Click here for the
International Stationary Steam Index
Click
here for the Surviving Steam Road Engine Index
Antigua
There is no active stationary steam here, but there are a
small amount of residual items. Read Thomas
Kautzor's report which was compiled with significant assistance from Douglas
Luery (17th November 2013).
Argentina
Sugar Mills in Tucuman, Argentina (31st March
2002) (courtesy of Sylvia Kaufman).
A Hornsby portable survives at San Antonio (3rd September 2013) - http://www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/04Sesanantstock.html
Barbados
There is a rum distillery at St.Nicholas Abbey which has a steam engine,
active in February 2011 http://www.flickr.com/photos/74748449@N00/5488821947/
(1st January 2012). This YouTube clip shows
it at work, the additional information states it was built by Fletchers of
Derby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udgol54vzSw
(19th February 2012). Their website (https://www.stnicholasabbey.com/)
gives additional information (21st March 2018) The season is a short one
starting in January or February and running through to May or June. Even
allowing for the fact that it is essentially a tourist operation, it looks
absolutely delightful. I have now added a
page of pictures together with information on the mill's plans for a
narrow gauge railway (21st March 2018) A further video has been noted - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM3opb53xhg
(21st May 2024).
Belize
The remains of the Serpon Sugar Mill are shown here https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=121903.
These include four stationary engines including a Tredegar Iron Works
(USA) engine, two beam engines and a D. Stewart & Co. crusher. There
is also a strange vertical boiler locomotive which to me looks possibly
home made.
Deep in the jungle in the Lamanai area are the remains of an old sugar
mill with some derelict equipment, https://www.flickr.com/photos/mudhen/6339643112,
see also https://tacogirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1073-resized.jpg.
Thanks again to John Taubeneck for both of these. (16th October 2018).
Bermuda
Chris Allen points out that it is likely that Ormerod Grierson did no more
than just make the Porter governor (4th October 2024). He suggest that the
most likely builder is S H Morton of Leith who actually originated this kind
of patent slip, one of theirs is in Hull UK. 14 years on I have had a look at
the museum's website but can't confirm that they have the engine.
Mark Whittaker writes (22nd April 2008)
"I have found an Ormerod Grierson & Co static steam engine, in a building in Bermuda where I presently live, the building is due for
demolition, and I'm uncertain of the steam engine's fate? It would be a shame to see this engine destroyed, can you give me
any advice? Or put me in touch with anyone who might be able to offer advice or help.
The plate on the engine's details are:
C, T, PORTERS PATENT, SIZE D NUMBER 73, MAKERS, ORMEROD GRIERSON & CO, MANCHESTER,
1865.
I don't put email addresses on the site these days, but if you can help, please email me
and I will forward. Pictures are available - click
here.
I have since heard (November 14th 2008) that
the Bermuda Maritime museum plans to remove this engine and display it thus
ensuring its survival.
See also http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/galloways-rolling-mill-engines-146469/index13.html
for a discussion.
Bolivia
John Taubeneck points out that there are two small preserved horizontal
station steam engines (one is a compound) at an old silver mint which is now a
museum, Casa de la Moneda - Potosí,
click the ">" to see the other one. (21st March 2017). The
associated boiler is from Morgan, Orr of Philadelphia, USA.
Brazil
John Taubeneck has found a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elHPXpsn7Fs
which shows what is said to be a 1850 French built horizontal engine used to
run a small mill to crush sugar cane and then amazingly the juice is
evaporated in heated open pans - a technique I have seen (minus the steam
engine) in rural India and Java. The video was uploaded ca 2009 and from the
number of people observing I suspect this may be at least in part a tourist
operation. Whatever the operation it's well worth a look (15th October 2019)..
An extraordinary survivor is an old sugar mill which appears almost
complete and is now a museum - National Museum of the Sugar and Alcohol, popularly called the Museum of Cana, located in the municipality of Pontal.
It was last used in 1974 at which time it would have rivaled the best Java could
offer. If anyone visits here, I would love a set of pictures for this site,
very few of those on Panoramio (no longer available from November 2016) show equipment and there
was just one picture of
part of a small horizontal engine. Thanks to Paul Stephens for this one (1st
March 2015). There are a couple of Wikimedia pictures of engines and the
video in a local report on the opening day proves only that the person who
edited it knows nothing about sugar mills - http://g1.globo.com/sp/ribeirao-preto-franca/noticia/2013/12/museu-do-acucar-e-do-alcool-reune-acervo-raro-no-interior-de-sp.html
(23rd October 2019).
