MSRVS  21st Steam Rally Tewkesbury
Saturday 24th June - Sunday 25th June

I have just returned form the Model Steam Road Vehicle Society's 21st Steam Rally held at the Tewkesbury Rugby club.  As with Whissendine the highlight for me was the road runs.

Steam Up - Ready to go  (excellent smokeless coal was supplied)

The rally was opened by Town Mayor Elect Councilor PJ Aldridge
Riding with Chris's on his 3" Allchin 'Lark'

Near the start of the 1.3 mile Road Run around the streets of Tewkesbury

Steaming along the main road into Tewkesbury

The Cross at the centre of Tewkesbury

Turn into Gander Lane - the final leg back to the field

Roy on his ModelWorks Burrell 'Ivor'

I couldn't resist the challenge to pull this 2 ton truck.

I would like to thank the organizers of MSRVS rally, especially the police and marshals who made the road runs possible.
 

As I believe in "if it ain't  broke don't fix it" I shall not be fitting any of these items.  I made my own replacement water lifter which is of similar design to the one supplied.  I have found this invaluable for filling the tender and would recommend fitting the one supplied.  Replacing the hornplate socket button head screws with proper bolts is a good idea.  I continue to monitor mine and since fitting brass sleeves have had less trouble.  When I next have the wheels off I shall fit the bolts in the inaccessible locations but leave the button heads where they are in full view and easily checked.  The replacement injector water tap has been supplied in an attempt to get the 8 pint injector to work but Steve reports mixed results. Where the new tap fails to get the injector to work the problem is likely either an air leak in the new tap or a shortage of steam.  There remains a significant restriction within the injector steam cock an anyone desperate for a working injector could try a replacement 3/8 pipe globe valve from RA Baker.  Taking to Robert I have learned that his valve has a much larger internal passage and has the same threads as those supplied my ModelWorks.
 

Over the last few weeks I have found myself calling my engine "Little Beastie".  I am not sure when I began using this name but I suspect it was after a bad priming in which the engine was covered in brown treated boiler water.   Even though "Little Beastie" is an unconventional name for an engine I have decided to go with it.

"Little Beastie" performed impeccably over the weekend and other than a few loose bolts I have no items requiring attention.  At some point I knew the Burrell Diary would come to an end and with the engine working well I believe this has now come.  I would like to thank ModelWorks and especially Steve for supplying me an engine that has proved itself to be  an excellent performer.  When I started the Burrell I had concerns that a kit build engine would somehow be inferior.   I have found that unless I point out the engines origins, rally goers assume it has been made by a Model Engineer from casting (but not me!!!!).

Finally I thank my loyal readers who may continue to  enjoy my exploits by following my Foden Build.