It doesn't need conversion; it was designed and built to operate on live steam.
The only problem is that it needs quite a voume of steam to work right (pressure is not the trick here; I need only about 50PSI for that). I'm going to see if I can find a steam show and borrow some steam from a portable or traction engine.
As for its history, it was made by a fellow in Pembroke, Ontario following the plans in the June, 1977 issue of Live Steam. It then went to an engineering professor at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, who used to take it to the public days at Kingston's Pump House Museum (former waterworks, with two huge engines and pumps preserved there) and let kids play with it. I got it from the professor last summer and intend to let the kids have at it this fall at the Battersea Pumpkin Festival.
One valve leaks a bit, but that's the only thing needing fixing.
Interestingly enough, the 1977 issue of the magazine offered the valve castings for $7.00 each. Good price....
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