Topic: Buffalo version of Caribou - 2-8-0

[Ferd]

Here is a Caribou at a local model engineering picnic yesterday hosted by Miniature Power Products in Woodstock Ontario.

[Ferd]

.... the continuation of the Locomotive Inspection and assessment.  Here are the pictures of the smokebox and superheater, with an added picture of the grate. The grate seems crude and it should work. Until I get the drawings it is hard to tell what is complete or how it was intended to be assembled. I should have the drawings tomorrow which will help
cheers Ferd

[Ferd]

Here is the boiler assembly - it has passed pressure testing previously although a lot of metal particles fell out of the boiler upon inspection, and some of the welds look porous (this may be on surface areas and not in the joints themselves). May choose to make up a set of plugs and retest the boiler to make sure it is sound before any progress continues. Will post the superheater pictures and smoke box assembly later.
cheers Ferd

[russ]

I am the friend to whom the "Buffalo" belongs.  The chassis was built by an unknown model engineer in northern Ontario, Canada and acquired by a member of my live steam club (the Golden Horseshoe Live Steamers at www.ghls.ca).  The boiller was built by this club members from who I acquired the almost finished engine.  It is built to a Martin Evans design.  Martin Evans was one of several prolific builder/writers in England who designed many great miniature lives steam engines.  Don Young and LBSC are two others that come to mind.

Martin Evans designed it based on a Canadian National Railways 0-6-0 switcher as a prototype and called it the "Caribou".  If one added the pony truck to the front as was done in this case, it was called the "Buffalo".

Russ in Oakville, Ontario, Canada

[Ferd]

Hi
Here is a 3.5" Gauge Buffalo that belongs to a good friend. I have it in the workshop to decide how much work is involved to get the locomotive steaming and running. So far it looks as though nearly everything is ready. The chassis is said to run on air which I will test later this coming week. I will posts pictures of the boiler later this week. I have not seen a copy of the plans as of yet so most of my analysis at this point is based on basic locomotive requirements. Looking at the steam ports to the cylinders they look as though they are press fit with possibly a gasket between the mating parts. It is an intersting chassis. Here are a few pictures.
cheers