Sold June 2010 Back to Archive

A particularly well made steam plant, certainly the largest model one I've had in, tipping the scales at 185 pounds and stands almost 30 inches tall at the chimney.

The coal-fired, return flue copper boiler works at 80psi, feed by injector and handpump, with additional feed by a mechanical pump driven by the engine. There is a water tank mounted on the side of the boiler, with drain cocks fitted beneath and feed cocks for the injector and hand pump. Three cock water gauge with blowdown mounted above the firehole door. There is a large chime whistle mounted at the far end of the boiler, above the blowdown valve.

The twin cylinder, simple expansion engine is crisply machined and well-fitted - it turns over very smoothly and runs down to low speed, thanks in part to the pair of large flywheels fitted. The gunmetal cylinders have slide valves actuated by Stephenson's gear with a screw reverser, the four drain cocks beneath the engine are piped to the edge of the baseboard and operated by a lever at the side. There is a mechanical lubricator for the cylinder and a water pump with bypass valve to feed the boiler.

In need of a stress-free job the other morning, I spent a happy couple of hours pottering about with this one in steam - it runs as well as it looks, an interesting thing to run. Heres a video of it running in the workshop.

Base 25 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches