ISSN 0260 - 2962
Vol 30 No Winter 1986/8
The Magazine of the National Traction Engine Trust
NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE TRUST Membership of the National Traction Engine Trust is open to those who, whether engine owners or not, have a genuine interest in the preservation of self propelled steam road vehicles, portable engines etc.
President land Technical Services): S.J. Wharton,
Southern Down, Minster Lovell, Oxford OX8 5RD. Vice Presidents: P.R. Barker; Anthony S. Heal. Chairman: P.G.C. Barber, 77 Amyand Park Road, Twickenham,
Middlesex TW1 3HG. Vice-Chairmen: J. Crawley, Field House, Turvey, Bedford MK43 8DU.
Eric A. Fillmore
General Secretary: D.G. Pugh, 95 Kingsway, Kirkby-in-Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire NG17 7EH. Membership Secretary: Mrs Fay Wood, 'Windrush',
Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Cambs PE19 4JY. Treasurer: C.J.C. Barber, 6 Merrydown, Downley, High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire HP13 6NQ Chairman, Rally Sub-Committee: E.A. Fillmore, 34 Northwick Park
The annual subscription is £10.00 for individuals, £12.00 for family membership and £7.50 for pensioners. The Trust's magazine Steaming is sent free to members during the early part of January, April, July and October, and other benefits of membership include advantageous terms for boiler insurance as well as access to advice on technical matters.
Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 2NU. Chairman, Engine Owners Sub-Committee: M. John Wharton,
85 Corn Street, Witney, Oxfordshire OX8 7DH. Chairman, Steam Apprentice Club: Sylvia Dudley, 42 Russell Street,
Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire MK17 8NX, National Sales Officer: K.D. Shakespeare, 179 Mickleton Close,
Oakenshaw, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 7YA Insurance Officer: J.S. Hirons, 98 Hailey Road, Witney,
Oxfordshire OX8 SHQ. Publicity and Press Officer: S.J. Gray, 9 Walnut Way, Ickleford,
Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3XT.
teaming binder Each binder can take up to twelve copies — that's three year's issues. Produced in royal blue with the magazine title and club motif nicely blocked in gold on the spine — a fine addition to your bookshelves and an excellent way of keeping your magazines in good condition whilst near at hand.
447441-Mr = MVP=
Price £3.95 Available by_.post from NTEC Sales, 91 Peplins Way, Kings Norton, Birmingham B30 8NJ, or at rally stands.
Back numbers Back numbers of this magazine are available, by post, as listed below. Newer members will be able to find a wealth of reading and pictures in these earlier issues — and members of longer standing may be able to find missing issues to fill gaps in their collections, made when someone hasn't returned a borrowed copyl per copy members
non members
Vol 20, No 2 only (1977) 25p 50p Vol 21, Nos 2 and 3 (1978) 25p 50p Vol 22, 23 out of print Vol 24, No 1 only (1981) £1.00 £1.50 Vol 25, No 1 only (1982) £1.50 £2.00 Vol 26, No 2 only (1983) £2.00 £2.50 Vol 27, all issues (1984) £2.00 £2.50 Vol 28, all issues (1985) £2.00 £3.00 Vol 29, all issues (1986) £2.00 £3.00 To claim post-free for UK, members please enclose current membership card. Overseas members please add £1.00 postage per order. Cheques/PO's should be made payable to NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE CLUB 119841 LTD Orders to be sent to: NTEC Sales, 91 Peplins Way, Kings Norton, Birmingham B30 3NJ.
The Magazine of the National Traction Engine Trust Volume 30 Number 1
Winter 1986/87
Editorial
Editor:
It's a fair assumption that a goodly proportion of us were doing exactly the same thing as darkness fell on New Year's Day afternoon — sitting in front of our TV sets waiting to see what the producers would make of traction engines, their owners and the rest of us. It was going to be interesting to see what our public image was. You may not like that phrase, but by holding rallies, displaying our engines and inviting the public to part with their money in exchange for being entertained, it's inevitable we have such an image. How would TV present us? Well, not badly it seems. Non-enthusiast friends we've since spoken to found Anthony Burton's narrative of interest — bringing the engines and their history to life and offering explanations of why such and such a thing happened in understandable terms, much more clearly than they'd previously understood from enthusiasts. That, of course, is Mr Burton's job, but the familiar faces of our friends that appeared on the screen turned out to be equally welcome, portraying warm and friendly enthusiasm without the slight nuttiness that over-excitement for any hobby can sometimes bring out. Newspaper TV critics were generally approving; one thought there should have been fewer words, enabling viewers to merely wallow in the footage. There's no doubt at all the performers, and others elsewhere, could quite easily be persuaded to provide that! So, full marks and thanks to Stourpaine & Co and to Harlech TV for giving us a good image. Just one thing struck us — it seemed that only very skilled camerawork had reduced to acceptable levels those extraneous and untidy backgrounds that seem to increasingly dominate rallyfields around the country. Cars, plastic sacks, caravans, more plastic bags, low-loaders and tents, all clashing to form an unsavoury background to the sole reason for them all being there — the exhibit. Are we giving enough thought to layout and presentation? There's no way we can do without the cars, the caravans and the plastic, but surely there is a better way of presenting the engines in a more suitable and sympathetic setting. A good year of steaming to you all.
Roger West, 14 Charles Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9AB
Assistant Editor: Derek Rayner, 'Invicta', 9 Beagle Ridge Drive, Acomb, York Y02 3J H.
Display Advertising: to the Editor
Small Ads: to the Editor
Distribution and Change of Address: Mrs Fay Wood, 'Windrush', Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Cambs PE 19 4JY The Editor will be pleased to consider contributions of suitable articles, shorter items or photographs for inclusion in future issues. All material so submitted is voluntary and payment cannot be made for any material published, although expenses incurred may be met. The opinions expressed in the magazine, with the exception of those printed as Trust announcements, are those of the contributors and do not indicate the views of the Trust as a whole. All items are held copyright by the contributors and/or the NTET.
Next issue: The press date for any news items, recent photographs and small advertisements is 18th February 1987.
This issue 4 11 17 18 23 24 26 29 43 44 47
Trust News Devon's Hidden Treasure Look in the Mirror Percy Grundy of Kettering Sentinel Homecoming The Spirit of '86 Skating by Steamlight Steaming Around, compiled by Derek Rayner Around the World Letters Books, New Members, Small Adverts
Simon Caudwell Chris Edmonds Esmond Kimbell Bob Payne
ISSN 0260 - 2962
Cover Published by the National Traction Engine Club 11984) Ltd for the National Traction Engine Trust at 14 Charles St, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Printed by AB Printers Ltd, Leicester.
Though photographed near Cambridge about 1973 this scene is almost timeless — ordinary threshing on a dull late autumn day. The engine is Burrell 2406, a 6hp single which, apart from a very short spell in Scotland when new and a few years with another owner in the 1940s, has spent its whole life with three generations of the Harvey family in Cambridgeshire, firstly at Lode and latterly at Percy Harvey's farm at Balsham where Ken• Ellwood took this picture. 3
Trust News From the Chairman Since my last notes we have held two committee meetings and the Annual General Meeting of the Trust which was this year held in the Student's Union Building at Birmingham University. Despite this latter meeting being a purely business occasion it was well attended, and a lively discussion took place following the formal business. Three new members were elected to the General Committee. Following a ballot for the seats vacated by the members of committee retiring in rotation, Michael Davies, David Duffill and Bob Herring were elected and we warmly welcome them and hope that they will be actively involved in the Trust's affairs in future. At the same time we were sorry to lose our existing members, Ian Bennett, Bill Gardiner and Steve Durance and I would like to thank them on behalf of the membership and their fellow committee members and officers for all their past efforts on behalf of the Club. The AGM approved the recommended increase in the subscription to £10.00 for ordinary members, £7.50 for old age pensioners and £12.00 for family members. This increase has been required to meet the gradually increased costs of publishing and posting Steaming and other overheads. I have been asked to clarify why it was necessary to apply a larger increase of subscription to our pensioner members than other members. The reason for this apparently unfair treatment is that our obligations as a Trust are fulfilled only if we do not subsidise the benefits accruing to any particular members out of Trust funds. Since the cost of Steaming and its distribution had reached and passed the rate of subscription received from pensioner members at the old rates it was necessary to apply this differential addition to prevent this situation recurring before the next general increase in membership rates becomes due — which, of course, we hope will be some years in the future. In my address to the AGM I mentioned the difficulties that the Trust had experienced in recent months 4
concerning the revision of the Construction and Use Regulations which govern the use of all motor vehicles on the highways of this country. This Trust is represented by your vice president Anthony Heal on the Historic Vehicle Clubs Committee, a body to which clubs and other bodies concerned with the preservation of historic cars, lorries and motorcycles contribute members as well as ourselves. The HVCC receives details of all proposed changes in the various regulations affecting vehicles, and in the past has been successful in resisting changes to, or obtaining waivers for, historic vehicles from the effects of Regulations which might adversely affect their use on the highways. The latest amendment con-
tained a change which restricted the privilege previously enjoyed by steam propelled vehicles (other than steam lorries) to tow a water cart in addition to the statutory number of trailers which might otherwise be drawn under the Regulations. Although representations were made by the HVCC at the time the draft Regulations were received this amendment was still enacted in the new Regulations when they were published. In particular, the Regulations as now in force bear most heavily on the owners of steam tractors and, subject to legal opinion, to rollers, who are now restricted to drawing one trailer only (which may or may not be a water cart► . The Trust considers that this action might be the very thin end of a
From Alan Martin's Collection
35
With the arrival of winter weather let us hope that boilers have been properly drained to avoid the fate that befell this engine — a fate described on page 155 of our last issue. The picture of Screen Bros' Burrell crane locomotive 4039 of 1926 (NP8361) was taken in Coventry in 1927 when the 8hp compound engine was engaged in moving parts of a 700 ton power press from the LMS railway company's goods yard to the motor car works of Singer & Co Ltd in Canterbury St, Coventry.
