STEAM POWER
2 Historic Stationary Steam Engines
E. Leonard & Sons was one of Canada’s most prominent and longest-running manufacturers of steam engines and boilers. Based in London, Ontario, the firm played a critical role in the industrialization of the country, providing the “prime movers” for sawmills, waterworks, and early electric light plants.
The company was founded by Elijah Leonard Jr., who established a foundry in London in 1838. In 1875, the business was reorganized as E. Leonard & Sons when his sons, Frank and Charles, joined the partnership.
Elijah Leonard is credited with assembling what was reportedly the first steam engine in Canada in 1842, using parts purchased from the Cuyahoga Works in Cleveland.
While they initially made agricultural implements and railway cars, the company shifted focus in the 1870s to specialize in stationary boilers and engines, which became their mainstay for the next 50 years.
Before the turn of the 20th century, the Robb Engineering Co. of Amherst, Nova Scotia, was one of the most prestigious industrial manufacturers in Canada. Their stationary steam engines were renowned for their high-speed performance and precision, making them a top choice for the emerging electrical power industry.
The firm was founded in 1848 by Alexander Robb as a tinsmith and general foundry called the “Amherst Foundry and Machine Works.” By the 1880s and 1890s, under the leadership of Alexander’s sons, Frederick and David, the company pivoted toward heavy industrial machinery to meet the demands of Nova Scotia’s booming coal and lumber industries.
The Robb-Armstrong engine, introduced around 1891, was the flagship product of the Robb Engineering Co. It was specifically designed to solve the two biggest problems facing the early electrical industry: speed regulation and vibration.
Before this engine, most stationary steam engines were “slow-speed” and relied on heavy, external governors that reacted slowly to changes in load. This caused flickering lights—a major issue for the hotels and factories the company served.
Further Information:
See these two historic engines in action plus more than half a dozen steam traction engines at ALBERTA’S PIONEER STEAM POWER FESTIVAL on August 7, 8, 9.
Sources:
