1895 BATES CORISS, FIRST START IN 80+ YEARS WIL IT RUN? 

What an outstanding accomplishment, but my favorite part of the video is when Jonathan’s wife says to him, “I’m so proud of you!” That is high praise recognizing his extraordinary efforts to recover and restore these mammoth steam engines to working order.

I knew this day would come from the moment you said "I don't plan to fix it" that day out in the woods. We are all proud of you as your wife said. Congratulations JW.

What an achievement Jonathan! I never believed that I would ever see that pile of what looked like scrap iron, that you dragged out of the woods two years ago, run again.

Nice Corliss! Your achievements with this one engine is, for most of us in our backyards, beyond our wildest dreams! Well me anyway. You've set the bar so high that we all know there isn't an engine out there that wouldn't roll over and go ahead and start if Johnathan got ahold of it. Thanks for taking us along for the ride

beautiful! I remember you pulling it out from the mire. Getting the Crain out of the woods and running. I admire your hard working no nonsense approach to all the work you do. You make history live!! I love it.

Congratulations!! It is really exciting to see this huge engine running again! After all the hard work to get it out of the woods, cleaning it and making replacement parts for what was missing you must be really happy seeing it run again. Well done, Thank You for sharing this with all of us in youtube land.

Jonathan, you, your family and crew have every right to feel proud of this achievement. Very well done and thanks for bringing us along with you on this journey.

Jonathan thanks for all of the hard work and trouble for putting these videos out for us. Looking forward to seeing you fulfill all of your dreams.

Very impressive! That must have been extremely rewarding for you! A dream come true. I watched you drag that out of the woods and have been looking forward to seeing this. Thanks so much for sharing all that you do and for all your efforts to preserve these historical artifacts! Watching the Corliss valve operate is amazing! Something about seeing those big flywheels turning just make you smile!

I remember when you uncovered this engine and talked about trying to bring it out of that dang swamp, and you went and got that crane, fixed it up, just so you could move this big steam engine. I remember you claiming that it wouldn't run again, but I knew that you wouldn't be able to resist trying to make it operational again, and here we are. I'd say you really accomplished something to be exceptionally proud of, this is single handily the coolest revival that has ever been posted to RU-vid. Great Job Jonathan, hoping to see it it all in person someday soon

I remember you bringing this home! I remember the story you told of your efforts over the years attempting to obtain it! I remember you building that structure to set it on! Learning how to make 🧱 brickwork look good! *CONGRATULATIONS* on this start up! I heard your wife expressed her pride!

I am amazed at the work that you have done since you recovered this engine. Just moving it from its old home was a major feat itself. Not counting fixing crane in the process plus all machine work and fab work needed. And you still have your number one fan, your wife.

Long time coming Jonathan and more work than most men would take on !!! You should be proud of the fact that most of that stuff was scrap laying outside for many years and you've got it set up and running . As always you amaze me with your talents !!! Thanks for taking us along !!!!

Congratulations!!!!!! An amazing and well deserved success!! The history your grandchildren and other young and old people will get for the steam age is invaluable. I hope that you know how proud of yourself you should be. Thank you for sharing this with us.

That corliss valve train is mesmerising - watching it go back and forth while the engine breathes is the best mechani-meditation you could ask for! Great work, Jonathan!!! Thanks for taking us along on this ride!!!

What an amazing accomplishment Jonathan ! I watched you pull this steam engine out of the woods 2 years ago , and who would have thought you would not only have it running now , but acquire 30 some odd other steam engines and get many of them running also for practice during that time ! What a Grand finale’ !!! Congratulations ! Gary from Raleigh

What an accomplishment! Just rescuing that engine from the woods was incredible, which led to the crane rescue and so much more. Jonathan, you are the king of "First starts in years" Congratulations on this achievement!!!!

Brought a smile to my face after just watching from across the pond for three years, so I can't imagine how big the one on yours was when it awoke. Fine job - bloody well done to all.

Just amazing all of the hard work you put into that engine. With all the missing pieces, you had to make and being able to work with friends makes it even better.

So happy for your dream to come true .you worked so hard Jonathan. It brought tears to my eyes to see and hear it run.

It has been a amazing journey. From getting it out of the woods till now. All the support vehicles, etc. Amazing job.

Good to see Vic back. Good to see it running again. Y'all make a good team.

... LOOKIN' GOOD, NICE JOB PUTTIN' THE OLD IRON BACK TO WORK, KEEP SAFE

I love the way you guys work together and make old machinery work again

Magnificent work

You are awesome Jonathan! :) Thank you for bringing all of us along on this journey! We all knew you would get it running again :) It really is a fantastic engine, and it has a very cool sound to it :)

I wish my grandfather was alive to see this. He revived an old steam engine to use for drilling wells. Thank you. Keep up the good work.

Congratulations Johnathon, that engines come a long way since it was dug out of the swamp! Great to see it going. What a wonderful wife!

What a fantastic achievement Jonathon. You truly are a great engineer. I always knew you would resurrect that beautiful old girl.

Now that is something to see running..Never thought it would be up and running so soon.. Well done Jonathan. two thumbs up

Guess this is a record for longest time sitting for a "Will it run??" You can't do a "cold start" with this engine. I'd say this is the most amazing thing my great grampa and myself ever saw. Thank you for all the hard work, to show this running again.

You are tickled, Mrs W is tickled and your helpers are as well. Good to see the banter between you and your buddies as well. I reckon I heard a sigh of relief from that engine with every stroke. Another working masterpiece from yesteryear, thanks to you, best wishes from Australia.

What a great accomplishment. I know you are excited to see and hear that big engine run! Good work guys.

Once a pile of big rusty metal now a living and breathing beauty what a day to see her fired up and living again. So happy for you guys.

Great accomplishment! So much work went into this. Very impressive. Thank you for sharing the journey.

Congratulations! All the hard work is paying off. Thank you for sharing this amazing piece of history.

Congratulations on getting the Bates Corliss running! What a great job of bringing it back to life. You are truly the steam engine master -

Congratulations Jonathan on getting her running again. It was very satisfying watching her come back to life. It's been a long time coming.

You took a bunch of scrap and bought it back to life. They say a steam engine is nearest thing to a living machine. Thanks for keeping this history alive!

Since the day Jonathon walked into this steamin Rabbit hole this has to be the best video yet seeing the old girl come back to life. Congrats

OUTSTANDING! As an old retired Nuclear Grade Steamfitter it does my heart good to see and hear this old gal running agine! I wish I were there to feel her heart beat as we say in the trades!

Simply AMAZING! Congratulations good sir!

What your wife said sums it up, you are saving history for everyone, with out you it gone? Top and bottom of it all. Thank you from us in the UK 🇬🇧 👍

"I'm so proud of you" One of the best things to ever hear from your Wife's lips. Such a beautiful moment right there. This may be a big hunk of metal, but this is what you worked so hard for. Makes me want to shed a tear. Man... such a beautiful sound. Nothing better.

Congratulations !!! What an epic accomplishment/journey this one has been ! Can't wait to see more of it !

Thank you for including us in the FIRST run,been here since you first started this project.THANK YOU AGAIN SIR!!!!!

That was epic Johnathan, great job! It's amazing how far this engine has come, from forgotten in the woods, to running is something anyone could be proud of.

Johnathan I've been watching you for a couple years now. I've never been more impressed than I am with this video. I never would have believed it was possible. I remember you pulling it out of the woods thinking that is junk for sure. Well done!

A piece of history saved. Love watching videos like this. Sounds like you got a good woman brother. Sounds like she supports you in what you are doing.

Seeing you rescue this engine and make all the missing parts and pieces it’s really amazing to finally see it up and running!! You are so talented and determined!! Love your videos and always looking forward to seeing what’s next.

If I signed in tomorrow and the title read, “Let’s build a space shuttle” there’d be no doubt in my mind that Jonathan couldn’t do it. Awesome!

I am so happy for you! I have watched you all along from digging this out of the swamp, to finding Unit Crane and dragging it home and getting it running,. pouring the concrete and building the structure -- all of it. I knew this day would eventually come but with all the other projects you have been working on, did not know when. This is an amazing accomplishment of the mechanical arts!!!! I would love to watch you build a governor for it and fix the dashpots. Also, could you explain what the dashpots actually do?

