The International Steam Pages


Stationary Steam in the Americas

Americas

Antigua
(17th Nov 13)

Argentina
(3rd Sep 13)

Barbados
(21st May 24)

Belize
(16th Oct 18)

Bermuda
(4th Oct 24)

Bolivia
(21st Mar 17)

Brazil
(23rd Oct 19)

Canada
(2nd Oct 20)

Colombia
(21st Dec 11)

Costa Rica
(13th Mar 10)

Cuba
(15th Jun 16)

Dominica
(17th Nov 13)

French Guiana
(30th Oct 14)

Guadeloupe
(21st Aug 14)

Guatemala
(25th Jan 04)

Guyana
(19th Nov 14)

Haiti
(20th Oct 18)

Jamaica
(18th Jun 14)

Martinique
(28th Aug 14)

Mexico
(13th Aug 20)

Nevis
(12th Aug 12)

Paraguay
(3rd Aug 12)

Peru
(8th Mar 14)

Puerto Rico
(29th Apr 20)

South Georgia
(14th Oct 07)

Surinam
(11th Nov 14)

Trinidad
(6th Mar 17)

Uruguay
(14th Sep 20)

USA
(10th Nov 20)

US Virgin Islands
(22th Oct 19)

 

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)

The  museum for the funicular railway at Paranapiacaba (see http://www.abpfsp.com.br/museu_ferroviario_paranapiacaba.htm) has two large stationary engines: (added 17th May 2007).

 

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)

He also found a Westinghouse compound steam engine (No. 255) which was used to charge the batteries of the Mayagüez Tramway Company in operation 1915-26 (see http://tramz.com/pr/my.html) . The engine has been preserved by the Fundación Nuevo Mayagüez. It appears similar to the 1890 engine described here http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/imagedetail.aspx?id=3295 (added 24th November 2013).

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.

Rob  Dickinson

Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk