Bryan’s Model Steam Locomotive Project: Silver Steel & Gauge Plate in Action

When Bryan Homann talks about his model steam locomotive, it’s clear this isn’t just a hobby; it’s a lifetime of curiosity, patience and engineering instinct brought together in steel.

Now 80 years old and based in Carey Gully in the Adelaide Hills, Bryan is a retired mechanical engineer with decades of hands-on experience, a deep love of steam and railways, and a long-standing connection to the model engineering community. His prize winning Edcon Steel project, a meticulously crafted 1/8th scale model steam locomotive using silver steel and gauge plate, has been more than 20 years in the planning and over a decade in the making so far.

“I’ve been interested in model making since primary school,” Bryan says. “Like a lot of little boys I was interested in railways.”

But this early fascination never left him.

The Inspiration Behind the Locomotive

As Bryan’s third steam locomotive build, the current project isn’t a generic model, it’s a scaled replica of a specific class of steam engines once used by BHP on its iron ore railway in Whyalla.

“There were four of them used by BHP at Whyalla,” Bryan explains. “I never actually saw them in service as they’d been cut up just before I went there for work, but I’d seen photographs and they always intrigued me.”

At the time they were introduced in 1920, these Mikado type locomotives were the largest and most powerful in Australia. Bryan eventually managed to source original drawings dating back nearly a century.

“I’ve been looking at building it for about 20 years before I got around to it,” he says. “And I’ve been working on it for about 10 years now.”

From Mechanical Engineer to Master Model Maker

Bryan’s professional background laid the groundwork for the skills required to take on a project of this scale. Trained as a mechanical engineer, he spent much of his working life solving problems, interpreting drawings, and thinking practically about how components fit and function together.

While he’s quick to point out that he’s not formally trade-trained in metal work and fabrication, his experience puts him well beyond beginner level.

“I’d say I’m reasonably well advanced as an amateur,” he explains. “But not in the same realm as someone who’s been formally trained as a tradesman.”

Designing Without a Safety Net

Unlike modern technical drawings, the original locomotive plans offered limited guidance.

“These drawings were made at a time when everyone in the workshop just knew what they were doing,” Bryan explains. “They don’t show tolerances, or sometimes even what materials parts were made from.”

As a result, planning is never really finished.

“The planning stage is ongoing,” he says. “I probably spend more time lying in bed thinking about the next job than actually cutting metal.”

Scaling down full-size industrial machinery brings its own challenges. Not everything can simply be reduced proportionally.

Materials Sourced from Edcon Steel

For Bryan, reliability matters, and as an interstate customer of more than five years, he finds the Edcon website great for making technical purchasing easier.

“Once you’ve got an account, it’s very easy to check prices and sizes,” he says. “That was really helpful with the gauge plate, especially being able to compare metric and imperial.”

For customers outside NSW, Bryan’s experience highlights the values of Edcon’s clear product information, dependable delivery, and responsive customer service, regardless of location.

For this project, Bryan sourced many of his materials directly from Edcon Steel, including silver steel and gauge plate.

Built entirely by hand

Every major component of the locomotive, aside from a small number of castings, has been made by Bryan himself.

“I’ve done it all myself,” he says. “With the exception of the driving wheel castings, and some laser cut sheet metal everything else I’ve made.”

His home workshop is extensive, equipped with lathes, milling machines, a shaping machine, welding equipment, a surface grinders, and even a blacksmithing and foundry setup.

Bryan also credits his wife of 55 years, Mary, whose long-standing involvement in the model engineering community and constant encouragement have been an important part of his ability to take on projects of this scale.

Inspired by Bryan’s project?

Explore Edcon Steel’s range of silver steel, gauge plate and precision metals, with custom-cut options and Australia-wide delivery. Browse our stores in Brookvale, Revesby, Blacktown, Bathurst, and Orange, or check out the full range online. With Australia-wide delivery, getting started is easy.