The Restoration of a Sawyer-Massey Steam Engine

By Gordon S. Tuck
Published on July 1, 1998
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Boiler upside down; Bob Oliver guiding new firebox in.
Boiler upside down; Bob Oliver guiding new firebox in.
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Before.
Before.
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New firebox ready to go in.
New firebox ready to go in.
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After.
After.
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Boring front wheels in radial drill.
Boring front wheels in radial drill.

1919 22-68 HP Sawyer-Massey
Built in: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Restored by: G.S. Tuck and W.M. Reid, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

With the help of Dave Hooten and John Calder, I found this engine near Hamilton, Ontario. It was sitting outside on a grassy knoll with the wheels sunk into the sand six to eight inches deep.

I had my D Meter handy, so I spent a half hour checking boiler thickness. The lightest spot I could find was 0.342 inches. I knew then this boiler had the potential to operate at 175 P.S.I. However, there were some serious inside firebox problems, some wasting at bottom of sheets, some unauthorized welding.

With this knowledge at hand, I made a deal. A few days later, we took our float, winched the engine out of the sand, loaded it and took it home to St. Thomas.

It was reasonably intact, with the exception of most all clutch parts. The rear platform and tanks were all missing, and the wheel cletes were worn down to the rivets.

Originally, this engine was owned by the Ontario Department of Highways (and still has the bronze plate on the smoke box). This probably accounts for the worn wheel cletes.

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