very large wedge designed ultimately to severely restrict or even outlaw the use of our steam vehicles on the public roads and we have therefore sought and obtained a meeting with the Ministry, who after an extensive discussion has agreed to reconsider the matter and perhaps to draft a further amendment. We await the outcome of this consideration with interest and if we are not successful in obtaining the amendment we desire, we will pursue the matter vigorously. I will keep the membership informed of any developments in future Chairman's notes. (Peter Barber, Chairman)
Rally Organisation Rally sub-committee Most members will have attended a rally at some time during the past summer; when winter comes most of us attend one of the many social meetings held throughout the country. At these gatherings we tend to talk of the season just over and possibly of the next season to come. The rally sub-committee does just this — but our continual monitoring of the rally scene has some specific aspects. During the autumn we examine the past season. Safety is a main consideration of ours and to this end each approved rally is required to appoint a Safety Officer: this official, in turn, completes a Safety Report in respect of the rally which is submitted to the rally sub-committee for perusal. These reports are a most valuable source of feed-back and form the basis on which future possible amendments to our Code of Practice are based. Members, too, bring various aspects of rally activity to our notice; we are most grateful for these comments. The autumn also sees the beginning of compilation of our approved rally list for the following year. Each year we send out to rally organisers a rally approval application form with an invitation to complete the form and return it to us as soon as possible. Just on eighty forms have been sent out to date; if any organiser reads this and has not received an application form, please let me know so that one can be sent on. At the time of writing, well before Christmas, thirty two replies have been received — a good start for 1987. The approved list will be added to from time to time until eventually the printed list will appear in the Spring for the Steaming edition of information of all members. Ron Copp is responsible for the approved lists and must be congratulated on his care-
ful and meticulous work. During the winter we hold Rally Organisers and Affiliated Clubs Conferences. The main Conference is in February of each year and this will set the scene for 1987 and is our opportunity for all organisers to get together and to sort out any points that may have arisen. We also have guest speakers at our Conferences and the topics covered are intended for the information and guidance of all concerned; usually a lively debate follows a talk which can be most interesting and helpful to those present. Finally I would like to thank all members of my sub-committee for the considerable amount of work they put in — much of it in their own time; this is greatly appreciated. (Eric Fillmore, chairman, rally sub-committee)
Insurance Matters Members may be interested to have a review of my activities as Insurance Officer to the Trust. My original role was that of issuing NTET insurance discs to those who wished to display them but chose to have insurance other than our recommended scheme. I now get many varied enquiries from both engine owners and rally organisers; these generally involve explanations or putting them in touch with the appropriate bodies or persons who can, hopefully, solve the particular problem. Following reports that engines had been seen operating above their pressure, permitted maximum enquiries were made as to whether or not it was obligatory for engines to have the maximum pressure marked on the pressure gauge by a red line or similar. The short answer is yes. The inspector should check that the line or mark corresponds to the pressure stated on the boiler report on the 'under normal steam pressure' examination. It follows that any safety officer seeing an engine with a steam gauge showing pressure above the maximum mark is right to insist that the necessary steps are taken to have the steam pressure reduced and the safety valve adjusted to its correct blow off pressure before the engine is allowed to be or to continue on the rally field. A case has also been brought to my notice that a person other than one employed by an insurance company is carrying out inspection of boilers. I have made enquiries if this is permissible. There is nothing to prevent anyone from doing this, providing he is
qualified and a competent person. He should normally be in possession of a BSc degree, a 1st class Board of Trade certificate or a Higher National Certificate and also have the back up of technical experts and be fully conversant with relevant standards, be up to date with any new regulations and (very important) be covered by insurance for negligence, should such an occasion arise. It is therefore up to engine owners themselves to make their judgement and this of course is assuming that they can find an insurance company which is prepared to accept a report from a person such as described above. Elsewhere in this issue Anthony Heal confirms a point brought up in discussion at the AGM; that it is obligatory for engines to have means of preventing the emission of sparks and ashes. Some members are under the impression that because an insurance policy does not specifically state engines should be fitted with a form of spark arrestor, it follows one need not be fitted. This of course is not so. If your engine was the cause of fire and damage and was not fitted with a means of prevention you could be in trouble. Finally I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all who have contacted me, either by phone or post land especially, in the latter case, those who sent a SAE!). I hope I have been able to be of some help and wish everyone a good trouble free season in (John Hirons, Insurance 1987. Officer)
Engine Owners Column Spark Arrestors The subject of spark arrestors was raised during discussion at the recent AGM at Birmingham. The relevant clauses of the Construction and Use Regulations 1986 are: Emission of smoke, vapour, gases, oily substances etc. 61 (2). Every motor vehicle using solid fuel shall be fitted with — (a) a tray or shield to prevent ashes and cinders from falling on to the road, and (b) an efficient appliance to prevent any emission of sparks or grit. 61 (5). No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used on a road any motor vehicle (a) from which any smoke, visible vapour, grit, sparks, ashes, cinders or oily substance is emitted if that emission causes, or is likely to cause, damage to any property, or injury or 5
danger to any person who is, or may easonably be expected to be, on the road. (Anthony S. Heal)
Traction Engines and the Law The Construction and Use Regulations have recently been completely overhauled, renumbered, refurbished and in at least one respect made less satisfactory for users of steam vehicles. The previous proviso that a water tanker could be hauled without being counted as a trailer has been omitted. Strenuous attempts are being made by the Trust through the Historic Vehicle Clubs Committee to have this matter put right. The new Regulations are referred to as The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 SI 1986/1078, and came into force on the 11th August 1986. The complete renumbering of the various paragraphs in the Regulations, has, moreover, made the references in the current edition of the Trust's publication Traction Engines and the Law totally misleading. The matter was discussed at a recent meeting of the Executive Committee and I was asked to produce a revised edition incorporating all the changes in the law since the present edition was produced. This will be done as soon as possible. Meanwhile any member referring to the present edition should bear in mind that any references to the Construction and Use Regulations will be out of date. (D.H. Tew)
HVCC I learned at the meeting of the Historic Vehicle Clubs Committee on 11th November 1986, that the threat of compulsory fitting of tachographs to vintage commercial vehicles in private use has probably now evaporated, following a couple of meetings at the Department of Transport with Derek Grossmark, Chairman of the HVCC and representatives of the Historic Commercial Vehicles Society. A derogation, or repeal, in respect of preserved commercial vehicles over 25 years old in private use is expected. Already the Department of Transport has instructed testing stations that such vehicles should pass the test even if no tachograph is fitted. For some time we have been concerned that new regulations have been drafted and issued by EEC authorities in Brussels without any consideration of the interests of histpric vehicle owners. The Federation Internationale de Voitures Antique have to date not concerned 6
Soft ground conditions at the Stoke Goldington rally in May 1986 caused problems for several engines climbing the track to the rally field. Here, George Fensom has worked up a fine speed with his 1927 Burrell 4055, and the well groomed engine easily topped the hillside. (Robin Walker)
themselves with legislation and have had no arrangements for making representations. Thanks to the initiative of Lord Montagu and Derek Grossmark, FIVA has now set up a Parliamentary Committee to examine new proposals and regulations issued by the EEC and other governments, and to make representations to defend the interests of historic vehicle owners and thoir right to use such vehicles on public roads. Derek Grossmark is to be the chairman of FIVA's Parliamentary Committee. (Anthony S. Heal, Trust representative, HVCC)
Steaming Photographic Competition For the past three years entries of black and white photographs have been solicited in our Winter issue for the Steaming Photographic Competition. Many requests have been made for the Competition to be extended to colour photographs, but this has not been possible up to yet due to the relatively high cost of reproducing colour work — and there
is little point in having a competition if the results cannot be properly seen by the club membership as a whole. The continuing rise in membership plus the fact that colour printing is now becoming relatively less expensive, means that we can consider including colour within the magazine before very long and indeed the committee has recently given its approval to such plane. Accordingly it has been decided to drop the Photographic Competition this year and to re-introduce it in 1988 when we shall be in a position to use full colour. Meanwhile photographers may like to bear in mind that colour entries will be limited to transparencies. Although every care will be taken with entries both during judging and any later reproduction, it is acknowledged that transparencies are originals and any inadvertent damage is irrepairable. Cameramen are therefore advised that should the winning shot appear in their viewfinder during the coming summer, it may be as well to take a second frame at the same time to ensure peace of mind. Many photographers who have entered our Competition in the last three years have subsequently become regulars in submitting their
work for use in Steaming. The Editor takes this opportunity of expressing his sincere thanks to this relatively small band of black and white photographers and trusts he will continue to have their support in ensuring our magazine is able to present the best in best the of illustrations preservation.
Road Locomotive Society We offer congratulations to the Road Locomotive Society on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee. The RLS was formed as the Road Locomotive and Industrial Locomotive Society just 50 years ago in January 1937 and as such is very much the senior of all clubs devoted to interest in traction engines and the like. We wish the Society continued success into the future and towards its centenary!
Obituaries Herbert Alibone The death occurred in June of Herbert Alibone, who until recent years was an engine owner and active rally participant in the Midlands. Herbert was a farmer at Radford Semele near Leamington Spa. His love of engines went back a long way and he was very knowledgeable about early internal combustion tractors and machines. Though a portable engine worked on the farm in the past, it was
probably on hire and Herbert's more recent interest in steam began when he struck up a friendship with the writer's father, Fred Hall, a locomotive driver on the Great Western Railway. His love of railway engines grew to such an extent that he would often be absent from the land, to be found on the footplate of the Hatton Bank banking engine in the bay of Warwick station. Herbert was well known amongst the crews and they would go and put their feet up in the station, leaving him to do the yard shunting all on his own! When on 'duty' he would usually do the driving on the many banking turns — though usually with the full crew on board. In the late 1950s the Alibone farm was sold and Herbert retired to a large bungalow at Hatton. I remember him saying that the railways were then closing down many local signalboxes, throwing away all the attractive equipment. Being told he could take what he wanted Herbert soon had a good collection of signalling paraphernalia, including the signals from Warwick which towered over his market garden paddock. Herbert's entry into the world of road engines began when he told me he had spotted a compound Aveling roller lying at Bomford's at Salford Priors and would I give it the once over for him. The engine, 10669 of 1923, was very sound and so started his collection; it also included Fowler single roller 19049 but his best known and rallied engine was Burrell 7hp single 3068 VICTORY. Of recent years his health failed, necessitating the sale of his engines and tractors, and eventually, his Hatton property from where he moved
to a small bungalow in Leamington. Herbert was cremated at Leamington, when many local owners paid their last respects. Truly a man of steam, we extend our condolences to his widow Joan. (David Hall) Bob Field I regret to write of the death of Bob Field of Smethwick, West Midlands, in September 1986 at the age of 74. Bob's fascinating articles on his lifetime's work with and around steam engines have appeared over several years in our magazine but the most recent, in our last issue, he unfortunately never saw in print. I first met Bob Field during the last war, when as a 10 year old I was allowed in the bunker of his Burrell 3197 on its visits to Copper & Alloys of Greets Green, West Bromwich, where my father was chief supervisor. Little did I then realise that forty years on I would own the engine as a grownup's toy! Bob, as evidenced by his writings, retained a keen interest in road engines in his retirement and was well known at midlands rallies. He occasionally called in at my yard office for a chat and tea and to look over his old engine; the last time he visited me he kindly gave me the brass star he had salvaged years ago from Burrell 2716, one of Screens engines that had been new to Anderton & Rowland as a showmans. Our sincere condolences go to Bob's wife and family. (Len Crane) Peter Froud Peter Froud, one of Cheshire's greatest steam and vintage machinery enthusiasts, died on 10th November 1986, aged 53.
We specialise in the construction and repair of locomotive type boilers. Firebox construction can be of the traditional flanged and rivetted design, or flanged and welded. Construction is to the appropriate British Standard Specification and all welding is by coded welders to BS 4870. Work being done is approved at all stages by an engineering surveyor from your boiler insurance company. Construction of tubeplates, smokeboxes, tenders etc, also undertaken. For further details contact Roger Pridham, Hollybank, Chilsworthy Beam, Gunnislake, Cornwall. Telephone Tavistock (0822) 5276 Daytime, 832945 Evenings
7
Peter, from Little Leigh near Northwich, was struck down in April by a brain haemorrhage from which he never recovered, hence the family's absence from this year's rally scene. Born at Poole, Dorset in 1933, he qualified as a schoolteacher specialising in metalwork and geography, but relinquished the profession and eventually established a successful narrowboat cruising business based at Preston Brook near the junction of the Bridgwater and Trent & Mersey canals. In 1967 Peter acquired 1933 Fowler compound road roller 20122 from J. Higginson of Mem and travelled it extensively, complete with workman's living van. In 1971 he became joint owner of 1932 DG4P Sentinel platform wagon 8714, lettered to indicate its original ownership by the Cardiff Gas Light & Coke Company. This, too, saw extensive mileage on the Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire rally circuits, and one of Peter's last outings with the Sentinel was pictured in the 1985 Steaming Photographic Competition when it towed 1909 Burrell road loco from Manchester to High Leigh. The big Burrell was probably Peter's favourite engine. Owned by the Merseyside County Museum, he had it on indefinite loan from 1970, and was in his element on the family's many long journeys to Crich Tramway Museum, when, with traction wagon and living van behind the drawbar and the Burrell in 'big-wheel' and shouting its defiance to the Derbyshire hills, Peter would take up his usual stance leaning on the gear change bracket, pipe in mouth, and listen to the music from the chimney-top. A regular exhibitor at the Astle Park rallies, Peter enjoyed the congenial atmosphere of the beer hut and could usually be found, pint pot in hand, at the centre of a lively evening discussion group. He was a member of the Transport Trust, and amongst his wide range of interests his knowledge of inland waterways was legendary; his efforts leading to the establishment of the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum are commemorated on a bronze plaque displayed at the canal-side site. His steam-related interests were not confined solely to road traction, for in 1979 he bought a 1929 Andrew Barclay industrial loco from Corn Products of Trafford Park, Manchester (currently located on the Foxfield Railway) and he always retained a keen interest from pre-nationalisation days of anything relating to the Somerset & Dorset Railway. 8
The late Peter Froud in his element — on the footplate of Burrell 3098, with traction wagon and living van in tow, and listening to the exhaust from the chimney top as the road train climbs out of the Weaver Valley. (Jim Stevenson)
The funeral took place on 14th November at Little Leigh Parish Church. Its spire overlooks the Weaver Valley and the Trent & Mersey canal to the south, and westwards, the fields towards the Hollybush Inn, where the October steam gatherings, now in their nineteenth year, bear testimony to Peter's infectious enthusiasm. It is to Shirley Froud's great credit that things wore arranged in a manner of which Peter would have approved, although he would doubtless have preferred to make his last journey behind the big Burrell. The church was full to capacity, with many familiar faces from the traction engine and canal-boat worlds, as Aveling roller CINDERELLA simmered quietly outside. On this appropriately dismal day the funeral cortege arrived, with the leading hearse bearing only the tributes. It was followed by the Sentinel which carried the coffin, and then by the official family cars. After a church service conducted by the local vicar, who paid just tribute to Peter's genial character, it was arranged that CINDERELLA should provide steam's own farewell to our valued friend. I saw the signal, and let the whistle's long, rising note echo out: I could see nothing more for some
time. Neither, I fancy, could anyone else, he was that kind of person. (Jim Stevenson)
Jack Whitwell Traction engine owners and rally enthusiasts in North Yorkshire and northern England will greatly miss Jack Whitwell of Stillington, near Easingwold, who passed away in September after a long illness. Before serving in the Army during the last war, Jack drove a steam threshing set for Scalings of Wiggington and after demobilisation, started in business as an agricultural and general contractor, going subsequently into forestry and saw-milling. Although he did not use steam in his business — it was by then somewhat outmoded — Jack always maintained his interest in traction engines. Then, in the early 1960s, he purchased McLaren 1038 of 1909, an 8hp engine which was soon followed by 6hp Clayton & Shuttleworth traction 48385 of 1920 later converted to a showmans style engine. Having his own low loader, these engines were seen at rallies all over the North of England. Jack was also a good friend to local charities and would often steam his engines in their support. He was
organiser of the Stillington engine rallies in the late 60s, always with the intention of giving pleasure to engine owners. However, he always liked to see engines doing the work for which they were intended and so, in the early 1970s, organised a number of steam workings at Hutton Sessay and Sutton on Forest. These turned out to be marathon jobs for him for not only did he do all the paperwork and organising but personally brought in the engines and machines with his low loade -, and organised the necessary timber, stone and grain. It was too much for one person, in spite of the help received from the family, and Jack subsequently persuaded the Lightwater Valley pleasure complex at Ripon to hold steam workings with Jack supplying advice for what turned out to be successful and memorable events. Jack will be remembered as a good friend by many people and would always go out of his way to assist others, even to his own cost or disadvantage. One only had to ask. He leaves a widow, Eileen, four sons and three daughters, to whom all those who knew him extend their greatest sympathy. (P.H. Ogden)
fund raising exercise, please write with details to the exhibition secretary Mrs A. Duffill, 81 Foden Road, Great Barr, Birmingham B42 2EH, or phone Keith Shakespeare, evenings only, on 0527 45683. We look forward to hearing from a good number of members, and if you don't go in for modelling yourself and don't have anything to exhibit, do come to the show anyhow. NTET and SAC members will be admitted free of charge on production of their current membership cards. And, of course, a full range of books etc will be available at the NTET Sales stand. (Tracey Shakespeare)
NTEC Sales
Subscriptions by Bankers Order
Readers will see from the advertisement elsewhere in this issue of the magazine, that NTEC Sales are organising a model exhibition at Birmingham in April by kind permission of Eddystone Radio Ltd, whose premises we are using for the show. If any readers have exhibits they would like to display in support of this
Subscription Rate At the recent AGM in Birmingham the motion that the subscription be raised in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee (a move outlined by the Chairman in his notes in the last issue) was approved by those present. The annual subscription rates of the Trust are therefore now as follows: £10.00 Individuals £12.00 Family Membership £7.50 Pensioners As a result of the increase in the Trust's subscription rate, those members who presently pay their subscription by Bankers Order will be receiving a new standing order form with this issue. I would make a special request to those members to complete and return this form as soon as possible to their bank (not to me►, as this will save me a lot of unnecessary
extra work which the subscription alteration can potentially cause. (Fay Wood, membership secretary)
London Area Social Meetings Social meetings will continue to be held at our new London venue during the early part of 1987. The new premises are The Horse and Groom in Great Portland Street, a little north of Oxford Circus (see the last issue for a more detailed description), and meetings are arranged for the last Tuesday of each month, starting at 8.00pm. Everyone interested in steam is welcome. TUESDAY, 27th JANUARY 1987 — The first of the year's presentations is entitled 'A Steam Miscellany' and will be put on by Bob Todd. TUESDAY, 24th FEBRUARY 1987 — Ken Davey will be present to talk on the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex, one of Britain's oldest and best preserved steam railways with a deserved reputation for authenticity and excellence in the restoration of its numerous artefacts. TUESDAY, 31st MARCH 1987 — We go over the Atlantic at this meeting to learn from speaker Ron Walker something of our American in engine activities friends' preservation etc, at the Rough and Tumble Museum in Pennsylvania. Details of the meeting on 28th April will be included in our Spring issue. (Bob Timmings, 308 Hertford Road, Lower Edmonton, London.)
Future dates Rally Organisers Conference
by kind permission of Eddystone Radio Ltd
MODEL EXHIBITION at Eddystone Works, Alvechurch Road, West Heath Birmingham on
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April 1987 ORGANISED BY THE NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE TRUST
Model railway layouts, scale model vehicles Dioramas and much more Also outside exhibits in twelve inches to the foot scale — traction engines and organs. OPEN SATURDAY 10am to 7pm; SUNDAY 10am to 6pm Free car parking Admission Adults £1.20, children 60p. NTET and SAC members free on production of current membership card.
