The subject of this group is reciprocating steam pumps, in particular the stationary kind shown here. They have been built by the hundreds of thousands, and continue to be built even today (see Links). Some are even still in service in petrochemical plants, boilerhouses, mills, and preserved steam equipment the world over.

Topics that are fair game here include:

• Questions about restoring and operating steam lizards
• Notification of steam lizards available for sale or donation (including e-bay)
• Steam Lizard resources.
• Live Steam size Lizards

To reduce the spread of computer viruses, attachments will NOT be allowed; members are invited to upload pictures and other items in the files and photos sections.

Why "steam lizards"? In one of his books, railway photographer Colin Garratt coined the phrase "Iron Dinosaur" in reference to the last of the working steam locomotives. This phrase has since been used to refer to antique steam engines of various types, usually on a massive scale.

In that light, I have come to refer to these steam pumps as "Steam Lizards". While they are not as glamorous as their giant cousins, they are still much alive, hiding among pipes and tanks at industrial locations worldwide, long after the "dinosaurs" have disappeared!

This group is part of the Surviving World Steam Project. Be sure and check out the Surviving World Steam Lizards Gallery. It contains over 1800 photographs, most of which are not in the Photo Section