What is the truth about “Tich”and “Minnie”?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes the Durham has a similar pump arrangement but on the flywheel side like this

 

J

[KeithParticipant @keith]

Thanks for advice re Minnie book – I have most of the digital volumes that where on this site – will either try to get the rest or look for second hand book. I have since remembered where I saw a book for sale – I am sure that it was new – will see if it is still there.

Cheers

Keith

[Errol KochParticipant @errolkoch47897]

I have a ‘Tich’, built from a very basic chassis given to me by a friend. No castings were used, all machined from solid stock. It is a large boilered, walschaerts valve gear version. It was not my ideal choice of loco, but since I lived in a flat, 3 stories up at the time, with no elevator/lift, seemed a practical compromise.

 

Building it taught me a great deal, how the Walschaerts gear worked, and after completion, how to fire it. If you can fire a ‘Tich’ on the run, I feel you can fire anything!

 

A bicycle tyre pump fitted to an external blower pipe provided the blast, but it was a mission to get any worthwhile fire initially. I was at first rather condemnatory of the whole effort needed to construct the darned thing, but persevered, to be rewarded with the valuable fire lighting and management knowledge gained, and it has stood me in good stead ever since.

 

I used an old bronze  bush to make smokebox, resulting in a nose down stance, but lead weights added to the cab corners levelled the loco out, improving the traction substantially. (An ‘Invicta ‘ I own slips too easily, and needs a hand push on th boiler to keep traction – gets hot!)

 

I have run it without the superheater fitted, but it uses a lot more water, and the small tanks make it a close call, if the track is too long. I used a screw down regulator, copied from a Martin Evans ‘Eagle’ I was also building at the time – works well.

 

Since it’s such a tiny loco, it does need well fitting parts, but no tightness anywhere. Since it uses an axle driven water pump, careful attention needs to be paid to the free flow of water from the discharge side, no restrictions any where, and test it to satisfy yourself that it is so. Any pressure build up loads the engine and wears it out quickly. Tich has small wheels and they buzz round at a pretty high speed, as does all the engine’s components.

 

The track I normally run Tich on is at the Durban Society of Model Engineers, in South Africa. This track has some steep gradients, which draws a lot of power, and consequently creates a fierce blast. I have found that the lower boiler tubes get blocked and that seems to stop the whole show. A level and tame track seems to be a better option. I am sure I could run for ages on a level track, but then boredom sets in!

 

Our local coal is of poorer quality than found elsewhere, needing careful firing, but the loco has a lot of guts and my ‘Tich’ is a willing performer. It needs an overhaul now, and a change of colour, something bright, so viewers can see what you are busy with between your legs.

 

One error I encountered was that of the return crank length. The drawing and the book differed – the drawings I had were correct, if I can remember correctly.

 

As has been mentioned earlier, its your hobby, to build what you wish.

Enjoy it!

 

Regards,

Errol Koch

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Regarding a Tich; It is a great little locomotive.

 

I built one, started when I was a teenager.

 

It can pull 2 adults quite easily on *level* tracks. (I have a picture somewhere of me at Winnipeg, pulling 400+ pounds around their track)

 

It has the endurance to go around the Waushakum Live Steamers track in the USA (I know, because mine did)  (youtube the track, if you want to see what it is like)

 

It can fly as cabin baggage (I know, because I have done that a few times)

 

It can go alarmingly fast, in fact, Tich seems to like flying along, just like LBSC says in his book.

 

However —

 

It does take skill to fire, and you can not run all day, because things need cleaning. I don’t find that to be a problem, because I generally don’t really like just driving, but I really like the challenge of keeping the locomotive going! The first few times I was NOT successful at firing; it does take concentration.

 

It is small, light, inexpensive. Each to their own –  too bad those who have not mastered the art of firing one or just love sitting all day going in circles keep putting it down – because it really is fun. 

 

Our local club track has some REALLY steep but short sections, so Tich will not pull me around here anymore. Mind you, my 2-8-2 also has issues with the transitions between grades, so it will not go around the track either! (the track needs work…)

 

JohnS.

 

[nipperParticipant @nipper]

Hi Howard.

There seems to be plenty of entrenched attitudes out there. How self opinionated  and unhelpful club members are,  if they don’t treat me right I will never go again etc. I think that the trend is towards more accurate models but there will always be room for others, after all most start with something basic and work up. My philosophy is that you should build what you want to build, model engineering is a marathon not a sprint, consequently spending several years building something that you don’t actually want can be very frustrating. Meanwhile If Tich is the one for you I am sure the club would offer sensible advice.

Best Regards Nipper

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

I want to build a small Traction Engine, if I can gather all the materials I need.  What I want is a little engine to pull me around my garden on a little trolley.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to scale add type?  I shipped my part finished Titch back to the U.K.  I did not finishe it in the U.K. as it was not an ‘approved design’ by the local club as it could not be used  for ‘public running’.  There are no 3 1/2” gauge railways here in Hungary

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If your garden is tarmac and you are a 7stone weakling then you may just get away with a minnie. The Alchin at 1 1/2″ will just do it on short dry grass. You really need a 2″ engine and the simplest would be the Minnie but doubled up, as this is a free lance engine you could alter it about a bit to suit whats available material wise.

 

Jason

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

The problem with clubs is that they need public running to pay rent.

Anyone running an engine like Tich will only block the track up and prevent a ‘paying’ engine from taking it’s space.

 

Clubs know this and that is why they are against these engines.

 

John S.

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Posted by John Stevenson on 28/12/2010 17:51:39:

 “The problem with clubs is that they need public running to pay rent.Anyone running an engine like Tich will only block the track up and prevent a ‘paying’ engine from taking it’s space.Clubs know this and that is why they are against these engines.John S.”

 

 Interesting point – where I am located, passengers only ride on the ground level tracks due to insurance reasons, leaving the elevated track(s) free for those without the means of pulling the public. 

 

Not having taken Model Engineer for a few years, the “Little LEC” was a very pleasant surprise when I discovered it about a month ago.  My own opinion – take it for what it’s worth – is that the “pull the passengers” locomotives are petrol (gasoline) as steam locomotives tend not to be as reliable nor as quick to get going. (find any “Live Steaming” magazine from the past 5 years and look at the pictures and do the count yourself).

 

Quite possibly there are a group of people out there that would rather “build and run”, than “pull the public”  – if so, I wonder how clubs in general tend to handle this group? I do know of a couple of clubs that now do not allow the public – but this is on the west side of the Atlantic – I don’t know what clubs in Britain and the Continent do. 

 

Another JohnS

 

 

 

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

JasonB Thanks  2″ Minnie it is.  But I will have to get the metal together before I start to make the drawings.  I will also have to get my confounded CAD package working.

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