Steam Pump

A pleasant February day but very wet underfoot and wheel.  Just about every body who ventured off the gravel onto the grass had to be pushed or towed out by the tractor.

You probably remember I am building the Beattie Well tank locomotive.   It was designed and built in 1862 before injectors were used and had crosshead pumps and a steam pump on the running board to provide water.  This clearly visible in the photograph.

The model has been designed by Chris Rayward and serialised.  Recently he published his design of the donkey pump and Phil Bridgeway thought it an attractive model and decided to build it.  Well today Phil brought along the finished steam pump.   The steam engine is fairly conventional and sits on top of the pump which is housed in the block below.   The piston road drives a scotch yoke to operate the vale gear and then carries on down to drive the pump piston.  Phil has made an excellent job and it is a real work of art with very fine machining and finishing of even the smallest of components.    Keep an eye out for it at the next on the table or exhibition it is well worth a look.