STEAM ENGINE AND BOILER IDENTIFICATION.

[kiwimodeller]

Hi P D's, can anybody identify the engine and boiler pictured below (I hope, if all this uploading stuff works as it should) which was purchased new from a model shop in Oz many years ago. The  purchaser was told it was English made and came as a pair. The engine is 5/8" bore and stroke. The boiler is 3" diameter and 7" long. It is a simple pot boiler yet came without any sort of firebox. It seems unusual to have a quarter turn valve rather than a globe type and the other thing that makes me suspicious that it was not intended for this engine is that the boiler outlet fitting takes 5/32" tube while the engine inlet is for 3/16". Any clues? Thanks, Ian.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's....Ian.... :?: this pressure vessel :?:

1) is it steel with dished ends? & does it display any code or marking  :?:
2) clearly it was not a self contained boiler package
3) could it have been a boiler vessel which was contained within a land based hearth & hence a part of an installation?
4) the valving as you suggest is questionable
5) is there any evidence of  :boom to the underside of the vessel?

Hopefully some of our more knowageable   :nah members may assist

[malcolmbeak]

Hello Ian
Just a few comments rather than identification, so probably not much help.
The engine is so typical of many designs both for commercially produced and for home construction, that it is unlikely that it can easily be identified. About the only thing that may help is the cast bedplate, maybe an underside view would help.
I can't believe that the boiler was ever used to steam the engine. A plain pot design with no water gauge was surely intended for spirit firing - if it went dry there would unlikely to be any serious damage. Gas, liquid or solid fuel would NOT be clever. What is it made of? - I assume copper or brass. If it's copper, I would guess that it is home made, but if brass it could be a commercial one, Probably from one of the many plants with a horizontal engine - they quite often used a simple steam cock rather than a proper screw valve. I assume that at one time there had been some sort of casing around it, but there is no obvious means of holding it in place. And like DereK says - is there any evidence that it has ever been fired?
Not a lot of use I'm afraid - just more questions.
Malcolm

[kiwimodeller]

Thanks both, the boiler appears to be fairly heavy copper with slightly domed ends which are very professionally sweated in. I would say it is definitely professionally made. There is no evidence of it being fired. I thought it might have been meant to be mounted on a firebox with straps over it ala Mamod or similar although it is quite a bit bigger. Like Malcolm I thought it was probably meant to be spirit fired. Oh well, put that aside and find a small oscillator to run off it one day and go find a vertical gas fired centre flue boiler for the engine. Any suggestions for size to suit a 5/8" by 5/8" single cylinder Malcolm? The engine may have been made from plans or a kit but if so it is well done. The base is not a casting it is two pieces of brass angle screwed underneath a flat brass plate. The four pillars are screwed in to the plate and appear to be made on an auto lathe as each has a parting off mark in the centre. Also the cutouts in the plate and the angle have exactly matching radiused corners so it looks more like a factory made piece. Never mind, I am sure it will go just fine, looks just the thing to put in a nice open launch with the variable pitch WADA prop behind it to get speed control and reverse. Cheers, Ian.