Reference Material

• Wardale D., The Red Devil and Other  Tales from the Age of Steam, fifth edition, pub. Camden Miniature Steam, 2017 (available through this website).
• Wardale D.,The 5AT Fundamental Design Calculations, pub. ASTT 2014 (available through this website).
• Koopmans J.J.G., “The Fire Burns Much Better ..” pub. Sheffield University 2006.
• Fozard A., ed., 5AT Feasibility Study,  pub. ASTT 2016 (available through this website).
• Porta L.D., Advanced Steam Loco Development pub. Camden Miniature Steam, 2006.
• Girdlestone P., Here be Dragons to be published 2017 and sold through this website.
• Haigh A., Locomotive Boilers for the Twenty-First Century, Express Publishing, approx 2013.

• Chapelon A., La Locomotive a Vapeur, English edition [translated by Carpenter G. W.], Camden Miniature Steam Services, 2000.
• Rogers H.C.B., Chapelon – Genius of French Steam, Ian Allan, 1972.
• Van Riemsdijk, J.T., Compound Locomotives, Atlantic Transport Publishers, 1994
• Carney I.F., Fowler’s Fury – the Story of a Unique British Locomotive, Ian Carney & Noodle Books, 2012.
• Brown W., Hush-Hush – The Story of LNER 10000, Kestral Railway Books & William Brown, 2010.
• Robertson K., The Leader Project – Fiasco or Triumph?, Ian Allan Publishing, 2007/9.
• Shepherd E., Bulleid and the Turf Burner and Other Experiments with Irish Steam Traction, KRB Publishing, 2004.

• Phillipson E. A.,  Steam Locomotive Design: Data & Formulae, repub. The Locomotive Publishing Co. Ltd., London, 1936, available from Camden Miniature Steam as a digital download.
• Quayle J.P., Kempe’s Engineers Year-Book, 90th Edition, Morgan-Grampian Book Publishing Co. Ltd., London, 1985.
• Haigh A., The Design, Construction and Working of Locomotive Boilers – an Engineering Appraisal, Express Publishing, 2010.
• Haigh A., Locomotive Boilers for the Twenty-First Century, Express Publishing, approx 2013.
• Tester A., An Introduction to Large-Lap Valves & Their Use on the LMS, Crimson Lake, 2008.
• Tester A., A Defence of the Midlands/LMS Class 4 0-6-0 – also why frames cracked and axleboxes ran hot, Crimson Lake, 2011.
• Wells D., How a Steam Loco Works – a New Guide, Ian Allan, 2015.
• Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen, BTC, 1957
• Garraway A., ed.  HRA Maintenance of Locomotive Boilers, Ian Allan, 1999.
• Harvey D.W., A Manual of Steam Locomotive Restoration and Preservation, David & Charles, 1980.
• Hunt D., et al., LMS Locomotive Profiles No 5 – The Mixed Traffic Class 5s – No 5000 – 5224, Wild Swan 2003.
• Hunt D., et al., LMS Locomotive Profiles No 6 – The Mixed Traffic Class 5s – No 5225 – 5499 & 4658 – 4999,  Wild Swan 2004.
• Hunt D., et al., LMS Locomotive Profiles No 8 – The Class 8F 2-8-0s, pub. Wild Swan 2005.
• 2-10-0 Austerity Engine & Tender, Ministry of Supply, 1945.
• Girdlestone P., Camels and Cadillacs, Camden Miniature Steam 2014.
• Barnes R., Broader than Broad, Camden Miniature Steam 2012.
• Chapelon A., La Locomotive a Vapeur, English edition [translated by Carpenter G. W.], Camden Miniature Steam Services, Bath, 2000.

