7.1/4 Gauge Steam Locomotive in Polished Stainless Steel

Peter Sylvester, a model engineer, has built a 7.1/4 gauge working steam locomotive in polished stainless steel.

“As there is not any casting available in stainless, I had to made everything from solid. I found several pieces of 7 inch dia. 304 stainless offcuts on eBay that I used for the wheels and cylinders. The chassis is made from 1/4 304 plate. The smoke box door is also made from 1/4 plate which needed to be dished. I found an old fiesta car brake drum which I used as a former and pressed on a 10 ton hydraulic press. The buffers are made in the same fashion being two dished pieces welded and machined prior to polishing. The boiler is a commercially made copper boiler. The piston are made from gunmetal with cast iron rings.”