STEAMING THE JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE CLUB
AUGUST 1975
Vol. 18 No. 4
ROBERT WYNN & SONS, HAULAGE CONTRAL IORS. (563 wp
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One of the Road locomotives that took part in our road run. Robert Wynn & Sons Fowler 'Dreadnought' No. 15463. New to Wynn's in 1920. Photographed at Church Stretton by J. H. Russell
NETTLEBED TO APPLEFORD YORKSHIRE STEAM HAULAGE
NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE CLUB OFFICERS President S. J. Wharton, Esq., Southern Down, Minster Lovell, Oxford. Vice-President J. T. Beeby, Esq., Wymeswold Road, Rempstone, Loughborough, Leics. Acting Chairman Michael R. Lane, Esq., Maple Tree Farm, Chartridge, Chesham, Bucks. Vice-Chairman J. Crawley, Esq., Field House, Turvey, Bedford. General Secretary G. F. Beck, Esq., 127 Greensted Road, Loughton, Essex. Treasurer J. H. Hobbs, Esq., 6 Esher Close, Basingstoke, Hants. Editor Ran Hawthorne, Esq., 19 Bridle Path, Woodcote, Reading, RG8 OSE, Berkshire. Chairman, Rally Sub-Committee M. Harmsworth, Esq., Elm Cottage, Ockwells Road, Maidenhead, Berks. Public Relations Officer Denis W. Brandt, Esq., 27 Tregunter Road, London SW10. Membership Secretary Mrs. F. E. Wood, 'Windrush', Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE19 4JY Sales Officer V. H. Burrough, Esq., 94 Harvist Road, Kensal Rise, London, NW6 6HL. Technical Services S. J. Wharton, Esq., Southern Down, Minster Lovell, Oxford.
NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Membership is open to all, whether engine owners or not, with a genuine interest in the preservation of self-propelled steam road vehicles, portables, etc. The annual subscription from September 1st is £3. The benefits of membership include advantageous terms for boiler insurance. The club's journal 'Steaming' is sent free to members in November, February, May and August. All articles, photos for consideration should be sent to the Editor. All correspondence re subscriptions, bankers order, delivery (or non-delivery) of Steaming or change of address to: MRS. F. E. WOOD, 'WINDRUSH', HAIL WESTON, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS, PE19 4JY Please enclose S.A.E. when sending subscription or when writing to any officer if a reply is required.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are pleased to acknowledge the help received from Wilf Cole, Derek Rayner, Alan Thomas, Alan Porter, Area and Club Correspondents and many others in the preparation of this edition. 210
STEAMING THE JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE CLUB all items are held copyright by contributor and/or N.T.E.C. EDITOR: RAN HAWTHORNE, 19 BRIDLE PATH, WOODCOTE, READING, RG8 OSE. VOLUME 18 No. 4
AUGUST 1975
FROM THE EDITOR'S CHAIR Well the Run has taken place. 53 engines left Nettlebed and every one arrived, running well, at Appleford. Our President was complimented by the Police on the way we conducted ourselves. With the help of the Police and courteous driving by all crews we were able to hold this run without seriously disrupting traffic. To me, and I know to many others, this event formed a pinnacle of preservation activity. It is too soon to say if, or when, it will be repeated. If it is repeated I think we have got to be careful that it does not degenerate into "just another event". Items for the early November issue of Steaming should be with the editor by September 15th. Small news items and small adverts can usually be accepted for up to three weeks after "copy" date.
" BLOW OFF " STEAMING'S OPINION COLUMN The tragedy of a boy being killed at a west country rally is indeed very sad. Someone said to me, rather callously, "It had to happen sooner or later". Well, perhaps it did, but that does not help the boy's family, the engine driver and steersman or the rally organisers very much. We understand that the rally organisers had fully complied with the N.T.E.C. Code of Practice. So what more can be done to prevent any further accidents? There is little doubt that the entrance to the ring and the area between the ring and the engine lines are potential danger areas. One safety precaution that has been used at certain rallies is the provision of "stacking lanes" leading to and from the ring. These chestnut paling fenced lanes are about four yards wide and perhaps 80 yards long. The mouths of these lanes are sufficiently far back from the ring to ensure that they are not crowded with spectators. Nothing can bring the boy back to life but, we must all; organisers, marshals, engine crews and spectators alike redouble our efforts to prevent a recurrence of this accident. The accident has reinforced the view that the ring entrances and exits are potentially the most dangerous areas on a rally site, areas where we must take the utmost care when moving engines. 211
FROM THE PRESIDENT Our first Road Run and Steam Party was a great success. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who helped; engine owners and crews, marshals, stewards, programme sellers, committee men and anyone who helped in any way. Thank you all for what you did to make such a worth while weekend possible. JACK WHARTON
CHAIRMAN'S RESIGNATION We are sorry to announce the resignation of Anthony Heal from the chairmanship of the club. Anthony has served the club most faithfully for about ten years but business reasons have now forced him to resign. It is understood that he will continue his involvement with Traction Engines and the N.T.E.C. Michael R. Lane is "standing in" until the A.G.M. later in the year.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING A very good turn out of over 200 members was present at Appleford on July 12th to discuss the raising of the subscription. After a full discussion it was unanimously agreed that the subscription (renewals and new subscriptions) from 1st September 1975 be £3. After further discussion it was agreed, with only one vote against, that a class of family membership be introduced, the fee to be £4.50. Further details of this class of membership to be announced later.
THE RUN, ON THE SCREEN Old Steamers Club invite all members of N.T.E.C. to Cowley Community Centre, Oxford, on Monday 27th October, 1975, to show any slides or films they have taken at Appleford. Anyone wishing to show please contact Chris Raworth, 17 Union Street, Oxford, (Tel. 47876) to ensure we have the necessary projectors, etc. Start around 7.30 p.m. Cowley Community Centre is about one mile south of the BLMC works.
THE RUN PROGRAMME THE RUN PROGRAMME John Crawley "came out of retirement' so to speak to edit the programme. This really is a "souvenir". Two colour plates and many photos of engines that took part are included along with a message from the President. Additional copies were deliberately printed, these will be on sale on the club stand at rallies at 50p each. 212
ENGINEMEN ON "THE RUN" by 'BRISTOL' One of the great things about the Run was the meeting up of friends, the making and renewal of friendships and the chance for newer members to meet the officers of the club and many of the pioneers of Steam Preservation. Arthur Napper was on his Marshall "Old Timer", a partnership that has been attending events for over a quater of a century. Our President Jack Wharton and his mate John Hirons were back on "King George VI" for their second event following "George's" 10-year rest. Giles Romanes brought up the rear with his little Wallis 'Goliath'. It was in 1951 that Giles and Arthur met for a race in the self-same field from which the Run started. H. P. Wynn came from Newport with their Fowler. He was a Fowler apprentice and helped to build the engine at Leeds. He drove it for a good many years in commercial use. He helped restore it for their centenary in '1963 and drove her to Appleford on the Run. Our editor Ran Hawthorne was on his Fowler Roller "Busy Bee", their first event since 1964. Having suggested the Run, Ran was very pleased to see it come to be such a successful conclusion. Dick Blenkinsop on the youngest engine (1938 Aveling-Barford) came in driving single handed — literally — he had a big umbrella in one hand and the wheel in the other! Mr. Scott was so fast in his 1910 Stanley Steam Car that he was allowed to set off in the middle and pass all and sundry. The sixteen miles of the run must have seemed like just another stage to George Moore who steamed his s/c Fowler from Aylesbeare near Exeter to Nettlebed to represent the South Devon Steam Preservation Society. Mike Beeby and John Blagg had the honour of driving the oldest engine — 100-year-old Fowler P.E. No. 2693. They passed within 100 yards of the foundry at Crowmarsh where the engine's distinctive cast iron "Allen" chimney was made. The Daniel Bros must have had the longest haul to Nettlebed but the smile on their faces showed it was all worth while. Jack and Jim Vaughan came to represent Welland Valley. How nice it was they remembered their corn dolly on the smokebox. Len Crane is well known as a motor cyclists but he brought 25 ton of crane engine by road from Wolverhampton as if he done it a hundred times before. Probably the oldest crewman on the Run was Alf Eggleton of Andover who, at the age of 74, steered Jack Field's Wallis & Steevens from Nettlebed to Appleford.
CONGRATULATIONS We offer our best wishes to Malins (Engineers) Ltd. of Brierley Hill, Staffs and makers of the famous Mamod Steam Engines. These were first made in 1936, virtually single handed. In 1961 their first mobile engine was made, a steam roller, since then a traction engine and a steam wagon have joined the well known range of stationary engines. Malins have recently moved into even larger premises and now employ over 100 people — building steam engines. To Quote The Birmingham Post: "The increase in interest in models seems to have coincided with the virtual cessation of the commercial use of the steam engine and the enthusiasm is, without doubt, stimulated by the immense popularity of traction engine rallies ❑r steam fairs." 213
NETTLEBED TO APPLEFORD
An Enthusiast's Impressions
When the news was announced some 12 months ago that the N.T.E.C. were to celebrate their 'coming of age' in the form of the first organised Road Run, I, amongst countless others, no doubt, made a longstanding booking for the weekend July 12th and 13th. No work for me on that occasion — I was to be over 250 miles away at Appleford! Arrangements being firmly established, the eagerly-awaited weekend soon came around. Friday 11th saw my wife and I up at 4.00 a.m., and en route less than half an hour later. I'm often informed that I'm mad to set off at such unearthly hours, but on this occasion, I must have been in the company of a few thousand fellow-members as well! On arrival, we met up with some colleagues, pitched our tents, then made off to take stock at Nettlebed, dropping off our ❑ther halves on the way, to spent the afternoon at sunny Didcot! Arriving at Nettlebed, we made numerous other acquaintances. Engines were continually arriving and the atmosphere had certainly begun to build up. This was in no uncertain terms going to be an occasion to remember. Back then to Appleford, not forgetting to collect our wives, of course, some refreshments, a few jars at the 'Waggon and Horses' that evening, and then some sleep before being up bright and early for the main event of the weekend. On Saturday morning, we made our way towards the stretch of rood at Cullom Co!logo, one of the best vantage points for photography, and waited in great anticipation the first steamer's arrival. An hour passed and we began to wonder whether we had taken the wrong route! Then a column of smoke was noted on the horizon, and within a matter of minutes, the familiar features of David Webster's immaculate S4 Sentinel No. 8942 reached us, followed in rapid succession by five more wagons and a tractor. This was it. The day's entertainment for us was under way. John Butler's Yorkshire Wagon No. 652 was next to appear, followed by our President's Burrell Showman No. 3489 "King George VI". A few more entries came along, and then what I considered was the most attractive outfit taking part, Dr. Cam's beautiful Wallis & Steevens Tractor No. 7872, complete with living van and trailer in similar livery. This ensemble really looking a treat in the sunshine — which was still around at that time. Following this one a while later was Doug Charlett's extremely interesting Aveling & Porter Tractor No. 6021 "Doogal", the only one I have seen fully restored with a front spectacle plate and top motion splash guards. Some more tractors passed, then the first of the 'heavy brigade' came on the scene — John Newton and Jim Sarney with their respective Burrell Road Locos, "John of Gaunt" and "Lord Roberts, and Anthony Heal's McLaren "Boadicea" — sounding particularly good, with an exhaust beat that only a 'Mac' can produce. Ted Gale's Burrell Showman's Tractor No. 3497 "Conqueror", I was please to see for the first time, the canopy lettering 'Old England's Past Glory' being most befitting, I thought. Tony Parker's Foster Tractor No. 13031 "Mighty Atom" was another new one, splendidly restored in its maroon livery. Robert Wynn a Sons' and Len Crane's heavy Fowlers next passed through, followed by Don Robinson's Foster Showman "Victory". There then being a gap, we decided to retreat to Appleford once more for lunch. Our lunch break was later interrupted by the arrival of Vic Greenaway's 'Russian' type Fowler No. 14958 "Marina", hauling a steel tyred traction wagon. Afterwards, it should have bean back to Maur' 214
Foster No. 14502 "Victory". A regular traveller in the Run area with Mrs. Bird's amusements, seen here near Culham. A. V. K. Thomas
Wallis & Steevens No. 7370 "Fair Rosamund" with owner driver Ted Freeman near Appleford on the Run. A. V. K. Thomas
215
College, but the weather decided differently. A thick mist descended, to be followed by almost continuous rain for the remainder of the day. A big disappointment, but as it so often happens, everyone has to make the best of it. I then accordingly decided to take up position at the site entrance, where there was still reasonable scope for photography, and was rewarded by next witnessing the arrival of George Moore's Fowler Traction No. 9698 "Farmer's Friend", all the way from near Exeter under her own steam, and not a moment's trouble, her crew assured me. A real trial for an engine which had only recently been reassembled following firebox replacement. Not so long after, Arthur Napper's Marshall "Old Timer" arrived on the scene, still flying the flag after all these years, one of the few engines to have remained active in rallying without being laid aside at some time or another. Shortly afterwards, along came another of the early rally attenders, Ted Freeman's Wallis & Steevens Traction No. 7370 "Fair Rosamund", once rallied at Appleford in the ownership of Bill Tame, when she rejoiced in the name of "Sylvia". A few minutes to wait before the next arrival, but then the distinctive ringing of gears told me that this could be none other than and old friend from Cornwall, the Daniel Bros.' McLaren Ploughing Engine No. 1552 "Hero". A few more arrivals, then the first of the roller entrants came along, James Hervey-Bathurst Aveling & Porter No. 14077, yet another impressive road train, with its traditional living van and water cart in tow. After this, there was a steady stream coming in. Griffin & Davies' Fowler Ploughing Engine No. 15183 "Ajax", Frank Upton's Wallis & Steevens Traction No. 7683 "Eileen the Erring", our Editor's Fowler Roller No. 14674 "Busy Bee", well turned out with its new canopy and paintwork, pulling her original Allen living van, and Peter Barnes' Burrell Roller No. 3305 "Big John", new to me, and certainly living up to its name, traditionally restored to its original status, as it was when working for Isaac Ball in Lancashire. Dave Antell's Wallis 'Advance' Roller No. 8100 coaled up just before arrival, and photographers were rewarded with ample emission of black smoke as she came along the final stretch. Only a handful to go now, so a quick break to change films before the next one came along, this being Dick Blenkinsop's neat little Aveling-Barford Roller No. AC624, complete with umbrella! The final entrants were one by one coming into view, now. Messrs. Neale, Millbank, Tomlin & Harrison's Fowler Roller No. 18637, Ted Evans' Wallis & Steevens Traction No. 7498 "Progress", and Michael Woodruffe's Fowler Traction No. 11698 "Edna". Bringing up the rear was another of the 'originals', Dr. Romanes with his little Wallis & Steevens 3-ton Tractor "Goliath", a fitting entry to complete the line-up. One more did arrive later in the day, Jim Hutchens' Garrett 'Suffolk Punch' Tractor No. 33180 "The Joker". This one had the misfortune of breaking down right at the start of the run, but undaunted, her owner was able to get repairs in order at a local engineering works and later on in the day to complete the run without further trouble. A most commendable effort, which was undoubtedly echoed by the other enginemen when she arrived, who gave her a rousing whistle blast in recognition of her owner's efforts. Something that I was pleased to note, and I'm sure countless others will agree with me, was that every engine taking part was, as it was, during its working life — modern day conversions were not considered for acceptance by the organisers. This has just been a brief resume of the Road Run. I regret that space does not permit my mention of every engine taking part, but without exception, each owner showed the true spirit of the real enthusiasts for enthusiasts. This was, after all, the original idea way back in the early days of preservation, and in my opinion is still by far the best. To all those who participated, I extend my own gratitude for one of the most memorable steam occasions which I can recall. Appleford to Nettlebed 1975 will undoubtedly be remembered as an historic occasion. 216
McLaren No. 1552 "Hero" was brought from Cornwall by Rob and Charles Daniel. Here she is just about to turn into the Appleford Field.
A. V. K. Thomas
Giles Romanes and his 3 ton Wallis & Steevens "brought up the rear-, proudly blowing off as Giles signals he is turning into the field.
A. V. K. Thomas 217
REMINISCENCES OF A YORKSHIRE STEAM HAULIER by WILF COLE (continued) The question of water again arose before we could set off properly. We had just got clear of the town when we noticed a colliery yard. We asked them if they had any water which we could have and were lucky. They had a hosepipe, so we put it in the tank, filled it up and then we were away. Our next objective was Worksop, nearly 40 miles further on. We made some good running although the roads
were heavy, only a gravel surface and they had softened after freezing. We got to Worksop, again about dusk. I think we picked some water up during the run using the buckets. We were a bit luckier finding lodgings for the night here and we found an elderly lady who did take lodgers in and she put us up for the night. After an early breakfast the next morning, we were ready for off about 8 o'clock and our next objective was Leeds. Again we wanted
some water before we started and were again fortunate as there was a brewery close by. I think it was Shipstone's and they had some Foden 5 ton wagons. We went into their yard and they allowed us to fill up. So we got going and started making for Doncaster and had travelled about 7 miles on the road to Tickhill when trouble started. The feed pump refused to work and also the injector gave up at the same time. We pulled up against a small works and I tried the usual methods to get them working again — but to no avail. I decided to set about trying to find the trouble with the pump. No water was getting to this, so I traced the feed pipe back from the pump to the tank. This passed along the footplate at the side of the bunker and under the driving chain. It was buried under coal dust and oil from the chain so I had to dig this off. It was rewarded for my efforts as I noticed one or two drops of water at this point. These were coming from a rubber connection which coupled the pipes together. I felt at it and it was very soft and had probably been affected by the oil. It was obviously drawing in air so I told my Uncle I thought I had found the trouble. I decided it would have to come off, so we turned off the water at the tank and took it off. We now wanted a new piece like it so my Uncle took it and made straight for the small workshop nearby. Sure enough, in about half an hour, he came back with a piece of pipe almost exactly like it. This we fitted and on starting the engine, the pump worked straight away. After that, the injector started to work again — I don't know why — so we were back in business and as it was now about noon, we managed to buy a bit of a snack at the workshop, again cocoa with jam and bread, but we were thankful for it. So we pressed on to Doncaster arriving there about 5 p.m. Our first thought was trying to get something to eat. We were directed to the Y.M.C.A. Canteen where the soldiers called when passing through the town. There we got some food and some tea and then decided to keep travelling until we got to Leeds. Before we could, though, we wanted some coal as we had about used up the supply we had brought from Birmingham. It had been poor steaming coal and smoky but we found a coal merchants house and yard, and he sold us about 4 cwts. So we set off again, about 8 p.m., having some 28 miles to do in the dark.
We reckoned on getting to Robin Hood's Well for water, about 7 miles north of Doncaster. Some 3 miles away from there, we were
going weii as it was much better coal and the wagon was blowing off. I could see the water gauge from my steering position as we had 218
a lamp on it. I noticed that the water level was dropping. I asked my Uncle whether he had got the pump on. He said he had and it had been on for some time. i decided to check the water in the tank so I put a dip stick in the hole at the top of the tank and found it was empty. I decided that the fire would have to come out as I did not want the plug to go. I set about throwing the fire out with the long firing shovel into the Great North Road. This is where the blood, sweat and tears came in. I cut my hand in my hurry, and tears started to roll down my cheeks, to think that we had been thwarted when we had just started going so well. I had got the fire nearly out when a chap came up to us and asked if we were having a bit of trouble. We told him that we were, as we had run out of water. He told us of a pump round the back of some houses, just off the main road. He even showed us where it was and helped us to carry the buckets. I emptied them into the tank and got the fire going again. We got nearly half a tank of water which we thought was enough got the engine running again and put some water into the boiler. We were again ready for off and it was now about 11 p.m, the man offered to bring us a bit of something to eat which we gratefully accepted. We settled up with him and thanked him very much for his assistance. We reached the Robin Hood's Well and filled up. It is still there at the side of the road and the layby is often used by Pickford's for leaving their big loads in when they are moving them north or south. We carried on after that to our next water stop, at Methley, about 5 miles from Leeds. Again it was a case of using the buckets but we managed to get sufficient to get us into Leeds. It was now breaking daylight and as we came past the bottom of Pepper Road, we happened to see brother Len going to work at Mann's. He had just got off a tram and he was starting at breakfast time. He immediately got on the wagon and went back home with us. Before we got there, we noticed the tank was again nearly empty. Fortunately, close by, we saw a man washing some shop windows with a hosepipe. My uncle asked him if he could put it in the tank, which he did. So we got home. We had been two nights in bed out of five. I admired my Uncle when he got off the wagon. His skin was almost chocolate colour. He had a wife and eight children and he loved them all. He had just lost his younger brother killed in France a few months previously. After leaving the wagon at the yard, we went home to bed, it then being about 10 a.m. on the Friday. Before I went I asked Len to get the valve covers off and the big end brasses out as they seemed to be worn. I slept very well that day and when I went down again after tea, he had taken these off. I started work the next day to give the wagon a slight overhaul. This wagon had been new in 1910 and had wooden wheels with smooth iron rims. It had been fitted with a new firebox not long before we bought it and it had been done by a Birmingham firm and was hand rivetted. They had done it well and it was steam tight. As I thought the the bearings were worn and not good enough to put back, I went and got two new bearings from a firm in Leeds who stocked Foden spare parts. Len and I fitted these over the weekend and examined the slide valves, finding them in very fair condition. We decided to re-set the valves to our own ideas and then put the covers back on We adjusted the main bearings, tightened glands, re-packed where necessary and got it ready for working. It was immediately put to work as we had plenty for it to do. It ran and pulled very well and was also very economical. One snag we found was the wheels which slipped on the stone setts on the roads when they became greasy. After a few weeks running we agreed this was a real problem and so decided to have the wheels converted to rubber tyres. We arranged the job with a Leeds tyre firm who instructed us to send them to Manchester. I think they went to Banly's depot there. They did the job and a very good job too. They were like new wheels when they came back. Before we sent them, we had some difficulty in 219
getting the fixed wheel off the back axle and had to take the axle out to do so. We used a Mann's back axle which we had spare and slung it on a rope and tupped it off (used it like a battering ram — Ed.) Whilst the wheels were away we painted the wagon bright red in colour and had it lettered in gold leaf and lined. It looked very smart now, being a great improvement with the rubber tyres on. She was not ready for serious work. Early in 1918 we received an enguily from Thomas Green & Son. North Street, the Road Holler Makers. They asked if we could do some work for them, which we agreed to do and put the Focien on the job. This consisted mainly of hauling pig iron which used to come in 4 and 5 ton truck loads, from the station yard to their works. Greens were very busy on munition work at the time, making small bombs for the Royal Flying Corps. It was a case of hauling the pig iron from the station and taking the bombs back — but with no explosives in them. The wagon was almost fully employed on this work all through 1918 and it gave no mechanical trouble at all. One incident occurred and I saw it happen. My Uncle Len. who brought it back from Birmingham, was driving, as he did all through this work. He was backing into the works one day with a load on. He had to pass over a 15 ton weighbridge. He had asked them about this before he first went over and they had said it was safe. They had been ❑ ver it many times with their Steam Rollers but it was not safe this time. I had just arrived to give my Uncle a message and he was backing over the bridge when there was a loud crack and a bang. He went into the pit with the back half of the wagon. It was a Saturday morning about eleven o'clor•.k. The Manager came round and he said to my Uncle, "Well, Len, we have got you in and we will get you out". So they set a gang of men on to get it get it out over the weekend and sure enough, it was out on its wheels on Monday morning, none the worse and it carried on with the work as if nothing had happened. I dicl ilut InSt lurid with the family firm as I had a bit of an argument with my Uncle and I left. I was now out of work, but not for long. There used to be a Mann's 3 ton tipping wagon come up our way which belonged to the Low Moor Colliery Co., of Osmondthorpe, Leeds, and it delivered coal at mills, etc., round about. It generally had a driver and a mate on it and one day I saw it without a mate. I pulled the driver up and asked him if he wanted a mate. He said he did and so I asked him if I would do. He said to get in the wagon and come back to the pit with me. He got in touch with the Manager who agreed. I mentioned that I had just left Mann's, which helped and this turned out to be a very good job for me. The hours were hour later start and z hour slightly less than Mann's — about sooner finish. It was much better pay but I still had to catch two trams to get there. The driver of this wagon was an ex-loco fireman and he had a very good system of raising steam in a morning. We would back the wagon into a shed on a night, under a chimney which went through the roof. When we had finished the day's work we used to clean the clinker out of the fire, clean out the ashpan and then put a bed of fresh coal on the fire. This was house coal which we used. We would then drop the damper and put a cap on the chimney top, very slightly cracked open and fill the boiler with water. It was my job to be there first in the morning, about 6.30, and remove the chimney cap. I would then get steam up, usually by about 7 o'clock. There was always some water in the glass, so I would then fill the bunker with coal, fill the tank with water and the driver, who had arrived by then, would oil round and we would be ready for the off. We only used to light the fire about once a week and wash out the boiler once a fortnight, on a Saturday morning. We used to do about five loads a day, carrying about 4 tons each time and were generally finished by 4.30 p.m. Of course, i knew these Mann's wagons were a good little machine and one of my favourites. That was why I took the job and this 220
particular one I found ran like a sewing machine. During the six months I was on it. I only had one minor repair job to do at it. One night I had to go back after tea to put a new fusible plug in. I had to cut the old one out with a hammer and a round nosed chisel as it was corroded and fast. I worked through the spring and late summer on this job and in about the last week I was there, I was on the wagon and the back axle broke. This again was on a Saturday morning and was caused by having to run on rough paved roads. The driver got in touch with the office at once and they arranged with Mann's to fit a new back axle over the weekend. One of my old mates at the firm was given the job with an assistant and he got it on and the wagon was ready for work again on the Monday morning. I gave notice on this job because my Father's firm had asked me to go back again to drive their Mann's wagon, "King of the Road", the driver problem being acute because of the War. My father was driving this wagon and he wanted to get off to drive a Karrier petrol lorry they had purchased. This was known as an overtype model, being built about 1910 and having the driver sat well forward and high up in the cab. The snag was that the engine was all in bits and had to be put together. The crankshaft had been broken on it and had been welded by Barrimores of London, who seemed to have made a good job of it. The Karrier would have been a 3 or 4 ton model and repairing it was my first job when I got back. I had a bit of assistance from a man who used to work Karriers, at Huddersfield, with the engine work, but all the assembly work, i.e. putting the engine in the chassis and the cylinders on, etc.. I had to do myself with some help now and again. When it was finished, we started it up and it ran very well. We then got it ready for work. This was not my first experience with a petrol engine as we had two De Dion cars, one 1906 and the other 1908. Whilst I was still at Mann's, Len and I dismantled the engine on the 1906 car as we thought it was knocking. We got a new big end bearing made for it at Mann's and fixed the engine up. It ran alright with no more trouble. I should mention here that my health had very much improved at this time and I attributed this to the outside job which I had with the Mann's 3 tonner at the Colliery. I had been asked to return to the family firm because of driver problems which had resulted in Len being called out some three times to do outside repairs during the period I was away, when she broke down on the road. Once was when our firm had set a new driver on and he had raced the engine much too fast, causing the bolt which held one of the big end bearings in position to come out. This buckled the connecting rod like a letter 'S' and knocked the cylinder cover off. This incident occurred at Northallerton on the way to Newcastle. The crew rang back and said they wanted a piston rod, which Len took out with all the equipment required to remove broken studs from cylinders, such as drill stand, ratchet, drills, taps, etc. He also took some new studs and a cylinder cover but he immediately had to phone back when he got there for a new connecting rod which we despatched to him by passenger train. He got it fixed up and went through to Newcastle with them and delivered the load. I think they loaded back with furniture. They went from Monday to Saturday. sleeping on the van behind the wagon each night. Len never had his clothes off and he was pretty black when he got back. The same driver was sent out again on the following Monday to do a removal job from Leeds to Bradford. Before they went, the mate warned my Uncle that if the same man was allowed to drive, he would break it up again. This warning was not heeded and sure enough, after tea, the phone rang to say it was broken down, this time on a very busy intersection on the Leeds - Bradford main road. The high pressure forward eccentric strap had broken. Len and I went out to it. We took the eccentric strap off the reverse eccentric 221
and put it on the forward one. This enabled us to make it go forwards but not backwards. We were able to get the wagon home by this method and the driver was sacked. Another time Len had to go ❑ ut was when my Father was driving it. The small bevel wheels on the differential had sheared at Ferryhill. The wagon was loaded of course and the new wheels had to be fitted at the side of the road. Another time was when we had a driver on it and it broke an eccentric strap at Darlington. Len had to go out and fit a new one. Mann's used to allow him to do these repairs on their wagon and this was kept in a very good state of repair, despite its very intensive use during the War. After I had repaired the Karrier lorry and towards Autumn of 1918, we had another tricky job to do on the Mann's wagon. A small crack had appeared on the top corner of the boiler throat plate. This was about an inch Iona and diagonal in shape. It was blowing steam onto the mate's feet at the near side and was getting worse. Electric welding had still not come out and since we dare not risk acetylene welding, we decided to pin stitch it with copper plugs. We drilled gas tapping holes which overlapped the crack by about i" 3 x at each end. After tapping them out, we screwed 3 copper plugs in and fitted them tightly, one at a time. We had marked them off so that the plugs would be just touching one another when put in. After knocking them over and caulking, it made a small patch. We then raised steam and tested it. It was satisfactory and it stopped like that until we sold the wagon. I drove it after this, we had lost the Newcastle job as someone else had taken it over but I reckon that the wagon did about 160 journeys over the four years on this job. Truly it was a "King of the Road". However, despite not having this long haul, we had plenty of other local work, furniture removing, general haulage work, etc., and I was out nearly every day with it. In early September, Len came out ❑f his time at Mann's. He went to his foreman and asked him about getting full money. He was told that he would not get it straight away, but only in stages. Len joined the Engineer's Union as a fully qualified Fitter so he left Mann's and went to Thomas Green & Sons, and got started as a fitter with full money immediately. He was put to work on Steam Rollers but he
"Scarboro Billy" — W. Winteringham, left, Mann's driver, having just delivered a new 5 ton Mann Overtype Wagon to Robert Jamieson, December 1913. 222
"Scarboro Billy" by Tender of Mann 5 ton Tractor on Lord Aldenham's Estate, Elstree, Herts, 31st May 1916.
