New Member and A.A Leak Engines

[GPSJohn]

Hello,

I have joined this forum to look for someone who may be able to help me, please.

My wife would dearly love to see an A.A. Leak compound engine in steam. She has seen many castings, patterns, drawings and assembled engines but never seen one in steam.

Is there anyone who can help or point me in the right direction, please? I would love to arrange this for her.

I should say that my wife is A.A Leak's daughter.

Regards

John

[marinesteam]

Only two boats show up in the SBA register as having Leak engines. The search criteria is based on how the owners put the info into the database and naming isn't consistent, so there may be some more.

Try https://www.emilyanne.co.uk/pages/about.htm to start.

I'll contact my secret source in the UK to see if he knows of any more.

Cheers

[TahoeSteam]

John and Diana Olsen's stem launch "Dancer" in New Zealand has the smaller version of the Leak that he built. He couldn't get castings sent to him, so he made his own patterns and castings. I believe there is some video on YouTube. Though, there isn't much footage of the engine itself.



Here are a few other videos I just found with a quick YouTube search for "AA leak compound"







Pre-tariffs, I found that some casting mongers in the UK did not want to deal with the hassle of shipping over to North America. You had to find a straw buyer in the UK who could buy them for you, then package and ship them. It was quite a hassle. Again, that was Pre Tariffs. Who knows what it is like now.

[Dhutch]

Only two boats show up in the SBA register as having Leak engines.
The search criteria is based on how the owners put the info into the database and naming isn't consistent, so there may be some more.

Try https://www.emilyanne.co.uk/pages/about.htm to start.

I'll contact my secret source in the UK to see if he knows of any more.

Cheers

Chanced on this thread after clocking the title, however as the owner of EmilyAnne, it's an even better match than expected.

However, yes, Emily Anne has one of the 'Large Leak' engines in, new in 1991 when my grandfather Tom Mason built the boat and bought the engine for her, and the second of two build by Anthony Beaver. The first being in steam narrowboat Tixall which was new in 1986, and is now own by a good friend of mine Matt Jodrell, as of last week I am also in good contact with Tixalls original owner who I know spoke with Anthony a reasonable amount at the time, and may well have also spoken with Arthur Leak too. Both boats are based in Cheshire. The other large Leak I know of is in Geoff Laycocks narrowboat 'Whistle Down the Wind' which is another boat and owner I know well, there has been suggestion it might have been an unfinished engine build by Leak himself but I don't know how verified that is, boat based in the Leed Liverpool. All three boats are in the SBA register.

There are a number 'middle size Leaks' in launches, 'Suilven' build by Geoff Newton is one, a close family friend and a university friend of my grandfather, Geoff was the person responsible for planting the seed that Tom fit a steam engine to his (our) own boat. The register entry is slightly out of date since Bob Fry passed, and she's currently somewhat mothballed I am told, however I am indirectly just about in contact with the current owners. Another is Andy Hopper's boat Aurelia, not spent time on the boat personally, he is an active SBA member and based down south.

Where are you based?

I'll drop you a private message with my contact details.


Daniel

[GPSJohn]

Thank you to all who responded to my request to find an AA Leak engine fitted to a boat. I appreciate your time in responding.

Dhutch (Daniel)...thanks for your private message; I will be in touch soon.

Regards

John

[Dhutch]

Only two boats show up in the SBA register as having Leak engines. The search criteria is based on how the owners put the info into the database and naming isn't consistent, so there may be some more.

If you search for both 'AA Leak' and 'Leak' in all three fields for engines (type, design, and builder) there are a total of five hits, as detailed above.

The other one I rather embarringly forgot, is the well documented work of Malcom Ducket and his boat Befur.
See https://sy-befur.co.uk/

Also re-reading this thread: viewtopic.php?t=499&start=30

John Griffiths boat Tenacity also has a 3+5x3 Leak, the boat is currently mothballed and he is considering parting it out, if you want to buy yourself one!

(left the window open while I emailed John Griffith and forgot to hit submit)

[Dhutch]

Thank you to all who responded to my request to find an AA Leak engine fitted to a boat. I appreciate your time in responding.

Dhutch (Daniel)...thanks for your private message; I will be in touch soon.

Regards

John

No worries at all.

I messaged Andy Hopper and he sent me the two image below. His engine is scaled down 3+5x5 measuring 2.5+5x2.5
He sent videos too, which I can forward to anyone via whatapp.

d764fe0f-def8-4e73-8fab-177df55e144e.jpg (170.95 KiB) Viewed 19358 times

0cbe0305-6516-4df7-b163-e7b05d736222.jpg (177.44 KiB) Viewed 19358 times