Sold October 2002 Back to Archive

A large steam plant, built for continuous operation as a display piece. An older model, requiring some work, it has been built to a high standard throughout. It comprises the following:

Centre flue boiler in copper, silver-soldered. Turret for steam takeoff, fitted with twin safety valves and blower takeoff to chimney with handwheel. Backhead fitted with Bassett Lowke pressure gauge and water gauge with blowdown valve. The boiler barrel is insulated and lagged with blue steel sheet, retained by brass bands. A purpose-built ceramic-type gas burner is used for firing.

The boiler is fed with water from a tower-mounted water tank of riveted brass construction. Twin water outlets, both with brass gauze filters. There are two pumps fitted, a Stuart hand pump and a Stuart steam boiler feed pump fitted with linked drain cocks.

The first engine is a Stuart Double 10, fitted with displacement lubricator. It is extremely well made and turns over very smoothly indeed. It is fitted with a large, marine pattern flywheel and will run at low speeds. It is 3/4 inch bore and 3/4 inch stroke with a 90 degree crank making it self-starting in all positions.

The second engine is a Stuart No.7a fitted with Stephenson's reversing gear. It runs well and is nicely detailed with oiling cups and well executed paintwork.

The whole model is mounted on a purpose-built wooden base with "engine room" tiled effect floor. The pipework is very neatly done, with isolating valves for the pumps and regulator hand wheels for the engines. The two engines and steam pump can each be run independently or in any combination. The pipework is brought to the edge of the base at one side with fitted unions, allowing external water feed to tank, external pumped feed direct to boiler and steam takeoff for other models if required.