The Spring 1987 Conference of Rally Organisers and Affiliated Clubs will take place at the Great Western Royal Hotel, Paddington, London on Saturday, 14th February 1987 at 11am. Invitations and formal notices will be sent to regular attenders in the usual way, but newcomers are always welcome to these highly instructive and mutually beneficial gatherings. It is hoped to have a speaker to cover the subject of boiler insurance documentation with particular reference to what Safety Officers should be looking for in paperwork in the course of their duties. Any organisation or individual requiring further details or an invitation should contact Rally Sub-committee chairman, E.A. Fillmore, (address always inside front cover► . 9
Maxwell Hemmens Precision Steam Models Steam Replica Specialists and Manufacturers of the largest range of high quality working Models and bolt together Kits in the world.
Our Models range in price from £100 — £10,000 and can be seen at our Showroom at Thorganby which is situated only six miles South East from York City centre, or send for our fully illustrated colour Catalogue, priced at £1 (or the equivalent in postage stamps) to the following address.
Maxwell Hemmens Precision Steam Models `The Steam Gallery', Thorganby, York, North Yorkshire YO4 6DA Telephone : 0904 89 331
10
Devon's Hidden Treasure Simon Caudwell Devon, a large county, has a vast mileage of small lanes, many leading to places well hidden from passers by on busier roads. Consequently, quite a number of inactive engines exist which are unknown to all but a few enthusiasts. My first excursion with a notebook and camera was to see Jack Gilbert, near Exeter. Jack is a well known collector, active since the beginning of preservation in the 1950s. He moved to Devon early in 1967 from Bushey in Hertfordshire, bringing his engines with him — Burrell Gold Medal tractor SUNRISE 3689 of 1915 (BP5927); Aveling roller 12450 of 1929 (PG 1711) and Wallis Advance 7840 (H06430). There was also his collection of old tractors, and a Rolls Royce 20/25 for weekend transport. Jack told me the history of his engines on a sunny Sunday morning. Although not feeling at all well at the time, following a good session of engine talk he said he felt much better — a proven tonic it seems) The little Burrell came to him first, bought from Robin Greenaway in 1956 after much searching for a suitable engine. Jack recalls going to Boughtons of Amersham and being offered three Fodens; a choice of two tractors at £50 each, or a wagon for £75, but he had his heart set on a tractor. SUNRISE was bought for £65 and as engines were fetching £10 a ton for scrap at the time, Jack's friends asserted he paid far too much for it! After a repaint and a few repairs the engine attended the 1957 Woburn rally and many others afterwards. Always his favourite, he enjoys recounting the tale of a previous owner, who, when in a hurry to get home, was booked by the police for speeding whilst travelling with a
thresher behind at 21mph. This naturally made the local paper; the cutting had been kept as proof and had been shown proudly to Jack by the offending speedist. Jack's next purchase was the Wallis Advance, a six tonner of 1925. He bought it at a car auction in December 1965 and knew little of its past history except that it had, at that time, recently been to Wallis & Steevens for a rebuild as it had all new gearing (seemingly not even bedded in), a new chimney and new heavy gauge boiler tubes. It was also multicoloured, in various shades of red oxide primer, suggesting that it had been bought for preservation but sold unfinished. The roller is still in sound condition and although living out of doors, has been kept well oiled and greased. It is steamed occasionally,
although it never has been rallied. Jack's Aveling & Porter roller is a 6 ton piston valve model, fitted with an Allen scarifier. It has extra wide rolls and actually weighs 91/2 tons, so this may explain its prodigious appetite for fuel and water. The roller worked for Faulkner & Sons in Kent and was then bought by the Spurlings garage chain in the mid 1960s. This company had bought a site near Whipsnade for storing newly built cars, and on which to build workshops. Their foreman was a steam enthusiast and persuaded the firm to buy a machine to roll in all the base stone themselves, thus saving about a year's hiring fees on a commercial machine. When the job was finished the roller was stripped in the workshop for a boiler inspection and was seen by Jack, who, by coincidence, happened to be there in the course of his job as an insurance assessor. He asked about the roller in passing, with no thoughts of buying it (or so he says!) and was told it was for sale for £200 as the firm had no further use for it. Jack went back for a more thorough look the next day, and immediately concluded a deal. Jack Fensom collected the roller and the next Saturday they steamed it around the yard. The following weekend was Redbourn rally just over the hill, so Jack decided to take the roller instead of the Burrell SUNRISE. Boiler insurance was arranged for £1.00 for the year, with no inspection necessary, road insurance was £4.00; how times have changed! Several engines left Jack Fensom's yard in convoy, but the Aveling was hard put to keep up, for it was proving a rather
Aveling 6 ton piston valve roller 12450. (Simon Caudwell) 11
1H.J.E4 LINT ,H„-g:n."(.`:4 TOR ZUAY
Foden 1 1414 of 1924 at work for original owner H.J. Blunt in its early days. (collection R. Parkinson)
The mortal remains of Foden 11414, latterly used as a heating boiler. (Simon Caudwell)
indifferent performer on the road, although it sounded very nice on one steep hill according to onlookers. That was the Aveling's one and only rally appearance, for the preferred Burrell was much easier on the road and low loading was not really considered at that time. Jack moved to Devon in 1967 bringing his trio of engines with him. In 1971 he sold SUNRISE to John Lee, owner of the Sandy Bay steam museum at Exmouth. He then acquired Foden wagon 13316 of 1929 (UU1283), a vehicle more suitable for family outings. But Jack has suffered increasingly from rheumatoid arthritis 12
and the Foden passed to the Horrell brothers of Stoke Canon in recent years and is now rallied regularly in tanker form. At the time Jack bought the Foden he heard of a spare boiler, previously used for soil sterilising at Alphington, and bought it via Richard Parkinson of Crediton. Jack still has this boiler; 11414 (the date 6.3.24 is stamped on the metal). It was originally on a C type 6 ton wagon. Its working life was spent in the Torbay area where it was owned by H.J. Blunt. Hodges of Exeter eventually took it as a trade in and used it for a while before breaking it up and using the boiler as a heating unit in
their works. It was then sold to the nurseries from whom Richard later purchased it. Jack still has his two steam rollers, as well as the Foden boiler and a stationary vertical steam engine. He also owns some motor rollers, tractors and stationary engines. A genuine enthusiast, Jack Gilbert has a fund of fascinating stories and useful knowledge about a wide range of subjects. He has been a source of great help to many starting off in preservation for the first time.
For a further look at more hidden treasures I set out on another Sunday, this time with threatening black clouds in the sky, to view the large collection of Gordon Glover. Gordon has been collecting engines since the early 1960s. In view of their present position, and for obvious reasons, it is not proposed to set down here the exact location of the collection and I have also been asked to point out that none of the engines are for sale under any circumstances; enquirers will be wasting their own time and Mr Glover's. The premises were originally owned by W.H. Balkwill, a local threshing and sawing contractor, and from whom two of the engines in the assembly have been purchased. Mr Balkwill was a great help to many enthusiasts in the early 1960s and many engines were stored and worked on in the meadow. Gordon Glover, after he acquired the land, has gradually added to the collection. In a lean to shed at the end of the field is Burrell 3790 (FJ1609). This engine was ordered new as a 5hp compound showmans road loco in 1917, but then stripped of its show fittings under Ministry orders and sold in 1918 as an agricultural engine to Samuel Sluggett of Exeter. It has three speeds, being fitted with front and rear springing and belly tanks, and was used by Samuel for hauling a cattle wagon in connection with his butchery business. He also tried the threshing business and ran a charabanc service; a man of many talents! Samuel employed a young orphan named Harry Ley, and as he had no sons of his own, gradually handed the business over to him. Harry threshed with the engine until World War 2, when Mr Balkwill bought it for the same purpose. It was last taxed in 1955 and only used from then on for occasional sawing. Gordon acquired it from 'The Boss' in 1981, a couple of years before he died. Nearby is Marshall traction 86265
Burrell 3790, a thwarted showmans engine, in steam in the 1960s. (collection Gordon Glover)
Marshall traction 86265, a late built machine of 1931, in steam in the 1960s. (collection Gordon Glover)
of 1931 (0D177). This 6hp single cylinder engine was new in September 1930 to Sherland of Thorveston, a farmer and contractor who, incidentally, only ceased farming in 1984. The Marshall worked the local rounds until sold in 1952 to Sidmouth Dairies to use as a steam supply, whilst their sterilising boilers were overhauled. The dairy offered it to Mr Balkwill in 1955 and he took the engine just to use for sawing in the yard, it never going out on threshing work. Gordon bought this one in 1977 and keeps it sheeted over as it saw a very short working life and shows few signs of wear. Another Marshall in the collection is presently rather heavily disguised as a portable. This is 34803 and was originally exhibited on Marshall's stand at the December 1900 Smithfield Show, in London. It was bought by Thurlows of Stowmarket for an unknown customer and we pick up its history when it was licensed FX6536 by Francis Hole, a contractor at Winterborne Whitechurch in Dorset. Apparently the 7hp single cylinder engine threshed, in its working days, on what we now know well as the rally site at Stourpaine Bushes. In 1949 it was sold to a scrapman in Blandford and laid up in his yard. Soon after, the Watcombe Estate sawmill portable failed with boiler problems, and they approached the scrap yard for a replacement from the group on hand. The Marshall was deemed to have the best boiler out of the choice and so the tender, axle and wheels were cut off, and a set of portable wheels on a cranked axle bolted to the rear to enable the engine to be positioned in the sawmill. It was used in the mill until 1963, Gordon buying it from the Estate at that time, after hearing of it from Mr Antell (father of all the Antells we keep reading of in these pages). A third Marshall traction is 36093 (TA2530 — not as listed in Traction Engine Register), which was new in October 1901 to the Sleamans of Morwenstow, near Bude in Cornwall. They used it for threshing, the 6hp single cylinder engine's round taking it on both sides of the county border. It then
Used as a portable in its final working years, Marshall 34803 now lacks hind wheels and gearing. (collection Gordon Glover) 13
