Mark ‘Sandy’ Sanderson’s Incredible Steam Bike

HOME-MADE? COAL-POWERED? SURELY IT CAN’T BE A REAL MOTORBIKE…

Thereare other steam bikes, of course, and you can easily find them on YouTube, etc., but they’re either gas-powered or ‘flash’ boilers (a single-tube design heated by liquid fuels) but no one has built a proper coal-burner in the manner of the original steam locomotives and traction engines… until Mark ‘Sandy’ Sanderson, a proper uber engineer, turned his hand to building one.

It takes about 40 minutes to steam up once a fire’s been lit, and it’s not the sort of thing you can just fire up and leave to do its thing; no, it requires almost constant attention, fussing with, to ensure it does, safely, what it’s intended to do. It’s heavy at 350 kilos (with a full tank of water), and the damn thing’s literally red-hot, so care’s needed moving it about, and at full chat it does about 20mph – quite fast enough, he says sagely, with a fire burning away just below your nether regions, and no front brake. Make sure you check the timetable and map to see this incredible feat of engineering in action in the GP Paddock Area and on Mortons Main Stand M1.

Specification:

2021 Sanderson Steam Cycle double-acting steam engine (Petter diesel stationary engine crankshaft/modified cases/modified piston, one-off boiler/fire-box/chimney/steam slide-valve chest/piston/cylinder/copper & brass pipework/ valves/underslung water tank/smokebox/ regulator/chain primary, Ariel Square Four Burman gearbox/clutch)/front & rear subframes/ foot-boards/girder forks/seat/handlebars/ inverted clutch lever/brass & wood grips/coal panniers, old brass steam gauge, old brass lawnmower throttle, Ferguson T20 tractor 19-inch wheels (modified), 1940s Willys Jeep external rear drum brake (modified), aftermarket rear mudguard (modified), one-off rear sprocket/axle, 520 chain

Thanks to:

“Roger Loxley for advice on the intricate workings of a steam engine; Taff & Rob for making the YouTube ‘steam cycle’ video; & all the doubters who spurred me on to see it through…”

Finish:

Black with gold coach-lining & lacquer by owner, brass & copper polishing by owner

Engineering:

Bike built & all engineering by owner