A large number of paper covering a whole spectrum of topics about Modern Steam were written by Ing L.D. Porta, however most remain in hand-written manuscript form. The few that have been published include “Porta L.D., Advanced Steam Locomotive Development – Three Technical Papers” published by Camden Miniature Steam.  The papers included in this publication are:

• “Steam Locomotive Developments in Argentina – its Contribution to the Future of Railway Technology in the Under-developed Countries“, presented to the Manchester Centre of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in March 1969 – commonly known as “The Manchester Paper”; (Note – the publication does not include the large number of questions and answers that were recorded at the meeting.)
• “Fundamentals of the Porta Compound System for Steam Locomotives”;
• “Some Steam Leakage Tests of Locomotive Nora on the Ferrocarril Austral Fuegino” Oct 1999.

Two other papers by Porta were published in the Proceedings of a Fedecrail conference held in Barcelona in May/June 1998 titled “Lectures on Steam Locomotive Operation in the 21st Century“.  The papers included in the Proceedings are as follows:

• Porta, L.D., XXIst Century Steam – The Day of Modern Steam Traction;
• Perez, J.O., Traccion a vapor moderna y sostenible – el escenario cubano (text in Spanish);
• Waller, R., Modern Steam in Revenue Service;
• Serchinger, R.W., Modern Steam Traction and the Protection of the Environment;
• Porta, L.D., Fundamental Principles of Steam Locomotive Modernization and their Application to Museum and Tourist Railway Locomotives;
• Waller, R., Steam Locomotive Components for Museum and Tourist Railways.

Photocopies of several of Porta’s papers are circulated within the modern steam community, only a few of which have been made publicly available in digital format.  The list includes:

• Adhesion in Advanced Steam Locomotive Engineering – or Adhesion in the Kingdom of Railway Stupidity”, 1984 (type-written).
• Boiler Combustion Calculations – The Heat Balance – A Criticism of the Lawford Fry Method 1976  (handwritten).
  
• The Cooling of Piston Valve and Liner Rubbing Surfaces, 1976 (handwritten).
• The Fischer Knuckle Pin in Advanced Steam Locomotive Engineering (handwritten).
• Fundamentals of the Porta Compounding System for Steam Locomotives (handwritten).
• Hand Firing in connection with GPCS (handwritten).
• On the Hudson-Orrok Heat Transfer Eqn as applied to Locomotive Boilers (handwritten).
• Improvements to the Mechanical Design of Piston Valves and Pistons (handwritten).
• Improvements to Superheater Element Joints (handwritten).
• A New Superheater-Economizer Element for Advanced Steam Locomotive Technolog – gives details of an approach using Type ‘E’ elements (handwritten).
  
• A Note on the Optimum Value of Lead in Steam Locomotives (handwritten).
• Notes on the Flat Plate Stayed Firebox Construction for Locomotive Boilers working at 30 and 60 ate. Steam Pressure (handwritten).
• A Proposal for the Tornado Project, 1992, (handwritten).
• Running with Closed Regulator (handwritten).
• Steam Locomotive Boiler Water Treatment (type-written).
• Steam Engine Cylinder Tribology 1975 – Parts 1 and 2 (handwritten).
• Steam Engine Cylinder Tribology 1975 – Sections 6 to 14 (type-written).
• Advanced Steam Engine Cylinder Tribology 1995, (handwritten).
• The Thermo-mechanical behaviour of the Steam Locomotive Boiler Firebox – An Overall View (handwritten).

Chris Newman is currently in the process of transcribing these papers into MS Word and PDF format so that ASTT can publish them.  Since the total number of pages exceeds 650 (A4 size) the papers will probably be published in three volumes, however proof-reading of the transcriptions has to be completed before any such decision is made.

Porta’s 1987 paper “The Contribution of a New Steam Motive Power to an Oil-less World” has been transcribed into PDF format (by Chris Newman) from photocopied type-script, and is available for download from this website.

A bibliography of Porta’s papers (totalling 188 in number) was compiled by Geoff Lambert with additions by Hugh Odom and additional info from Shaun McMahon. An updated version compiled by John Wright in February 2004 is downloadable here.

Two other excellent sources of information about Porta and his work (and some of his papers) can be found on:

• Martyn Bane’s website at http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/ldp/ldp.htm, and
• Hugh Odom’s website at http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/porta.html

The following is a list of some downloadable papers and broadcasts relating to the subject of Modern Steam.