had various owners in South Devon and was later sold to Haywood, contractors at Lifton. Gordon bought the engine from them in 1961 completely seized and with a very poor tender. He gradually freed all the motion and repainted parts, but it was never steamed. Apparently the firebox has a gas welded patch, and this was sufficient deterrent to ever lighting it up! We now move on to the rollers. Gordon has eleven in all — three Marshalls, a Burrell, a Fowler and six Avelings. Marshall roller 78109 (TT1657) is a 12 ton S-type compound, new to Ilfracombe Urban District Council in October 1924 and fitted with governors. In its life only three people have ever driven this roller, as the council driver Jack Dummett had sole charge of it from 1924 until 1960, when Gordon bought it from the council. Only he and Mr Balkwill ever drove it in preservation. Gordon had it tested and passed, and it was rallied regularly for some seven years until laid up with the rest of the collection. Another Marshall S-type stands nearby, this time single-cylinder 10 tonner 88146 (DCV4). This was new to R. Dingle & Son Ltd in May 1937 and worked all its life in their employ. Gordon purchased it for £250 in 1965. The third Marshall roller is 75476 (AF5727 — again, not as noted in Traction Engine Register), new in 1922 and sold to the Devon & Cornwall Steam Rolling Co based at Landrake, near St Germans in Cornwall. Apparently this company was bought by Dingles in 1938 and the sale included the plant and this roller in particular. It worked on for many years before being sold to Nat Clifford, then resold to a Mr Ellis who attempted a little restoration and alteration before giving up and selling back to Mr Clifford. Later, somewhat robbed and derelict, the 10 ton single cylinder roller passed into Gordon's hands in 1973. The sole Burrell roller in the set is 3987 (AF9294), a class A 10 tonner, and sister engine to Sam Payne's well known and immaculate 3986 (AF9293). 3987 was new to Dingles in 1924 and worked for them until 1966 when Nat Clifford bought it. Gordon purchased the roller in 1972/3 in pieces and somewhat robbed. Fowlers have only one representative in Gordon's collection, and that is roller 18660 (YD1484). This is a 10 ton single cylinder DNB type new to W.J. King of Bishops Lydeard in January 1931. Kings ran a large fleet of steam vehicles in connection with 14
Another Marshall traction in Gordon's collection is 36093, dating from 1901. (collection Gordon Glover)
their quarrying interests and quite a number of their engines have survived — some in preservation in private ownership and a quantity still in store. This Fowler was bought by Albert Curwood in the late 1960s and sold to Richard Parkinson in the early 1970s. Gordon acquired it in 1974, the engine missing only a few parts, Continuing the theme of a local history which runs through the entire collection, the first of the Aveling & Porter rollers is 6905 (YA832). This single cylinder R10 type was supplied
new to Somerset County Council in September 1909. It worked in the Dulverton area and on some of the steepest gradients on Exmoor. It has permanently fixed tow anchor points on the headstock where it used to work with another roller (registration YA834), fitted with a winch drum. These two Avelings worked as a pair on steep road works until 1962 when the second engine was scrapped. Gordon bought YA832 from the council in 1963, and it was a well worn machine, having led a very hard
Vintage vehicles. Marshall 10 ton roller 78109 poses with a now venerable Bedford pick up as Gordon lights up ready for a days work. (collection Gordon Glover)
working life. The second Aveling & Porter is 8487 (TA1463) new in April 1915 to Devon County Council. This 12 ton roller worked in the Crediton area and was sold by tender in 1967, the successful purchaser being Norman Buncombe. He had several buyers lined up for various bits of the engine and intended to break it for spares. Gordon particularly wanted this roller as he had seen it regularly in his youth, so he contacted Norman with an offer. To persuade him to sell he had to trace enough spares from other sources to fulfil Norman's promises to prospective customers and pay him for the roller as well. This took some time, but he achieved his aim in the end and got the roller home later in 1967. The next big purchase was three Avelings, bought all at the same time, from a batch of nine put up for tender by Devon County Council in 1969. The first is 6889 (TA3522) which is a 10 ton compound roller, new in September 1909 to Barnstaple RDC. It passed to Devon County Council in 1921 and worked mainly in the Okehampton area together with the second engine, 9402 (TA2440). This is a 12 ton compound engine, one of the last slide valved engines before Avelings took an excursion into piston valved machines, and supplied new in 1921 to Devon County Council. Gordon drove both these rollers away on purchasing them, and both were in good working order. The last roller of the trio is 12089 (U06509), a 10 ton compound engine, unusually, for its date, possessing slide valves. This was new in 1928 to Tavistock RDC, and passed to Devon County Council in 1947, working these latter years in the Holsworthy area. It stood in a layby for some time before being sold, and was robbed and vandalised, so when Gordon bought this one he had to transport it home. The last Aveling to be acquired was HIGHWAYMAN, a 10 ton E type 10187 (FX8131), an engine well known to enthusiasts due to its extensive rally appearances between 1958 and 1978. It was new to Eddisons of Dorchester in 1921, working out of their Kingsteignton, Devon depot. The roller is a single cylinder piston valve engine, and was the first piston valve example in Eddison's fleet (by fleet number, although not by date) and was sold for preservation in 1958 to Leath and Pearce from a layby in north Cornwall. Over the years quite a lot of work was done on the mechanical side with the motion being repinned and some rebushing undertaken, but unfortunately boiler troubles caught up with
Aveling 10 tonner 6905 on its journey to the meadow after purchase from Devon County Council. It was a crisp winter's day and the rear sheet was welcome protection against a biting easterly Exmoor wind. (collection Gordon Glover)
the roller in 1978. Gordon purchased it in a dismantled state in 1980 when, apparently, it was about to be broken up for spares. The last steam item is a vast steam crane weighing some 25 tons. It stands on a short run of railway track just inside the field. This is Clyde Crane & Booth Machine Works number C1261/7, rated at 5 tons
lifting capacity at 16ft radius. It was ordered by the War Office in 1944 to be sent abroad for the war effort, but as it was finished in 1945, too late for its intended task, it was allocated to Avonmouth Dockyard and set to run on standard gauge track. The ownership was transferred to British Rail in 1948 and it continued working in the same place until the 1950s. Some
Another ex-Devon County Council roller — Aveling 8487 — in a layby at Veo Bridge on the Crediton to Winkleigh road. (collection Gordon Glover) 15
Aveling 6889 of 1909 at work on widening the A30 Exeter-Okehampton road near Sticklepath in 1967. (collection Gordon Glover)
machinery dealers and timber merchants called Foster from Westonsuper-Mare then bought the crane and moved it to Yeoford when they bought the sawmill there. To illustrate the steam crane's capability it is worth mentioning the occasion when a large elm butt from the Beaulieu estate, calculated from the Hoppus measure to weigh 28 tons, was brought down on an eight wheeler in one piece. They tried to lift the butt in one go and the cables started to groan but the crane did lift one end at a time without too much fuss — rather more than its rated five tons! It ran on steam until 1976 when the boiler was condemned and the mill converted it to diesel, installing a Ruston 3-cylinder engine, with their own engineers doing the work. It still has this diesel in place, but Gordon hopes to find a suitable steam replacement one day. This collection is almost too big to take in during one visit, but Gordon's memory for the numbers and historical details of his engines cannot fail to impress. Some enthusiasts may question their storage in unrestored condition but in fairness he has undoubtedly saved most of them from the scrap heap. His ultimate aim is to set up a museum trust in memory of his family. Since writing this article, Gordon informs me that the three other surviving Glover contracting firms are all interested in working with him to establish a Glover family museum trust, with premises in north west Devon, this being as near as possible the centre of the original family contracting area. In their heyday there were fourteen Glover firms, trading in all forms of engineering and contracting. For example, Glover Uglow Ltd were proud to be the largest haulage contractors in Cornwall and north west Devon for over forty years, until the building up of the English China Clays road haulage fleet. W.G. Glover, later Glover & Webb, held a Royal warrant for building State carriages and coaches for eight reigning monarchs, but that is another story. I would like to record my grateful thanks to both Jack Gilbert and Gordon Glover for their kind co-operation which allowed me to prepare this article. I trust that members will respect the fact that both owners have no wish to dispose of their engines even though they do not rally them. 16
The January 1962 magazine was another special issue this time on Traction Engines. The 3s 6d 117 1/2 p) price of the 44 page edition was the same as the previous two year's examples — normal issues were 1s 6d 17 1/2 p1. An attendance of 134 at the AGM represented 10% of the membership. If that proportion seems huge by today's standards it must be remembered that the Club in those days stood much more alone, but the meeting heard of future trends; there were 'an increasing number of local clubs'. The list of Officers and Committee makes interesting reading and of the score mentioned, half a
dozen serve to this day and another half dozen are still very active with engines etc. Happily only a handful are no longer with us. The Annual Dinner organised by Alan Martin and Charles Durrant was attended by 228. Engines were still being 'discovered' — notably Ransomes, Head & Jefferies 5137 of 1882, and others, in Eire — but an article on what constituted preserved or restored engines touched on conversion of sprung engines to showmans engines. This was 'wholly to be deplored'. Another news item revealed that George Pettigrove hoped to start work on restoring Foster showmans 14501 VICTORIOUS, put aside since 1945. Well, it didn't happen and the engine only graced the rally field for the first time last year, but we all have good intentions and plenty of other engines also await their return to steam, An advertiser from Hampshire was asking for a 'traction engine in working order, in the region of £100'.
'County Council v. Boiler. — Owing to the refusal by the County authorities to allow a large navy boiler made by Messrs Danks, of Oldbury, to pass over a bridge on the road a few miles from Warwick, the wheels have sunk into the road to the level of the axles, and the men in charge have taken up their abode inside the boiler until it can be removed, which will be a matter of no small difficulty. The unusual sight is attracting many visitors.' (From The World's Carriers, September 1905.)
'A Notts County Council report states that the Council has six steam rollers and one petrol roller. In addition four steam rollers are hired at a daily cost of £2.6s.Od [£2.30p1. The cost of the Council's rollers last year was £1.1s.Od [£1.05] a day, or £200 per annum less than those on hire. In these circumstances it has been deemed advisable to authorise the purchase of an additional 10ton single cylinder roller at a cost of £767.' (From Roads and Roads Construction, June 1924).
