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

This 60 year old boiler was given to me as an ornament as i think you will agree it does not look to promising .
But you know me i cant leave things alone,  what a waste all that work someone had put in... so i pressure tested it up to 4 bar or 60 psi and to my surprise it was sound...so here is a few pics of not so much a restoration but more a change of scene for it.
The plan was to build a brick fire box with a small slate roof, this was done using real Victorian house bricks cut to size 1:12th scale
these are available from ebay.
The building using these bricks is a long process but you do finish up with a quite realistic model,,,the bricks are laid using two small blobs of no more nails glue and a thin bead of tile grout around the edges as the mortar ..i lay the bricks without levels as i like an old looking age worn look, take your time and lay them like a real bricklayer using a small watchmakers screwdriver as a trowel, lay 2 or 3 bricks and then remove the excess grout as you go.
The boiler was sprayed Black with my usual barbecue paint i just like the finish and the paint is tough and durable, the boiler was then fitted to its brick built fire box and is removable..the engine i chose to be mated with the boiler was my Stuart 10V
I needed a water pump and tank fitted as the boiler had the one way valve fitted, the water tank was made from a world war 2 aircraft engine starter cartridge just drilled and tapped to take a 1/4 x 40  connector..the whole thing comes apart for storage with ease as i bent the copper tube for minimal connectors...Here are some pictures of the build of the Steam plant and a video of it working a perricault water pump and a Doll & co watermill both from the 1930's  ....Steve

THE FINISHED STEAM PLANT RUNNING TOYS


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Grand job Steve, love the brickwork.

im having trouble uploading pics so look back later Pete when i have sorted it ....Steve

Fantastic Outcome Steve!

You did a really nice job on this one.

I just love the look of the boiler. And the sounds were great.

Did you put the grove in the flywheel?

Did you make the transmission pulley or source it from a vendor?

Thanks for the great pictures and video.

Nice layout Steve.  I like the modular plinths you can move around as needed.  Video at around 5m40s shows the brickwork even getting a little soot patina. Very realistic.  Boiler looks great.

Thanks!

I cannot believe how nice this one turned out Steve! 

Definitely ended up in the right hands 

Steve, that is a beautiful setup.  I especially love the brickwork, it really sets this apart as a quality rendition of a steam plant.  Your lined/nailed wood plinths are also very realistic looking.  Overall a lot to love!  Great job.

Roger