For thousands of children in the 1930's the top shelf toys in the local toy shop were tiny but fully functional live steam engines. Steam power became the life blood of industry for over 100 years. Showing up in europe in the early 1800's in the form of stationary pumping engines, steam power persisted until the late 1950's when massive, powerful, high speed locomotives ruled the rails.Toy steam engines have been around as long as there were real steam engines. Made from cast iron, brass, stamped steel and pewter, these toys reflect the construction of their full size counterparts. While simplified, the operating principles of toy steam engines is identical to a real engine. The vast majority of toy steam engines produced in the United States are of the stationary configuration. Stationary engines being fixed to a board or base reflect the design of steam engines that were used in factories and mills around the world to power various machinery. When I was growing up in the 1980's I obtained my first live steam engine, a rare WWII era stationary model-- but it will have to be added to the Cabinet of Curious Frivolities later.
Today I bring you an even older engine complete with accessories. This engine was produced by the Weeden Mfg. Co. of New Bedford Massachusetts between 1935 and 1940. I purchased the engine in 2000 from an eBay vendor. It came with three accessory tools that can be run by belts from the flywheel of the steam engine. This is an attractive piece of industrial history so put on your engineers hat and high-ball it on into the Machinery gallery and take a closer look at the Weeden Live steam Engine and Accessories.
Full steam ahead...
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