AS a tool-room manager for a manufacturing firm, you’d think the last thing Mark Angus would want to do when getting home is head back to the workshop in his overalls.

But for the last eight years that’s exactly what he’s done, with the result of his labour being a 6” scale model of a the 10hp McLaren traction engine.

The project of piecing together the now fully functional steam engine, which was last manufactured in Leeds by J&H McLaren in 1910, was born out of Mr Angus’s life-long passion for steam.

And the task was made yet more enjoyable thanks to the help of Mr Angus’s two daughters Tilly and Jessica, aged eight and six respectively.

Working from their home in Scampston, the trio built everything from scratch, aside from the drawings, some castings, and the boiler.

Weighing in at a hefty 3,000 kg, the engine uses 60kg of coal on a full day and 300-litres of water.

Mr Angus, 41, who has previously built four miniature engines before moving on to the bigger challenge of the 10hp McLaren, said: “I’ve been fascinated by steam and engines ever since I was at school, and building my own one has always been a dream.

“Sensibly I started out small, but after four miniature successes I wanted to go for a one that I could take to the roads on – and now that it’s complete and fully operational I’m absolutely over the moon.”

With his daughters’ efforts commemorated with a plaque on the engine that reads “M Angus & Daughters Engineers – Scampston” Mr Angus and the girls now travel around nearby country shows and steam rallies showing of their handiwork to admiring audiences.

Mr Angus, who works for cable cleat manufacturer Ellis in Rillington, added: “You do need to plan ahead when taking the engine anywhere. For example, the two mile trip from my house to work here in Rillington took 30-minutes as opposed to the usual four in the car.

“We also went to a show at Duncombe Park in Helmsley, which turned out to be a ten hour round trip – needless to say, we had sleeping bags in the caravan and made a weekend of it.”