SBA SERVICES LIMITED IS AN INDEPENDENT, NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMPANY SET UP (at the instigation of the SBA in 1991) TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO STEAM-BOATERS.

Services

Today SBA Services Limited (aka "the SBAS")provides a range of services used by many  SBA members. Including boiler testing, a library of boiler designs, castings, engine and hull drawings and advice on selecting suitable boilers. The Company's Directors and Managers include people with many years of steam boating experience and professional engineers with practical steam experience from nuclear power stations to heritage steam in rail and marine environments.

We offer castings and drawings for sale. The profits from these sales will be used to offset our operating costs (like PI insurance), so that we can reduce the costs of our boiler inspection services to members.

Our services include:

1. Boiler & Pressure System Design Assessment Service - evaluation and certification of new boiler designs by professional design engineers, which can be used to build boilers which can be inspected and certified under the SBAS Boiler Inspection Scheme .
2. Construction Surveillance Service - Inspection of boilers under construction to ensure appropriate materials and manufacturing processes are employed, and that the boiler confirms to an approved design.
3. Boiler Inspection Service  - periodic inspection and certification of boilers by a professional engineer to agreed SBAS standards under the SBAS Boiler Inspection Scheme . We are also able to provide boiler tests and Temporary Boiler Certificates (TISRs) to overseas visitors wishing to attend SBA Events.
4. A Library of design-assessed boiler drawings
   • This includes both fire-tube and water-tube designs, some of which require no welding and are therefore suitable for the home builder.
   • This includes the designs of John King (Yarrow, Babcock and Simpson Strickland types).
   • Designs are available for all sizes of steam launch/boat/yacht.
   • Designs are available for solid (coal) and liquid (paraffin, diesel or oil) firing.
   • We also provide independent advice to steam-boaters on the selection of suitable boilers for their projects.
5. A library of hull drawings, bequeathed by the estate of Glynn Lancaster Jones.
6. A library of patterns and castings for steamboat ancillaries  (principally donated by Ian Cross), from which we can cast items (in Bronze, GM or Iron) on demand for members.
7. A library of patterns and drawings for twin-cylinder and single cylinder steam engines.

Fully Insured

Owners, should be aware that SBAS maintains in force a policy of professional indemnity insurance which provides cover in respect of examinations carried out to orders placed by SBAS; this acts as a safeguard for inspectors and owners in the unlikely event of something going wrong.

Learning More about SBAS Services

You can find out more about these services by using the links below.

All our products and services can be ordered from SBA Services Limited via the pages referenced by these links:

Where to get your boiler

If you don't fancy building your own boiler (and remember several of our designs do not require you to be a "coded" or certified welder, so can be built "at home"), then here are some links to companies other SBA members have used or our inspectors have experience of, (note we have no association with these, so you need to ensure they are capable  of doing what you need).  Following research by SBA Services Limited’s Librarian John Maltby during the Autumn of 2024,  and input from other SBAS Company Directors and Managers,  we have compiled the following list of boiler makers:

Currently operating Boiler Makers (Autumn 2024)

Heritage Boiler Steam Services, Liverpool -	Another big loco firm, but could be interested. https://heritageboilersteamservices.co.uk/  Office:07534 817735 Andrew 07495 305967 Robert 07983 876707, boilersmiths@heritageboiler.co.uk
Holt Boilers, Hull	Daisy Farm, Hornsea Rd, Aldbrough, Hull HU11 4QW, Phone: 01964 529392 (no Web site)
Israel Newton & Son, Cromford.	Usually large stuff but could be interested. contact John Eastwood 07761454718. https://www.israelnewton.co.uk/ High Peak Works, off Derby Road, Cromford, Matlock, DE4 5HN, Tel: +44 (0) 1629 821950, Fax: +44 (0) 1629 258044, Email info@israelnewton.co.uk
Northern Heritage Engineering, Darlington.	Appears to be good for welded items they make many large scale traction engine & loco boilers. https://northernheritageengineering.co.uk/ Unit 6, Barton Street, Darlington, DL1 2LP, enquiries@nheng.co.uk, 07712 584 821
Northern Steam Engineering, Stockton.	Not to be confused with the Darlington firm. full size loco engineers. https://northernsteamengineering.co.uk/ Lonsdale House, Ross Road, Stockton, Stockton-on-Tees, England TS18 2NH, Telephone: 01642 601 710 Email: admin@northernsteamltd.co.uk Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm
Steamwell Boilers, Chew Stoke	Manor Farm, Scot Lane, Chew Stoke, BS40 8UW, Tel: +44 (0)1275 331074, email: info@steamwell-boilers.co.uk , Website: steamwell-boilers.co.uk (welded and fabricated designs)
Universal Steam Engineering, Badminton	Unit A, Old Station Approach, Badminton, South Glos., GL9 1HE, Tel: 07906079154 & 07816918010 Website: www.universalsteamengineering.com
Varley Boilers,  Keighley	Principally repairers but could be able to make new. http://varleyboilers.co.uk/ Landline: 01535 633669, John: 07778 467 248, Caroline: 07771 970 765, Email: info@varleyboilers.co.uk, Address: Gill Grange, Gill Lane, Keighley BD22 0DD

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Also, keep an eye on the Small Ads section and Commercial Adverts section of the SBA Website.

The following companies did not respond to telephone or email requests for information, and we therefore conclude they are no longer operating;

• AG Bicknell & Co. Ltd., Hollycombe,

• Bell boilers, Gloucester.

• Bennet Boilers, Somerset.

• Chatham Steam, Kent

• Hatch, Swindon

• TRS boilers, Derby

Finally, we have not included McEwan's of Keighley in this list as we have received unsatisfactory reports from a number of members.