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Author Topic: Paddleengine made from Hornby`s Rocket loco model.  (Read 517 times)

Offline Hankwilliams

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Paddleengine made from Hornby`s Rocket loco model.
« on: January 17, 2025, 10:50:30 PM »
Dear friends and neighbors,

my last little project was the build of a longstroke paddleengine with use of cylinders, pistons and further parts from the Hornby Rocket.
I bought the Rocket for a low price and took her to pieces. The tiny boiler was deformed - speziel the flame tube - and complete unusable.
But this doesn`t matter, I only needed the steamengine. It wasn`t difficult, building a new frame with aluminium L - profiles, the cylinders were fixed with M 2 scews with the correct distance.
Unexspectly presentation of running with steam was very good, the engine is running rather dry compared with the chinese oscillating plant. Also the torque is far better - no wonder with a stroke of 27 mm. I didn`t open the soldered Cylinders, bore may be about 10 mm. Engine runs with  minimal 0,2 bar pressure!

The plant will get a reverse valve (originally slip excenter). I want to install her in my "Courier" paddler to replace the weak and very wet running chinese oscillator.
I only found one word mentioning disadvantage of the Rocket engine: The four fork heads (don`t know the English expression) which connect pistons and piston valves are obviously made of plastic. This should be removed also by metal parts.

Thomas

Offline JonCameron

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  • Posts: 16
Re: Paddleengine made from Hornby`s Rocket loco model.
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2025, 12:39:21 AM »
That's a good re-use of parts.

I also like the inverted occilating engine. Looks a nice little design.

Regards
Jon

Offline Hankwilliams

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  • Posts: 923
  • Gender: Male
Re: Paddleengine made from Hornby`s Rocket loco model.
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2025, 11:32:48 PM »
New slide engine is installed in the boat. The engine is running well and powerful now with minor steam exhaust compared with the oscillating one.
The fork heads at the piston- and sliderods were made of plastic (!) - this wasn`t well, I replace this parts with brass made ones. The old Wilesco reverse valve nearly is steamtight and also of good function.
Unfortunately all lakes and ponds are frozen, so I can`t do a testdrive of the reengined boat.

Thomas

Offline Hankwilliams

  • Senior Member
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  • Posts: 923
  • Gender: Male
Re: Paddleengine made from Hornby`s Rocket loco model.
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2025, 02:28:35 AM »
Welcome friends and neighbors,

there was a little bit work, to make the "COURIER" steamboat a satisfaying live steam model. The presentation of the engine was rather different, when the boat was swimming. In the past, the long and narrow hull has showed a tendence to heel - I tried to stop this. The solution seems simply: A bore hole of 10 mm diameter at the top of the wheelhouses - makes the air of the turning wheels escaping, the hull lies stable in water.

I even turned the engine 180? degrees because the preference of running direction. The gear reduction of 1,2 : 2 wasn`t enough, the gear reduction now is 2 : 1. I don`t altered the rigid and small (100 mm diameter) paddlewheels, they are in scale.

Today the test run in the tank seems satisfaying - to avoide cavitation, it?s best to start the engine in a slowly manner. With the gear reduction, the torque will be good to whirl the water, when the model is driving faster.

I can say: This engine made of the "ROCKET" Loco is far more suitable than the first two engines!

Thomas

 

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