roundhouse MILLIE User guide

Owners Handbook
For the Millie Locomotive
Basic Series Locomotives
MILLIE

Operating Instructions
IMPORTANT:
Read these instructions carefully before operating the locomotive.
The following items are required for running this engine and are not
included with the model.
Fuel Butane gas. See 'Filling the gas tank'
Water See 'Filling the boiler'
Lubricating oil See 'Lubrication'
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
This is a working model locomotive using steam under pressure
and highly flammable fuel. Provided it is operated with reasonable
care and attention, no problems should arise.
It is intended for use out of doors and must only be operated in a
well ventilated area.
Whilst the locomotive is in use, hot gasses are exhausted up the
chimney and excess steam frequently blows off through the safety
valve even when stationary, so operator and spectators should not
bend over the model.
As you will appreciate, this is not a toy and is therefore unsuitable
for young unsupervised children.
Follow manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the safe
storage of Butane gas canisters.
Some areas of the model will get quite hot whilst it is operating so
be aware of this and take extra care when handling or operating
the locomotive. Always have to hand either a fire extinguisher or
wet cloth when operating the model.

CONTENTS
Tool kit Page 4
Running in Page 4
Identification of parts of the locomotive Page 5
Preparations for operation Page 6
1. Filling the Gas Tank Page 6
2. Lubrication Page 7
3. Filling the Boiler Page 8
4. Lighting the Burner Page 9
Driving the locomotive Page 10
Storage between operating sessions Page 12
Trouble shooting & maintenance Page 13
Steam leaks Page 13
Gas system page 14
Boiler and Gas Tank Certificate, Pages 17 & 18
(EC Declaration Of Conformity).
Service and Parts. Page 20
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Millie Instruction Booklet

TOOL KIT
The following items are included with your locomotive.
One small bottle of special steam oil for use in the lubricator.
One 60ml syringe with plastic tube for filling the boiler with water.
One spare gas jet.
One set of spare washers and ‘0’ rings.
One Allen key for cylinder socket cap screws.
RUNNING IN
All locomotives are test run before leaving the factory, but will
require several hours of running in, when new, to overcome initial
tightness and allow valves etc. to ‘bed in’. The locomotive will
waste a proportion of its water and steam until ‘run in’ due to
leaking slide valves, a tendency to prime more, and simply
overcoming the initial tightness of the moving parts. Take note in
the ‘Lighting the burner’ section regarding this matter.
As the model heats up and cools down each time you raise steam,
screws and nuts have a tendency to stretch and loosen a little so
you will also need to make regular checks and ‘nip up’ any that
become loose. Most are quite visible and easy to get to however if
there is any steam leaking from the valve chests on top of the
cylinder or front cylinder covers, refer to the Trouble Shooting
section.
Note: - When steam has been raised and you are ready to run, it is
advisable to connect a heavy truck or flat wagon with a weight (up
to 20lbs) for the locomotive to pull. The design of the model is such
that when the boiler is initially full of water, opening the regulator
may allow water to pass through the steam regulator. As this
reaches the superheater, the water will flash into steam causing the
locomotive to accelerate rapidly. An alternative method is to initially
run the locomotive on blocks or a ‘rolling road’.
After 5 to 10 minutes the water level in the boiler will have reduced
and the model can be run light, if desired.
When the locomotive is fully bedded in, this tendency will lessen.
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IDENTIFICATION OF PARTS
OF THE LOCOMOTIVE
1/ Lubricator filler cap. 2/ Steam regulator.
3/ Gas regulator. 4/ Gas filler valve.
Cab layout.
5

