Queen Elizabeth 4-6-2 - Free wheeling tie rod

[AndrueC]

I asked this elsewhere but unfortunately the answer didn't appear to be correct so I thought I'd be better off asking where it really belongs. I have a QE but one of the piston rods is no longer moving.

The arrowed bracket can be pushed around by my finger and doesn't move while the locomotive is running.

 

Someone in the other thread suggested that the hexagonal nut needs to be tightened. I don't have a small enough spanner but I've poked at it with a jeweller's screw driver and it doesn't seem to be loose. Inspecting the rod that is moving correctly leaves me puzzled because that has plenty of play on its shaft which makes tightening the nut seem an unlikely solution.

 

I could send her to be serviced and probably will eventually but it's a new loco (can't have more than an hour's running on her) and I'm genuinely intrigued as to how these rods are supposed to move. Obviously it works on one side well enough but I'll be darned if I can see any difference between the two sides.

[Ian Hargrave]

Try this. I think H have a tool specifically designed for this. Ring them Monday 

[AndrueC]

'H' ?

[AndrueC]

Interesting. Thought I'd take another look tonight and both sides are working. Well at least that suggests it is just something that needs adjustment rather than anything being broken. I guess the old gal's ears were burning. Time to put another dozen minutes of running on her I suppose

 

Update:Oh dear. She ran for a couple of minutes then there was a derailment. The problem con rod has become disconnected from the other end now. I'll have to take a look tomorrow and see if it can be reattached. You don't get this kind of problem with diesels...

Edited March 6, 2021 by AndrueC