Lamps Alight. • Light your lamps at 5.24 in London,
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5.22 in Edin_ burgle 5.19 in Newcastle, 5.30 in Liverpool, 528 in Birmingham, 5,34 in Bristol, and 6.13 in Dublin.
Care of a Foden.
(1710] " A.B." (London)writes The following
are a few additional hints concerning the care and upkeep of a Paden.
First thing each morning, on arriving at the shed, the firebox and tubes should be cleaned out. While steam is being raised, lubrication of the engine and parts should be carried out. Oil everything• that moves ; do not forgot the compensating gear, back axle, leading wheels, spring ends and radius rod ends ; pay special attention to the steering gear. To the
shaft which carries the chain barrel I have had greasers fitted, as I consider grease a, more suitable lubricant for that shaft than oil. Fit a small pipe to run from the oiltray to the steering worm and worm Wheel. Oil the foreearriage three times a day with
cylinder oil, and wash it through with paraffin once a week.
"The shackle pins through the front axle require a lot of attention; on my wagon I have fitted small Mari;eaters for these pins. Use cylinder oil on all bearings near the boiler in hot weather ; in winter a little light oil should be mixed with it.
" When the wagon has stood for the week-end without use, lift the needles in the needle lubricators to make sure that the bearings have oil before starting.
Wherever syphon lubricators are fitted, pour a little oil down the syphon pipe with the same object in
view. Drain out the oil Well of the back axle once a week, and Wash it through with paraffin. Oil the leading wheels twice a day with a suitable ail, and after
cleaning well grease the driving chain once a week. The link motion should be oiled every seven miles, pulling up to do. so ; do not try to drop oil on it while the engine is running ; the result will only be to waste the lubricant "The steering joints should be annealed every six months ; any copper pipes on the engine should go through this process at the same time. Do not use the engine as a brake, as such use plays havoc with all pipe joints ; on the other hand, it is not advisable to depend to too great an extent on the flywheel brake, as there is a danger of bursting the wheel owing to unequal expansion of the metal and the stresses caused. Always commence to descend a steep hill with the low gear in mesh.
"If the pressure gauge gives a false reading, do not meddle with the safety valves, fit a new gauge ; tinkering with the safety valves invites disaster. "Do not use the double-high-pressure gear except for shunting and in ease of necessity. When the high pressure gear is in use, it is advisable to remember that only one cylinder is being properly oiled. Keep
the damper shut when using the engine in this way. Never fire...up when ascending a hill, and always do 80 with the damper up.
" Wash the boiler -out once a week ; clean the clack box once a fortnight. The manhole door must also be removed every other week ; only by these means can the crown and sides of the firebox be properly cleaned. The tank also must be kept perfectly clean, and the back-pressure valves in good order. If these points are attended to, the pump and injector will go on working for years with a minimum of trouble. " Drive according to conditions of road and load. Keep away from the kerb. While taking in water, walk round and examine the moving parts and those liable to become loose. Put a little oil in where
necessary." .
An Improved Injector Coupling Pipe.
[17111 " E.B." (Dartford) writes :—" In several types of steam wagons, the injector is carried on the footplate and is coupled up to the boiler by a plain piece of copper piping without any provision being made to counteract the effects of the vibration of the boiler in its mounting. In my experience, I have known several cases where the Steam valve has broken off the nipple owing to this defect in design, and even if that does not occur trouble is frequently encountered owing to unions coming loose. I have found the following device to be of great use in such circumstances.
"A stuffing box can be made to couple one end of the pipe to the injector ; the end of the steam pipe is turned over forming a slight collar against which asbestos packing rings bed. "Reference to the sketch herewith (We have had this-re-drawn.—En.) will enable other drivers to grasp the idea and will probably serve better than any verbal explanation to make clear the device which I have found of so much use."