Useful stuff to know
This page includes useful information to help you keep your steam toys running.
Beginners Guide to
Firing up your first Steam Toy
Want to fire up your steam engine, but just not sure how to go about it?
We've put together a guide of what you need to be aware of and step you through the process of getting your engine to run.
Getting to know your Safety Valve
It's important that your safety valve is working properly. A stuck safety valve is dangerous. A leaking valve on the other hand can be enough to stop an otherwise good engine from running and cause a lot of frustration.
We've put together a guide to help you spot and fix common issues that can occur in safety valves.
"Building Simple Model Steam Engines" - by Tubal Cain
If you start purchasing 2nd hand engines then sooner or later (most likely sooner) you'll find yourself with an engine that's either missing it's burner, safety valve, chimney, or some other problem.
This book was written as a easy to follow guide for novices to build working steam engines based on several different designs included in the book, and using relatively simple techniques.
Of course these same techniques can be used to easily make repairs or replacement parts for just about any model steam engine.
A very useful book to have in your collection.
This book typically sells for around $AU 20.00 to $AU 30.00 so wont stretch the budget and you may even find yourself building one of the engines detailed in the book.
Material Supplies
When you decide it's time to get your hands dirty and start making repairs to your engines you're going to need materials. One of the most extensive and locally available sources is the K&S Metals range. The range covers metal sheets, both round and square tubes, metal rods, brass, copper, steel, and aluminium.
The K&S Metals range are sold by most hobby shops in Australasia, or online and come in handy 30cm lengths, ideal for someone just starting out.
An alternative source of materials is of course the WWW, with private sellers or companies such as Aliexpress often being the cheapest but quality varies and delivery from China can take several weeks.
We all make mistakes and sometimes need to have several attempts at making something before we get it right... so buy more than you think you need… it also saves on shipping costs.
Spring, Spark & Steam
by Bruce MacDonald
This is an interesting book that covers Australian & New Zealand model train manufacturers that have existed over the years. It covers clockwork, electric and steam powered models as well as accessories.
It should come as no surprise that some of these manufacturers also made steam toys, and these are also included in this book. This book has actually proven to be an invaluable resource for some of the information included on this website.
While this book has been out of print for many years, 2nd hand copies and sometimes even new copies occasionally do come up for sale in online book stores. Prices ranging from $AU 70.00 to $AU 150.00.
Burning Questions:
What are steam toys?
Steam toys are mechanical toys powered by a heat source to boil water and produce steam. (Hence the term "Live Steam"). Steam toys come in many shapes and sizes, often based on full sized steam engines that were used to power industry in the past. Examples being engines used to power a factory or machinery, ships engines, steam rollers, steam locomotives, steam cars and trucks.
Are steam toys still popular today?
Absolutely! Steam toys continue to captivate enthusiasts and collectors around the world with their timeless charm and ingenuity. Manufacturers still exist in Germany, United Kingdom, USA, China, and Australia.
Can steam toys be functional?
Yes, steam toys are fully functional scaled down steam engines. Some are powerful enought that they can be connected up to run other working models such as model water pumps, windmills, dynamos......
Where can I find steam toys for purchase?
Steam toys are still being manufactured and sold through major Hobby stores or online. The majority of these are now manufactured overseas. There's also a large market of older 2nd hand steam toys (which includes the Australian and New Zealand brands that are showcased on this website. Online trading sites such as ebay and TradeMe (NZ) are usually good sources for these.