PREPARING FOR OPERATION
The locomotive must be serviced before being operated. It is
important to perform all the following operations.
1) FILLING THE GAS TANK
The filling of the gas tank should only be carried out in a well-
ventilated area, where there are no naked lights or other lighted
locomotives close by. Ordinary Butane or Iso-butane gas (as used
in gas cigarette lighters) is the preferred fuel, though for economy,
the larger canisters as used for blowlamps or camping stoves etc.
are better. The larger canisters have an EN417 threaded self
sealing valve on top and require a special adapter to couple up to
the filler valve on the locomotive. A special brass gas filler adapter
is obtainable from your local garden railway supplier or direct from
ROUNDHOUSE.
Mixed gasses are also available and may be used if ordinary
butane or iso-butane are not available, but see the ‘Gas System’
section for more information.
Before attempting to fill the gas tank, make sure that the gas
control valve is closed by turning it clockwise and that there are no
other operating locomotives or naked flames nearby.
The filler valve for the gas tank is on top of the gas tank at the rear
of the cab. Ensure that the gas canister is fitted with a correct
adaptor then invert it and place its nozzle over the gas filler valve.
Support the locomotive from underneath in the area of the tank,
and press the canister down.
The gas will be heard hissing as it enters the tank and a small
amount will escape around the valve. This is quite normal and is
the tank venting as the liquid enters. After about 20 to 30 seconds
liquid gas will emerge from the valve showing that the tank is full.
Remove the canister immediately. Filling times will vary depending
on the temperature of the locomotive and are for guidance only.
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2) LUBRICATION
Regular lubrication of all working parts is important and should be
carried out before each operating session. The slip eccentric valve
gear is located between the rear wheels and the frames and is
lubricated by running oil down the back of the wheels. There are
two types of lubrication required: The external moving linkages and
bearings are lubricated with a medium oil such as motor engine oil,
and the internal steam mechanisms such as cylinders, pistons and
valves are lubricated with a special steam oil that is mixed with the
steam. Infrequent external lubrication will allow parts to run dry,
and over oiling can form pools around operating parts that attract
dirt and grit. If too thin an oil is used it will evaporate very quickly as
the loco gets hot –leading to dry running. We recommend the use
of a 20-50 motor oil for external lubrication.
Internal lubrication is achieved by steam oil that is mixed with the
steam in the displacement lubricator, housed in the left-hand side
of the cab. Remove the knurled cap from the top and slacken the
drain screw two or three turns at the bottom but do not remove it.
Any water in the lubricator will run out through the drain screw.
Tighten the drain screw and refill with the steam oil supplied, then
replace the cap. Take time filling the lubricator, especially when
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cold, as the oil takes time to run down and may trap an air bubble.
Both cap and drain screw are fitted with ‘0’ rings and need only be
closed finger tight.
NOTE: Only special steam oil as supplied should be used in the
lubricator and under no circumstances should ordinary oil be
substituted, or damage may result. The gas and steam regulators
will require periodic lubrication –see the troubleshooting section for
details.
3) FILLING THE BOILER
A syringe and plastic pipe are supplied for filling of the boiler. The
boiler is filled with water through the safety valve bush, housed on
top of the boiler. Remove the safety valve by unscrewing it using
the knurled ring at its base. Fill the boiler right to the top with clean
water. Distilled water is recommended if available. If distilled water
is unavailable, clean tap water can be used in soft water areas.
Also, rain water or water from a dehumidifier can be used provided
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that it is adequately filtered Do not use deionised water as this type
of water may cause long term damage to the boiler and fittings.
There has to be a space above the water to allow steam to be
raised so, insert the end of the plastic pipe into the boiler and
withdraw 30ml of water with the syringe. Replace the safety valve
finger tight.
4) LIGHTING THE BURNER
WARNING: Before lighting read the section on gas system
troubleshooting and be aware of potential problems. If the gas
system is not operating correctly, shut it off immediately or
damage may result. Move the locomotive to another location before
lighting. Butane is heavier than air and small pockets of gas can
collect around the locomotive during filling.
To light the burner, hold a lighted match or cigarette lighter over the
top of the boiler and slowly open the gas regulator by turning it anti
-clockwise. The full range of adjustment (closed to fully open) is
achieved within the first half to three quarters of a turn of the
gas regulator knob any more is unnecessary.
The gas should ignite almost immediately with a pop as the flame
travels down the sides of the boiler and into the combustion
chamber at the bottom. The burner should be just audible but not
too loud.
NOTE as stated above, the gas regulator should be opened slowly
until the burner ignites. If opened too quickly, particularly when the
engine is cold or if the gas tank has just been filled, it is possible
that the flame may not travel down into the combustion chamber
but stay in the top of the firebox and over the boiler. If this should
happen, the blue flame will be visible around the top of the firebox.
Should this happen, turn off the gas immediately or damage may
result and then re-light it. If the problem persists, and it is not
possible to ignite the burner correctly, then refer to gas system
troubleshooting.
When full working pressure has been reached (about 40psi), the

safety valve will start to blow off steam, this can take up to 10 or 12
minutes in outdoor locations. Steam generation can be controlled
by the gas valve in the cab. If the safety valve blows off frequently
during running, then too much steam is being produced, which
wastes water and gas. Turning down the burner will decrease the
amount of steam made. Conversely, if steam pressure is not
maintained during a run, then the burner should be turned up. The
art of balancing steam generation to the operational requirement by
the adjustment of the gas control valve will quickly be learned. The
gas tank has a duration of about 25 minutes, though this will vary a
little depending on gas valve setting.
DRIVING THE LOCOMOTIVE
There are two main controls, both of which are housed in the cab.
1) The gas regulator, which should be used to control steam
generation as described earlier.
2) The steam regulator. This is the main steam control valve and
regulates the speed at which the engine will run. The regulator
handle is situated in the right hand cab doorway and is moved
anticlockwise to open and clockwise to close.
Select the desired direction of travel by manually moving the
locomotive for one wheel revolution in the desired direction and
crack open the regulator just a little. Initially, there will be a certain
amount of water in the pipes and cylinders which will cause the
engine to run jerkily until it is exhausted through the chimney. This
is known as priming and is quite normal and will clear after a few
moments. If the engine appears to ‘lock up’ during initial starting
from cold, it is often helpful to close the regulator and gently move
the engine manually to expel the excess water from the cylinders
then open the regulator just a little to allow a small amount of
steam through.
It is also helpful to reverse direction of the locomotive with the
regulator closed, then open the regulator just a little and run in
reverse for a short distance. This may have to be repeated until all
water clears but avoid forcing or jerking the engine as this will only
aggravate the matter. Gently does it and small regulator openings
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