Sold March 2011 Back to Archive

This is the major part of a York-Bolton steam plant by Historic Models – these were very finely engineered (and consequently expensive – they last listed at just under £3000 before production stopped) models, depicting a Victorian engine house with gas-fired boiler, horizontal mill engine coupled to a generator and lamp.

For reasons unfathomable, this one has, at some time, been dismantled. Parts missing include the gas canister cover, gas valve block for the burner and valve manifold for steam and water distribution. What remains is the finely-made Bolton mill engine, dynamo and lamp, complete boiler with all fittings and base in polished brass on wood.

Whilst it could, with some effort, be restored back to original, I would take this opportunity to create something more authentic from the component parts. Whilst undoubtedly well-engineered, the original model suffered from “spaghetti junction” type plumbing which was both over-complicated and ill-formed (original engine houses were piped up in lagged iron, usually straight runs with joints, rather than sinuously curved copper pipe). The rather “blingy”etched and lacquered brass base has always jarred, for an authentic look you should be thinking either quarry tiles (humble village engine house) or flamboyant mosaic (great municipal works – think Papplewick Pumping Station). Look at the engine house (link http://www.stationroadsteam.com/stock%20pages/3371/index.htm) I had in a year or two back to get the general idea.