Steam Car Blog

The 2021 Eastern Steam Car tour is underway, with the first two days having taken place. Photos courtesy of Billings Cooke, Sarah Moon, Herb de la Porte, Steve Bragg, and Mark Turner.

Simon Webb getting ready for the 2021 London to Brighton run.

​Well after an eventful start to the weekend with the Range Rover developing a boost leak and the trailer getting a flat tyre, I finally got to George Hounslow's house for some work on the Nelson!
Ever since I have owned the car, it hasn't steamed well. It has been very lazy raising steam and once running it was very unreliable at re-lighting often causing blowbacks and fires the wrong side of the burner plate.
George and Peter worked all weekend to clear the fuel system and generally check over the whole car. I am chuffed to say it is now running incredibly well and looks like it generates steam very well. Next job is to get a steam test and I can take it for some proper test drives on the road.
I had previously cleaned out the fuel tank (Thinking this was the cause of the issue) but had overlooked the fuel pressure vessel! Turns out this was full of rusty, sludgy gunk! It was this gunk that kept blocking the entire system.
I cannot thank George and his family enough (Peter Hounslow & Sarah Hounslow) for making me feel so welcome and being so generous with their help, guidance, time & delicious food haha. I have learnt so much this weekend and look forward to many more weekends like it. This is what being part of the Steam Community is all about.