only stayed there for three months, as he had to leave to come into the family business to drive the Foden wagon. In January, 1919, the firm decided to sell all the old wagons as they were now finding it possible to buy new petrol ones. They had an auction and put the two steam wagons, the Mann and the Foden, together with the two petrol lorries and the De Dion cars up for sale. "King of the Road" realised half as much again as it cost when new in 1914 and the Foden we had brought from Birmingham made the highest price of all. Len and I had the job of delivering the Mann's wagon to a brickworks on the East Yorkshire coast at Flamborough. It was about an eighty mile run and we had a lift van on which was loaded with all kinds of merchandise for the works. It was January and dark about 4.30 p.m. We made an early start from Leeds and kept going, arriving at Driffield by dusk. We parked in a public house yard but we had to sleep in the van for the night, as they couldn't put us up. We were able to get some breakfast there next morning before we set off to d❑ the 12 miles to Bridlington, where we had arranged to meet the new owner. We got there about 10.30 and met him. As we were facing the wrong way on the road, he told us to go along to the end, turn round and then we would all go to the brickworks which was about five miles away. The road where he told us to turn was very close to the harbour but it was tarmaced and looked good. I was driving and I backed onto this road, about the length of the wagon and was just opening the regulator to pull out when down she went on my side and the water tank came to rest on the road. We looked to see what had happened and we found we had gone through an arch under the road, where the fishermen did some of their work. From below, we could see the back wheel sticking through into the arch. This put the damper on all our arrangements and the next job we found ourselves with was to get it out. There was no chance of getting a vehicle to tow us out, so we had to get a jack and some timber and do it the hard way. We trailed around Bridlington, calling at garages, etc., but could not get a jack. Then someone suggested trying the lifeboat house which we did, and were successful in borrowing a 3 ton screw bottle jack. The new owner of the wagon was a practical Millwright Engineer and he had his own works in Leeds. He engaged about four fishermen who were standing about to jack it up and got some timber from somewhere. After much strenuous work they got it up and packed the timber underneath. I 223
had kept steam up and I was able to pull it clear by about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, after which we took it to the brickworks. It got dark before we got there, but we managed this safely and made it right for the night. We then returned to Bridlington in a taxi which the owner had engaged. He had also arranged for us to stay the night in one of the best hotels in town. The first thing the receptionist asked us when we arrived was whether we would like to have a bath. We said we didn't as we thought we would make do with a good wash. However, we had a very good night there and next morning, the taxi called for us again and we were taken back to the brickworks. We unloaded the van and then had to bring the wagon back into Bridlington, to put it into a garage until required for use. This course of action was necessary to protect it against the frost. It was still in good running order when we left it — somewhat sadly — and we took our leave of the new owner and came home by train. That was the last we saw of "King of the Road" but we heard about it later, for in 1926 a man who used to drive it told us that it was later sold to a firm in Sheffield and did some good work for them. He said they had had to send it into Mann's to get a new firebox fitted and he told us of the caustic comments the boiler makers had made when they saw the copper plugs we had put in. He said it was a good wagon, which it would have had to have been in the Sheffield area with the hills it would have had to climb. The only fault he could find was the ring of the gearing which he said he could still hear when he was in bed at night. A shipyard at Hull bought the Foden wagon and I drove it to Selby for the man who came to collect it. That was the last time I saw it. To be continued.
STEAM SERVICES There is a demand for a handbook giving technical information and details on Engines and also listing people or firms who can offer routine or specialist services such as welding, tubing, rivetting, reboxing, etc., or who can supply items such as oils, piston rings, packing, manhole and mudlid rings, mechanical libricators, pressure gauges, injectors, wire rope, belting, pick-up hoses, paint, transfers, solid rubbers, copper, piping, etc., etc. We would also like to list firms or individuals who can carry out specialist works such as building up piston and valve rods, metal spraying, overhauling injectors, pressure gauges, dynamos, etc., spinning copper chimney tops, casting and machining bearings, rolling a new chimney, casting fire bars, etc. Would anyone who can offer any of the above, or any other item or service useful to enginemen please send details to the Editor. Likewise, if any reader has information re firms that can do work or supply items we need, would they also please send details. It is hoped to publish an Engineman's Handbook containing this information as well as technical articles on engine restoration and maintenance during next winter. We are grateful for the few replies so far received. More are needed to make this handbook as valuable as possible. — Editor. 224
PUTTING A "NEW" ENGINE ON THE ROAD by A. R. Porter Getting your first Steam Engine, whether a lofty Showman's, rustic Agricultural or earthy Roller is, without doubt an exciting occasion. Getting the thing in steam, even more. And the urge to achieve this state of affairs is irrespressible! But sometimes certain things have to be put right before this epic day arrives, especially if the engine in question is a bargain. The bargain, Lancashire Traction Engine Club member Dave McNamee purchased in October 1973 was a 10 ton Aveling & Porter compound roller ❑f 1912 vintage, No. 7600, and named "Victoria". The engine had several favourable boiler reports (though none of recent or current date) and on inspection looked good, with new smoke box, a clean firebox free from weld and only a couple of stays in need of replacement, while the rest of the engine (such as tender and motion) was sound throughout. However, before "Victoria" could be low-loaded home there was any one sizeable problem to overcome — replacement of the off side rear wheel! This lump had been removed by the previous ❑wner some time before so that access could be gained to remove the spur gear (on which an attempt had been made) and in turn two stays which were positioned! behind the gear. So one fine Sunday in November 1973 Dave and three 'engineers' headed up the M6 motorway to Morecambe to put the spur gear back and replace the rear wheel. A close examination first occurred before action commenced, out came the sledge hammers and after a few mighty blows the gear hadn't budged a millimetre! More fruitless hammering and further consultation ensued before the engineers came to the conclusion that the spur gear had been brutally pulled against the taper of the key and was now well and truly stuck. So the rear roll was fitted and the roller made ready for transportation. (The spur gear was removed many weeks later and only after a considerable struggle, by drilling out most of the taper key then warming the lot to red heat before pulling the gear over the remains of the taper key with an enormous set of pullers). Once the roller was near Dave's home, at Worsley, near Manchester, arrangements were made to have the boiler inspected by a local inspector but from a different company to the previous insurers. The inspection duly took place, towards the end of 1973 with Dave in attendance and after some length of time the inspector seemed pleased, unofficially of course! Dave then mentioned the possibility of having a replacement fusible plug as the existing one didn't look all that good, even to his inexperienced eye. And here the troubles began. After removing the plug the inspector wasn't at all happy about the amount of wastage, which made him suspicious about the rest of the crown, and so he called for a series of drill tests. The results were disastrous. The crown was thin in most parts and dangerously thin in one spot. The inspector was far from happy about this and now regarded the whole of the box with great suspicion, so much so that he called for a thorough sonic test to be carried out. The sonic test was conducted some weeks later and the results were to hand some time in early February and they made most interesting reading. Although the crown was definitely thin the firebox sides were quite thick, quite capable of with standing the working pressure of 160 lbs. per sq. in. In addition, the report indicated that many more stays were broken, and here came the crunch, the company would not insure the engine unless a new firebox was fitted. 225
This news shattered Dave and dashed his hopes of rallying "Victoria" the forthcoming season. Never was there a more despondent steam man. Even after much discussion with several eminent men of steam in the area, the problem still looked black. A do it yourself approach was considered along with two professional quotes, one for a £1,000 for an all welded box and stays, the other for £1,400 for a more conventional job. No matter which method was to be used it was going to be a costly business and pennies would have to be saved. It was now that fate decided to kindly intervene in the matter. Another Club member having got wind of Dave's troubles, kindly offered his facilities of equipment and accommodation. The opportunity couldn't be missed, so one Sunday in May the ailing "Victoria" was delivered to Frank Lythgoe's farm at Warburton, near Lymm — being pushed the 12 miles from Worsley by George Coles 1913 Clayton & Shuttleworth traction engine! Work started in earnest on dismantling and with the heavy lifting gear working overtime (not to mention Frank himself) the roller was stripped down to the bare boiler in three days flat! Now at this time it just so happened that a boiler repairer of some repute was working at Frank's (on bigger things) and he, too, had heard of the tale of the firebox. Curiosity got the better of him and one lunch time he gave the engine a very close look and his opinion was that either the crown could be built up to satisfactory standard or a new piece inserted, depending on the boiler inspector and his company. This news was passed to Dave and now there was hope. More consultations took place with the result that a third boiler inspector was called in and the proposition put to him, but he was non commital. He wanted to see for himself. Again documents were studied, another thorough inspection of the engine carried out along with another sonic test and the results shipped to his head office.. The waiting was nerve racking for Dave, but eventually back came word as the rest of the firebox was good a new crown should be installed rather than built up but the work must be carried out by a first class boiler man. In fact, by none other than the famous Alf Goldstraw, the man who started this latest series of events. So the idea of a new firebox was dropped and Alf got the job. Work on the crown started without delay. The boiler was positioned resting on the back of the hornplates, pointing upwards like some gigantic rocket ready for take off! This arrangement, however, made the job of burning out the crown stays so much easier (so easy in fact that Alf did the job sitting down). With the stays out the old crown was cut out and the new one made from some spare boiler plate that Frank 'just happened' to have lying around. In a little over a week all the work had been done and the boiler was ready for the boiler inspector and the hydraulic. And here events came to a temporary standstill as the inspector was away on holiday. And it didn't help matters when Dave also went off on holiday too! However, once all was back to normal the hydraulic test was conducted and successfully passed, so that now the job of rebuilding could begin. But by this time (mid Steptember) there was little left of the 1974 steaming season, yet Dave was hopeful of being in steam before the end. It was now all systems go for Dave and his right hand man Allan Hickson (who even took a week's holiday!) while everyone turning up to have a look soon found a spanner ❑r a paint brush thrust in their hand. At this juncture the bounding enthusiasm of Frank and his men once again took a hand in affairs. Once the boiler had been cleaned by pressure blasting, work started on rebuilding, and "Victoria" was transferred from a dead hulk of boiler and cylinder to a movable roller in only two days! By the end of the week the remainder of the pipe work and boiler fittings, etc., were fitted and the roller was in steam albeit minus an ashpan. And by the end of the following week a half canopy had been built and fitted, the lagging and cladding fitted and painted (all while Dave was at work) and "Victoria" was ready for the live steam tests. 226
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Aveling & Porter No. 7600 having just passed her live steam test, Copyright photo by J. G. Stevenson October 1974.
The test was due at 11 a.m. and so Dave was up bright and early, arriving at Frank's farm before 9 o'clock to get the fire going, only to find "Victoria" belching smoke into the heavens. It transpired later that after breakfast Frank was looking for something to do so had ambled over to the engine and got a fire going. When inspector arrived all was ready and in perfect order and once the formalities of the test were over the roller was given the all clear. It was now nearing lunch time, so Dave and Frank along with several enthusiasts clambered aboard "Victoria" and set off for the Green Dragon and lunch. It was a somewhat extended lunch hour that was taken, in fact, it was nearly four o'clock before "Victoria" and her merry crew steamed into the yard, to find that they'd made the trip without fitting the number plates! There was no doubt now that Dave and his roller would make at least one event — The Lancashire Traction Engine Club's end of season steam up at Frank's farm on 19th and 20th October, 1974. On the morning of the event Dave could be seen heaving coal into the fire, polishing here, and polishing there and all the time with a satisfying and triumphant smile on his face, for all the effort and months of hard work that had stemmed from that solitary, small and suspect fusible plug had been worthwhile. At last he was in steam. Only one problem remained, getting "Victoria" back home to Worsley for a special Celebration Steam Up — but that's another story! 227
ENGINE RECORDS & DRAWINGS by Michael R. Lane The preservation and location of the old traction engine builders original drawings and engine registers must be a matter of interest and concern to all engine owners. My own researches into this fascinating study are far from complete and the continuing process of discovering new historical information and data adds enormously to the pleasure of our hobby. It is my understanding that in no single instance has a complete crillectinn survived intact and of course it is impossible within the space permitted to identify the precise contents of any individual collection. Furthermore in some instances the surviving material is not yet fully catalogued and the identification of specific items is difficult. Generally speaking however it is clear that the owners and custodians of the more important collections are generous in their desire to be helpful to bona fide enquirers. The leading collections so far identified are: AVELING & PORTER LTD., ROCHESTER, KENT. BARFORD & PERKINS LTD., PETERBOROUGH. AVELING-BARFORD LTD., GRANTHAM, LINCS. The present Company, Aveling-Barford Ltd. of Invicta Works, Grantham, retain all works drawings and complete records of engines manufactured since the latter part of the nineteenth century. They are prepared to supply copies of drawings on request. Additionally several hundred official works photographs have survived. The Lincolnshire County Archivist based at The Castle, Lincoln, LN1 3AB, is custodian of the companies Minute Books and records; ledgers and accounts; labour records; order books, production and stock records. (1)
(2) CHARLES BURRELL & SONS LTD., THETFORD, NORFOLK. Mr. W. H. McAlpine of Fawley Hill, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon, is the owner of this important collection which comprises several thousand works drawings dating from the 1880's. Engine registers giving full specification details of each and every engine built from engine number 732 of 1876 to No. 4094, built by Richard Garratt at Leiston in 1932. The Company's financial, commercial and other records, with the exception of drawing office drawing and pattern registers, have not survived, although there are two albums of 20th century official works photographs. A number of casting patterns and spare parts are included in the collection. (3) CLAYTON & SHUTTLEWORTH LTD., LINCOLN. The surviving parts of this important collection dating from 1850 are owned by Mr. T. B. Paisley of Holywell, Huntingdon, and was the subject of his recent Presidential address before the Road Locomotive Society reproduced in the Society's Journal in February 1975. (4) FODENS LTD., SANDBACH, CHESHIRE. The Company retain certain drawings of both traction engines and steam wagons of their manufacture, and they are prepared to supply copies upon request. The engine records and registers date from circa 1900. Additionally they have a large collection of works photographs. Members may be interested to learn that the Company has a small museum containing a traction engine, a thrashing box, a 5 ton steam wagon and their first diesel powered wagon. Visitors are permitted during normal working hours from Monday to Friday. 228
(5) WILLAM FOSTER LTD., LINCOLN. The Newcomen Society, based at the Science Museum, South Kensington are custodians of some records and details of the Company's traction engine production. Records concerned with threshing machine production are retained by the Lincolnshire County Archivist. (6) JOHN FOWLER & CO. (LEEDS) LTD. This important and nearly complete collection is on permanent loan to the Museum of English Rural Life at Reading University and is available for public inspection at Whiteknights Park on the University Campus during normal working hours. In addition to several thousand Fowler drawings, engine registers and a variety of records and other papers, the collection includes a splendid variety of bound and catalogued works photographs covering the Company's wide and diverse range of products in the period 1860-1946. The Museum are pleased to supply copies of drawings and photographs upon application to the Archivist, Mr. David Phillips and a visit to this very interesting and well organised museum is highly recommended by appointment only. (7) RICHARD GARRETT & SONS LTD., LEISTON, SUFFOLK. The Company's records and drawings have recently been deposited with the Suffolk County Records Office at Ipswich, but because of the enormous bulk of the collection they are as yet uncatalogued. It is believed the collection covers the whole period of the Company's activity in the steam era. The Company retain the works photographs, which they state are unsuitable for reproduction. (8) THOMAS GREEN & SONS LTD., LEEDS. The majority of the Company's drawings dealing with their road rollers and tram engines were destroyed some years ago. However, they retain at their Leeds offices a limited number of relevant records and works photographs. (9)
RUSTON & PROCTOR LTD., LINCOLN. RICHARD HORNSBY. LTD.. LINCOLN. The records of both companies are in the custody of the Lincolnshire Archivist and are summarised in the Archivists report No. 21 covering the period 1854-1963. The collection is catalogued under the following headings. — engine and machine registers; stock, sales and spare parts; plant and output; other engineering records accounts and company records; photographs; drawings; test and experimental records. (10) RANSOME, SIMS & JEFFERIES LTD., IPSWICH. Again this very complete collection is retained by the Musuem of English Rural Life at Reading University. It has been very fully catalogued and covers the whole history of this distinguished old Quaker firm. (11) ROBEY & CO. LTD., LINCOLN. The fate of this old established Company's drawings and engine registers is uncertain, although it is understood that the present company retain certain undefined material. The Lincolnshire Archivist holds some works plans and the local history collection in the Lincoln Central Library have some works photographs. (12) SAVAGES OF KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK. Mr. W. H. McAlpine of Henley-on-Thames owns the majority of the Savage works drawings. records and photographs. These are currently being catalogued and include traction engines, fairground and agricultural machinery and general engineering products. A number of casting patterns are included in the collection. 229
(13) TASKERS OF ANDOVER. The Company formerly retained a substantial collection of historical material and exhibits in its own museum at the Waterloo Ironworks in the attractive Anna Valley until disposed of by public auction in February 1969. Fortunately a trust fund, supported by the Hampshire County Council was able to acquire a significant part of the collection for public cxhibition in a new museum at Chilcombe House, Winchester, Hampshire. (14) WALLIS & STEEVENS LTD., BASINGSTOKE. The Company still retains its own drawings and historical records but the extent of the collection and the period covered is not known. It is understood the Company will supply copy drawings to bona fide enquirers. Tu date I have been unable to obtain any po3itivc information as to the fate of the following companies drawings and historical records and should be pleased to hear from any reader who can throw any light on the subject. W. ALLCHIN LTD., NORTHAMPTON. SIR W. G. ARMSRTONG-WHITWORTH LTD., GATESHEAD-ON-TYNE. BROWN &. MAY LTD., DEVIZES, WILTS. WANTAGE ENGINEERING CO. LTD., WANTAGE, BERKSHIRE. MANN'S PATENT STEAM CART & WAGON CO., LEEDS. However, it seems to be almost certain that the following companies old records have been destroyed, with the exception of odd drawings and artifacts salvaged from private sources or still in private hands. DAVEY PAXMAN & CO. LTD., COLCHESTER. MARSHALL & SONS LTD., GAINSBOROUGH. J. & H. McLAREN CO. LTD., LEEDS. WILLIAM TUXFORD, BOSTON. SENTINEL STEAM WAGON CO., SHREWSBURY. Would anyone who can help with details of whereabouts of engine records please send details to: Michael R. Lane, Mapletree Farm, Chartridge, Chesham, Bucks,
RALLY ACCIDENT A boy was run over and killed at a rally in June. Engines were entering the ring for the last event of the day. It would seem that the 14-year-old boy was near the ring entrance; someone shouted a warning to him, he stepped back and fell in the path of a steam roller which passed over his head and shoulders. He was certified dead by a doctor on the field. This is a terrible tragedy, not only for all directly concerned but for the whole engine preservation movement. From the various reports that have reached the Steaming office, it would seem that this was a pure accident. The Rally Committee had done everything properly, the engines were being driven in an orderly manner by experienced people and the events were marshalled properly.
STOCKTON & DARLINGTON RAILWAY 150th ANNIVERSARY by the Editor Great celebrations are going on in the North of England to celebrate the opening in 1825 of the world's first passenger railway. I was born in Stockton and the first engine I ever knew in preservation was George Stephenson's "Locomotion" that stands on a plinth in Darlington Sation. Now a replica of "Locomotion" has been built and will head the procession of 40 steam locomotives at Shildon on 31st August. Further details from: S. & D. Celebrations Office, North Road Station, Darlington, Co. Durham, DC3 6ST. 230
Fowler No. 16235 "The Highlander" and Arthur Hall, represented The Road Roller Association on the Run. A. V. K. Thomas
Full scale replica of "Locomotion", George Stephenson's 1825 Stockton and Darlington railway engine. 231
AFTER 59 YEARS AVELING & PORTER ROLLER No. 8766 ROLLS BACK TO ITS HOMELAND
On the 21st September 1916 Aveting & Porter despatched a single cylinder, 2-speed, nominal 8 tons roller No. 8766 to the Inspector of Iron Structures at the War Office. Duly packed for shipment overseas the price paid by the War Office at that time for this machine was E483 10s. On the 19th January 1974, Mr. David Gray of Cambridge, a member of the East Anglian Traction Engine Club and the Bedford Steam Preservation Society and a keen steam enthusiast located the roller standing in the corner of a railway yard at Pescara in south eastern Italy — he having unfortunately been delayed by a more modern form of transport during a business trip to that country. Further enquiry indicated that this roller, in fact, was purchased by the Ferrovie Dello Stato (the Italian State Railways) in 1919, presumably as part of the war surplus stock and it bears a brass plate showing this date and giving it an FS number. Mr. Gray saw it as a challenge to bring this engine back to Cambridge, which was made even more difficult by his inability to converse in Italian and the fact that dealing with a large body such as the Italian Railways was not as simple as dealing with one individual owner. Thr4 fnllnwing 12 months were taken up with many negotiations between various departments in the Italian Railway but fortunately they agreed to sell the roller provided Mr. Gray would be responsible for removing it from their yard with all haste after the transaction had gone through. This resulted in his son Stuart, visiting Pescara early in May this year, hiring a crane, organising a railway waggon, removing the chimney and canopy and supervising its loading. With export documentation completed he bade it farewell on its first stage home on the 9th May. On the 3rd June it duly arrived in Harwich having been transferred from the Italian wagon to a British Rail wagon at ❑unkirk and sat waiting for Customs clearance, a procedure which was assisted greatly by the unusual nature of the load and the interest of the Customs officials in seeing part of our heritage being brought back. The last stage of its journey came on the 5th June when it arrived at Cambridge Station and was ably transferred from rail to road transport by the local firm of Welch's and transported to Mr. Gray's yard. Mr. Gray informs us that the roller has obviously been well looked after by the Italian Railways and has many features of railway practice incorporated on it. A new firebox has obviously been fitted late in its working life and all the stays are copper. He understands that it stood in the yard where he found it since it was last used in 1965. In the meantime he would be pleased to hear of anyone who has a spare mechanical lubricator suitable for this engine, also any Aveling & Porter engine owner who could lend him the brass royalty number plate from their engine to enable him to get a replica cast. We understand from Mr. Gray that it is his intention to bring it out in the Italian Railways standard colours in which it has spent most of its working life. Whilst he does not anticipate much difficulty in the restoration of this engine it is unlikely that he will be able to start work on it for some months as he is still engaged in the restoration of his Fowler Road Locomotive 14910, which he hopes to have out for the beginning of next season. 232
Aveling & Porter No. 8766 in the Italian Railways yard, Pescara, Italy.
Transfer from rail to road, Cambridge Station. Copyright: Cambridge Evening News 233
AFFILIATED CLUB AND AREA NOTES NORFOLK Another famous steam engine firm has finally ceased trading. Alfred Dodman & Co. of King's Lynn, one time maker of traction engines, closed down in March. At the time boiler work was in progress on a 1912 GER J15 railway loco, owned by the North Norfolk Railway at Sheringham, and John Collins steam tractor No. 2 (1910) Reg. AH 47. Nnt far frnm hprp Fi Wallic R Sieevens steam tractor stands derelict in a yard. This is a 3 tanner No. 2592 (1902) Reg. AH 065 called "Lady May". This engine was rallied once in 1968 at Walpole. It is owned by M and S. Gore of Station Road, Walpole St. Andrews, Cambs. During the recent spell of warm weather, George Cushing's Aveling No. 14008 (1929) was rolling in Fakenham. This engine, ex-Norwich Corporation No. 7, now carrying the Reg. No, NO 5898. Meanwhile, at Thursford restoration of Burrell Showman's No. 2780 "King Edward VII (1905) and Aveling single traction No. 10437 (1923) has recently been completed. They have now taken their place in the new museum shed. Work is now under-way on the Clayton wagon No. T1136; the pair of Aveling ploughers: Clayton traction Nu. 49105 (1924) and Burrell Srowman's No. 3200 "Unity" (1910). Apart from the Thursford and Bressingham collections, there is another one now open to the public. This is that belonging to the Key family of Strumpshaw, near Norwich. In this collection are a pair of Marshall tractions; a pair of Fowler ploughers; a Burrell, Ransome and Ruston & Proctor traction a Foden wagon and an Aveling roller. Unfortunately, I do not have any further details of these. Finally, at Bressingham Foden No. 13708 has received a thorough overhaul and re-paint. Work is now proceeding on Sentinel No. 8756 (1930); Foster No. 2821 (1903) and Garrett No. 34641 (1924) to bring them up to the 'Bressingham' standard. Two recent acquisitions of the museum are an American built French 2-8-2 and a German 2-10-0 loco, P. C. WELLS, 36 Gloucester Road, Gaywood, Kings Lynn.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE AREA The 1975 steaming season began a fortnight before Easter, on 15th and 16th March, when the Banks Steam Party held an organ recital outside Southport Town Hall. Providing the recital were three organs, H. SiIcock's Gavioli, John Webster's De Cap and Frank Lythgoe's Marenghi, which were supported by Jack Johnson's Burrell tractor, George Howard's Burrell tractor, John Webster's Burrel roller, Nigel Moore's Garrett tractor, Eric Marshall's Ransomes T.E. (steamed from Glazebury 30 miles away) and Frank Lythgoe's two showman's engines, Foden "Prospector" and Burrell "Dreadnought". Two weeks later, over the Easter weekend, these same engines, along with several others, Frank's Marenghi, Albert Bros. Marenghi and John's De Cap organs, were present at the Annual Banks Easter Steam Party which once again proved a huge success. In the fine display of 15 engines and additional to those at Southport were, D. Brandt's 1922 Foster tractor No. 14514 (now fully rebuilt and painted after having a new barrel and tubeplate fitted), Davey Paxman T.E. No. 14766 (R. Cooper), Wallis & Steevens roller No. 7851 (partly restored and owned by Ron Kitchen). Burrell s.c. T.E. No. 3695 (P. Kelly), Garrett 8 ton roller No. 34084 (G. Howard), Yorkshire 2 ton 234
(Lancs continued) wagon No. 117 (T. Varley), and two engines only purchased a few days before the event by Frank Lythgoe, the big 10 h.p. McLaren S.R.L. No. 1623 "Goliath" and a 1936 Fowler compound T.E. No. 21647. Adding interest to the event were the partly rebuilt Fowler R.L. No. 10318 and the, as yet, untouched Fowler R.L. No. 14115, both owned by Charles Baldwin; a selection of Vintage Farm Tractors and Stationary Engines, a juvenile Roundabout (powered by Burrell "Dreadnought"), while indoors were a host of side stalls, Jack's rare Vulcan Lorry and another steamer — the partly restored Sentinel 54 wagon No. 9009 of N. Moore's. Along with the organ recital all proceeds of the Steam Party were donated to The Spinal Unit Action Group. Once the "party" was over work recommenced at the 'Banks Engine Works' on making and fitting a new top gear for "Prospector" (which was finished in time for the engine to steam to Clcworth Hall), rebuilding the ex-Walter Denton Fowler No. 10318, restoring Wallis & Steevens roller No. 7851, re-boilering Dennis Brandt's 1892 McLaren T.E. No. 435 and preparing McLaren "Goliath" for a new firebox. Also in steam over Easter were the Malpas Steam Men, John Nudd (Wallis & Steevens roller No. 7933), Dave Bennion (Aveling & Porter roller No. 9128), and Bill Evans (Clayton roller No. 48971), who trundled round the lanes near Bill's farm at Hampton Heath. Unfortunately Bill's 1901 Marshall T.E. No. 35554 was unable to be seen as the flywheel boss had been cracked by a firm carrying out reboring operations and the repair had not been completed. Over at Warsley, near Manchester, ❑ave McNamee was also in steam over Easter with his 1912 Aveling & Porter roller No. 7600 and a month later, too, when along with his engine mate Alan Hickson they steamed the roller for a special occasion — the day of the driving test. Each test lasted over forty-five minutes and by the end of the session both were able to celebrate at lunch time in the Red Lion at Ellenbrook, having joined the ranks of qualified steam roller drivers. Next day, Saturday, 26th April, they were in steam again, for a small steam party at the same hostelry and were joined by George Coles, Clayton & Shuttleworth T.E. No. 46059 and Frank Lythgoe, who livened up the proceedings by bringing along his Marenghi organ and his 89 key Hooguys organ, newly arrived the day before from Belgium. Around the middle of May an event took place which must rank as the preservation achievement of 1975, when that famous Burrell Showman's Engine "The Dolphin" was finally released from its open tomb in Knaresborough. After months of delicate negotiation with the Alderson family, L.T.E.C. member Frank Lythgoe has managed to ❑btain this once proud engine. Now looking in very rough condition after standing over 10 years in the open, Burrell No. 4030 is remarkably sound and was in steam a few days atfer delivery. ❑nce his present restoration work is completed (on the Gallopers) Frank will then set to on "The Dolphin" with the "Warburton Treatment" and this will be a really fine engine once again. Not far away from Warburton, at High Legh, work has started on the mammoth task of restoring the ex-Wilmslow Council Aveling & Porter roller No. 10906. Already owner Jim Stephenson has removed the tubes and the remains of the old smoke box, and had a boiler survey, and before long the full extent of resoration work required should be known. May provided two steam events for the enthusiasts in the area. On 17th and 18th at Cleworth Hall, the Tyldesley Rotary Club organised their Annual Rally which only attracted 13 engines but had Harry Lee's Steam Yachts and Bill Dorman's Gallopers as added attractions. While this event was on one engine was already making for the other event, at Oulton Park the following week. The 1908 10 ton Aveling & Porter roller No. 6544, owned by the writer was in steam after months of extensive work on the final phase of the heavy restoration had been completed. This included new tank, new piston, 235
(Lancs continued) regulator and valve rod, new brass bands and the replacement of over 20 stays before the hydraulic test was successfully conducted, The 13 mile journey from Frank Lythgoe's farm (where the work had been carried out) to the Holly Bush Inn, was punctuated by stops to tighten loose bolts, hot big end bearings, etc., and on arrival at the Inn the Boiler Inspector was summoned from his tea to complete the live steam tests! Happily all went well. The L.T.E.C. had once again been asked to provide engines and organs for the "Family Day" event at Oulton Park Motor Racing Circuit on Bank Holiday Monday, 26th May, and 15 engines and 2 organs gained considerable attention from the racegoers. Unfortunately, one of the booked engines, Aveling & Porter roller No. 7600 developed foundation ring troubles and had to be laid up at Frank Lythgoe's farm, but a quick substitution by Frank soon had Dave McNamee and Alan Hickson on the way to the event with Frank's superb 1936 Fowler Compound T.E. No. 21647. They joined Frank's Meranghi organ and two Showmen's engines, Burrell No. 3093 and Foden 2104, Jack Johnson's Burrell tractor No. 3862, Tom Barlow's Foden T.E. No. 2654, A. R. Porter's Aveling roller No. 6554, Eric Marshall's Ransome T.E. No. 35247, George Cole's T.E. No. 46059, Peter Froud with Burrell R.L. No. 3098 and Sentinel DG4 Wagon No. 8714, Garrett tractor No. 33612 of S. Z. de Ferranti, Fred Field's 1903 Aveling roller No. 5199 (now sporting a half length canopy), Bob Lee's Universal roller No. 86984 and the Fowler "Showman's" No. 14588 "Enterprise" and organ of Fred Hackney. Apart from a Rally at Chadderton, near Oldham, at the beginning, June was a quiet month for events, though George Cole's did his Annual Marathon run to the Lancaster Rally and back. It was the lull before the storm, for in July were to come the huge engineman's gathering at Burtonwood (attracting over 40 engines) and the Lower Whitley Steam Party, while in August was the Astle Park Rally at Chelford to be followed by the Malpas Steam Workings in midSeptember. Burrell 10 ton d.c.c. roller No. 3535, which was preserved by Doug Russell of Bunbury, Cheshire in 1965, has been saved from going down South and being converted to a tractor, by Frank Lythgoe of Warburton. Not far away Dennis Priestner of Dunham Massey has added a third engine to his collection by purchasing a 6 h.p. compound Marshall Traction No. 53176 (KE 4681) "Boedicea" from P. Comfort of Deal, Kent. It is with regret that I have to record the death, on 10th June 1975, of J. Freeman Preston, of Cabus, near Garstang, Lancs. With his passing another link with the working days of Steam has been broken. During the thirties and the last war he was a threshing contractor using both Marshall and Fowler compound engines. After the war the engines were replaced by tractors and disposed of. In later years, having regretted parting with his engines, he purchased, with his son Norman, a Marshall roller from the Kendal area and later the Burrell compound agricultural engine "Big Jack" from Isaac Ball's yard at Wharton. His forthright comments on steam matters in his Lancashire dialect, frequently punctuated by "tha knows", will be sadly missed on the rally fields of the North of England. A. R. PORTER, 96 Greenway Road, Timperley, Cheshire.
CHUFF " •
236
The '5' type Sentinel mentioned in the last Yorkshire notes at Selby is No. 9002 (B 2097) owner G. C. Street, Kelfield, Selby. The DG4 is No. 8009 (UT 3845) owner Dr. Furndon of Huddersfield.
YORKSHIRE Our main news this quarter is of the move of the Burrell Showman's engine No. 4030 "The Dolphin". This engine was owned and rallied by John Alderson but has remained in the open for a number of years. It is now owned by Frank Lythgoe. As a result of this departure, the Aldersons now have the Fowler Conversion No. 14948 (EB 4999) "Prince of Wales", recently sold by Mrs. E. Meadowcroft. The Leeds and District Traction Engine Club were represented in the Leeds Lord Mayor's parade which took place on 31st May. The float, which consisted of Harry Parkin's Foden Steam Wagon No. 12364 (TW 4207), ably driven by son David, carried a 2" to 1 ft. scale model of a Fowler Showman's Road Loco built by Club member Mr. M. Sdgewick. It joined about 60 other vehicles and eight bands on a 4-mile procession through the centre of Leeds. The Club also took part in the exposition entitled Metro '75 held on 21st and 22nd June in Roundhay Park, Leeds. This was a privately run venture and the club arranged for two engines to be present. Gerry Procter steamed Burrell No. 3395 (FJ 1536) "The Dalesman" there from Harrogate, taking some three hours for the journey. Arthur Fearnley travelled from Castleford with his Fowler Tiger tractor No. 14406 (CJ 4338) "Pandora" on the Crossley bus, affectionately known as "Randy's Pram". The two engines were on steam throughout the proceedings and although they were static they were greatly admired by many of the 80,000 crowd who attended this fine event in superb weather. I was sorry to learn from Marske-by-the-Sea that George Garbutt, owner of Robey Tractor No. 33957 (FE 5043) "Village Queen" is not too well and is not intending rallying her this season. We hope things improve in that direction, George. An unusual sighting around Eactor time from a train just south of Doncaster led to enquiries and much poring over maps of the locality. A light blue Sentinel was seen which, from subsequent enquiries was found to have been at WO Payne's residence on Doncaster Road, Bawtry. It was a six wheeler and is understood to be one of Mr. E. Shone's collection. Its purpose in Yorkshire has not been disclosed. Another Sentinel on the move is No. 9086 (SE 4013). This has been sold by Lister Fearnley (Castleford) to an enthusiast near Wigan. Tom Varley, Gisburn, visited Scotland in May, making the long journey to the Hamilton Rally. Shortly afterwards a "Showmanised" Foden Tractor came to Yorkshire, this being No. 13238 (UU 111) as a further addition and a different type of "wagon" to add to his fleet. Mention must, I feel, be made at this juncture of the sad sight which can now be seen in Hunslet, Leeds. Following the decision by the parent company (T. W. Ward) to close the firm, the majority of John Fowler's works in Leathley Road are now reduced to piles of rubble. Marshall-Fowlers who, until recently built crawler tractors in Leeds have now all but ceased operations in the City and it came as a further shock to learn that the company's Gainsborough works (Marshall's) was also to close after 25th July. Co-incidentally, much of the works of the late Hudswell Clarke — steam locomotive builders — have also been demolished at the same time. As Kitson's and McLaren's were demolished a couple of years ago and a light industrial estate built on the site, little remains of that portion ❑f Hunslet from which emanated thousands of steam engines. Hunslet Engineering Company, who incorporated part of Manning Wardle's works into their premises, are virtually the sole survivors of these 'hallowed steam acres', Through the efforts of Tony Hunt, the L. & D.T.E. Club Chairman, it is understood that a new road on the new estate is to be named after James Kitson who at one time was Lord Mayor of Leeds. D. A. RAYNER. 237
TWO FODENS IN SCOTLAND
J. Tannock of Kilmhurs, Kilmarnock owned three Foden T.E.s. This is "Conqueror" with driver Robert King.
5 ton Wagon No. 9556, reg. MA 3214. Photographed in 1926 in ownership of Lanarkshire C.C. with driver David Stewart and his mate. Both photos by courtesy of A. G. Graham 238
est&
Borough Charter Celebrations, Chiswick, 1934. Horse Dray and Foden Steam Wagon, Reg. No. MY 1796, near the brewery. Photo loaned by Mr. Ansell, a director of Fuller Smith & Turner.
EVENTS HOORN IN STEAM A rally in Holland is in many ways the same as in England but with a few fundamental differences. The main difference is the location; rallies are held in the streets in towns as fields are either not large enough or the bridges over the dykes are not strong enough. "Renown" went over to Holland in May and is in the care of Ge van der Pol, together with John Antell, Ge took her, on her first day in Holland, to an event at Laren. Since then she has done a 40-mile road trip to "exchange whistles" with a preserved steam tug, the Volharding. My son John and I went over for three days at the end of June. With Ge we loaded "Renown" to Hoorn. On the Friday all the engines stood in a wide road which was shut off to other traffic for the club's benefit. Engine crews exchange news and views and visited each other's engines, we drank innumerable cups of coffee in the Hogenbirk living van which had been restored for that purpose. John and I had a trip on a restored steam tug and a footplate ride on the preserved steam tram, Holland's only preserved Railway. On Saturday we raised steam and moved to another wide street, we ran lights till 1 p.m. when we all paraded through the narrow streets of Hoorn, this took 11 hours then we ran lights again while while the rollers played games in the street. We packed up at 6 and loaded back to Huizen. It was a wonderful experience to drive a big engine in the ancient town of Hoorn, but I think the more lasting memories are of the Dutch enginemen, their enthusiasm for steam is unbounded and the welcome is tremendous; "Cum wit me, you must try at Dutch herring" and so off you go with the ploughing engine driver to a small stall selling all kinds of cooked and pickled fish. One carefully watches one's host to see how it is eaten and follows suit! (You hold it up by the tail and eat it from underneath!!!) — great. Engines at Hoorn 27th/28th June ROLLERS: Hendrik Jan, Ruthemeyer, No. 470 (1926) Te Supe comp. De Geruischlooze, Ruthemeyer, No. 775 (1935) Ooms Drachless. "ADVANCE" Type of Engine: Pieter Hans, Schwartszkopff, No. 8885, (1922) Offringer-t Harde. Zoef Zoef, Ruthemeyer, No. 70 (1907) N.B.M. Troubadour, Ruthemeyer, No. 405 (1925) Mr. L. Kloor. M175, Ruthemeyer, No. 691 (1930) Boesewinkel. Jumbo, Winschoter Industrie Mij, No. 1 (1925) Mr. H. ten Napel. Jop, Ruthemeyer, No. 508 (1927) Ooms, Avenhorn. Leendert, Ruthemeyer, No. 823 (1941) Qzuno Groningen. De Gebroeders, Garrett, No. 34185 (1922) Hogenbirk, Laren. Sijmen, Marshall, No. 78329 (1929) N.B.M. 4711, Aveling & Porter, No. 4711 (1901) Kon. Wegenbouw. Willem, Fowler, No. 17453 (1929) Rasenberg, Breda. PORTABLE: Sturdy, Ransomes S. & J., No. 684025 (1948) Fam. Colim. PLOUGHING ENGINE: Roelof, Fowler, No. 15203 (1918) Mr. N. Bekkema. FIRE ENGINE: A Bikkers & Sons, Rotterdam, (1901) Firebrigade Wormerveer. SHOWMAN'S ENGINE: Renown, Fowler, No. 15653 (1920) A. & R. Hawthorne & Sons. 240
HAMILTON, SCOTLAND After a year 'in the wilderness', due to redevelopment at the Palace Grounds the S.T.E.S. staged a successful Rally as part of the Hamilton Burgh Quincentenary Celebrations on 19th/20th April. Torrential rain throughout the first day kept the public indoors, but the site remained reasonably firm and on Sunday the attendance was above expectations. Displays of Threshing, Baling, Woodsawing, Roadmaking and Haulage went on continuously throughout both days, featuring n❑ less than 16 Steam Powered Vehicles, 5 Steam Stationary Engines and 2 Steam Fire Pumps. The Tractor section totalled 7 ranging from a 1917 Fordson to a 1947 Field Marshall and 6 assorted Barn Engines formed a neat little working display, A Blacksmith display was presented by Eddie Martin and a small Funfaii with an Old Time flavour was headed by J. King's beautiful Juvenile Gallopers and the Robertson Family's (now alas diesel converted!) Yachts. Engines were as follows:Neilson Railway Loco. No. 13 (Scottish Railway Pres. Society. A. & P. "Showman's" Conversion, "Hunslet" R. Oliver. A. & P. "Showman's" Conversion "Rambler" No. 12115 C. Glenn. Garrett "Showman's" Conversion "Pendle Princess" T. Varley. Foden "Showman's" Conversion "Defiance" S. Steele. Marshall Portable 8 h.p. 1914 W. Borthwick. Fowler G.P. 17260 "Kenmore" J. Drummond. Fowler G.P. 15773 "Black Isle" T. Ramsay. A. & P. (Cony.) No. 5293 "Edinburgh Castle" F. Forrest. Yorkshire WG Wagon. 6 Ton. W. Fearnley. Yorkshire WG Tractor No. 2128 "Pendle Laddie" T. Varley. Sentinel Wagon No. 5778 Wm. Dobson. Fowler Roller No. 21636 "Covenanter" R. Kirkpatrick. Marshall Roller No. 83452 T. Rees and J. Wood. Fowler Roller No. 17471 Murdoch, McKenzie Ltd. 2" Scale Model Fowler Showman's Loco. H. Hogg. 3" Scale Model Burrell G.P. J. Hogg.
BELL TOWER RALLY - EVESHAM 14th & 15th JUNE 1975 The first rally in The Vale of Evesham was held on The Crown Meadows on the banks of the River Avon, the proceeds of the event being for charity, principally the restoration of the churches fine bell tower. In all, twelve engines were present, also appearing were fifteen vintage tractors, thirty vintage cars and commercial vehicles and some forty oil engines. A model tent, organs and a small modern fair completed the attractions. 1920 Burrell SRL, "Starlight" No. 3836 D. Shorey, Banbury. 1904 Burrell 7 n.h.p. "Lady Pride of England" No. 2625 F. Lobb, Stratford. 1919 Garrett S Ttractor "Rambler" No. 33505 Sanders, Stratford. 1918 Garrett Ttractor "Challenge" No. 33419 Walcroft Bros., Pershore. 1914 Wallis & Steevens Agricultural "Fair Rosamond" No. 7370 E. W. Freeman. 1899 Fowler Agricultural No. 8282 D. Smith. 1930 Foster Wellington No. 14608 "Ikanopit" S. Crabtree. 1932 Fowler 5 h.p. R.L. No. 19338 "Monty" F. S. Hall. 1884 Burrell Agricultural No. 1127 "Lord Burrell" C. J. Tyler. 1922 Fowler Agricultural No. 15710 "Tommy" A. Napper, Appleford. 1880 Brown & May Portable No. 4561 P. Shadbolt, Blackwell. 1890 Humphries Portable No. 1642 Walcroft Bros., Pershore. An enjoyable first time event spoiled on the Sunday by rain. ALAN BELCHER. 241
2nd DODINGTON STEAM RALLY The Rally was held in the grounds of Dodington House on a pleasant wooded site abaut halfway between Bristol and Bath. A visit to this event must be highly recommended as a complete day out for all the family, for once the ladies and children have seen the engines, they can view the excellent collection of horse drawn carriages on display in the museum and also visit the house and gardens. A well laid out railway, regretfully diesel hauled, and an adventure playground. ENGINES PRESENT: Burrell S.R.L. "Margaret" No. 3926 Reg. No. NO 4999, built 1922, D. D. Price, Pershore. Garrett Tractor "Countess", built 1917, D. D. Price. Burrell R.L. "Lord Fisher of Lambeth" No. 3824 Reg. No. YA 366, built 1920, L. J. Casely, Sherborne, Dorset. Sentinel S4 No. 9057 Reg. No. CML 781, built 1935. G. B. King. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Agricultural Engine "Mendip Lady" No. 26995 Reg. No. EW 2326, built 1916, D. Penney, Binegar, Bath. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Agricultural Engine "Boanerges" No. 27524 Reg. No. E 5123, built 1918. Dr. Barton, Holcombe, Bath. Ruston Proctor Traction "Corn Maiden" No. 5226 Reg. No. CJ 4178, built 1918. J. and B. Wilkins, Walton Street. Aveling & Porter Tractor "Morning Star" No. 11486 Reg. No. KM 7100, built 1926. K. W. S. Cook, Eversley. Foden G.P. Engine "Wattie Pollock" No. 3384 Reg. No. SN 1646, built 1912. A. J. Thomson, Salisbury. Foster G.P. Engine "Independance" No. 12544 Reg. No. AU 9397, built 1910. R. Hobbs, Langford, Bristol. Clayton & Shuttleworth G.P. Engine "Dusty" No. 46823 Reg. No. KE 4173, built 1914. P. Fagg, Chippenham. Wallis & Steevens Tractor No. 7872 Reg. No. OUS 247, built 1928. Dr. Cam, Purton, Swindon. Fowler Roller No. 21833 Reg. No. CRL 110, built 1936. S. Green. Wallis & Steevens Roller "Little Wonder" No. 7878 Reg. No. HO 6482, built 1926. B. Dando, Chipping Sodbury. Aveling Barford Roller No. AD 610. Reg. No. CPT 233, built 1937. R. M. Whitfield, Downend, Bristol. Marshall Roller "Beryl" No. 71833 Reg. No. ER 697, built 1914. R. J. Hunt and J. Uphill, Salisbury. Marshall Convertible Roller No. 74962 Reg. No. YA 1197, built 1921. G. Peacock, Henleaze, Bristol. Aveling & Porter Roller "Elsie" No. 11969 Reg. No. VB 1107, built 1927. R. Grimshaw, Chippenham. A collection of steam engines and pumps exhibited by C. Evans, Paulton, Bristol. Merryweather Fire Pump, E. C. New, Pewsey. The fair included the steam Gallopers owned by Bill Dorman, P. Roger's Big Wheel, two juvenile Rides and small collection of side shows. Oil engines, vintage tractors, vintage cars and motorcycles and historic commercial vehicles were also on display. In all Dodington is a rally well worth visiting, representing as it does, a good day out for the whole family. ALAN W. BELCHER.
SMALLEY PRESERVATION GROUP Smalley (Derbys) Group members John Bosworth and Cliff Rodgers have had their "S" type 12 Ton Marshall Roller, Reg. No. WW 3643 in steam after a complete repaint and attention to numerous repairs. "Goolie", as the engine is known, (being named after the first owners, Goole, Yorks, R.D.C.) will be attending events during the present season. 242
BOOLEROO STEAM AND TRACTION PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC. This year's rally was held on 6th April and attracted a crowd of 3,500 people. Steam exhibits included: Fowler compound ploughing engine 1899, 26 ton approx. Donated to the society by I. MacTaggert along with several other items of Fowler equipment, Yorkshire Steam Truck 1903. Recently restored. A. S. Cameron's Patent Steam Pump. Made by Tangye Bros., Birmingham. Shad Mason Steam Fire Pump 1880, a vertical boiler, vertical steam engine and feed water pump, all built and used locally. Tractors, stationary engines, agricultural, etc., were also exhibited.
LAKE GOLDSMITH STEAM ENGINE PRESERVATION SOCIETY PORTABLE ENGINES: Brown & May No. 7382, 1910; Barrows 4 h.p. No. 2680; Marshall 16 h.p. No. 52650 Marshall 8 h.p. No. 59980 of 1913; Marshall 5 h.p. No. 60831 Ruston Proctor No. 42478; Ransome, Sims & Jeffries No. 1805 6 h.p. Marshall No. 58824 6 h.p. Marshall No. 55022 6 h.p. Clayton & Shuttleworth No. 40725 s.c. 8 h.p. TRACTION ENGINES: Aveling & Porter T.E. "Tiny" No. 11084 of 1926. Converted from a roller. Fowler 8 h.p. compound T.E. No. 16107 of 1924. Kelly T.E. No. 2061 of 1906. Built Ohio, U.S.A. Fowler 8 h.p. s.c. T.E. No. 8841 of 1900. Foden 8 h.p. s.c. T.E. No. 2262 of 1908. Aveling & Porter roller No. 11149 of 1926. Fowler Traction Engine No. 11724 8 h.p. compound. Fowler T.E. 7 h.p. compound No. 9636 of 1903 "Victorious". Buffalo Pitts T.E. No. 8111. Built in New York. Ruston Proctor T.E. 8 h.p. compound. Foden T.E. 8 h.p. compound No. 573. Fowler T.E. No. 11565 6 h.p. s.c. of 1908.
YORKSHIRE WAGON IN AUSTRALIA Yorkshire Steam Wagon No. 34 5 ton compound "Nonpareil" was delivered to Geelong in September 1903 and used in Whyalla, S. Australia until 1918 when it was abandoned. It was bought in 1959 by BooJere° Steam and Traction Preservation Society and in 1972 was leased to Mr. Jeff Tomlinson, wh❑ undertook the task of restoration. The engine was minus ail brasses, these having been removed with a hammer, and all running gear, levers, bearings, etc. were rusted solid. The boiler, however, after extensive testing, was found to be sound. Restoration included stripping and cleaning all moveable parts and renewing many of thorn. The engineering work was carried out by MacWeld Ind., Port Arthur and took just over a year to complete. The engine has now had several road tests up to a maximum speed of 5 m.p.h. and will shortly make an eight-mile run with an 1882 Fowler compound ploughing engine in tow. In April the engine was exhibited at the Booleroo Preservation Society Field Day. 243
"INVICTA" by Mrs. G. E. Austen
1894
A hot, dusty road on the way to our Kentish village, and If four years old, as a, special treat, had been allowed to accompany one of our maids on a shopping errand. Close by the village, a portion of the road was being renewed. A man with a red flag stood solemnly in front of two other men who, each with a large watering can, drenched the patch of rough granite chippings spread over the faulty surface, while to their rear, a menacing, shiny monster, smelling of hot oil, stood hissing and quivering with impatience. On its breast plate, gleaming in the sunshine, was a model in brass of a beautiful, prancing horse. I dragged at my companion's hand to hurry her past the terrifying object, but to my alarm, the guardian of the monster, mounted at its rear, leaned over the side, mopping his face with an oily rag, and hailed my companion by name. "Whoy George. I thought you was over to Benenden now . . ." she said — and so she stood, exchanging family news, while I, more and more terrified and convinced that the hissing, snorting giant would over-power its guardian and annihilate us all — or even worse — and that its quivering, pent-up power would cause it to explode, tried to pull her away. 'George' saw my unease, and leaned further over the side. "Doan't 'ee look so scairt Missie — would 'ee loike to come up here wi' me an' have a roide?" This kindly offer was almost too much, and struggling against my tears, I managed to blurt out "Thank you very much, but we have to go to the village —" while my companion said "Doan't be so daft George — what would they say if I took her back covered wi' black oil?" The awesome memory of the monster haunted me for days, but blended with the awe was the memory of that lovely, shining, prancing horse. It was the first time in all my four years that I had really coveted anything. 1904
A Surrey lane, and at 6.30 a.m. a haze over the fields betokened a really hot Summer's day. I, as a schoolgirl, was out on an early cycle ride to gather botanical specimens for our school class. I had just dismounted by a promising bit of the grassy verge, when in the distance I saw a steam roller at the side of the road and, by it, one of the small, portable huts used by the drivers when it was not possible for them to get home at night. My specimens gathered, I rode on and dismounted again near to the steam roller, more as an excuse to look at it than to pick flowers, as the four-year-old feelings of awe had changed to effection for the shiny, oily monsters, and always with a yearning to possess one of those gleaming brass, prancing horses. I walked slowly, marvelling at the deadness of the leviathan, as its fire box was cold, no steam was up, and instead of the pulsating, quivering sense of repressed power, it was just a mass of metal; magnificent, but lacking the vital spark. Even the prancing horse looked dull and lifeless after the night's heavy dew. As I drew level with the van, a man appeared. Disheveled, pale, obviously in pain, he hailed me. "Miss, will you help me — I tripped up last night, an' I've bin an' broke me arm. I can't leave the ole girl 'ere, an' I wants some'un to get in touch wi' the poliss . . ." Of course I was only too wiling. I made him a cup of tea in his van, then riding on, eventually found a friendly policeman who took
charge. 244
1914 A dusty, chalky road on the outskirts of Rochester, and a March wind that whipped up the dust, covering one with a fine white powder. Again I was cycling; this time on my way to see an old lady who wanted me to choose a present from among her treasurers — as I was to be married in the following month. A sudden 'pop', a bump, and I was riding on a flat rear tyre. A sharp flint had penetrated the outer cover. Dismounting, I considered the position. There were no houses on that stretch of road, and Rochester was still about three miles away — when in the distance I heard the chug, chug, chug of, I thought, a traction engine — but soon saw to be a steam roller which, as it drew near, was obviously fresh from the workshops. Never was there such a gleaming monster, and in the Spring sunshine, the Invicta horse was dazzling. In passing, the monster's guardian saw my predicament, stopped, and asked if I wanted help. He drove his charge to the side, left it hissing amiably, and in no time at all had my tyre off, the puncture located and mended, and the tyre replaced. But the abiding memory is that he invited me to climb into his cab, while he tried to explain to my non-mechanical mind the mysteries of all the levers.
1924 A sad memory this, of a fallen giant; abandoned in a ditch at the side of a narrow, country road near Pulborough in Sussex. The once gleaming brass work was dull, the iron rusted, and the Invicta horse dull and lifeless. Even then I wished that I could tow it back and give it a good home; it broke my heart to leave it there in its desolation. My matter-of-fact husband stressed the impossibilities, but could we have looked into a crystal ball and foreseen the future, he might have thought differently.
1974 Harewood House Traction Engine Rally, and a discussion with the owner of a beautifully restored Aveling & Porter steam roller, as he proudly polished its rampant steed — and a consequent awakening of many nostalgic memories; but a cherished thought that at least the Invicta horse wil be assured of good stabling for many years to come. 245
AFFILIATED CLUBS 1975 ANDOVER & DISTRICT MODEL ENGINEERING SOCIETY Mr. R. G. Edwards, 13 Kennet Court, River Way, Andover, Hants, SP10 5EP.
BANBURY STEAM SOCIETY Mr. J. Cartmell, Payns House, Oxhill, Warks.
BEDFORD STEAM ENGINE PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mr. J. Crawley, Field House, Turvey, Bedford.
BON-ACCORD STEAM ENGINE CLUB Mr. W. McConachie, 62 Faulds Gate, Aberdeen, AB1 5QS.
BURNHAM STEAM AND HISTORIC MACHINERY CLUB Mr. P. H. Eves, 11 Chiltern Road, Burnham, Bucks.
CHILTERN TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. K. Petipher, Shepherds Hey, Green Lane, Radnage, High Wycombe, Bucks.
CORNISH TRACTION PRESERVATION CLUB Mr. L. C. Baker, 15 Pengover Green, Pengover, Liskeard, Cornwall.
COUNTY OF SALOP STEAM ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. and Mrs. W. Ashley, 46 Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton, Salop.
CROMFORD STEAM TRACTION CLUB Mr. C. V. White, Springfield, Clifton Road, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.
CUMBRIA STEAM & VINTAGE VEHICLE SOCIETY Mrs. E. Brown, Lowergate House, Morland, near Penrith, Cumberland.
DEVON TRACTION ENGINE AND VETERAN CAR CLUB Mr. F. G. Burt, 17 Toronto Road, Exeter, Devon.
DORSET STEAM AND HISTORIC VEHICLE CLUB Mrs. P. Warr, West Park Farm, Lychett Matravers, Poole, Dorset.
EAST ANGLIAN TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mrs. M. Royce, Hankins Farm, Waltham Road, Terling, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 2RA.
FAIRFORD AND DISTRICT STEAM CLUB Mr. A. J. R. New, 9 The Plies, London Road, Fairford, Glos.
THE FAIR-GROUND SOCIETY Mr. D. Taylor, Oakleigh, Peaches Close, Cheam, Surrey.
GREAT YORKSHIRE TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. and Mrs. G. Heselton, Sands Farm, Wilton, Pickering, Yorkshire.
HERTFORDSHIRE STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mrs. B. Mayes, 23 Nunnery Lane, Luton, Beds.
HINCKLEY STEAM APPRECIATION SOCIETY Mr. A. J. Starkey, 144 Strathmore Road, Hinckley, Leicester, LE10 OLS.
IRISH STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mr. W. F. Walsh-Kemmis, Ballykilcaven, Stradbally, Co. Laois, Irish Republic.
ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM AND VETERAN MACHINERY CLUB Mr. F. E. Hollis, Clarris Thorne, Chale, Ventnor, Isle of Wight.
LANCASHIRE TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. N. Carney, 2 Catterall Crescent, Bradshaw, Bolton, BL2 4AD.
LINCOLNSHIRE STEAM ENGINE PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mr. F. Strange, 1 New Street, Brigg, North Lincolnshire.
MAIN LINE STEAM TRUST Mr. T. H. Stirling, Loughborough Central Station, Great Central Road, Loughborough,
MASHAM TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. C. Holliday, Low Springs, Low Burton, Masham, Ripon, Yorks.
MORECAMBE BAY TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. C. Horne, 3 Thornfield Terrace, Winewall, Colne, Lancs.
NORTH OF ENGLAND STEAM TRACTION ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. C. Kelley, 2 West Parade, Consett, Co. Durham.
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE AND CHESHIRE TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. S. L. Wedgwood, Holcombe House, 173 Congleton Road, Biddulph, Stoke-onTrent, Staffs., ST8 6QW.
NORTH WILTS AND SOUTH GLOS PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mr. E. Clayton (Steam Engine Section), 142 Hordens Mead, Chippenham, Wilts.
"OLD STEAMERS" TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. C. Raworth, 17 Union Street, Oxford. ROSS-ON-WYE STEAM ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. P. Bullock, Burnt House, Ledbury Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.
246
SCOTTISH TRACTION ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. J. Paterson, 10 Boghall Avenue, Biggar, Lanarkshire.
SHEFFIELD & DISTRICT STEAM SOCIETY Mr. S. C. Butler, 48 Stowe Avenue, Sheffield, S7 2GP.
SKETCHLEY STEAM CLUB Mrs. E. Sansome, Appletree Cottage, Sketchley Hall Estate, Burbage, Hinckley, Leics.
SOMERSET TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. E. F. Alford, 12 Stanley Street, Swindon, Wilts.
SOUTH DEVON STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mr. A. Coombes, Nutwalls, Aylesbeare, Exeter.
SOUTH YORKSHIRE TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. G. H. Harding, 17a Spa Lane, Woodhouse, Sheffield, S13 7PG.
STEAM OWNERS AND DRIVERS CLUB Mr. J. Wilson, 28 Snatchup, Redbourn, Herts.
STEAM PLOUGH CLUB Mr. R. F. Oliver, 143 Norfolk Avenue, Sanderstead, Surrey.
THAMES VALLEY, TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. R. Woodruff, 31 King Edwards Drive, Ascot, Berks.
THREE COUNTIES STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY Mrs. J. Poole, Arthog, Hutton Road, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Hants.
ULSTER TRACTION ENGINE CLUB Mr. A. H. Patterson, 3 Beechland Road, Magherafelt, Co. Derry.
UXBRIDGE AND DISTRICT VINTAGE VEHICLE SOCIETY Mr. W. H. Howe, 235 Eastcote Lane, South Harrow, Middlesex.
WARWICKSHIRE STEAM ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. T. H. Charman, 7 Highland Road, Lillington, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
WELLAND VALLEY VINTAGE TRACTION CLUB Mr. A. R. F. Twynham, 140 Coventry Road, Market Harborough, Leics.
THE WELSH STEAM ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. D. L. Smith, Laleston House, Laleston, near Bridgend, Glam.
WESSEX HISTORIC TRACTOR & IMPLEMENT CLUB Mr. R. G. Croad, 6a High Street, Fareham, Hants.
WEST OF ENGLAND STEAM ENGINE SOCIETY Mr. W. L. F. Came, 87 Roskear Road, Camborne, Cornwall.
