U.S.A.
$33.00/year (6 issues) via Periodicals Class mail
(allow 6-8 weeks for delivery)
$43.00/year via 1st Class mail
Canada & Overseas
USD$42.00/year (6 issues) via surface mail
(allow 8-12 weeks for delivery)
USD$72.00/year via air mail
web site: http://www.steamup.info
e-mail: rbrown54@stny.rr.com
(UK subscriptions available through Brandbright Ltd. See Manufacturers List for mailing information.
Australian subscriptions available through Remote Control Systems, PO
Box 1118, Bayswater, VIC 3153)
The longest-running magazine devoted to small-scale live steam. Features product reviews, construction articles and plans, columns on machining and building, etc. Features articles on Gauge 1 and Gauge 0 locomotives, as well as a regular section on live steam model boats.
Bound reproductions of out-of-print early issues available from Sulphur Springs Steam Models. (Highly recommended!)
The magazine's publishers have compiled an online INDEX of all the articles which have appeared in Steam in the Garden.
Kalmbach Publishing Co.Correspondence:
P.O. Box 2902
Milwaukee, WI 53201-2909
Garden Railways Magazinepublished bimonthly.
PO Box 460222
Denver, CO 80246 USA
tel. 303-377-7785
Focused entirely on outdoor, large scale (almost exclusively gauge 1) railroading. Often includes articles, product reviews, etc. relating to small-scale live steam. A page-long column is devoted to steam in every issue and there are other steam-related articles occasionally. Editor is an avid live steamer, and has also made a very complete and informative videotape introducing small-scale live steamers. Also available from Brandbright in England, the Big Train Station in Australia, and Old Pullman Modellbahnen in Stafa, Switzerland. There are several other foreign hobby shops that handle it too.
There is a Web site for Garden Railways magazine: http://www.gardenrailways.com.
published bimonthly.
UK£25/year.
While they advertise themselves as a "magazine devoted to all aspects of garden railways", one subscriber notes that "it has a very English bias, focused on 16mm to the foot live steam, but lots of other coverage as well".
If you have an internationally recognized credit card such as Visa, you may take a year's subscription to Garden Rail directly from the publisher. Your bank will handle the currency conversion at no charge. For six-month subscriptions GardenRail requires cash.
D.M. Carsten P.D. & P.
Postfach 1606
D-22906 Ahrensburg
GERMANY
Tel.: +49-4102-31103
FAX +49-4102-81787
In 1994 construction of a live steam American type Mogul for Gauge 1 was serialized. Drawings are available from the same company. (see illustration)
GartenBahnA German-language magazine focusing on large-scale garden railroading, with some live steam content, both models and prototypes.
KartenHaus-Verlag
Manfred R. Meliset, Red.
Postfach 14 01 20
D-67021 Ludwigshafen
GERMANY
e-mail: office@gartenbahn.de
Web site: http://www.gartenbahn.de/
Verlag füaut;r Technik und Handwerk GmbH
Robert-Boschstr. 4
D-76532 Baden-Baden
GERMANY
Tel.: +49-7221-5087-0 FAX +49-7221-5087-52
The magazine contains articles about all aspects of modelbuilding with a strong emphasis on live steam, shipbuilding and building of modelcarts and -coaches, but small scale trains, cars and aeromodelling also have their fixed place in each issue. Since the mid-eighties descriptions of steam locomotives in various gauges are a permanent feature in the magazine.
Besides the magazine, the society runs a selling point for modelbuilding plans and drawings. The catalogues now contain over 1300 different plans which are available for members and non-members. Six different catalogues exist, each covering a different kind of modelbuilding.
Nederlandse Vereniging van Modelbouwers
Secr.: Frans Kamman,
v.d. Helstlaan 5,
1412 HG Naarden,
Netherlands
Tel.: (mo-fr 18-21h)
fax: 035-6940567
email: modeller@knoware.nl
This is the publication of the Stoomgroep Holland (the National Dutch Society of Model Engineers). Subscription price includes membership in the group. Drawings of steam driven models and equipment (Metric of course) are available. A list is available from the secretary.