OUR MAGAZINE 25 YEARS AGO
LOOK IN THE MIRROR It is a commonly held belief by people who don't like dogs, that those who do, tend to resemble the dogs they own. The thought crossed my mind that the same could be true of engine owners and their engines. After all a Fowler ploughing engine driver is invariably big, black and covered in mud — just like the engine! No one ever gets to hold a conversation with a ploughing engine driver, for they always have their back to you and are in a trance-like state, gazing at the far horizon with a 'I can see something that you can't' expression on their face. Conversation is further hampered by the fact that they tend to speak a different language to the rest of us and come from foreign countries like Cornwall. Watch the connecting rods of an Aveling & Porter tractor and they look just like the legs of a man climbing a ladder. They tend to pop and spit which makes everyone laugh. The crowd like laughing and so for an encore they jump up in the air which makes everyone fall about. All this fun makes some owners very famous, and when they get a bit too famous they start climbing ladders to get away from the wife or the press, or both. Sentinels are always spotlessly clean, mysterious and quiet, just like their owners. Nobody really knows how a Sentinel works, except a Sentinel owner — and they tend to keep it that way. Fodens on the other hand are very fast and economical and are always owned by businessmen. A Foden will go for miles and miles and miles on one shovelful of someone else's coal, as will the owner on an expense account lunch. That makes them even more economical. Aveling & Porter steam roller
owners are the backbone of society. They are solid, slow, heavy and dependable, if a little heavy on the front end, owing to drinking too much beer. This is known as 'front roller/ beer gut'. They are usually very domesticated, so much so that they always sell their steam rollers at the age of twenty-one due to an outside force called women. For this reason there is no such thing as a middle aged owner of an Aveling roller. Wallis Advance rollers by contrast are not slow or solid or even dependable. They can change direction instantly which can be highly disconcerting to the motorist behind, and even lethal with a driver who tends to change his mind like the weather. It is said that Arthur Wallis had a hankering for space rocket technology, and anyone at Stourpaine each year will have witnessed a display by one owner that proved he would have been very good at it! Burell tractors are real 'All Gas and Gaiters' machines, full of wind and wisdom. Occasionally they are owned by Bishops. Owners of Fowler traction engines consider themselves superior to everyone else and set themselves up as the 'wise owls' of the movement. To prove the point they go in for Latin inscriptions, of which a literal translation is 'for Reggy and Leggy', whoever they are. If you have really arrived, then, of course you own a Burrell showmen's engine. They tend to dominate the proceedings, just as you do. Quiet authority is the thing here. It is even more impressive if you have got more than one, and drive a second hand Rolls Royce to hide the existence of a double mortgage. Years ago this would attract scores of admiring fans,
'Pleasure in Ordering a Second. Mr Saml. Ledgard, Nelson Hotel, Armley, Leeds, to Mann's:— I have pleasure in informing you that the fiveton steam wagon I purchased from you some time ago has answered my purpose admirably, as it is most reliable, and does my work much cheaper than horses, and leaves me quite independent of the Railway Co. Your machine is powerful enough to haul a trailer in addition to its platform load, upon hilly roads, and has done
journeys of over sixty miles a day, and I consider it very economical in the use of fuel. It therefore gives me much pleasure to order a second machine.' (from The Commercial Motor, 16th February 1911. An article on Samuel Ledgard's fleet of steam wagons appeared in our Summer 1984 issue; if we assume there was a time lag before Ledgard's letter was published in 1911, these notes identify the wagons as Mann's 544 of 1909 and 576 of 1910 respectively.)
Chris Edmonds
and one or two men. All that sort of thing is old hat. Nobody is impressed with coloured lights and gold watch chains anymore. The engine of the eighties is undoubtedly the Burrell or Fowler road locomotive. Owners of these engines are the real show stoppers, just like the engines. They are invariably young, good looking, debonair, well educated, upper class and wealthy, successful yobbos. They manage their own businesses or hold executive nationalised the in positions industries. They like fast cars and even faster women. Sometimes they hold positions in local government, and on a couple of occasions have been known to become Mayor of shire county towns that nobody has ever heard of. They are besotted by the aristocracy, and name their engines after British Lords, Dukes and football teams. So I was right, after all — just look in the mirror and see!
17
Percy Grundy of KETTERING Steam cultivating and dredging contractor Percy Grundy would have been about forty when he took over Charles Wicksteed's ploughing engines around the turn of the century. Wicksteed, after an apprenticeship at Kitson & Hewitson's works at Leeds in the mid 1860s, had purchased a set of single cylinder Fowler engines (numbers 948 and 955) for £1250 in 1868 at the age of 21, and set himself up in business in the Swaffham area of Norfolk. A second, double cylindered, set 11269 and 1270) followed quickly but in July 1871 Wicksteed moved his operations to Northamptonshire, settling in Kettering. There in 1876 he built a works for the repair of his engines and for general outside engineering work. Percy Grundy, starting as a clerk, became the steam plough manager. Then when the Wicksteed tube expander had become such a success with its export to railways all over the world, and when the inventor had no wish to mix that business and the enlarged workshop with steam engines under repair, Grundy took over the ploughing business. A devout Wesleyan, non-drinker and non-smoker, Percy was rather thick-set with a whispy moustache and had married, they said, above himself. There were no children. His speech was apt to be affected, or 'posh', and there would often be a thoughtful pause between sentences, with a not always silent breathe-in which led to the nickname 'Sniffer'. When he first had the engines it took Grundy long to find a suitable place to keep them out of season, but eventually he moved to the Glendon Engine Works on the northern edge of Kettering, clearly visible from the Midland Railway main line to the north, across the other side of the valley. The Glendon works had been built in the 1880s by Richard Booth, residing some three or four miles out of town at Glendon Hall (hence the name of the works), and had been previously occupied by various firms 18
Esmond Kimbell
engaged in engineering and the construction of steam mortar mills and the like. The old singles were replaced in 1907 by a new set of Fowler B4 engines, numbered 10950 and 10951, known to the men as the 'Fourteen Horse Compounds'. In 1910 the doubles likewise gave way to the 'Oxfords' — Oxford Steam Plough Co rebuilds of Fowler singles with higher pressures and cast-iron flared chimneys. Their regulators were monkeytail pull-ups and they also had open link-rods, unusual on a fourshaft, which all ploughing engines were except for chain driven ones. This feature meant that the long reversing lever pushed the links up for forward. The old Fowler back-hand steering, which you turned left to go right, had not been discarded, and cylinders were on the near side. The engines were Oxford's numbers 57 and 58. The foremen on the sets were large Tommy Evans on the compounds — also a chapel man, and non swearing, although sometimes a 'snob it' would come out — and the tiny vituperous 'Nip' Cunningham, who swore much, often prefixing the word with 'donkey ' or, when very annoyed 'elephant ' Early in 1918 the first set of 'big-uns' came which Tommy took over, and later that year a second set for Nip, which were higher geared on the rope drums. These AA7 class engines were, respectively, 15244/ 15245 and 15254/15255. Tommy just fitted these mighty engines; he seemed part of them. He never left his left hand engine from early morning until dark. Sometimes he'd signal a stop, with the implement his end, for its man to go along his running board to oil the links. He was always driven out by car to his set on Monday
mornings and fetched back on Saturdays. Others biked, although 'Darner' Wilson, the new foreman of the Oxfords, had a motor bike. Nip — now on the second set of AA engines — would dance around the steering and levers with eyes everywere. And he was frequently nagging. The man on the drag would get it, and so would the other driver if he opened-out much — by whistles so the shoot of steam could be seen, and an arm-wave, for these over-highly geared engines (on the rope drum) had to be handled gently. When Nip left a field it would often be 'the worst I've ever done'. Up front on the road, he was very much in command, fierce of countenance and straight as a ramrod. Cheerful and tubby 'Tark' Tomkins, who had long been with the B4 compounds, in 1918 became foreman of them and these engines were now the 'little compounds' to distinguish them from the larger AAs. They could spin round fast as a steam wagon on second-time-over when cultivating, and they reckoned you could hear the vertical shaft bevel grinding out the words 'money-for-Grundy, money-forGrundy', as fast as you could say it. Unlike the foreman of the big 'uns, Tark was not one to stay on his engine all day, and if he had good drivers, would be on the implement, or sometimes 'aiding the cook-boy in the van' as it was put. He knew the job through and through. His men liked him, but he could be abusive to a driver who did not go fast enough (the idea was that spinning-over soil on either side would disguise work which had not been done, and so add to their acreage bonus!). In the winters Tark would go off 'keepering' to a large Bedfordshire estate, and when he left Grundys in the late thirties became its head keeper — then poachers had to beware! Billy Veal, the driver of the left hand Oxford spent the winters tubing boilers, and very good he became at it.
