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

  I have been enjoying reading and seeing your orphan collection over on the Unofficial Mamod Forum , and am wondering what kind of boilers you have in your collection? How do you power your orphans / unmarried engines ?


D. E. Jones

I have a host of different "unwed" boilers in my collection, most available for "dating" most any of my "unwed" engines.

The boilers include Stuart #s 500, 501 and 504 along with a couple of PMR verticals and some few others of unknown provenance that do seem destined to end up wed to some specific engine in a semi-permanent steam plant at some point in the future.

However, by far, most of my steam engines end up "dating" any of several Jensen boilers, that are still affixed to their original bases with dedicated engines still in place, as built. Thus, I rather "force" an adulterous situation, or perhaps I should refer to it as a Menage-e-trois like situation. The Jensen electric fired boilers, with a simple extra valve threaded into the whistle's port in the boiler top, allows the running of "visiting" steam engines, as well as the spousal engine as well, being wonderfully convenient!

Perhaps I should add that my orphan engines probably get "hooked up" with one of my three compressors more often than actually getting steamed up!?!?

If you can ever snag a 504 I definitely recommend it. It is a fantastic boiler especially when fired with the largest Bix burner.