Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Quote from: crazydoug on December 23, 2019, 06:53:08 am

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-STUART-HORIZONTAL-MODEL-STEAM-ENGINE-19-1-4-LONG/303398474207?hash=item46a3f551df:g:YnAAAOSwfzJd8Bl2
There is currently an identical engine on ebay, but listed as a stuart.
crazydoug

Wow! Is it really worth that much? I'll have to watch it and see.

Definitely the same engine, though.

Don't know what it's worth, but I made the seller a lower offer (much lower), assuming he would come back with a counter offer or reject my offer- to my surprise I soon saw the "pay now" in my ebay messages. So it will soon be on it's way to the U.S. I asked to wait till after the Christmas postal rush to ship it.
I also tracked down the Wells manufacturing Co., still in business since 1907, but only making industrial ductile iron castings. I was surprised to get a response to my email  within a couple hours. The reply was from Matt Wells, grandson of George Wells, who according to Matt, merely dabbled in the model engines as a hobby, mostly making castings or machining models for his friends in a model boat and engine club he belonged to. Matt promised to ask his cousin about my engine, who he claims was more closely involved with his grandad during that time. I will be sure to share whatever info he can share with me.

All sounds great, Doug! I knew that the foundry was still there, but hadn't thought of writing to Matt about it. Please do let us know what you find out.