Motorbike mechanic Rusnan Erces has hand built a steampunk replica of Sylvester Roper’s steam motorcycle in Indonesia. This is his third version of the bike and it is now running well.
It takes about 15 minutes to raise steam using charcoal fuel, bringing it up to an ideal operating pressure of 50-100psi. Rusnan estimates the bike may be capable of up to 50-75mph (80-120kph). The safety valve is set to release at 100psi to keep things safe, although the boiler has been tested to 150psi. The bike can carry 10litres of water and the burner 3kg of briquettes, giving it an endurance of 3 hours continuous running in a static display. The engine appears to be a single cylinder single acting piston-valve type, and the boiler is likely a simple water tube type with a burner grate below, which can use charcoal, coal, coke or wood – it could also potentially use compressed waste paper making it a very cheap vehicle to run.
The bike is an inspiration in terms of what can be built from scrap sheet metal, some motor parts, piping and an old bicycle! This is the ultimate in appropriate technology, particularly for a developing country like Indonesia. Rusnan hopes that this will be the start of a whole movement aimed at building and running steam motorbikes – he has certainly made a good start!
Posted by Jerry on May 23rd, 2009 — Posted in Journal, Steam
A Stanley 740B 20HP steam car similar to the one pictured below is in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Apparently Stanley steam cars made for the Australian market had a number of distinguishing features which made them different from those made for the US market. All Stanleys sent to Australia had wire wheels, while those in the US had wooden artillery wheels, and Australian dealers added “Stanley Steamer” in metal writing across the radiator.
The 1921/2 Stanley was bought new in 1922 by a Mr H.F. Slocombe, an engineer living in Manly, NSW. The car was one of the last two imported into Australia before WW2.
[Photo: Jerry Everard//taken at the Ottawa Science and Technology Museum, Canada]
It’s not often a steam car gets offered for sale in Australia – and when one does – few would match the quality of this newly restored Stanley CX 1903. The attention to detail is superb. The car is offered as part of a deceased estate and is fully functional. It is also London-to Brighton eligible. The car boasts a new boiler, burner, tires, leather, paint, basket etc. and its fold-out seat enables two additional passengers to be carried.
Check out the photos – then contact Ken Russell (himself a Stanley owner) for more details – but only if you’re genuine 🙂 He can be contacted in Melbourne Australia Vic, via the email link above. For more information about Stanley steam cars, check out the UK’s Steam Car Club website run by Jeff Theobald.
Posted by Jerry on May 17th, 2009 — Posted in Journal, Steam
Arthur Funai is a perfectionist and a retired engineer who worked for General Electric. That was a while back, and at almost 90 years of age he is completing restoration of a 1904 Grout steam car that he has had under restoration since 1956. It has been a lifelong hobby – he has also restored a 1914 Model T Ford – which is in the garage next door.
He began restoring the Grout car when he was 36 years old, and being an engineer, he has made many of the parts himself – including the machines to make the parts. But some critical systems, like the boiler he outsourced to specialists – in this case Don Borden who has made over 500 boilers for steam cars – mainly Stanley steamers.
Posted by Jerry on March 15th, 2009 — Posted in Journal, Travel
The Canberra Balloon Fiesta has been in full swing from 7 March to 15 MArch (today). For the past week we have had several balloons of all shapes and sizes pass overhead in the morning on their way to a landing in the wildlife corridor at the end of our street.
So this morning we decided to check out the launch site on the lawns of Old Parliament House next to the lake.
It was still dark as we parked and found several hundred people getting an early morning coffee and preparing to go into the marquee labeled “Pilots Briefing” This is so that pilots can get an up to date brief on the weather and wind patterns, and likely landing spots enroute. Everywhere there was an air of expectation.
There would have been at least a dozen balloons neatly stashed on trailers ready to be filled from small petrol driven fans and, people were struggling under the weight of large propane cylinders. The thunderstorm last night had cleared the air and as the sky began to lighten it was perfectly cloudless.
I took a couple of photos of the waiting balloons and of Old Parliament House.
A band set up to play, and then came the announcement that the winds were running in the wrong direction and – perhaps worse – the ground was too wet. This would not necessarily have been an issue for take-off, but for landing, as the balloon envelope needs to be laid out flat along the ground and then rolled and folded to fit back into the trailer. As this was the end of the festival – that would mean putting away a wet envelope, perhaps for a month or two before the next flight, which would mean that mildew could cause damage to the stitching or the sail-cloth fabric and render the balloon unsafe for next time. So flying operations were cancelled.
The crowd was understanding and they continued to soak up the festival atmosphere and the cameraderie of fellow enthusiasts as we departed. Next year’s Balloon Fiesta will be from March 6-14 in Canberra, Australia.
[Photo: Jerry Everard//taken at the Ottawa Science and Technology Museum, Canada]