There is a Ruston, Proctor Portable engine in Porto de Belém, Para on the
north Atlantic Coast see - http://www.flickr.com/photos/fcmont/5889142108/
(2nd January 2012)
|
|
Sergio Martire has sent
me a link - from which these pictures are taken - which refers to a park
(in Rio Grande do Sul) which appears to have preserved agricultural equipment
(25th August 2011), among the items is this
portable. A web search for 'DR Patent' on it suggests that it is of German
origin, possibly built by Lanz. Positive information from readers would be
appreciated.
|
Companhia Engenho Central de Quissaman
(courtesy of Sergio Martire)
Canada
The McLean steam powered saw mill in Port Alberni, British
Colombia is a superb working historical relic featured in two YouTube Videos
(2nd October 2020):
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HlIPC2gEeo
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMdk8LSrYP0
Colombia
|
Neil Edwards reports "A Kelly Springfield (US Manufacturer) steam roller is preserved in the centre of a very busy, roundabout in the
north of Bogota. This is quite a late build, the last steam operated design by this manufacturer. A number of parts are missing, but it has largely escaped the ravages of the graffiti artist. What looks like an axle sticking out of the side, is the spigot that the driving chains for the front roll would be fixed to.
Unfortunately no works plate, or identification could be found. A similar example is extant in the UK and maintained in working order.
|
Costa
Rica
Richard Carr, my tame expert on Davey Paxman engines has
received information about an active survivor in a sugar mill here (13th
March 2010), more details on
http://www.paxmanhistory.org.uk/SSEsurvrs.htm#classK-CostaR
This page shows an unidentified preserved stationary steam
engine from a sugar mill at Santa Ana - http://www.ticotimes.net/travel/santa-ana-history
(Link dead by May 2023),
thanks to John Taubeneck for this one (16th October 2018).
Cuba
A YouTube video shot ca 2004 shows part of the the interior of Esteban Hernandez
mill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_UP6TyQ5eI.
Two Corliss milling engines are clearly visible (3rd July
2011), a set on Flickr later shows the same engines out of use http://www.flickr.com/photos/9003948@N05/4102091697/
(1st January 2012) Neil Smith has sent some pictures of
them in operation (15th June 2016)
Luis Arcos Bergnes, Marecelo Salado, Sergio Gozalez, Rafael Freyre
and Patria O Muerte Mills (updated 5th May 2002)
Steam winch at Australia Mill (22nd April 2002)
A page of preserved steam fire engines
(4th March 2012)
Does anyone have some more pictures of the insides of any mills with such equipment?
|
Chris Hart has sent me this image of a steam winch at Central Obdulio Morales. |
Dominica
There is no active stationary steam here, but there are a
significant number of relics from the former sugar industry. Read Thomas
Kautzor's report which was compiled with significant assistance from David
Rollinson (17th November 2013).
French
Guiana
(Guyane)
It has been known for a while that some classic
machinery in less than perfectly preserved condition: The solitary rum distillery here
used stationary steam, http://tourismeguyane.pagesperso-orange.fr/htm/saint%20laurent.htm,
thanks to Thomas Kautzor for this (9th November 2013). Thomas has now visited
the territory, the distillery has been modernised but there are some
fascinating relics (30th October 2014).
Guadeloupe
|
This section has been completely revised following Thomas Kautzor's
comprehensive set of visits to the island in October 2013. Although various
reports and pictures were on the web, the first eye witness confirmation I had
of continuing working steam here came when Tom Sheriff found a mill with an
active steam milling engine (16th June 2011) Tom also visited Depaz Distillery with a group in 2011 so no close access was
allowed but sent a set of pictures from the
museum on the same site (16th June 2011). You can read Thomas's report which
also covers the island of Marie Galante (updated 21st August 2014)
|
Any enthusiast considering visiting should read the Martinique
section.
