Ah, a 19th‑century steam engine still ticking is like finding a living postcard from the Industrial Revolution. The real intrigue is in those worn leather straps, the brass condensers with their tiny brass rivets—each tells a tale of engineers who treated metal like a living thing. Restoring one is noble, but remember the records are often sketchy; you’ll have to read between the gears, guess the original pressure settings, and trust the feel of the steam. If you get it humming again, you’ll hear not just steam but the clatter of a century, a silent dialogue between iron and time.