• Solar Action Bulletin for Oct 2009 covering the topic of New Zealand Rail which includes three articles by members of the 5AT Planning Group:
  • “Could there be a place for Steam Traction for Rail Transport in a ‘Sustainable Energy’ World?“;
  • “A Vision for the Future” and
  • “Considerations relating to costs of ‘Sustainable’ Railway Traction Options“.
• BBC “Steam Driven” broadcast originally aired on 19th July 2006 can be listened to (but not downloaded) from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/pip/78kt9/.
• McCammon B., “Review of Carbon Neutral Fuels with Potential for Use in Modern Steam Locomotives” , an unpublished paper prepared specifically for the 5AT Project.
• Bane, M., and McMahon, S., “Porta Water Treatment” published in Steam Railway Magazine No 335, May 2007.
• Cluett M. , “Recent Developments in Steam Technology” presented to a meeting of Engineers Australia, Railway Technical Society of Australasia, Sydney Division at Chatswood, Sydney on 1st March 2007. Note: The download is of a summary of Malcolm’s paper that appeared on pages 2 to 6 of RTSA’s March newsletter.  The full illustrated version of the paper has not been made available for copyright concerns.
• Wardale D., The Design of the Proposed 5AT High-speed 4-6-0 Locomotive presented at Modern Steam Conference in York 11 Dec 2006;
• Bane M., Water Treatment for Modern Steam Locomotives presented at Modern Steam Conference in York 11 Dec 2006;
• Wardale D., Comments on J. J. G. Koopmans’ 2006 thesis – ‘The fire burns much better …’ Jan 2010;
• Koopmans J.J.G., Response to Mr David Wardale’s comments Sep 2013;
• Wardale D.,  Final Response to J.J.G. Koopmans’ response Oct 2013;
• Fozard A. and Hind J., The Design and Development of a ‘Second Generation’ Advanced Technology Steam Locomotive presented to the Derby Railway Engineering Society 8th December 2005 (6 MB);
• Fozard A. Making the Commercial Case for the 5AT – text of paper presented at the First World Steam & Tourist Train Congress, Brienz, Switzerland on Monday, 6th October, 2003; also PPT slide presentation of the same paper (1.2 MB).
• Waller R., “Modern Steam – an Economic and Environmental Alternative to Diesel Traction”, presented to Institution of Mechanical Engineers, March 2003.
• Thorpe M. and Wardale D., “Modern Steam Locomotives – Traction for the Future?“, Developing Railways 1985

Six other papers on Modern Steam can be found in the Proceedings of a Fedecrail conference held in Barcelona in May/June 1998 titled “Lectures on Steam Locomotive Operation in the 21st Century“.  The papers are as follows:

• Porta, L.D., XXIst Century Steam – The Day of Modern Steam Traction;
• Perez, J.O., Traccion a vapor moderna y sostenible – el escenario cubano (text in Spanish);
• Waller, R., Modern Steam in Revenue Service;
• Serchinger, R.W., Modern Steam Traction and the Protection of the Environment;
• Porta, L.D., Fundamental Principles of Steam Locomotive Modernization and their Application to Museum and Tourist Railway Locomotives;
• Waller, R., Steam Locomotive Components for Museum and Tourist Railways.

Note – in Aug 1977, Wardale presented a paper titled “The Steam Locomotive – Motive Power for the Future” to the South African Railways Engineering Society.  Most of the content of this paper is covered in his later work “The Red Devil and Other Tales from the Age of Steam“, however, having been written so much earlier, the author’s mood is refreshingly upbeat in comparison.  Furthermore, Wardale warns anyone reading the paper that it contains some fundamental errors which he only later became aware of.

The paper is in typescript form and covers 217 pages, and is not currently available on this website.

Landau D., “Two Point Four Pounds per Ton – A Ramble through the History of Railway Mechanics“, 2003.

Landau D., “Boiler Statistics – British Railways Maintenance Costs 1953-57“, published in SLS Journal Sept Oct 2004.

Landau D., “From Shovels to CTs – Measuring the Energy of Trains“, published by the Railway Performance Society (date unknown).

The following three English translations from the German of engineering papers by Von Dr. Ing. Arnold Tross, are available for download.

Sincere thanks to Matt Janssen of the Vapor Locomotive Company, who commissioned the translations, for making them available to ASTT:

• Mathematical-Graphic Method for the Calculation of Rigid Staybolts with new design Shafts under all possible demands and conditions, 1952;
• The Results of Measurements of Stretch with Different Types of Staybolt, 1953;
• New Knowledge and Construction Directions in the Area of Locomotive Rear Boiler (Staybolts, Firebox and Boiler), 1953.

Note: Descriptions and notations of diagrams remain in the original German. Readers may find some words used in the translated text difficult to interpret.

Too many presentations on the 5AT Project have been made to record them all here.  A small selection is therefore offered as follows:

• 2003:  Brienz Conference presentation by Alan Fozard (also in text format);
• 2005:  “Design and development of a Second Generation Advanced Technology Steam Locomotive” by Alan Fozard and John Hind, as given to the Derby Railway Engineering Services.
• 2012:  Final presentation before suspension of project.

The AST Trust is grateful to Mrs Mary Hall, the widow of the late Bill Hall for granting permission to make available for download copies of her husband’s steam locomotive simulation software suites Perform and Perwal. The group is also grateful to his daughter Janet for providing us with photos of her father and some of his files, some of which have been made available for download.

Professor (Bill) Hall F. R. Eng., F.I.Mech.E. was Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Manchester (England), and took a leading role in the early development of nuclear power in the UK. He was also a devotee of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway for the benefit of whose members he developed his software packages.

Bill died in 2003 at the age of 80 before he was able to complete a new program with which he intended to simulate locomotive combustion systems. He discovered the task to be profoundly difficult and declared the steam locomotive’s firebox more complex to model than a nuclear reactor.

An obituary to Bill Hall was published in the Guardian Newspaper on 8th Oct 2003 – see http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2003/oct/08/energy.obituaries. [A PDF copy of the text is available here.]

Bill developed two software packages – a simpler one called “Perform” and a supplementary one called “Perwal“. “Perform” uses a simplified “generic” simulation of valve events whilst “Perwal” incorporates an algorithm that more accurately predicts valve events based on the use of Walschaerts valve gear (the valve gear’s geometry being defined by the user).

In addition to programs themselves, some of Bill’s papers are also available for download, two of which present the mathematical derivations used in his Perform program.

Software downloads are offered in Zipped format as follows:

• Perform Simulation Suite
• Perwal Simulation Suite

Guidance on the use of the software is offered on a separate page of this website.

Bill Hall’s papers are offered in PDF format as follows:

• Predicting Locomotive Performance (see note below)
• Predicting Performance – the Problem of Condensation
• The Effect of Superheat on Cylinder Condensation
• Measuring Steam Engine Performance
• Bill Hall Frontend

Note: Dr Allan Wallace has proof-read “Predicting Locomotive Performance” and has found a few minor typographical errors in some of its equations. Based on Allan’s advice, Chris Newman has prepared a corrected version of the paper which can be obtained by writing to webmaster@advanced-steam.org and requesting a copy.

Allan Wallace’s own valve gear simulation software can be downloaded from his own website at http://www.avocetconsulting.com.au/modeleng/.

Other simulation programs include:

• Two spreadsheets (one for Walschaerts simulation, the other for Stephensons) have been created by Don Ashton and downloadable from his website.
• Several programs covering a variety of valve gears has also been created by Charles Dockstader of the USA and are downloadable from his website.
• Jamie Keyte of the 5AT Group is in the process of developing a new steam loco performance simulation package which he has appropriately named “STEAM” (see separate page of this website).

