Get Chuffed

I’d already bought some bling to accessorise my Millie, but the first real upgrade required some surgery: fitting a chuff pipe to get that chuffing sound.

So, bravely overcoming my natural squeamishness, I removed the Millie’s smokebox, got at the hacksaw, and set to…

[pe2-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tEEMHrR9MZg/VztxBAeJidI/AAAAAAAEju8/8UwT7KHH84Ab2iS3Syb0sCoVRSRYiQ30gCHM/s144-c-o/P1190279.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/105041492449804846682/MoelRhosBlogPhotos#6285741967045921234″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”P1190279.jpg” pe2_img_align=”none”]The original exhaust pipes needed to be cut back.

[pe2-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/–V63rkJOcmY/VztxBLGfCoI/AAAAAAAEju8/66rpfCCuulI3BazlNh8ZZ_7TqsrjuQbFgCHM/s144-c-o/P1190280.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/105041492449804846682/MoelRhosBlogPhotos#6285741969899457154″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”P1190280.jpg” pe2_img_align=”none”]The chuff pipe is a push fit. But it wouldn’t fit! More filing needed…

[pe2-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gPbUfwJYpk0/VztxBLUAocI/AAAAAAAEju8/WPKdXmHPLtYp7421xoRb8d7iZmTofgd7ACHM/s144-c-o/P1190281.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/105041492449804846682/MoelRhosBlogPhotos#6285741969956184514″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”P1190281.jpg” pe2_img_align=”none”]Eventually I realised the exhaust pipes probably weren’t meant to push all the way in. I had filed enough.

Nervously I steamed up. When I opened the regulator – nothing! What had I done? Well, probably, I’d opened the regulator too soon – a minute later, she began to chuff away…

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Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

10 thoughts on “Get Chuffed”

    1. Thank you!

      I’ve met some very keen engineers – I’m definitely only just beginning. But I used a lathe for the first time, last week! (Whistle works…)

      Look forward to showing you live steam… er… live.

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