Guatemala
|
During my visit to Fegua, I found this serviceable duplex pump next to the locomotive
depot in Guatemala City. Steam supply would be courtesy of one of the operational steam
locomotives and it would pump water to a water tower. A similar pump (for fuel oil) is
mounted in the tender of Baldwin 2-8-2 #204 which bears the name Fairbanks, Morse &
Co. Of course it is very similar to such pumps made by Worthington and seen all over
Java.
|
Later investigation showed a wide variety of
additional items, but none active.
Guyana
At least one rice mill here used a stationary steam engine, see http://www.saams.com/Guyana/Industry_in_Guyana.htm
but there is only a tantalising glimpse. However in Thomas Kautzor was in
Guyana in September 2014 and reports (19th November 2014) "The Kayman Sankar rice mill
referred to above at Blairmont closed in 2010. The steam engine was dismantled and sent to Kayman Sankar’s other rice mill in Hampton Court, 4.5 miles north of Anna Regina, in Pomeroon-Supenaam Region (Essequibo), as parts for the local engine, which we were told is still in use. Kayman Sankar used to be one of Guyana’s major rice producers, he passed away in February 2014 and was replaced by his son at the head of the company."
This picture show a former (sugar) Fulton milling engine at Guysuco's head
office http://www.flickr.com/photos/suephilpics/2882565388/
(added 1st January 2012)
Haiti
John Taubeneck tells me that there is a surviving beam
engine in Haiti, built in 1818, at the site of the former Hannibal Price Sugar Plantation near
Jacmel. It bears a plate identifying itself as the product of the Haigh
Iron Works near Liverpool (UK). See https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Haigh_Foundry_Co
which has links to two pictures (20th October 2018).
|
A
catholic mission hospital might seem an unusual source for information on
stationary steam, but read this one http://www.crudem.org/2011/09/12/rum-distillery-near-hopital-sacre-coeur/
(Link dead by May 2023) (3rd
January 2012)!
The picture by Tim Traynor is used by kind permission of the Crudem Foundation
(for a larger version use the link above). The engine was built by Fives-Lille
in 1948 and appears similar to some of those I have
seen in India.
According
to the government website http://www.agropressehaiti.org/public/det_canne.php
(Link broken by May 2023),
there were no less than 74 steam powered distilleries on the island
producing clairin (a rum like spirit) in 2005, plenty of scope for a
determined investigator! This information courtesy of Thomas Kautzor (6th
February 2013). |
|
|
Thomas Kautzor was in Haiti looking for railway
related relics in February 2014. In fact the only stationary steam he
found was part of the display at the Parc Historique de la Canne à Sucre at Tabarre, Port-au-Prince.
Although it carries a Czechoslovak name as its only identifiable part
which implies it is a pump, Chris Allen says " It is a steam engine and it looks very much like a generic American automatic cut-off (ACO) engine with a massive flywheel governor adjusting the slide valve cut-off. The corrugated cladding on the cylinder is typical US. Several builders made similar engines – eg Ames. These were typical high-speed engines – 200-300 rpm sort of territory."
(All this 9th April 2014.) |
Jamaica
There is some preserved kit at the sugar mill at Worthy Park
(2003 report). Thomas Kautzor has been to worthy Park and has provided an
illustrated report (19th June 2014).
Martinique
|
This section has been completely revised following Thomas Kautzor's
comprehensive set of visits to the island in October 2013. Although various
reports and pictures were on the web, the first eye witness confirmation I had
of continuing working steam here came from Tom Sheriff who visited Depaz Distillery with a group in 2011 so no close access was allowed. Tom has sent a set of pictures from the
museum on the same site (16th June 2011). I have removed the external links
which were here previously - many had ceased to work anyway.
Thomas's report is in two parts - South of
the Island and North of the island
(both 17th November 2013). There is an update
available from August 2014 (28th August 2014).
|
Any enthusiast considering visiting should read the Guadeloupe
section.
Mexico
John Taubeneck put me on to a Chicago built preserved stationary steam engine at
a former soap factory at Talchichuca which the Reyes family has converted into a hostel
for mountain climbers (4th January 2017):
http://www.mountainschoolnews.com/2011/02/mexico-volcanoes-climb-trip-report-jan.html
(Link broken by May 2023)
At Fresnillo Silver Mine, Zacatecas Mexico there are two 40" x 126"
Harvey’s of Hayle, Cornwall, UK, rotative beam engines built in 1852 powering crushers
here (updated 7th January 2017):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/cornwall/gallery_4.shtml
John adds that there are a couple of Tod blowing engines at a preserved blast furnace in
Monterey. These two engines are vertical tandem compound quarter crank blowing engines built for the Cia Fundidora de Fierro y Acero de Monterey. By some miracle the entire blast furnace plant is now a park and the blowing engine house seems to have survived as well, housing these two gems.