Dr Allan Wallace (PhD in mechanical engineering and fluid mechanics) runs his own engineering consulting company Avocet Consulting Pty Ltd in Adelaide, South Australia, that specialises in solving unusual and difficult engineering problems. Allan has undertaken several railway-related projects including the design of specialized rail freight wagons.

Like Richard Coleby, Allan is an enthusiastic builder of miniature (3½” and 5″ gauge) steam locomotives which he regularly runs in his spare time. He has also built a 5″ gauge dynamometer car fitted with electronic load-cells and lap-top computer, for monitoring and comparing the performance of his and other builders’ locomotives.

In association with his locomotive modelling, Allan has developed several valve gear simulation software suites that he makes available from his website at http://www.avocetconsulting.com.au/modeleng/.

Allan has given valuable assistance to David Wardale in the preparation of his Fundamental Design Calculations FDC 5 covering the valve-gear for the 5AT by adapting his own Walschaerts valve gear program to accommodate the 5AT’s unusual suspended combination lever (required to activate the twin valves above each of its cylinders).

Allan lives in Adelaide, Australia.

5AT Group member Jamie Keyte is in the process of developing a new steam loco performance simulation package which he has named “STEAM“, standing for “Steam Traction Engineering Analysis Method”.

The software is being developed as an MS Excel spreadsheet model which offers the significant advantage over other packages in that it can be interrogated (and if necessary, modified) by its users.

Whilst the package is still under development, it is already producing results that closely match those produced by Bill Hall’s software.

Jamie presented a paper on his new software package to the 5AT Group meeting on 6th Oct 2012. A copy of his paper may be downloaded here.

Charles Dockstader’s website offers several (approx 14) downloadable software packages for simulating Walschaerts, Stephenson, Baker, Joy, Allan, Gooch, Hackworth, Caprotti, Gresley, Bulleid, and several other valve gears.

Don Ashton’s website offers downloadable simulation software for several types of valve gear plus useful information, articles and links to other sites of interest.

Broadcasts about the 5AT and Modern Steam have not been frequent, and the only two that are known are listed here:

• 19th July 2006 – BBC Radio 4 broadcast a program called “Steam Driven” that can still available on the BBC’s website.  The broadcast features the voices of David Wardale, Roger Waller, Shaun McMahon and others expressing their views on the possibilities for Modern Steam development.
• 14th October 2003 – BBC Radio 4 broadcast an interview with Alan Fozard on the 06:20 Business Report of their “Today” program in the aftermath of Alan’s presentation about the 5AT Project at the First International Conference on Steam and Tourist Railways at Brienz in Switzerland.

15 audio tracks recorded in South Africa in the early 1980s by David Wardale and Nick Bartlett are available on this website.  They include several recordings of The Red Devil, including one during which it develops an equivalent drawbar power of around 2,460 kW (3,300 h.p.) while accelerating up a 1% gradient with 1200 tonnes behind the drawbar.

A DVD focussing on “modern steam” developments is available from John Slater in Australia titled “Super Steam”.  The 72 minute video is available through http://www.rossrailvideo.com.au/dvds.htm for $AUD 39.95 (approx £20).

• Steam Locomotive Design: http://www.steam-loco-design.co.uk/; contact ian.gaylor@steam-loco-design.co.uk
• Girdlestone & Associates: http://www.pgrail.co.za/; contact pgrail@venturenet.co.za
• Shaun McMahon: contact engineer@arnet.com.ar; see also http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/smcmahon/smcmahon.htm
• Nigel Day: contact Nigelsteamday@aol.com [see brochure]; see also http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/nday/nigeldayhome.htm
• DLM: http://www.dlm-ag.ch/; contact Roger Waller at roger.waller@dlm-ag.ch
• Vapor Locomotive Company: www.vaporlocomotive.com; contact Matt Janssen at mjanssen@vaporlocomotive.com.
• Interlok: http://www.interlok.info/indexe.htm
  