Aside from all the steam hiss, I love the SOUND the engine makes - congratulations on fulfilling your dream!

This is the best way to preserve history. The love and passion people like yourself has for these devices, to keep them running is a rare and special thing.

Heat, steam the smell of hot grease, the sound.. a heartbeat - she lives is int it wonderful

Jonathon, it is a great feeling to be a witness of your dream, vision and hard work come to reality. Thank you for inviting us on the journey

I've watched a few of your 1st starts (the Cadillac and the engine for your crane were really impressive), but I can see why this one would be The Big One. A lifetime of trying to get it, then 2 more years of working on it...I salute you.

Congratulations! This is a landmark occasion right here, to watch that big flywheel take its first turn under steam! We watched you pull this engine out of the woods and now to see it running is a real treat! Many long hours went into all the repairs and fabrications needed, the castings and machining! Thanks for taking us along!

To me these are the kind of people who built America! And probably the ones that will rebuild America! You put power generation on the other end of this what grid ? This applies to the hole world 👍🏻 God bless from Australia 🇦🇺✝️☦️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I am really excited to see this run finally!!! When I watched you pull it out of the woods I thought that there was no way you would get it running again. Congratulations Jonathan!

Am glad that after two years you get to see your dream come true and am very happy and excited to be part of it and enjoy it with you I had waited and waited and you have no idea the joy I brings to see a project of this magnitude start to fit in it is almost art and is there for us to see how things use to work, as for the boiler chimneys make two extension hats to cover from the rain water to go down into the boiler and allow the gases to come out when boiler is on

Congratulations on achieving this major milestone! It looks great and sounds fantastic! I'm glad you have all your family and friends there to help see you through all of your dreams!

Thank god somebody saved all these machines from being melted down. Vic is a real character, an old sailor maybe??

I want to help with your RU-vid algorithm, but there's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said, other than thanks for showing what a dream, perseverance, hard work, education, and the help of others can accomplish. EDIT: I was just thinking. Here Jonathan dug tons of cast iron scrap out of soggy fields and reassembled these and recast other cast-off scrap into running and working steam engines...I today locked my keys in the car and rummaged in a junk drawer for a spare key, and dug out of the drawer a "broken" key fob for the car, opened it up and found the micro switch was jammed, freed the microswitch up, put a fresh battery in it and voila' , the abandoned key fob opened the car door and I didn't have to call a locksmith...almost the same thing😜

Very impressive seeing this thing run after seeing what you drug out of the woods. Congrats on getting it up and going.

It's people like you that keep history alive.

Congrats!You are the best example of persistence I’ve seen.

Congrats to you Jonathan. It's so nice to see that engine run. Your hard work, and determination to make run again is awesome. The wife and I were talking about the technology in that time is an testament to the quality of the machines. No fancy computers,,just a slide rule. In a 100yrs. That engine will still be here. The things designed now won't. Keep them coming.

Thanks. What a great engine. My Dad, Marvin, loved steam engines and Frick Sawmills. He was born in 1907. I feel like he’s watching this with me.

I am so glad to finally see it running. And I am glad it's in the right hands, someone who will keep it alive for future generations to appreciate!

Absolutely fantastic! Congratulations on this epic achievement; surely the most badass "will it run" video of the year! The amount of effort you put forth to save and rebuild this engine is monumental... keep making the rest of us looking like kids playing in a sandbox, haha! All the very best from Alberta.

That is amazing, I've watched the various videos you've posted from finding this and dragging the parts out of the woods and how you put it all back together, and to see it running is simply amazing. I watched your other video the other day where you showed all the engines in your collection, and I'd just like to say that I feel that your collection has valid historical significance, thanks for preserving examples of that time period.

It's fun to watch these old babies run. They have so many moving parts that you can see. They look almost graceful in their motion

Congratulations on a job well done! A little emotional watching her roar back to life.

When I first started watching this channel it was old Cars. Then came rebuilding Hi-lo's & digging dredge line buckets out of the Woods. Now 100+ Year old Steam Engines. I didn't really have an interest at first. But I do enjoy each episode, & never seen one Man work so hard. Congratulations Jonathan on all the great accomplishments. Your Family should be very proud of you.