An article dated December 12, 1901 describes these engines as being 42"
80" 60" with 84" x 60" blowing cylinders. These engines were reported as being on order by September 1900. It looks like 1901
is the build date. (updated 7th January 2017).
John Taubeneck tells me that there are a couple of exhibits of interest at
the the Guadalajara railroad museum:
https://www.verpueblos.com/castilla+la+mancha/guadalajara/baides/foto/1298738/
It's hard to be certain but one looks to be a duplex pump and the other a
semi-portable engine (13th August 2020)
Thomas Kautzor found a few preserved items
during a November 2012 visit (13th December 2012).
Nevis
Thomas Kautzor was on the island for a day trip in July 2012 and reports on
some interesting surviving stationary steam (12th
August 2012).
Paraguay
|
Darrien Welsby was at the railway workshops in early 2007 and reports -
"At Sapucay, the locomotive workshop is still manned by 10 permanent staff who are employed to carry out maintenance on the remaining fleet (at Asuncion and
Encarnacion) and take care of the complex. The workshop boilers, stationary steam engines and foundry are all operational, however were not running on the day of my visit."
This is the main gem he found, for more pictures, click
here (extra pictures 27th January 2007): For a YouTube video of this
engine running see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOrQr_6jQDs
(3rd August 2012).
|
Peru
|
|
Eduardo Vásquez has found "a stationary steam machine in Pátapo, small town on north coast of Perú, near Chiclayo city. Pátapo had a sugar mill long time ago, now
the stationary steam adorns the town square. The machine was made by W. & A. McOnie of
Glasgow at 1868."
It appears to be a rotative beam engine (added 8th March 2014).
|
Puerto Rico
Ray Gardiner pointed out to me (31st August 2006) that there is a very
interesting web page http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5563.pdf
(link broken 25tth October 2016) which covers the preservation of an 1861 West Point Foundry beam engine from a
sugar mill. Thomas Kautzor visited in February 2013 and found the engine under
active restoration and now able to turn using compressed air - read his report
(link corrected 13th November 2013, background information updated 29th
April 2020).
John Taubeneck tells that there is a second beam engine on the island at Hacienda Azucarera la Igualdad, Guanica, Guanica
Municipio (22nd October 2019). There is an account of it including a diagram
and picture here - https://redescubriendoapuertorico.blogspot.com/2013/02/hacienda-la-igualdad-nineteen-century-beam-steam-engine.html
and more information here - https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.pr0031.sheet/?sp=1.
The second link above suggested 'more like this' which included a ruined
sugar mill at "Hacienda Azucarera La Concepcion, Sugar Mill Ruins, .3 Mi. W. of Junction of Rts. 418 & 111, Victoria, Aguadilla Municipio, PR"
- there are more than 20 images here https://www.loc.gov/item/pr0029/
which show a derelict horizontal steam engine coupled to a cane mill by 'Mirrlees
and Tait Engineers Glasgow', a name which dates it between 1858 and 1868
according to Grace's
Guide. The date is confirmed by the presence of a boiler from the same
company dated 1865 (22nd October 2019)..
Pedro Bermudez tells me (4th September 2014) that there is a preserved
McOnie mill engine at an old sugar mill called, "Hacienda La Lucia".
located in Yabucoa. A quick internet search has thrown up the following page
which shows it well - http://redescubriendoapuertorico.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/1883-mconie-steam-engine-santa-lucia-yabucoa.html.
If anyone has some pictures I could upload to avoid the risk of the page
vanishing, as often seems to happen, that would be very welcome. There are
more pictures here - this should be a stable link - https://www.loc.gov/item/pr0106/
(22nd October 2019)
South Georgia
A short article in Locomotives International included the statement that
there was probably at least one surviving stationary steam engine at the
former whaling station of Ocean Harbour. An internet search found pictures of
a single cylinder horizontal engine and a steam winch taken in the 1990s - http://www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/11cwhaling.html. Robert
Burton of the South
Georgia Association has provided a succinct
summary of the situation with a picture (14th
October 2007).
