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The major parts of an Italo Svizzera Portable engine, built around 1900 in Bologna, Italy by the Italo Svizzera Company - the smallest size made by them. They were called “mountain engines” and had only 2 wheels as they were designed to be dragged up steep Italian hills to do a small threshing or sawing job.

This one is incomplete and came from Argentina around fifteen years ago. Research leads us to believe there is this one (which is the oldest) and one other surviving which remains in Italy.

The previous owner of this engine went over to visit the owner of the complete example in Italy, producing a large number of drawings to enable this engine to be restored. The project comprises major parts only of the engine - boiler, cylinder block and crankshaft - as shown here. In addition, there are a pair of hub rings newly cast for the wheels, along with the pattern. (We've now acquired a pair of suitable wheels, very similar to the originals shown in the manufacturer's literature below, which are included with the project)

They are interesting in that they have return flue boilers and the continental arrangement of being able to withdraw the tubes, furnace etc by unbolting the backhead for “easy” maintenance, as shown in the catalogue illustrations below. The ideal full-size steam project for those with a model engineering-size workshop - there's nothing too large or heavy to handle fairly easily in your average shed.

Length (currently) 56 inches
Flywheel 27 1/2 inch diameter
Bore 5 inches
Weight - estimated at around 1/2 ton as seen here, probably a ton complete.