Tommy Evans, with mighty hands and a great weight behind them, became striker in the blacksmith's shop; good as a steam hammer, he was! Albert Jaques, a Wicksteed fitter, taught Nip how to plane scored slide valves, scrape the faces smooth and time the valve movement properly by measure afterwards. Darner Wilson quickly picked up machine tooling and case hardening and could get motions to run like a clock, particularly on his own set! Several other drivers would also be kept on, repairing and painting vans and helping generally. Percy Grundy saw no economy in neglecting repairs. When at work his sets had to do their utmost... and no messing. When the sun was shining and orders were coming in was not the time to have breakdowns. Darner Wilson, also plump, had a prominent gold tooth which they said you could see through drifting-down smoke as you neared his Oxford right hand engine with the implement, when he would be leaning on the pulled-back lever. But, like Tark, he would as often be on the cultivator, and always on the plough, when furrows were as straight as a ruler. Darner would spend much time training a young man if he showed aptitude, he'd stand behind and show him how to use his hands and to swing his body around for the steering wheel
(which would only be occasionally when moving on from a pull) and with either hand for the regulator, according to whether levering-in the rope gear or the road-wheel gear. And, of course, keeping steam, with the injector on after a pull, and firing, with sometimes mucking out (clinkering) before a fire got too thick. Even the cook boy would be encouraged to have a go. The best of these was young 'Wrecker' Hawes ('wreck anything he would!' they said, though it turned out he'd always been Wrecker, a school-day version of Hector). Wrecker eventually worked his way up to foreman of the Oxfords, until he was about thirty, when he left the firm. He got to know the job thoroughly and could splice a rope and adjust coiling gear as well as any. Darner, unlike many steam ploughmen, had not escaped enlistment in World War 1, and it was Nip, they said, who had got him released from the trenches (they were married to
sisters). Of course, Percy Grundy himself, with his close Ministry of Agriculture connections may have been of some assistance too! The Oxfords' regular driver was elderly Billy Veal (or 'Pogs'). Although with an impediment in his speech and deemed simple, he was as good a driver as Grundy had, though less suitable as foreman. He had come off the doubles when the Oxford rebuilds came. In 1920 Pogs drove his left hand engine to Oxford for another conversion, and at the beginning of the next season drove it back, when it had still higher pressure, a piston valve, balanced crank, the top-change for the vertical shaft replaced by the later style clutch, and a short BB-type reversing lever. Now it was an economic and strong engine suitable for up-hill pulls or a well stuck-in mole drainer. But if you primed her it would score the piston valve, so Pogs rarely left the engine, and, like Tommy Evans, had his meals aboard. The
Percy Grundy's No2 set at Addington, near Kettering in 1927; Oxford Steam Plough Co rebuilds from Fowler singles in 1910. The left hand engine, the twice rebuilt No74, is on the left with Billy Veal on the footplate and standing by the rope drum is 'Stump, the cook and the drag or plough man. On the rear wheel of No58, the right hand engine, is 'Wrecker' Hawes, with a now unknown dragman and 'Young' Love, the spare driver (seated) by the toolbox. (collection Esmond Kimbell)
19
Another photograph of Grundy's No2 set — the right hand Oxford Steam Plough rebuild No58. 'Wrecker' Hawes is on the footplate with Arthur Wood, dragman, and Buck Carpenter standing by the wheel; the man on the implement is not known. The date would be 1931. Hawes spent most of his time with Grundys on the No2 set, starting as cook boy in 1918 and very early on driving the right hand engine, such that he was too fond of it to go onto the left hand one when it received its piston valve and he was made foreman (the foreman usually had the left hand engine). No58, not being as strong as its piston valved pair, was not much used after dredging became the biggest part of Grundy's business and after the sale in April 1942, it spent some years providing steam at Johnson's greenhouses at Kettering, surviving in abandoned form almost into preservation days. (collection Alan Martin)
piston rod came through the end (a chimney poker!) and so with equal steam on either side of the piston her chuffs, or rather 'block-block-blocks' were even, and quieter than the other's less equal exhaust. And you had to reign her well up (lever nearer the centre), which you could properly do with a piston valve. On rebuilding the engine became Oxford's number 74. Early in 1925 Darner and Billy Veal were to be seen driving Capt Drummond's engines away from their Pitsford home, near Northampton, en route to The Glendon Engine Works. Percy Grundy had taken them over. They were Fowler B4 class 12244/ 12245, new to Charles Pickering, Pitsford in 1911. They had come with superheaters and because of this their chimneys were not set back in the usual way but were at the front ends of the smokeboxes. Pickering's men had taken the superheaters out for as they said "when you shut the regulator they'd not always properly stop". There were two speeds on the rope gears, though the top was rarely used except when on second-timeover, and even than the going had to 20
be good. "Them o' Drummonds whiz round in their low gear as fast as the little compounds" Grundy's men would say. But they did not like them so well. Later in 1925 Grundy bought a set of BB engines from Lincolnshire. These, Fowler 15192/15193, had McLaren chimney tops, which were soon replaced by the familiar Fowler brass ones. The pair were fetched from Kesteven by Wrecker Hawes and the Horn brothers, Arthur, Joe and Perce. Darner took on this set, designated No 6, leaving Billy Veal and Wrecker Hawes on the Oxfords. Later on came No 7 set, exWhitehead of Dean in Huntingdonshire, also with two speeds on the rope drum. These, 14381/14382, had been almost the last of the BB class before the BB1. The foreman, with them since nearly new, was Samuel Bosworth, and he came along too. 'Bozzy', as he inevitably became known, did little driving in the field but always kept his eye on things — "Have you oiled this? Have you oiled that? That high pressure end could do with a tap down — not too much, mind you!" Not always usual
among steam ploughmen, Bozzy could also manage a set of threshing tackle, which he did for John Rivett of Woodford in the winters. (It was Bozzy's sisters who were married to Darner and Nipl. Some mention now of the large village of Woodford. Here it was said an 'ol boy' (Northamptonshire for a youngster) could sit beside any man and learn about an engine, and it was where, in a pub on a Saturday night, "They's scuffle your guts out." At Woodford John Rivett had had an early apprenticeship with Frost's two threshing sets, an 8hp spring-wheeled McLaren and an 8hp three-shaft Marshall. Then he had a time nearby with Tew's single ploughing engines and an early compound Fowler threshing engine (which went to Mallards at Brixworth in 1910). Rivett eventually set up on his nwn in Wnnrifnrri in 1:110 with an 8hp single Fowler (10394, a class B5, with 66 boiler and large flywheel). This, new in September 1906, Fowlers had taken-in and resold to Rivett. He was deemed, to quote, 'the perfect engine man, always punctual, neat and clean both with himself and tackle'. The threshing machine was a Ransomes; the elevator a Cooks; and chaffcutter an Innes. He soon had a second set, a Wallis & Steevens 6hp, also with a Ransomes drum, and was then in serious competition with his old firm of Frost. The Wallis was replaced by 8hp Marshall single 70316 in 1922 and driven by his long trained nephew Billy Nutt. At nearby Twywell and at Thrapston were single and double ploughing engines mostly manned by Woodford men, and extensive metre gauge and 3 foot gauge ironstone tramways not far off, employing more local men on their numerous locomotives. Another Woodfordlte was Leonard Rudkin, foreman of John Jellis's Fowler AA6 ploughing engines 13794/13795 sometimes with Billy Nutt's younger brother as driver. Grundy's regular Woodford men were Sam Bosworth, Nip Cunningham, Darner Wilson and Wrecker Hawes, with half a dozen others from time to time. When there was a shortage of drivers, Nip would say "I know where there's plenty of good drivers!" "Where?" "Six foot down in Woodford Churchyard!" Ex cookboy Wrecker (now 84), says Grundy at Kettering was lucky in being able to get so many men who knew their jobs, from not far off Woodford. He also maintains Grundy made two business mistakes: one in having Nip's set so high geared on the rope drum — "You often had to take end-tines off the cultivator, so there was little extra capacity there; or coal and water
saving either" — and the other altering the left hand Oxford to piston valve and still higher pressure when he could have bought a complete set of compounds a year or two later for less than he spent on that! But Grundy undoubtedly had foresight with dredging. With steam ploughing towards its end in the early 1930s, Stewarts & Lloyds needed his engines for the massive developments for the new Corby steelworks. Three and four sets could be seen dredging and enlarging Blatherwycke Lake ready for supplying water for cooling the furnaces in pump-through large diameter piping, and after this the lake at Deene, which meant continuous work for several years. Then similar contracts were undertaken in Ireland, Norfolk, and at Petersfield, Hampshire and Doncaster, right up to the time of Grundy's death in 1940. A further pair of Fowlers had been acquired in 1934 — BKS class 13954/13955 had come from Coopers at Old Weston in
Huntingdonshire. The Lloyd family from Pipewell continued the business until the early 1950s, adding BB1 engines 15408/15409 from B. Wright of Whaplode, Lincolnshire to fill the gaps as the older sets were scrapped.
Reverting to the 1920s, it was seldom mentioned that the sets you saw were Grundy's. It was "Them'll be Darner's, coming our of Kettering," or "Billy Veal's Oxfords were rattling through Burton Latimer". Smoke on the skyline around the Northamptonshire-Bedfordshire border could be "Tark's engines doing a bit o' fallow". Anywhere between Kettering and Deene would be "Tommy's Country" and by Thrapston and Oundle was Nip's. Also then was a Clayton steam wagon with which Tark's driver, 'Lincoln Bill' (William Greaves) did county-wide hauling in the 1926 railway strike, and a Ruston steam tractor, which would sometimes stay with a left-behind plough so as to bring this up when wanted. (The plough was less often used, mostly it was the
cultivator or mole drainer). Darner Wilson was the leading man with dredging, knowing best how to place the engines around a site (often a spare one stood by for breakdowns), and all about snatchblocks and their hitching for the differing angles of pull. Hours of work meant nothing to him and he could encourage most of the others too. But when they were slack he'd send a man back to Kettering, where Percy Grundy would say "I'm afraid-ah very much afraid-ah we have nothing else here at the moment for you." Darner was sometimes thought the result of a misfeasance, the wronged father being a Woodford man of humble origin. Wilson was indeed unlike working men of the period, having a noble carriage, arrogance,
Fowler class BB ploughing engine 14383 of 1916 passes through the village of Barton Seagrove, near Kettering, during the summer of 1983. Ploughing engines would have been no strangers to this road at the beginning and end of seasons sixty years ago, for Percy Grundy worked his ploughing and dredging business from Kettering and one of his later yards was only half a mile from the scene of the picture. Though this Fowler was never owned by Grundy, he did acquire the immediately previous pair, 14381/14382, which became his No7 set. (Bob Payne)
21
surity — and gallantry, for he loved the ladies too, with reputed conquests far and wide. Or so they said in the van and depot. One who could so translate 'Le droit a le signeur' to 'The right of a steam ploughman' must surely have sprung from gentle stock with lineage way back to cavalier times! (country lore). But this and some of the emulations it encouraged could well have been reaction from Percy Grundy's religious atmosphere which, from Charles Wicksteed times, was with office and works staff. No smoking; no drinking; no swearing — the first of which even Grundy obeyed, though only partially the second 'as long as somebody else paid for it'. And, as has been said, Nip was a heavy swearer. Of the men, Tommy Evans was the first to go, in 1930, aged 60 — a heart attack in the depot. Then Percy himself ten years later, leaving a large amount to his chapel but something also for Nip and Darner. Nip was next, quite suddenly, just after going to bed; then Darner in 1951, also of a sudden heart attack and aged 60. Bozzy went naturally of old age in the mid 1950s, and older still Billy Veal at his Kettering home soon after. 'Wrecker' Hawes, as mentioned earlier, is still living in Woodford, and good for a drink and a reminisce. Only two of the sets of engines remain. BBs 14381/14382, ex White-
The Robey Trust — a progress report Progress can be reported on the restoration of the Trust's first acquisition, Robey tandem roller 42693 of 1925 (FE7490), a refugee from the children's playground at Tavistock, Devon. The boiler has been ultrasonically tested at Robey's of Lincoln and currently they and an insurance company are deliberating on the thinning of the firebox in the area where the 'thimble' shape was pressed to a flat to form the rear tubeplate, and, in so doing, caused localised thinning of the metal by stretching. The amount of wastage caused by corrosion and use from 1925 to 1960 and its subsequent twenty years in the playground is considered to be negligible. The cylinder block is being rebored as an employee training exercise in one of H.M. Dockyards and this includes the fitting of a new iron liner, cast by students of the Plymouth College of St Mark and St John, with the help and generosity of Irons Bros 22
heads are now owned in preservation by John Mayes in Staffordshire, and Nip's AA7s 15254/ 15255 were exported to Lourenco Marques in East Africa and taken far inland, where they presumably remain. They would be fairly rust-free in that tropical climate, but due to the lack of Woodford men and the coming of the crawlers, unused. Little here has been said of Percy Grundy himself, but that's how he would have liked it — God fearing; kindly; well practised in the art of delegation; and very astute in business!