WORTHING AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES HISTORIC VEHICLE GROUP Mr. B. Johnson (C'man), 18 Orchard Gardens, Woodgate, Chichester, Sussex.
STOOMWALSENCLUB NEDERLAND Owing to pressure of work Ge van der Pol unfortunately had to resign as vice-chairman of the Stoomwalsenclub Nederland. The club accepts his resignation with great regret and thanks him for all he has done from the early beginning. When possible he will still give a helping hand, specially in matters of contact with Britain. During the A.G.M., held in Utrecht on the 12th of April, Mr. H. Boesewinkel, Mr. R. Gebhard and Mr. A. G. Boeree were unanimously re-elected for a period of three years as chairman, general secretary/ editor of OP STOOM and treasurer respectively. Mr. P. Albarda will act as vice-chairman and Mr. J. Keijzer will remain as member. Mr. H. v. d. Broek and Mr. R. de Jongh again will help the club officers in organising matters. With the assistance of a private film collector it was possible to show after the A.G.M. the colour film about the Iron Maiden, which — of course! — was a great success. R. GEBHARD. 247
"PARKED-UP" STEAM ROLLERS by Road Roller Association Aveling-Barford AE 998 8 ton, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital School, Heswall, ex Eddison No. 8109. Aveling & Porter 5646, Cluny Square, Southend. 7704, Saltash, Devon. 8370 8 ton s/c, Bishopston, Swansea, ex Eddison No. 559. 8547, Plymouth. 9093, Central Park, Scunthorpe, Lincs. 9114, Lifstan Way, Southend, Essex. 10048 10 ton s/c, National Spastics Society (location?), ex Eddison No. 333. 10282 8 ton s/c, Sherman Knight Spastics School, Strood, Kent, ex Eddison No. 384. 10317 10 ton s/c, King's Way, Dorchester, ex Eddison, No. 398. 10350 s/c P.V., Salt Hill Park, Slough. 10392 2 ton s/c, Grantham, ex Eddison No. 414. 10486 8 ton s/c, Recreation Road. Southall, ex Eddison No. 445. 10510 8 ton s/c, Stamford, ex Eddison No. 459. 10671, Churchill Gardens, London SW1. 10905, Leamington, Warks. 11207, George Lansbury Park, Caerphilly. 11415 8 ton cpd., Westminster, ex Eddison No. 576. 12257, Scunthorpe (Everest Park or Ashby Park). 12335 8 ton cpd., Southampton, ex Eddison No. 613. — ?— Luton. —?— Hull. —?— Cheltenham — ?— Pontypridd — ?— Cpd. P.V., Wexham Playground, Slough. Fowler 15752, Pudsey. 16402, Aberfeldy. — ?— Lytham Robley 42693, Meadows Park, Tavistock. We are grateful to the Road Roller Association for these details. We would be glad to hear of any further details, works nos. etc., and also location of any others. — Editor.
ROLLER NEWS L. Cherrington writes from Shifual, Salop to say he has discovered two Steam Rollers, both are well sheeted and stand in a wood near Benthall, Broseley, Salop. Fowler 17563 is a Class DNA 8 ton s/c built 1929 reg. EP 4190. New to Jones & Son, Newton, Mont. and later owned by Dean & Griffiths. The Aveling & Porter is a Class AB 8 ton compound No. 14150 reg. DW 7867, new 1932 to H. Hichards Co., Newport, Mon. Later Cardigan C.C. and in 1968 to W. Stacey, Bridgenorth. The present owner is not known. 248
GOLDEN ROLL PRESTON "TOM" WILLIAMS Born in Cornwall in 1888 his first experience of steam power was when he worked in the tin mines. Early in the century he went to London and was employed by J. Hibbard & Sons of Brentford, driving a Foden steam wagon, During the first War he was employed as a steam lorry driver, by the Board of Trade, in various departments and later went as engineer to Longleat Estate. Next he was employed by Barnes Bros. of Southwick with whom he was to stay for nearly 30 years. While with them he drove Tiger tractors and tractions on stone haulage and timber work, but mainly as a steam roller driver on contract to Wilts and Hants County Council. Among the many rollers he drove was Tom Green's Aveling & Porter No. 14001 "Dick Turpin", when new to Barnes Bros. Throughout the last war he was employed as a Caterpillar Tractor driver engaged on timber extraction to the Ministry of Supply. His last drive was on "Lord Nelson" when owned by Mr. C. Nichols of Gloucester, the same engine having been driven by him when new. He retained a life long love of steam and attended all the local N.T.E.C. rallies until the end. He had worked on Beam engines, portables and driven Tractions, Showmen's, Rollers, Fodens and Sentinels in the course of his duties. He died in December last, aged 86, and we are poorer for the passing of this experienced and practical man of steam.
GEORGE WRIGHT We regret to report that Mr. George Wright passed away on the morning of the 19th April in Northampton General Hospital. He had not been well for some time. There are few members and rally goers in the Midlands who have not known him. It was George who re-built the Marshall 8 engine which I had at the third Appleford Rally in 1952, and since he retired four years ago, he has restored engines for several local owners. His early life was spent in the village of Deene. near Corby, Northants. regularly visited by Percy Grundy's Ploughing Engines and Miles of Stamford's large Clayton Timber Hauling Engine and their drivers' ways and sayings were never far from his mind. He started work on the Brudenell Estates there with the blacksmith and the carpenter, was absorbed in what they did, and retained the rudiments of both trades all his life. He was driving the Estate's Mann Steam Tractor before he was twenty, which was kept busy all the year round, threshing, sawing, grinding and hauling. When the farming activities ceased in the late nineteen twenties he moved to Pitsford, Northampton, to drive the Garrett overtype steam wagon for the Pitsford Brick and Tile Company. In 1932, he joined us and had our 6 n.h.p. Marshall Engine 75512 for eight threshing seasons, and in the off-times showed his skill in remaking elevators and doing many other types of repair, including boiler retubing. There was a final two years' threshing with a Foden "D" after Harry Matthews had retired from it before going full-time onto servicing and repairs. As long as there was some steam to sustain him now and then he did not object to diesels and early knew all there was to know about the Marshall single cylinder tractor. It was always with pleasure, however, when he went from these to do a job on a steam roller, no matter how neglected it might have been. He was fortunate in that when these too had gone, Rallies were beginning and the National Traction Engine Club had been formed. Thus from the beginning to the end of his life he was an "Engine Man". George was a natural engineer, full of invention and of great energy and strength of mind. He leaves a widow, whom many will know and whom I am sure will have their deepest sympathy. E. E. KIMBELL, 249
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Sir, MODEL ALLCHIN Due to prolonged and repeated requests for delivery of orders placed with Locomotive Model Engineering (Poole) Ltd., for Allchin traction engines, Michael Holden Associates wish it known that there is no present or future connection in any way between the two companies. As and from the 7th April 1975 Michael Holden Associates, from their factory at Banbury, will be producing a variety of working steam models including the in. Allchin and from the 1st January 1976 the 11in. Burrell Scenic Road Locomotive. Present and prospective clients are welcome on appointment, to visit the works and discuss particular requirement to their orders. Yours sincerely, Michael Holden Associates Ltd., Barretts', South Newington, Bandbury, Oxfordshire. Dear Sir, Further to Mr. Featherstone's excellent letter in the last issue I have noted reports of rallies recently where about 25% of the engines present had been converted "to something they never were." As a movement we are no longer preserving engines. To use your words of a year or two ago, this is "engine desecration. We can no longer call ourselves "preservationists." Yours, T. NICHOLLS, Bexleyheath. Editor's note: All is not lost Mr. Nicholls. On July 12th 53 engines went from Nettlebed to Appleford. Everyone was "as built" or "as used commercially." Conversions were not considered for this event.
What is a CONVERSION? We have been taken to task for describing as, a CONVERSION, an engine that was built as a TRACTOR, used as such, rebuilt and used as a ROLLER and after coming into enthusiast's ownership rebuilt into Showman type. We wish it to be clearly understood we are strongly opposed to the rebuilding of engines into a form they never were at any time in their working days. Owners, of course, may do as they wish with their own property but in reports in Steaming we will not describe an engine as a Tractor if it never was a Tractor, nor will we give the label Showmans if it never worked as such. — Editor.
GREAT SOMERFORD FETE The village Fete at Great Somerford in Wilts was opened by H.R.H. The Princess Anne, who visited the steam display arranged by members of the old Seend Rally Committee. Engines present: Dr. Cam's Wallis & Steevens "oil-bath" tractor. Mr. New's Merryweather steam fire pump and a number of models. The Princess was given an introduction to steam by "Fowler" Jack Holloway. 250
"Steam thrashing machine for hot countries. Fitted with apparatus for chopping and bruising the straw and front sieve for sifting the chopped straw." This picture was taken from an old engraving. It is believed that it represents a typical set of Photo: Colin R. Tyler tackle as exported to South America 100 years ago.
Extract from The Maidstone & Kentish Journal, 7th October 1862 under the heading
"STEAM CULTIVATION AT MESSRS. NEAMES" since December 1859, Messrs. Neame & Co. have worked a 12 horse-power engine and Fowler's apparatus, with his threefurrow balance plough, and have dispensed upon their farms with six horses till then required. It was the first engine sent out by Messrs. Kitson & Hewitson, of Leeds, which Messrs. Neame purchased; and it has no doubt had to bear the brunt which all first-made things incur, of inexperienced manufacture. Heavy bills for repairs, new rope, etc. have accordingly been paid, and putting all that it has done against the actual payments out of land on its account, added to the loss of value on the apparatus since its purchase, very likely the work accomplished by it would prove to have been excessively expensive; beyond, indeed, what by horse power it would have cost. Nevertheless, some of its performances prove that it can do in instances what horse power could not accomplish at all; while certainly the saving of horse labour on the whole is such as ought, under future management, to make its annual work both better and much cheaper than horse work generally is. It has been let for hire, and to do such work as that the hirer has been willing to give 22s. an acre for the mere use of the apparatus, paying all costs and labour, etc. in addition. This was for 7 and 8 inch ploughing on land which horses could not touch The Engine is of the original form, with the figure-of-8 arrangement of pulleys underneath it in place of the new clip drum, and the plough is without the apparatus for taking up the slack rope. One of the costly but necessary alterations of the engine since its purchase was the addition of Aveling's gear for making it self-moving. Formerly great loss of time was incurred on soft land in moving from field to field. Now with the wider wheels and Avelling's self-acting gear it travels easy, carrying all its apparatus with it in a train, and marches off either miles away to where it is being hired, or from field to field at home without much difficulty Contributed by the Steam Plough Club
CHUFF " •
The photo of the Aveling & Porter T.E. in the Man of Steam Story in the last issue was NOT the engine owned by Miles Chetwynd-Stapleton. Miles' engine was definitely cut up after returning to commercial use. (What was its number?) The one in the photo is happily still with us, she is No. 5150, BW 4990, and is in active preservation in the hands of C. J. Lee at Sandy Bay, near Exeter. I was given this photo and used it in good faith having been told it was Miles' engine. It carries an Oxfordshire, (BW) number. — Ed.
MISTAKES It has been pointed out that, page 174 Kent para 2 A/P 12427 is reg. PO 615; A/P 10043 is FX 8240; Fowler 14754 is NO 459 and BB Plough Engine is FCF 126D. Para 4 Marshall 56125 is reg. NT 595 and in pare 6 A/P 11480 should be AKM 980. On page 175 Surrey pare 4 Marshall owned by D. R. Hermes is No. 77479 (AF 8674). On page 191 "Chuffs" para 2 A/P 9116 is reg. CJ 4526. 252
REVIEWS A CENTURY OF STEAM ROLLING by R. A. Whitehead, published by Ian Allan, £7.97 It was with eagerness that I opened Bob Whitehead's latest book for I had already heard good reports of it. I was not disappointed, this is a magnificent book. This is no flimsy treatment of the subject, good solid meat and plenty of it. Solid in places, but not heavy. The ten chapters cover the subject from Evolution, Manufacturers, Techniques, Owners, Operators and finally, "The humour of the trade". Four very useful appendices give details of, prices tendered for steam roller hire, dimensions, and steam roller population. Some 6,155 steam milers were built for home use. 3,985 of these were built by Aveling & Porter or Aveling-Barford, Fowler 626, Marshall 432 and Wallis & Steevens 354 were the only other makers to offer any real challenge to the Rochester firm who pioneered steam rolling and made this side of engine building their main line of work. One test of the value of a book is, "will it be read again?" The answer is an emphatic "Yes." It will be read and re-read and referred to many times. The price tag, at first ,seems high but prices have gone up ten times since similar books cost 30s. Well illustrated, beautifully produced and highly recommended to all steam enthusiasts, and an even wider readership.
RANSOMES OF IPSWICH A history of the firm and a guide to its records by D. R. Grace and D. C. Phillips University of Reading £2.50 or £2.88 post paid from Institute of Agricultural History, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 2AG This important publication is divided into two parts — first of all the history of the family and the business. It is interesting to see how the first was established and grew. Ransomes were ever conscious of their agricultural background and while steam played a large part in their endeavours they never turned their backs on less spectacular machines. The second part is fascinating reading for it lets us peep into the wonderful collection of record books and documents that are now carefully preserved at Reading. Excellently illustrated and produced. Only a limited edition of this book has been produced so don't delay.
SOME ADVENTURERS OF SAMSSON COGG by Ronald H. Clark, published by Goose, £3.95 Here is something new in Traction Engine literature — a book of short stories. Samson Cogg is a strange character but then the same could be said of all of us. He is a steam enthusiast who hasn't a lot of time for rallies, prefering to park his engines to prevent officialdom straighening corners. One soon gets the impression that instead of saying his prayers at night Samson goes to sleep repeating the phrase; "Burrells are best." The author gets a lot of digs at officialdom, "racing" at rallies etc. No doubt a few worthies in East Anglia will recognise themselves or there fellows; some will chuckle, some will squirm. 253
THE LNER 4-6-0 CLASES by John F. Clay and J. Cliffe, published by Ian Allan, £3.50
N.T.E.C. member John F. Clay, in partnership with J. Cliffe, continues his successful studies of British steam locomotive classes. Having previously looked at LNER 2-8-2 and 2-6-2 classes; the Stainer Black Fives and Jubilees of the LMS, attention is now focused on the 4-6-0s of the Great Central; Great Eastern; North Eastern and the LNER. The 4-6-0s were not the biggest nor the most glamourous but a class of engine that covered a wide variety of work over a wide area. Some forty pages of photographs are reproduced on art paper. The text makes absorbing reading for the general steam enthusiast as well as the dedicated railway fan. Ten chapters, twelve appendices and numerous drawings combine to make this a book of extremely good value among today's prices. J. & H. McLAREN, CATALOGUE REPRINT published by R.L.S. £1.85 to R.L.S./N.T.E.C. members, £2.10 others
Reprints of catalogues have become very popular. This is one of the best we have seen. McLarens were late into the market but very quickly established a reputation for powerful engines and first class engineering workmanship. A most interesting catalogue full of detail and interest. One to be browsed through time and again. Obtainable from R.L.S./N.T.E.C. Sales Officers or the club stall at rallies. MORE WORKING ENGINES Edited for the R.L.S. by W. S. Love, 65p
A second volume of working pictures from the R.L.S. covers many years of steam use. Two or three pictures are of some of the last engines to work commercially, Messrs. Bridson's Fowler R.L. is seen lifting submerged pumps in 1965, their Fowler roller is shown at work in 1962 and a pair of Fowler plough engines are seen at work dredging. Work is what engines were all about, here is a fine album. Available from R.L.S./N.T.E.C. Sales Officers or sales stalls. A TRACTION ENGINE MISCELLANY by Ronald H. Clark, published by Goose, £10 Mr. Clark needs no introduction, his "Steam Engine Builders" books and "Chronicles of a Country Works" are mighty books. In these works he showed a genuine, natural and endearing enthusiasm for products of his own area. It is not surprising that we should find this same enthusiasm in his latest book but it is surprising to note the way in which he appears, to the reviewer at any rate, to laud his favourites and denegrate the others. This comes through in the text, in the illustrations and in the captions. Please let us make up our own minds what is "graceful" and what is "straight crane engine comedy." "Miscellany" is a very good word for this book for amongst some valuable stories, information, drawings and pictures we have stories of Samson Cogg, the same stories we read in "The Adventures of
Samson Cogg" only days before. Even here in the fiction Mr. Clark seems as if he must get home the message that certain makes are superior. A great deal of valuable information and many important photos are included. 254
ADVERTISEMENTS Members small advertisements free, Affiliated Club members 1p per word Advertisements should be typed or in BLOCK CAPITALS and should be on separate sheets of paper. (Not incorporated in a letter). Subject to acceptance. Small advertisements to the Editor.
