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By day, toolroom manager Mark Angus is part of a team that makes cable cleats, which ensure electrical cables all over the world remain safe and secure. But away from work he builds steam engines in his backyard in Scampston, North Yorkshire.
Angus’s passion for steam began as a schoolboy, and between 1985 and 2004 he built four miniature engines. However, in 2006 he set his sights that little bit higher and began work on a half-scale model of a 10hp traction engine of a type that was last manufactured in Leeds by J & H McLaren in 1910.
Eight years, a large chunk of money, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears later, Angus completed the project. With the exception of the drawings, some castings and the boiler, Angus created and built everything else at home – although he did have help from his daughters.
The steam engine weighs 3,000kg and on a full day uses up to 60kg of coal and 300 litres of water.
Angus says: “I’ve been fascinated by steam and engines ever since I was at school, and building my own one has always been a dream.
“Sensibly, I started out small, but after four miniature successes I wanted to go for one that I could take to the roads on – and now that it’s complete and fully operational I’m absolutely over the moon.”
The father and daughters team travel around nearby country shows and steam rallies showing off their handiwork. Angus has a trailer hooked up to the engine, which the family has slept in on longer trips.
“We went to a show at Duncombe Park in Helmsley, which turned out to be a 10-hour round trip – needless to say, we had sleeping bags in the caravan and made a weekend of it.”
Angus’s next project looks set to be a full-size engine. “This has been my ambition for many years, and hopefully it will not take much longer than the last. I’ve already made a few alterations to my garage and expanded my equipment ready for the up-and-coming challenge.
“Once the show season is over, and my daughters are back at school, it will be full steam ahead with the new project,” he jokes.
Do you have an interesting mechanical engineering-related hobby? Email liz.wells@caspianmedia.com