What You Must Do Before Purchasing Model Steam Engine

“Want to purchase model steam engine? Then read this article to gets some tips on the purchase of a model steam engine.”

When we think of model steam engines generally the model steam locomotive springs to mind however there are many other kinds available. The model boating community often use steam engines in there elegant replicas of Victorian and Edwardian steam launches, this gives the models and additional air of authenticity. During the Victorain era steam engines were used in almost every concievable area from industry in its many guises through to maritime applications and of course on the railway.

Originally model steam engines were created for a number of reasons, for those that were lucky enough to have access to the required machinery it might have started as a hobby an interest in recreating in miniature the steam engines of the day. Later apprentices used building model steam engines as a means of honing their engineering and machining skills, in many ways it is much harder to build a miniature steam engine than it is to build a full sized one! There are a vast array of steam engines that you can duplicate through the model engineering hobby, from locomotives, winding engines, static mill engines, marine steam engines, compound engines, triple expansion and those that are just designed to be a novelty and a curiosity, all can be made to run and look authentic with some effort.

For those of you that are looking at and for model steam engines for sale there are a number of  factors that you need to consider. It is not a good idea to just wade in and buy the first thing that catches your eye.

• Fix the budget: Firstly you will need to decide on what you would like to spend comfortably so a budget needs to be set. Model steam engines vary in price greatly largely depending on their quality, level of sophistication and what type there are, for example a steam locomotive will be much more expensive than a simple static engine. If you are buying from model steam engine manufacturers then research them thoroughly, see if you can find reviews, assess their level of service both at the point of sale and that of aftercare.

• Know your purpose: After deciding on a suitable budget then decide on what sort of steam engine you are interested in, bear in mind that a lot of steam engines particulary locomotives can be very heavy and it may well be more of a two man job just to move it. Static steam engines on the other hands might well be really light and small and be able to be run  on a coffee table for instance. Try to be practical about what you decide on, remember also with the likes of locomotives and model steam boats you will have to likely travel to some sort of venue to use them. 

• Go through its history: Check out the history of the engine you are considering, find out who originally brought it or made it and why, see if you can assess how much it has been used it is second hand, if buying from a manufacturer try and find others that have bought the same product and see what their experiences have been. You can also approach the manufacturer with your questions and thoughts on the matter, manufacturers are generally very helpful in this area.

• Judge its Complexity: Remember that Model steam engines and boilers have greatly varying levels of complexity and sophistication. So if you are new to the hobby you need to take this into account, try to find something that fits your level of understanding. There is little point in buying something that is outside your ability to operate it and maintain it in the first instance buy something that you feel comfortable with.

Hopefully in some small way this has given you some insight to enable you to move forward with your project. It is now just a question of approaching some manufacturers and getting started.

Author Bio:  Martin has work for several model steam engine manufacturers & writes blogs on model steam engines and boilers. You can also go through his articles to know about how to maintain model steam engines for sale.