Stationary Steam Engine Derrick Model 23" tall

[Mark Shulaw]

Hi Ya, Can anyone enlighten me on this interesting looking Steam Model? Looks like an oil derrick at first glance till you notice it has a steam cylinder on top. Kinda looks like its a model of a 1840s-50s steam engine set up. The derrick is all cast pieces. The base is cast as well. It stands 23" tall. No name or part numbers that I have found yet. Can anyone shead some light on this outfit? Someone started to work on it a while back but never finished. All history on it was lost with the past owner. More pics are available, just ask. Thanks, Mark frappi@wcoil.com

[PTSideshow]

I would say that it is a full sized working engine that drove some commercial equipment, before fractional horse power electric motors came in to wide spread use. As the Cretors peanut roasting engine are miss named popcorn engines and often classified as models or toys.

So goes a lot of other small sized steam engines. Looking at any old city business directory will show that they were made in every city,village and hamlet that had a machine shop. And everybody that needed something turned, lifted,sewed, drilled, mixed etc had one or more on the premises to do the job.

Full sized fractional engines are being sold by PM research in both the Horizontal and Vertical types.
You look to have the piston, rod and one bearing block and some other pieces between the legs that are holding the cylinder head up.

[Mark Shulaw]

It sounds like its a strong possability that it was a working engine. The very base of the engine frame is very rusty suggesting that it must have been on a damp floor like a basement. Basically it looks like the major missing pieces is as you mentioned one half of a bearing block, and one of the cross head slides. Its gonna take some TLC to get this girl going again. Thanks, Mark