Just to prove that strange mechanical designs are not limited to modern Steampunk, we preset (albeit in model form) the Blackburn Agricultural Engine of 1863. Needless to say, that with its strange “boiler in a wheel” design, only one was ever built, and it was a disaster, to say the least. Still, a model by Cherry Hill turned up at the UK Model Engineering exhibit. Incidentally, Cherry’s model is live steam, does function, and has been steamed.

[Photos below courtesy of modelengineeringwebsite.com; click any image for the project website, with full-res photos]

Via Wondermark comes a great collection of photos of the Penny Farthing Championships in Evandale, Tasmania. Here’s just a taste:

While we are reworking the works, there may be the odd test post or duplicate posting. Bear with us, while we get the behind the sceens gubbin set up properly.

Internationally known artist Bruce Whistlecraft (A.K.A Doktor A) has become synonymous with the creation of Victorian Futurist style Robot characters. Indeed, his popular ongoing Mechtorians series unravels the story of the retrobotic realm of Retropolis one artwork at a time. Brass moustachioed Scientists rub copper plated elbows with polished metal Bank Managers and Socialites in this fantastical realm where humans play no part. Every aspect of our own world is reflected and filtered through the robot’s ill informed perception, to the point where the absurdities of daily life are shown in sharp contrast. Social heirachy played out as theatre and consumer trends reflected as crippling exercises in vanity. When machines try and duplicate our world the nonsense of the everyday becomes magnified.

Having exhibited for the last six years in gallery shows set as far afield as Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Tarnished Daydreams marks Doktor A’s debut UK show. His forth solo show to date, this will be the first in his home country and will feature illustrative works as well as his trademark dimensional pieces. His existing works have found homes in high profile private art collections around the world and new pieces are keenly anticipated. His characters have also reached a wider audience through the medium of toys. Short run collectible figures take on the role of three dimensional art prints, with rarer editions being highly sought after.

Doktor A is a member of the artist collective Circus Posterus, a group of cutting edge artists who have grown out of the Pop Surrealism movement centred in the USA.

Urban Pop Culture gallery and store Ik’sentrik in the heart of Bath will host this intimate exhibition of mechanical whimsy. Ik’sentrik’s owner Ryan Coyle has been a champion of the Art Toy movement in the UK for many years, previously mounting successful art shows in Bristol.

Where ? Ik’sentrik, 3 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EH, UK Tel : +44 (0)1225 316049 web : www.iksentrik.co.uk

When ? April 1st – 30th 2010 Reception opening Friday 1st, 6pm to 10pm. (Doktor A will be in attendance.)

Industrial Dream Mills is developing  a brand new Steampunk RPG   “Steamfortress Victory” . Details can be found at: Steamfortress Victory We will be doing a full review in the near future, and info will be posted as we get it – so stay tuned.

Waltham, also known as the Watch City, “Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution,” and “a place where I’ve lived” is getting a steampunk makeover. Indeed,  the whole town!

Here’s the deal:

From May 6-8, Waltham will play host to the International Steampunk City festival, which will serve as an ambitious city-wide fundraiser for the Charles River Museum of Industry. Scheduled events include special offers at local restaurants (there are quite a few), steampunk cinema screenings at the Embassy Theater off the locally famous Moody Street, and steamy performances that will no doubt be conducted in the city’s lush public park.

Two of steampunk’s online magazines have recently released issues dedicated to the “Weird West,” a particular subgenre of steampunk that explores the Old American West though with a twist, of course.

Exhibition Hall fifteenth installment has contributions by Diana Vick, organizer of Steamcon in Seattle, Washington; an interview with steampunk author James P. Blaylock; and reviews of related fiction and events.

The sixteenth edition of the Gatehouse Gazette contains reviews of Wild Wild West, Nickel Children and Italian Western comic Magico Vento. Ramon Fagan reports from Texas on steampunk at the Dickens on the Strand festival; Hilde Heyvaert is back with her Steampunk Wardrobe column as is novelist Carol McCleary with a feature about Oscar Wilde’s adventures in the Old West.

Both magazines can be downloaded free of charge!

After some careful consideration, a few changes are going to be made to the blog.

First, we’re going to disable comments — we have a perfectly wonderful forum for discussion, where we have a team of moderators to deal with the ever-problematic spam.

Second, we’re moving toward establishing a more stable schedule of postings.

Finally, you can now submit things you’d like to see on the blog by mailing submission at brassgoggles.co.uk