• DLM (owner-operators of 52-8055): http://www.dlm-ag.ch/
• West Coast Railways, Victoria, Australia: http://www.wcr.com.au
• Brienz Rothorn Bahn mountain railway (operating DLM locos): http://www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/bahn/
• Brig Visp Zermatt Bahn operating a DLM’d loco: http://www.bvz.ch/
• Kirklees Light Railway: http://www.kirkleeslightrailway.co.uk/ or http://www.stephenashton.freeserve.co.uk/
• Ferrocarril Austral Fueguino (End of the World Railway, Argentina): see http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/smcmahon/smfcaf.htm
• Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway: http://www.wllr.org.uk/
• Puffing Billy Railway, Victoria, Australia: http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/
• Snowdon Mountain Railway: http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/

• Steam Locomotive Knowledge Base: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/
• Rob Dickenson’s “International Steam Pages”: http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/newsteam/modern.htm
• Don Ashton’s “Steam Locomotive Valve Gears”:  http://www.donashton.co.uk/index.html
• Coalition for Sustainable Rail: http://www.csrail.org/
• 73082 Camelot Locomotive Society: http://www.73082-camelot.com/
• International Steam Locomotives: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/steam/
• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steam_tech/
• Umgeni Steam Railway in South Africa: http://www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za
• Reef Steamers in South Africa: http://www.reefsteamers.com/
• RSA Trainz – developing 3D virtual models of South African Railways steam locomotives including The Red Devil: http://rsatrainz.com/
• A website focussing on “New Build Steam” can be found at http://newbuildsteam.wordpress.com/
• An English-language website focussing on French Compound locomotives: http://thierry.stora.free.fr/main.html

The following lists websites containing useful content relating to “modern steam”:

• Wikipedia page on 5AT Locomotive titled” “5AT Advanced Technology Steam Locomotive“
• Wikipedia page on Modern Steam titled “Advanced Steam Technology“
• Chapelon website: http://www.chapelon.net/
• Ing. Livio Dante Porta: http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/ldp/ldp.htm
• Extensive information on modern steam subjects covering all the well known engineers and some less well known ones: http://www.martynbane.co.uk/; in addition, several thousand of Martyn Bane’s modern steam related photographs including over 50 photos of Porta’s original locomotive “Argentina” can be found at http://www.modernsteam.fotopic.net/;
• Hugh Odom’s “Ultimate Steam Page”: http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/
• John Johnston’s http://www.greenloco.com/
• James Mullaney‘s modern steam website at http://homepage.eircom.net/~ngenerationsteam.
• Ian Gaylor’s “Steam Loco Design” website at http://www.steam-loco-design.co.uk/.
• The 762 Club which aims to resurrect a “modern steam” version of the Baldwin No 762 2-4-2T which ran on the legendary narrow-gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in North Devon.
• Modern Steam page of “Garrattfan’s Model Railroading Pages”: http://www.modelrailroading.nl/real steam/Modern Steam/index.htm.

Here’s a link that leads to information about all sorts of steam concepts, new and not-so-new:

• Doug Self’s “Unusual Locomotives” at http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/locoloco.htm

Here’s a link to a website that offers some introductory information about steam engines that has been especially recommended by the students of Linda Fuller from the Colonial Acadamy:  http://www.custom-qr-codes.net/history-steam-locomotive.html.

Here’s a link to a website offering a historic perspective on the development of transport that has been especially recommended by Julianne, a student teacher at Enriching Kids – see http://www.engagetechnology.com/timeline_of_transportation_technology.

And here’s a link to a website describing the nature and history of steam power sent to me by Joy McMahon who is setting up a steam and railroad club through the Apple Creak Historical Society in the Midwest of America.  The website at http://texasaircomfort.com/harnessing-the-power-of-heat-with-steam-engines was discovered by Joy’s daughter Lizzie who has an interest in trains and steam locomotives.  Thanks Lizzie.  I hope you enjoy your fascination with railways. It is an absorbing hobby that can last a lifetime.  The more you discover about the subject, the more interesting it becomes.