Here’s one for the steam punks! And musical model engineers. This experimental calliope was built by Roger Curtis and displayed at the Guildford Rally 2011. It is actually based on a design by LBSC from the 1950s with additional ideas from Roger and elsewhere. Roger reports that the instrument works well on compressed air, but not on steam in its present form due to the whistles not reaching a high enough temperature to “do anything other than spit and dribble water.”

In the Mark Two version the whistle valve bodies will be mounted inside a very well lagged steam manifold with the whistles fitted directly adjacent to them and in contact with the manifold.

This version only includes the ‘white notes’, the idea being to fit the ‘black notes’ behind so that it could be played like a piano. It has two octaves F to F, but the Mark Two will be C to C as the top notes on the first version are shrill.

We look forward to seeing the improved version and to hearing a tune on it.

There are lots of calliopes in the United States, including some amazing ones on river boats. See, hear and enjoy on YouTube.