As Jeff says, we really need a clear photo, but I think the gland nuts are still there.

If so – you are probably in luck. For this is basic steam-engine servicing, as the gland packing does wear with time, past the point that simply tightening the gland does nothing. (I suppose it breaks into very tiny fragments that emerge past the rod.)

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The two spigots should each have a gland-nut, often not hexagonal but cylindrical with small slots or holes for a C- or pin- spanner. On some engines the nut is shaped like a plumbing union-nut, on others it resembles a drilled-through set-screw.

You will probably have to make a C- or pin- spanner because these fittings are not usually standard items.

The packing on a small engine is typically either graphited yarn or an O-ring – available from model-engineering materials & parts stockists.

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Graphited yarn is thin string impregnated liberally with graphite grease. Cut a piece long enough for a few turns – see note below. Wind it round the rod so its outer end points clockwise round (so not facing into the gland-nut's rotation). Push the coil gently into the gland – use a brass, plastic or wooden tool to avoid scratching the rod – and screw the gland-nut up until the packing gently grips the rod.

An O-ring should be of a material that stands up to steam, hot water and oil of course (most do) but should also be a type that stands up to a sliding contact. Some are for rotating seals, others static.

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The yarn does not need the machinery dismantling beyond slipping the nut back along the rod and clearing out fragments of worn packing.

An O-ring would naturally need the rod disconnecting from its cross-head or guide; but cutting the O-rings like a piston-ring would avoid that disconnection – I've not tried it. If so, use at least 2 with the gaps well out of line with each other. (Like the piston-rings in a car engine.). O-rings are made in a huge range of metric and inch sizes so finding a suitable size should be possible.

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Note – In both cases the packing should be long enough for the nut to compress it. If too long you can trim the yarn back with a small pair of sharp scissors. It can be awkward stuff to cut, but for obvious reasons don't use a knife.

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As Jeff says, we need a better photo to confirm this, but it looks to me as if the gland nuts are there.

Otherwise – you'd have to make them! Brass or gun-metal, probably standard ME-series (32 or 40tpi) or perhaps Brass (all-26tpi), threads.

Modern alternative to graphite string is teflon. Either purpose made packing in rolls like string, or take a length of plumber's PTFE thread tape and roll it up between your fingers to make a teflon string and wind it round the shaft and stuff it down into the gland then tighten the gland nut down on it.

Do you mean plumbers hemp; usually used in conjunction with ' Boss white' sealant, IIRC more for cast iron or galvanized fittings.

That was three weeks ago, -ish. Success?

Plumber's hemp, by the way, was for sealing pipe threads, not moving parts. It might work in a rod gland, but not reliably. It's probably now replaced in pipe-fitting by PTFE tape.

I see! Hmmm.

A slide-valve port-face ought really have a little gutter at each end so the valve edge over-hangs a trifle at full travel, so faces don't wear hollow, but they will still wear eventually.

If the piston is worn it's very possible the cylinder has worn with it, so will need re-boring.

A worn eccentric sheave and strap will affect the valve events, possibly more so than the worn connecting-rod bearings.

As for finding someone to overhaul it, I have never seen anyone advertise such services so really, unless you have the facilities yourself, you can only hope someone reasonably local to you will offer to do so for a donation.

Many model-engineers are reluctant to help in that way because we all struggle to find enough time for our own projects on top of ordinary domestic needs; but also because we all make mistakes and don't want to risk damaging someone else's one-off property.

However, your engine probably can be overhauled, so by all means try an appeal here.