Editor: Rob van Dort
51 't Veer
9351 DG Leek
Netherlands
A Passion For Steamby Marc Horovitz
Atlantic Editions Ltd
Essex, UK
ISBN: 978-1-902827-18-6
This is the definitive reference for small-scale live steam locomotives, by Marc Horovitz, editor of Garden Railways magazine. It is a hard-bound, coffee-table quality book, but behind the gorgeous photos and color technical drawings is a huge amount of information and lore about small steamers.
The first half of the book is a thorough, front-to-back examination of the ways the little locos are built. The chapters cover
As far as I know, there has never been a book that covers the small-scale live steam locomotive with anything approaching this level of thoroughness. That it is so well written and is also a visual treat makes it the "must have" book for anyone interested in these models. As LBSC often noted, "'Nuff said."

Catalogues are the stuff of dreams, and the Aster catalogue is no different. Its primary goal is to arouse lust in its viewers, and in this it succeeds admirably. The photos and descriptions give the reader longings which take me back to staring at a toy train catalogue as a nine-year-old. But with price tags which resemble used automobiles more than toy trains.
Aster's catalogue is called a Manual and Catalog, however, and with good reason. While the lusty material is certainly there, it is also a valuable guidebook to small-scale live steam in general.
In 1997, Aster changed the catalogue format from a yearly, bound book to a looseleaf binder for their product specification sheets. This permits the collection to be updated as new models are announced, while accepting the spec sheets from previous models as well.
The section following the engine specifications is a 40-page book, and a valuable reference in its own right, the Manual of Aster Model Live Steam Engines. This book-in-a-book has chapters on the principles of locomotive design, the various types of boilers and their fitting, valve gears, pumps and lubricators, general operational and safety procedures, radio control and trouble shooting, and maintenance. The Manual is probably the best introductory book on small-scale live steam available today, and as such has a place on every small-scale live steamer's bookshelf.
In addition, the 1997 version included an introductory section celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the British Gauge 1 Model Railway Association (G1MRA), including the text of a keynote address by G1MRA stalwart and prominent Aster designer John van Riemsdijk.
All in all, a fine introduction and reference to small-scale live steamers, -- a "must have" book.
1983. Argus Books. ISBN 0-85242-817-0. 208 pp. UK £13.95.
Available in the US from Sulphur Springs
Steam Models. $32.00.
The complete guide to building a live steam model locomotive. Evans, longtime contributor to the renowned British magazine Model Engineer, is the designer of many well-known model steam locos. In this book, he goes through the design and construction issues involved in building model steamers, piece by piece. Some of the information may seem specific to the larger scales (1-inch and 1.5-inch scale on 5-inch and 7.25-inch gauge track), but he is also very attentive to the variations necessary to produce engines in the smaller scales as well.
The book contains many photos of locomotives and drawings of parts and assemblies in all sizes from 0 scale to 1.5 inch scale.
Perhaps most gratifying is the fact that Evans writes clearly and has arranged his material in a logical and organized fashion. You can follow his progress through the subject easily, you can find information later when you need to refer to it, and it all makes sense when you read it.
If you want to really understand your live steam model locomotive, this book is highly recommended. If you are familiar with the terminology and the general workings of a locomotive, you will finish this book with some considerable knowledge of what goes into producing them.
If you have a desire to build such a model, the book is almost indispensible. Evans has been there already, and his experience will save you much time and wasted effort.

Comparable in many ways to Evans' The Model Steam Locomotive, Coles distinguishes his book in its lightness of tone and somewhat less intimidating approach. He goes at steam locomotives not as a foregone model engineering project, but rather as an object of pleasure which may be attained in many ways. (Chapter 3: "Beg, build or buy".)
Granted, the bulk of the book is devoted to teaching how to build a working model steam locomotive. I found Coles' more oriented towards educating about the fundamentals of a steam locomotive than Evans'.
