About Me – Steam NZ

Bringing the Power of the Past into your life…
Hi, one and all!, This is a small profile on me and my mechanical marvels. I am 60something, married to Marie for 41years (into injury time surely) and have three daughters aged 34 31 and 28 none of whom is particularly interested in mechanical things although they can acquit themselves reasonably at the helm or throttle. Maybe there is a chance with the grand daughters. I am a dentist with one practice, eight staff and am quite busy: The hobbies provide an escape from other steamy confines. Life is pretty hectic. I am a life member of the Auckland Steam Engine Society Inc.

I have been interested in steam since age four when, in England, I stood in awe of the local garage man who had a couple of traction engines and a blower Bentley -what an archetypal enthusiast and well ahead of his time.

Having a passion for boats, engines, motorcycles and vintage sports cars, I have pursued all three at varying times since my teens. I have had numerous old MGs (mainly prewar) and rebuilt a 3 litre Bentley – now in Australia. Presently happy with a 1934 MGPA and use it a lot. About 20 years ago, I bought a Stuart 6 compound and had a hull and boiler made to suit. Fellow Auckland Steam Engine Society member Graeme Wilkinson urged me on and designed the boiler -a quite successful unit comprising 76 vertical fire tubes dry fire box all in a very strong shell coal fired of course. A very good steamer and many have been made since. There is now a wet firebox version too

June 1988, there was meeting of traditional small craft one rainy blowy weekend and since “Gypsy” was complete apart from paint, I took her along. We had steamed her on dry land but I did want to see where the waterline was so we launched her. She went very well, and three hours later we retrieved her. For all the time I had her, she did not miss a beat, all the original engineering was good and required minor detail attention but we had no problems. I finally sold her to Mark Balemi another member of the Auckland Steam Society and she is often used. It always gives me a great feeling to see her under way.

Some time in the early 90s, we were steaming on a tidal estuary just north of here and made the acquaintance of Alec Baxter builder of very traditional boats in Whangarei. We obviously all made an impression on him, because Alec designed and laid the keel of “Romany” the following week.

Tragically, Alec died before his dream was launched and I bought her from the estate. She is similar size to “Gypsy” but very much more burdensome and traditional with heavy timbers.

I have a 3 x 4 Bolton engine and a Stuart designed vertical fire tube boiler with a wet fire box. She goes well and more about that later

I have to admit to a certain keeness on infernal combustion. I have three ancient engines. Two are 5hp Frisco Standards. One was a local engine and was taken out of a boat in the 50s and used to power a saw bench. Having fresh water through it saved it from the usual corrosion that kills pensioned off marine engines. I noticed a similar engine on the mud flats. Because of the open crankcase, I thought it might be steam and waded over to investigate but saw that it was beyond help. I located the owner of the house and she eventually sold me its mate. Graeme did the final fitting and it was started this time last year by running the wheel of a Range Rover on the flywheel to turn it over. It runs well and I have a video of the great event which I will crop and send to you sometime.? The other was in a passenger launch and retired some years ago. It runs well.

1910 Zealandia
The third engine is a NZ made Zealandia. This is 9 hp from its name plate but it seems small. It is probably about 1910, has a low tension ignition and automatic inlet valve. It has forward and reverse gear. I bought it in very good condition last year and it runs well -very easy to start unlike the Standard.

There are several other preoccupations in my life also which may interest people. I have a traditional boatyard at Whangateau about an hour’s drive north of Auckland. I keep Romany there mostly. There are several other boats being rebuilt there and it is worth a visit.

I am currently rebuilding a 40′ Athol Burns cutter and hope to have a 40′ Miller and Tunnage boat back in the water this year with a new cabin top and a Kelvin K3 (that’s pretty close to being steam) installed. There is a 25′ steamboat project in the wings.

So, really, the hobbies are quite hard work. Oh I also have a 1934 MG PA and several old British motorcycles. I blame it on the old male problem of being a gene short. Good excuse.