Over time scale and hard water deposits can build up in the boiler of a Mamod or Wilesco engine and cause problems. Follow this simple guide to get your steam engine back to tip-top condition.
Before starting, you’ll need a large syringe and plastic tubing (that fits onto the end of the syringe). You can find these on eBay for a couple pounds, search for “large plastic hydroponics syringe”, and they often come with the corresponding tubing as well.
Once you’ve got these follow these seven steps.
- Take some vinegar and mix into water;
- Fill the boiler to the normal level with the diluted vinegar-water mix;
- Leave it for about 40 minutes;
- Get a large syringe and bit of flexible plastic tubing, attach the tube to the syringe and push the pipe into the boiler and suck out the water and limescale that’s now come loss;
- If the whistle and/or safety valve are caked in limescale, soak them in the vinegar solution for a few minutes (not longer) and then wash them clean.
- Now rinse out the boiler three or four times, and
- Finish by wiping off any of the diluted mix you might have spilt from the outside of the pipes, cylinder and boiler.
That’s it.
It’s very important not to leave the diluted water mix in the boiler for too long, 40 minutes at best, and to wipe off any spillage. The vinegar will corrode the metal if left for too long.
If the limescale build up is particularly heavy, you might need to repeat this several times.
Now simply steam up your engine and see how much better it is.
Extra tip: Use distilled water or de-ionized water instead of normal tap water to prevent limescale build up.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.