Country Museum built a working replica of such an engine
some years ago, but the last I heard it was no longer in working
order. I don't know if it has since been repaired, or if there are
any plans to do so.

.

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