I am working on a two and a half inch 0-6-0 engine with Stephensons link motion. I have had the engine running, but stripped it down to paint it. When re-assembled the valve links are not working properly. I have stripped it down and assembled the engine more than once! One side seems ok, but instead of opposing steam inlets being open sometimes the same side can be open. Hope I have made it reasonably clear. Very frustrating and any help or suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks for both replies, The loco is a 2.5 inch Southern Maid (LBSC) The eccentric straps are marked (punched) with pips 1 to 4, When I took a photo before dis- assembly these pips were at the top of the loco (looking down) that is (I think) how I received the loco, but after dis assembly I notice that one of the actual eccentrics on the axle was punched with four pips ( which now meant that pips appeared underneath) after I put it back together!. If I understand "Workshop Pete" I think you are saying undo the two wrong eccentric (straps)and reverse these on the axle?

Hello Peter,

Many thanks for the post, unfortunately I have not solved the problem. I have this morning swapped the numbered straps (4) back to what I thought was their original positions. Which was number 4 on the left of the loco I am still experiencing an opening of the valves at the same end. I may not have explained very well. So here goes again. On the axle (middle of three) where the eccentrics are fixed I have reversed the positions of the straps, the outer two straps (1 and 4) now move forward as the inner (2 and 3) move in the opposite direction (backwards)as the axle is rotated. The only other way I can think of altering anything significantly would be to undo the eccentric connections to the die block and reverse these. But as I did not touch these I cant think it would work. Sorry for the laboured description. Any suggestion most gratefully accepted!