Vacuum Braking (10) Implementation (4)

In implementation (2), I'd started to plot the vacuum pipework route and had begun mounting it under the footplate. Now I've managed to join it up with the front end and broken up through the cab floor (I'm enjoying this, it's like extreme Meccano but different!).

The first set of photos are looking rearwards (and upwards).

The pipe comes forward around the RHS of the boiler and then dog-legs to get around the RHS rear wheel.

Continuing from the dog-leg with clamp in place

A 'T' provides the upward connection to the cab apparatus.

'T' Junction upwards to cab

(Note: the curtain is not for decoration; it is covering the inter-axle chain to keep me a bit cleaner while under here. I suppose it does add a little to the sense of homeliness in a working environment!).

Up through an interesting hole in the cab floor

After turning left behind the water tank, I had to be very accurate to enable the pipe to fit between the tank and the existing pipework.

Then stitching across to the LHS between the exhaust pipes and the water tank...

...down and round the tank bottom corner and towards the front...

Then once below the water tank bottom surface, the pipe can point forwards again.

...alongside the LHS exhaust pipe...

These photos are looking forwards (and upwards).

...towards the front...

...beneath the water tank and then above the front axle...

...finally dropping down to avoid the counter shaft and
diagonally across to the front vacuum connection

The front vacuum connection

These photos are looking backwards and upwards again.

Diagonal and level then up and over the axle

Up and over the front axle

When the joints have been tightened, the pipe will no longer foul the right hand chain sprocket.

To the rear of the water tank bottom then stitch between the pipes

Meanwhile, in the cab:
The vertical pipe will have the vacuum ejector connected along with the brake operating handle, vacuum gauge and vacuum relief valve.

Where the little sucker connects!

The pipe underneath still has to have its clamps fitted - another opportunity for the sky drill! I'll use fairly shallow holes into the water tank; I wouldn't like to add an extra drain hole!

A few points of note:
There are seven union joint fittings between the front and rear buffer beams. These enable the whole pipe structure to be dismantled and removed. Since I installed from rear to front, dismantling should be done from the front to the rear.

All the pipe's tapered male to parallel female thread connections have been sealed using Heldite. I find this superior by far to Teflon tape as it is easy to brush on and it fills all the gaps. It also does not set hard and allows the joints to be undone at a later date.

I'm not sure I like the diagonal pipe towards the front although it does not seem to be in the way of anything else.

Another day or two should see the underneath vacuum piping completed then the cab apparatus gets its turn. I'm starting to feel quite confident that the end is in sight!