Surinam
The old sugar mill at Marienburg (closed 1982) survives,
just, and inside it is some of the original kit including a milling engine
by Werkspoor, see http://www.travbuddy.com/Marienburg-travel-guide-1138864/photos
(link broken by December 2021).
More pictures are available through a Google Images search (28th November
2013). Thomas Kautzor was at the remains of the mill in September 2014 and
you can see what he found (11th
November 2014).
Trinidad
Thomas Kautzor points out that the old railway station at Point-a-Pierre houses the Petroleum & Asphalt History Museum, run in conjunction by Petrotrin and the Petroleum Historical Society, which opened in
2009 (7th November 2013). The exhibits include a 1920 Ruston portable
engine (http://m.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-06-10/trinidad-and-age-steam - link broken 1st November 2018)
and some small pumps, http://www.isses.org.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=36
- link broken 1st November 2018 (and others use next / previous).
John Taubeneck tells me (6th March 2017) "This article about the remains of a sugar mill on Tobago that
was both steam and water powered."
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20150628/news/tobagos-history-burns
https://www.freudenthal.biz/en/tobago/caribbean-coast/arnos-vale-waterwheel/ (link broken by December 2021)
Here are some photographs:
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-steam-engine-remains-at-the-former-sugar-refinery-at-arnos-vale-tobago-8824599.html
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-derelict-steam-boiler-at-the-former-sugar-refinery-at-arnos-vale-tobago-8824600.html
Uruguay
Chris Hodrien has
|
The power station at Indare contains some
wonderful steam powered generating equipment reports
James Waite (14th December 2013).
Chris Hodrien (20th September 2020) has heard there are certainly two, if not four, Hathorn Davey triple expansion engines still in the Montevideo
Waterworks, at least one is in working order. This
link gives a list of kit from this manufacturer that ended up
in the country.
|
USA
An amazing survivor and now listed in the National Register of Historic Places,
the Phillips Brothers Sawmill, Oak Run, California is a joy to behold, see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mKSKZau9qs,
the mill's home page is http://www.phillipsbrothersmill.com/
(link updated 25th August 2015).
The steam engine was built by ‘Houston – Stanwood – Gamble’, Cincinnati, Ohio,
apparently a prolific builder of such engines used widely in sawmills in
the country (all this 14th May 2013).
The Hull Oakes Steam Saw Mill in Dawson Oregon is a
similar quality operation shown in these two videos (2nd October 2020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7VtW1xVMQ
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idDUEYIyijQ
When it comes to preservation, it seems that, as in
other countries, stationary steam engines. especially large ones, are
steamed irregularly and potential visitors would be advised to travel as a
group and make arrangements in advance. John Taubeneck sent me this
reference list https://cincinnatitriplesteam.org/documents/Big Iron Museums USA.pdf
and this (not new) forum post lists some of these and more others https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-and-history/steam-engines-large-existing-usa-113565/.
These two links were added on 10th November 2020.
Virgin
Islands (US)
|
All this heavily revised and upgraded 22nd October 2019.
Chris Allen has found this page (16th January 2010) on a surviving steam
engine at Reef Bay on St. John's, US Virgin Islands - http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/trails/reef_bay%20_trail.html
(link dead by 12th April 2018). It was built by W.A. McOnie Co of Glasgow, Scotland in 1861. It looks similar
to several over-cylinder valve engines we have seen in Burma. See a link
below.
Now (12th March 2013) Thomas Kautzor has been
to St. Croix and has provided a nice set of pictures
of remains there. James Waite was in the area at the same time and has
sent a couple of pictures (from a passing ship) of the Creque Marine Railway -
a slipway railway - which was powered by a 1840 Bolton beam engine, much of which is
still present, these are included in the same report.
|
The Library of Congress site lists a list
of McOnie engines which includes Estate
Whim, St. Croix above and also Estate Rust-Op-Twist, Steam Engine & Cane Mill, Christiansted, St. Croix,
Estate Adrian, Cruz Bay, St. John,
with a second link
and Estate Reef Bay, Sugar Factory, Reef Bay, St. John.
The Estate Adrian has a beam engine. |
|