How is the coal fed into the firebox of a Double Fairlie?

[TravisM]

I was looking at Bachmann’s awesome Ffestiniog Railway’s Double Fairlie and I’m a little bit mystified on how the coal is fed into the firebox.  I assume that there’s just the one firebox that feeds the two boilers but as hard as I look, I can’t see where the firebox opening is.

 

I’ve always wondered why the pictures of footplate crews on a Double Fairlie appear to be hanging out, but seeing how much room there is inside the cab, I’m surprised that they can even get in, let alone fire and drive it.

[sir douglas]

the are 2 seperate fireboxes and their holes are on one side and yes firing it is nightmare which the fireman has to have his backside and he shovel handle sticking much of the time

 

this is one without the bodywork and you can see the 2 doors

[Titan]

Well you know what they say, if the dome fits...

[TravisM]

28 minutes ago, sir douglas said:

the are 2 seperate fireboxes and their holes are on one side and yes firing it is nightmare which the fireman has to have his backside and he shovel handle sticking much of the time

 

this is one without the bodywork and you can see the 2 doors

Would it not have been better to have just the one firebox or would that have caused drafting problems?

[Andrew Young]

11 minutes ago, jools1959 said:

Would it not have been better to have just the one firebox or would that have caused drafting problems?

Fairlie tried that, but two chimneys on one fire creates a draughting nightmare. 

[Nearholmer]

It would be a"draught nightmare", because the two engines operate independently, and in practice drift in and out of phase with one another. The flue gasses would be in a pair of competing draughts.

[Mol_PMB]

The first double Fairlie had a single firebox, but it didn't work. The 'chuff' at one end would pull in cold air from the other end more easily than it would pull air through the fire. So the fire didn't get enough draught and loco did not steam well at all.

Much better to have two separate fireboxes, each one working like in a conventional boiler.

But the boiler steam and water space is all one, as illustrated here:

They're not a 'nightmare' to operate, they're a pleasure. Very smooth riding, they steam well and have plenty of power. Firemen quickly get the knack of flicking the coal into each corner of the fireboxes, and there's more space in there than you would think. The only slightly tricky thing is training new crews, because you can't have more than one person on the fireman's side.

 

 

 

[MikeTrice]

Not a lot of room:

[Mol_PMB]

LT is a little more cramped than the current FR fleet, but there's plenty of room too the job. I'm not a small guy, and I fire and drive them.

It's the jobs like fire cleaning and changing firebars that are a bit more awkward.

[Andrew Young]

@Mol_PMBThey’re a tad cramped, but Mr Martin and I (I’m 6’3” and not exactly slim!) have spent a couple of days sharing the driver’s side of Merddin. 
 

Must echo Mol’s comments about the ride quality and the superb power output from such a compact machine. The decision works very well with the one water space and two fire boxes. 
 

Last Thursday evening’s 7mmNGA Trent Valley Group Zoom session, like the usual pub session, except from home, whilst modelling and not restricted to just members local to Derby, we were discussing the Funkey diesels. To realise just how good a piece of kit a Double Fairlie or a Garratt are, compare them to the internal combustion alternatives available.

 

Andrew

Edited November 26, 2021 by Andrew Young

[Steven B]

On 26/11/2021 at 19:51, Andrew Young said:

To realise just how good a piece of kit a Double Fairlie or a Garratt are, compare them to the internal combustion alternatives available.

 

Until you need to get one ready for the first train of the day in weather like we've had this weekend!

 

Steven B.

 

[Andrew Young]

1 hour ago, Steven B said:

 

Until you need to get one ready for the first train of the day in weather like we've had this weekend!

 

Steven B.

 

Only if you insist on lighting up outside! It’s fine if you’re a progressive railway with a shed to prepare your locos in in the morning, maybe even a proper water column at the shed too ;-)

 

Andrew

[Mol_PMB]

4 minutes ago, Andrew Young said:

Only if you insist on lighting up outside! It’s fine if you’re a progressive railway with a shed to prepare your locos in in the morning, maybe even a proper water column at the shed too ;-)

 

Andrew

I expect you southern softies even have lighting and effective drains in your pits...

[Andrew Young]

2 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

I expect you southern softies even have lighting and effective drains in your pits...

We have lighting only when we remember to take the lamp down with us… And one out of two draining pits ain’t bad!

[Mike 84C]

I always thought the ease with which the bottom end can prime was/is a real pain. And it washes the lubrication straight up the chimney.