Chapter titles: (1) Start here (2) What is around (3) Beg, build or buy (4) What you need (5) The mechanical bit: the rolling chassis (6) The mechanical bit: the real works [cylinders, drive and valve motion] (7) The mechanical bit: more works [valve gears, lubrication] (8) The hot bit [boilers] (9) The top bits [domes, plumbing, bodywork] (10) On the rails.

This is a step-by-step guide to building the G1MRA "Project Loco", a single-cylinder 0-6-0 which is simple enough for a beginner (with experience or experienced mentoring), yet sophisticated enough to have spawned a fleet of variations. Being a single-cylinder design, the working bits are between the frames, leaving the outside of the frames free to modify (with non-working cylinders valve gear, etc.) to the builder's own fancy.
The text is quite clear, and does not presuppose too much on the part of the beginning locomotive builder. Likewise, measured drawings of each part accompany the detailed descriptions of the part's fabrication, along with photographs showing subassemblies, tool setup, etc. The boiler is a JvR "Type C", so the boiler plan is worth having the book for by itself.
I would consider this a "must-have" book for anyone comtemplating building a gauge 1 steam locomotive.

This follow-up to the venerable Project Book takes the builder into more sophisticated territory to build an Edwardian 4-4-0, considered by many to be the most beautiful and elegant British locomotive design. Where the Project Book is intended to be a builder's first locomotive, Dee builds on the skills learned in building the Project Loco. Accordingly, it is not considered a stand-alone book, but rather assumes access to the Project Book for certain information. The Dee Book includes over 40 pages of drawings, as well as a full-size erection drawing and numerous photographs.
G1MRA Books,
PO Box 95,
East Horsley,
Surrey KT24 5UB,
UK
Web site: http://www.gaugeone.org/g1mra_book_sales.htm
In North American, these books are available from the G1MRA
membership coordinator:
Jim Curry
PO Box 40
Warren, ME 04864
e-mail: jjc@structureguard.com
1994. Greenberg/Kalmbach. ISBN 0-89778-397-2. 96 pp. $16.95
Chapter 9 of this book is an excellent orientation to small scale live steamers. Covers past and current developments, theory and practice of steam engines, operational procedures, radio control, available equipment and considerations for the starter. Numerous illustrations.
In the US and Canada, you may call 1-800-533-6644 to order from Kalmbach. Outside the US and Canada, call 414-796-8776, or fax 414-796-1615. They accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
1995. Sidestreet Bannerworks. 12 pp. $3.00.
Sidestreet Bannerworks
PO Box 460222
Denver CO 80246 USA
This booklet is a reprint of an article Mr. Loxley wrote for a British magazine in an attempt to remove some of the mystery from alcohol firing. This he has done in a simple examination of the mechanics of the alcohol burner, the firing procedure, the adjustment of wicks, and design considerations for locos using alcohol fires. Photos by Loxley and Marc Horovitz, as well as drawings by Horovitz, clearly show the ins and outs of the topic.
1 hour, 56 min. $49.95 + $3.20 shipping/handling
Sidestreet Bannerworks
PO Box 460222
Denver CO 80246 USA
web site: http://sidestreetbannerworks.com/
A plainly produced but highly informative basic course in little steamers. Horovitz presents a lecture on the hows and whys of live steamers, showing numerous examples of locomotives from antique puddlers to the latest finescale Asters. He handles them, works on them, fires them and runs them onscreen. Like sitting down for two hours and having a 20-year veteran tell you everything he knows, only better organized than in it would be in real life.
Sidestreet's video "How to Build Your Garden Railway" is also a recommended title for those planning on building an outdoor railroad.
30 min. (1995)
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Compiled and © copyright 1995-2009 by: Vance R. Bass. Please use any and all information contained herein for your hobby enjoyment. If you're going to make money from it, talk to me first.
Last updated: 2 January, 2009