So incredibly cool to see it working again. No one probably thought that when it was taken out of use. Very good job preserving it for posterity. Very impressive!

Man, that machine sounds like me getting out of bed in the morning !

Jonathan, congratulations to you and the team! It’s just amazing to see this old engine run again. I look forward to seeing it run again once you’ve dealt with the leaks and the governor.

Wow !! A super CONGRAT'S to you Jonathan !!! This one is the inspiration of your entire collection/display there isn't it ??? I remember when you were dragging it out of the woods and said "lots of it is missing!! I don't expect to ever run. Especially, on steam. If I ever get a big enough air compressor, maybe on air". Well, here we are, you have "personally" overcome all of the missing parts, and it's running ------------- on steam !!! A HUGE accomplishment !!! Not to mention all the other engines, boilers, and buildings you have created in the meantime !!! "Jonathan's Southern Steam Chest" !!!

Great job Jonathan,, we know you have wanted to make this piece run for years, even decades.

I can see why you love these old steam engines. I also love the parking meter.

Absolutely amazing and pure genius ... Thanks so much it has been a joy thus far. 80, Naw let's call it 100 years. My hat 🎩 is off to you sir.

Been watching a long time can't wait to see this run.

Congratulations Jonathan, it lives again!. I've been patiently waiting for the day you would make this video.👍😎👍

I’ve seen the whole series on this engine. You have made amazing progress on this. Good to see old iron turn again.

Great job!!! You've worked so hard it's great to see the old girl come back to life. I could watch it run all day. Thanx for keeping the past alive.

Congratulations on a job well done! That was a real treat to watch it run. You did an amazing job getting the engine to this point and getting it to run. I am real happy for you.

Congratulations in restoring a legacy and leave a great memory for your grandson.

“It Runs!” Yes it does Jonathan. I’ve been following you since you first dragged it from that abandoned factory location. You have created your own steam town. You are an amazing man. She should be proud of you.👍

Boy Howdy ! I do believe this one is the Best first start I have ever seen you do , Jonathan ! I watched when you got it , piece by piece . Heard you talk about all of the years you spent asking about buying it . Then all of the work to set it up properly , make all of the missing parts & pieces . If someone could actually do this , it would be you , sir . Your wife did an excellent job filming it too . That is some kind of wonderful , Jonathan . I know your woman said she is proud of you , but there are a heap of folks , friends , neighbors , & subscribers , who are proud of you too ! I'm 1 .

Yippee - Yahoo - cartwheels - HA HA HA giggles, YOU DID IT! Finally... from a sad derelict ruined steam engine in the woods with so many missing parts - then searching in a bramble overgrown dump looking for crucial parts and anything else - to hauling your dream engine home - making a foundation - building a protective wooden structure - setting up the engine in its new home, making new parts - plus all the side projects necessary to run this engine - and let's not forget the crane rebuild to assist in this adventure - all of it - Totally Amazing Work by a mechanical genius! BRAVO JONATHAN. WELL DONE.

Congrats John, it's a beaut and it'll be a fine engine when it's all painted. Not only did you save this one but you're inspiring others to do the same to other engines. They aren't making any more. Much respect to you and God bless.

Just brilliant Jonathan, great to see that big old girl running, well done to you all.

Jonathan is probably the only person I've seen who can do most anything he decides to do. His intelligence is an amazing thing to watch thanks for bringing us along !

Supreme Congrats! Yes, we all knew you could and would recover enough of it, fix it, and get a boiler to fire it. It's educational and truly inspires the rest of us to try harder. Sincere Thanks.

An amazing machine and it is running after all those years sitting idle! I am happy for you that you finally got it going. These machines made all our early industries possible.

I can only imagine how you feel after wanting to rescue this engine and actually doing it 25 years later and then actually running it on steam. Good job !

Brilliant stuff. Admiration from across the pond! Perseverence pays off.

You do a magnificent job on old steam equitment I applaud you on bringing back history no to be forgotten here from Oklahoma.

I honestly have not been excited about anything at all this week, then I caught this video ! HOW COOL to see it going Jonathan ! Cannot wait to see it 100% tuned up.