Steam Plough Club —If you are interested in the Plough Engine and its application, why not join The Steam Plough Club? Regular Newsletters, list of all known Steam Plough Engines in the UK. Subscription only £1 for year. — Contact R. F. Oliver, 143 Norfolk Avenue, Sanderstead, Surrey. Road Roller Association — For all those interested in steam and motor rollers, road making machines, practices and history. Quarterly pournal 'Rolling'. Subscription £1 per year. — L. Shearman, 15 Thornton Street, King Cross, Halifax, Yorks. F. A. Smith Collection — A large private collection of Vintage Farm Tractors. Small petrol engines including several over 50 years old. By many well-known English and American firms. Also Steam Engines, Ford Cars, Farm Machinery, etc. Collection open to inspection by appointment only. — 50 West End Road, Frampton, Boston Lincs. Film — Have you booked the Steam Plough Club film "Ploughing by Steam" for your Club Night yet? 16mm. colour/sound, running for 23 minutes. £3 per day and £1 per day for subsequent days. Contact: J. Rogers, 23 Rothamsted Avenue, Harpenden, Herts. ALS 2DN. Tel: Harpenden 2070. NTEC Ties — Now available in maroon with our usual engine motive in gold. These have been produced by popular request and are priced at £1.55 post paid, — Available from the Sales Officer. Wanted — Injector for Wallis • Steevens Advance 6 Ton Roller (No. 8047). Type: Cresham and Craven Ltd. No. 3 Injector as per drawing 4488SL1191. Information rewarded if followed by sale. Postage refunded to informers. Also wanted, Works Manual, brass chimney top. Please contact: Mr. R. W. H. Bulley, 26 Bodding Town Road, Kettering, Northants, NN15 6DZ.
Steam Preservation — The happy light hearted review published by the East Anglian Club. 24 pages comprising news and plenty of unusual items. Send 20p (plus 5p p.p.) for trial copy to — Mrs. M. Lyon, 3 Church Lane, Ford End, Chelmsford, Essex. Crofton Beam Engines — Near Great Bedwyn, 5 miles west of Hungerford. Steaming dates 1975: August 23/24/25, September 20/21, October 25/26. — Secretary, 273 East Grafton, Burbage, Wilts. Ryhope Beam Engines Steaming Days 1975 — Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th August (August Holiday). — Ryhope Engine Trust, Ryhope, Sunderland, Co. Durham. `The Stationary Engine Advertiser' The monthly journal of the engine collector. Engines bought/sold, spare parts and information sections. Atti.1c. oo restoration, engine his tory and identification. S.A.E. for details. — D. W. EdOngton, Lodge Wood Farm, Hawkeridge, Westbury, Wilts. Books by Phillip Wright — Traction Engines (Black) £2.25. Old Farm implements (D. & C. reprint) £3.50. Old Farm Tractors (D. • C.) £2.95. Salute the Carthorse (lan Allan) £1.50 for booksellers or autographed copies from author (please add postage). — Roxwell Vicarage, near Chelmsford, Essex. The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society cater for all paddle steamer interests — extensive and varied charter cruise programme on padillustrated dlers and other vessels magazine free to members — active branches in Scotland, Home Countties and Wessex. Enquiries to David Swaffield, 25 Glastonbury Road, Wells, Somerset, 13A5 ITVV, or for Scotland to Douglas McGowan, 69 Stanmore Road, Glasgow, G42 9AJ. Steamship enthusiasts Medway area, or able travel, to join team on restoration of Society steamer 'Kingswear Castle' are especially welcome — work mainly weekends. — Enquiries to David Swaffield (above). 255
INSURANCE for STEAM VEHICLES & STEAM RALLIES As Insurance Brokers to the National Traction Engine Club for many years, we have arranged insurances especially suited to owners of steam vehicles or engines, and to organisers of steam rallies. Wide cover and competitive terms are available with special terms for club members. For any further information you may require please do not hesitate to contact any of the following:Tonbridge Office (Renewals and Accounts). Mrs. V. M. Jessup, Hildenbrook House, The Slade, Tonbridge, Kent. Telephone: Tonbridge 67011. Head Office Saracen's Head House, 92 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4EE. Telephone: 01-481 8451.
TENNANT BU DD LTD. 256
Wanted — For Tasker chain drive Tractor type B2. One final drive differential asembly complete with sprocket to fit the rear axle. This part is required to enable me to restore a most interesting tractor. Replies to — John Boughton, 69 Amersham Road, Little Chalfont, Bucks. Tel. Little Chalfont 2480. Wanted — Length of special link chain to drive from a thresher to a R. Hornsby trusser (tier). — E. Driscoll, 32 St. Charles Road, Brentwood, Essex. For Sale — Marshall Trashing Drum No. 30272 complete with self feeder. All in good working order. Old type TVO Fordson Major in excellent condition. — A. J. Ward & Sons Ltd., Thorpe Lea Engineering Works, 19/20 Pond Road, Egham. Tel. Staines 5727213. For Sale — Showmans Living Van, 24ft. long. Kitchen with sing draining board, solid fuel stove, Calor cooker. Lounge with fitted wardrobe, chrome plated Courtier stove, china cabinet, cut glass windows, lantern roof. Bedroom with double bed, dressing table. Dyson trailer axles. 750 x 20 tyres, all good. Lockers made for rallying. I in. board and RSJs to carry coal and water tank. Back locker for tools, etc. Best offer secures. — Twigger, 7 Devonshire Drive, Eastwood, Nottingham. Tel. day time, Nottingham 22112. Evening, Langley Mill 3218. For Snle — Super Water Trailer on period wheels with solid rubber tyres. Tank holds two fills. Space for spare coal, tools and lubricants. Fitted with jockey wheel and easily moved. Can he lowed by engine or Land Rover. £85 o.n.o. — Twigger, 7 Devonshire Drive, Eastwood, Nottingham. Tel. day time, Nottingham 221112. Evening, Langley Mill 3218. Spare Parts for "Sentinel" Steam Waggons. List No. 500013, 80 pages, well illustrated, For sale or exchange Fowler or Steam Roller items. — R. Hawthorne, 19 Bridle Path, Woodcote, Reading, RG8 OSE. Wanted — Underslung rope and drum and drive, also side motion covers for a Fowler Hauling and Winding (Russian) Engine. — Vic Greenaway, Hill Bottom, Whitchurch Hill, Reading. For Sale. Ruston Hornsby Portable. Single cylinder, slide valve, built 1919. — Tel. Bolton 41498, evenings.
Books about Steam — Saga of the Steam Plough (second edition) £1.75. Farming with Steam £1.35. Steam Traction Engines (written for boys in the 12-14 age group) £2.75. All prices include postage and all copies autographed. Harold Bonnett, 3 Ridge Side, Haw Lane, Bledlow Ridge, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 4JN. Wanted — Showmans Tractor. Genuine enthusiast, already owning a roller, seeks Showmans Tractor in any condition. Please reply to the Editor in the first instance — Ran Hawthorne, 19 Bridle Path, Woodcote, Reading, RG8 OSE. Tel. Checkendon (STD 0491) 680484. For Sale — Babcock & Wilcox 10 ton s/c Steam Roller in good order. New in 1926. Offers please to — W. J. Hedges, 39 Avalanche Road, Portland, Dorset. For Sale — Injectors, Safety Valves, Gauge Glass Fittings, Check Valves. Bolts and Nuts fin, to lin. Swage Block and Base. Engine Screw Jack. 4 Wheels 30in. x 21in. off Fowler Rope Porter. Face Plate 12in. x 9in. Driving Belts 6in. x 60ft. and 5in. x 24ft. Sack Weighing Machine. 3 h.p. Electric Motor and Starter 440/3/50. Snatch Blocks. Drawbars. Chain Lifting Block 10 cwt. S.W.L. Ropelock S.W.L. 10 cwt. Cloth for Threshing Machine. J. Deere 4 Furrow Trailer Tractor Plough. Cheavins Water Filter ex Steam Plough Van. Engine Chain with Hook and Ring. Blacksmiths Tongs, Swage Block and Base. — Reynolds, 14 Merton Road, Bedford 53703. For Sale — 10 ton Aveling & Porter Steam Roller, No. 6544, built 1908. Complete, restored and ready to rally. Boiler cert. and hydraulic tested in May. Offers to — A. R. Porter, 96 Greenway Road, Timperley, Altrincham, Manchester. Tel. 061-973 5852 (evenings). Wanted — Pair of press-on tyres 120 x 850. Condition not important if steel loops are sound. Also address of firm with equipment for pressing on and off. — John M. Crowther, The Riddings, Long Preston, Skipton-in-Craven. Tel 231. Offers Invited — Robey Tandem Roller. Unusual roller in very nice condition. Excellent boiler. Wanted — 6/8 ton roller, reasonable condition. Write — Hayes, 33 Chapel Street, Measham, Burton-on-Trent. Tel. 0530-70196. 257
RANSOMES OF IPSWICH A HISTORY OF THE FIRM AND GUIDE TO ITS RECORDS BY D. R. GRACE AND D. C. PHILLIPS A new publication about this important firm of steam and agricultural engineers published by the University of Reading. Copies at £2.50 plus 35p postage and packing may be obtained fro mthe Institute of Agricultural History, The University, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 2AG
To keep up-to-date with the Preservation movement you need
THE WORLD'S FAIR "In Steam" all the year round. ONLY 9p EVERY WEEK Order NOW from your local newsagent. In case of difficulty (or for a free specimen copy) write to: THE WORLD'S FAIR LTD., Union Street, Oldham, Lancs. OL1 1 DY
A vacancy exists for ASSISTANT N.T.E.C. TREASURER. Suitable persons willing to assist immediately and to take on as Treasurer from the A.G.M. should apply to: J. H. HOBBS, Esq., 6 Esher Close, Basingstoke, Hants. 258
For Sale — Small heavy duty aliminium clad caravan (ex mobile workshop) on pneumatics, £50. Also steel 4 wheel trailer chassis (ex searchlight) on pneumatics, £50 — Franklin, Stevenage 45112. For Sale — Best offers for Cab Stays for Agricultural Traction Engine. 2 Manns Valve Spindles (unused). 1 Steersman Scat. I genuine Fowler Road Loco Whistle. Few odd Lamps. 1 Manus Works Plate (brass). Catalogues (Allchin, A/P, Clayton, Yorkshire, etc.). — Smith, 44 Sanford Avenue, Church Stretton, Salop. Tel. Church Strettott 2505. Wanted — For Aveling & Porter Roller No. 12079 8 ton compound: Safety valve springs, cylinder cocks (relief type), feed pump clacks, feed pump rod, bottom gauge fittings, ash pan (any condition), driving wheel pins, brass steam manifold to fit inside cab. — P. A. Gull, 5 Cherbury Green, Grove, Wantage, Oxon. Tel. Wantage 65488. Autographed Books — (All prices include new postal rates.) The Sentinel. Vol. One. £6.00: Century of Traction Engines, £3.75, paperback, £1.60; Fowler Steam Road Vehicles, £2.75; Traction Engines Worth Modelling, £3.75, paperback £1.75; English & American Steam Carriages and Traction Engines (Fletcher) £4.75; Mechanical Traction in War (Layriz), £4.00: Modern Steam Road Wagons (Norris), £3.20. — W. J. Hughes, The Sentinel, West Street, Beighton, Sheffield, S19 6EP. Wanted—Stonebreaker on wheels, suitable for demonstrations at Steam Engine Rallies, with general purpose engines or rollers. Heavy type preferred. Information or whereabouts of example gratefully received. — Box No. "W".
For Sale — Threshing Machine by Ransomes. 2 Water Barrels by Baker's of Compton Nuffield. Universal TVO Tractor (early model). Piston Valves, Fire Bars and other spares for Aveling & Porter 8-10 ton Steam Roller. — Brown, Enborne Gate Farm, Newbury. Tel. 0635 40876. For Sale — 1 spark arrestor. 2 +in. left hand injectors. 1 brass bush for piston valve rod for 10 ton Aveling Roller, 1 Traction Engine sheet 20ft. x 20ft. 1 new fusible plug I 10 inn screw jack for A & P (as new). +in. wheel valves (new and used). — J. Proctor, 10 College Street, East Bridgford, Notts, NGl3 8LE. Photos — B & W 'N' prints 12p, postcards 15p. Colour 'N' prints 25p, postcards 35p. Colour slides 12p and 15p. — C. H. Hollands, 96 Avondale Road, South Croydon. Surrey. Wanted — To purchase or borrow for copying makers works number plate from dashboard of "S" Model Sentinel Steam Waggon. — J. L. Thomas, "The Sentinel Register", 5 Minett Avenue, Rushwick, Worcester. Tel: Worcester 421252. Wanted — Rally Programmes, old or new. — D. L. Roseaman, 10 Grimshaw Close, North Road, London, N6 4BH. Wanted — Old rally programmes, good copies of "Some Ploughing Engines" and "Steam Engine Builders of Norfolk". — K. Brothwell, 29A Bowes Road, Walton-on Thames, Surrey, KT12 3HT. For Sale — One Dawson red rubber and Balata endless Driving Belt. 50ft. x Sins. 5 ply, as new, £25. One Steam Tractor Canopy, 1 lft. x 5ft. 7in. sideboards, in good condition, £30. Could possibly be delivered free, Telephone: Hutton Rudby 700947.
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• Cumbria Steam & Vintage Vehicle Society Ltd. N.T.E.C. APPROVED
CUMBRIA STEAM GATHERING OVER 480 EXHIBITS
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County Showground, Kendal Saturday and Sunday, 13th and 14th September, 1975 Grand opening on Saturday by STUART HALL of B.B.C. Look North Free Car Parking Gates Open at 10 a.m. Admission: Adults 60 OAP's and Children 20p Further Information: 3 Frenchfield Way, Penrith
Printed in England by Chiltern Printers (Slough) Ltd.