'A Narrow Escape — On Saturday afternoon [12th August 1882], about 2 o'clock, two traction engines were passing along Hall-lane, Kettering, on their way to the farm of Mr Dearlove, at Barton Seagrave, when as they were going at a somewhat rapid pace down the incline, a piston rod belonging to the hindermost of the two suddenly snapped, and the engine, becoming unmanageable, rushed into the one which preceded it on the road. The fOrce of the collision was such as to break off one of the front wheels of the assaulting machine, and to cause the other such injuries as rendered it necessary to leave both engines in a field near the
foundry at Wadebridge. In order to complete the project, lubricators for connecting rods and eccentrics have to be made, and a boiler feed pump is needed. Other Robey engines owned by the Trust are all stationary engines of various sorts, although the chairman David Davies has recently acquired Robey traction engine 33348 of 1914 (Z200) from Stradbally, Eire. This was transported back through the kindness and assistance of Robert Coles of Shaftesbury and made its first appearance in public in England since 1914 at last year's Stourpaine event. Fortunately the boiler certificate had a couple of months to run and since arrival the engine has also appeared in steam at the Launceston Steam Railway, where most of the Trust's collection is housed. The group is now about 60 strong and welcomes enquiries from anyone who would like to become involved with their work. The Trust exists to locate and record land sometimes to preserve) items of Robey manufacture from the first century of the firm's
scene of the accident until the necessary repairs could be effected. The men driving the two engines seeing that a collision was inevitable, shut off steam and thus to some extent lessened its force. The men themselves narrowly escaped injury by jumping from the engines before they came into contact with one another.' (From the Wellingborough & Kettering News, 19th August 1882. We might suppose from the fact that twn engines were following one another that they were ploughing engines, although there is no mention of the implements etc that they would quite likely have had in tow. The engines could well have been one of the pairs belonging to Charles Wicksteed.)
'Driving on the Footpath, Hardwick Road. The Surveyor reported that a Traction engine belonging to Mr Grundy of Kettering had been driven on this path and damaged it to the extent of 5/- (25p). The Committee recommended that Mr Grundy be prosecuted unless he pay the 5/-' (from the minutes of the Highways, Lighting and Water Committee of the Wellingborough Urban District Council, dated 27th October 1904, courtesy Northamptonshire Record Office.)
existence. The six engines so fa: in safe keeping range in date from 1905 to 1947. (David A. Davies, 9 Churchill Road, Whit well, Tavistock, Devon PL 19 9BU — tel 0822 5960).
Firefly THE ONLY STEAM POWERED NARROWBOAT for SELF DRIVE HIRE for details contact K.E. JONES, 12 Charles Street, Market Harborough, Leics. telephone 0858 63561
Sentinel Homecoming To celebrate their 25 years of rallies, it was a pleasant and appropriate idea for the County of Salop club to stage an assembly of Sentinels at the former works at Shrewsbury, followed by a 20 mile run to Bishops Castle rallyfield. Thus it was at the August bank holiday that fourteen Sentinel steamers, a handful of diesel lorries and one railway locomotive gathered, with the splendid cooperation of Perkins Engines Ltd who now own the works, to provide evocative sight of Shrewsbury products again leaving their place of birth. The event created great local interest, with a four figure crowd eagerly assembled around the Whitchurch Road works gates to watch each wagon make its theatrical appearance under the archway, still with the Sentinel trademark overhead, and pause awhile for photography. From comment and conversation overheard whilst mingling with the crowd it was obvious many former employees of the factory had turned out; no doubt the older ones could truly claim to be seeing their work of yesteryear. It was an hour of heavy nostalgia, for even the adjacent houses originally formed the Sentinel company's housing estate. Our pictures, by Roger West, show (above) Sentinels disappearing into the distance in their line up at the rally, and (right) S4 model 8884 at the moment many owners and crews considered the highlight of the weekend — emerging from the works under the Ever Watchful mascot.
The Spirit of '86
words and pictures by - Bab Payne
Many people traversed the North Yorkshire switchback road from Masham to Ellershaw Farm, Grewelthorpe on 14th June for Gerry Proctor's sale — some to attract the auctioneer's eye, others to view Fowler B6 road locomotive 12226 for the first time. This interesting engine was delivered new to Spurr Inman's boiler works at Wakefield in 1911 and is fitted with wood block faced rear wheels and a lowering canopy to permit passage under low bridges. Also under the hammer, as seen in the photograph, was Burrell 6hp road loco 3395, new to Hancock's brickworks at Exeter in 1912.
Ruston engines to me always look well engineered and pleasing to the eye. fo see this engine at the Cromford Rally, Derbyshire, just out after major overhaul, was one of the highlights of the year. Number 115100 left Ruston & Hornsby's works in 1922, a 7hp class SH engine.
There are many engines which were competently restored many years ago and which now, with nicely mellowed paint and well polished brass, still look the part. This Burrell Gold Medal tractor, 3545 of 1914, is one such example. Usually the engine travels to local events under its own steam, and is seen here at the Rushmoor rally, near Aldershot.
Saturday the 25th of August provided us with the fine sight of several Sentinel wagons steaming along the A488 from a gathering at the Sentinel Works at Shrewsbury to the rally at Bishops Castle, a special event to commemorate the County of Salop club's 25th anniversary. Here we see prize-winning S4 9075 of 1934 digging into the lengthy climb through the wooded hills near Hope, en route to the rally field.
Skating by Steamlight We thank member David Nourse of Toft, Cambridge for sending these pictures, taken in 1895 at Lingay Fen at Grantchester, two or three miles south of Cambridge. The driver of the engine is his grandfather, Charles Pumfrey and the engine, owned by J. Crampton of Sawston (a village a few miles to the south), was one built by Holmes & Sons of Castle Hill Works, Norwich. The single cylinder three shaft machine is driving two electric generators — notice the two separate belts from the engine's flywheel, one over the other. The generators, provided by Baily & Grundy of Paddington, London land of Cambridge), are providing power for electric lighting and presumably this was part of the attraction of several quickly arranged sporting and social occasions. Although local newspapers of the time shed no light (excuse the pun) on our pictures, which also appeared in Steam Preservation many years ago, they do set the scene for a series of events that obviously gripped the Cambridge area in the early weeks of 1895. Skating on the frozen over flood waters of the Fens was a popular pastime in Victorian times, but of course compared with today's highly organised sporting functions, the location of any competitions had to be speedily arranged whilst conditions were at their best — which could be all too briefly. Thus, an inspection of their grounds by the committee of the Little26
port Skating Club (north of Ely) on Monday 7th January found the ice in good condition, and the public were admitted immediately; a paid admission of 2700 gentlemen and 1100 ladies was recorded on the Wednesday. Over the next few days the Great Eastern Railway ran special trains and offered cheap fares to various stations away from Cambridge. But by the weekend a thaw had set in and all was cancelled. Even so, several Challenge Cups lone worth £50) had been competed for by skaters from as far afield as Kettering, Leicester and London. None of this was advertised in the newspaper, so everyone must have got to know by word-of-mouth or by post, and everyone from any distance would have travelled by train; all this, remember, in a time of adverse weather! At the end of the month the temperatures fell again, with 15° or 20° of frost every night from the 25th. Electric light was provided at Mr Bartholomew's field at Newnham, though whether by courtesy of a traction engine the press reports reveal not. Skaters had not had such splendid fields of ice for years and there were hundreds of acres available around Ely, as well as nearer Cambridge itself. Lingay Fen had been the venue for the National Skating Association's championship in earlier years and on 7th February a one mile professional race included ex-champion Henrick Lindahl, a Norwegian living in
Redditch, Worcestershire! For another fortnight the great freeze continued enabling, for the less sporty, ice carnivals at Newnham with electric lights and specially constructed grottoes with seating. But with the arrival of March the ice and the excitement was over — football filled the paper's sports columns. Even allowing for their fervour, few of the skaters that thronged Lingay Fen would have paid much attention to the traction engine providing the light around the edge of their field. It is, however, a very rare and unusual engine. R.H. Clark records the firm gained a silver medal for their traction engine at the Royal Agricultural Society show at Bury St Edmunds in 1867, and another at the Norfolk Agricultural Society's show at Fakenham. Holmes probably found exhibitions helped his business — according to the programmes he showed traction engines at eleven of the sixteen Royal Shows between 1879 and 1894, but just how many examples came out of the Castle Hill works is unknown. The design seen in our pictures was offered in the firm's catalogue of about 1880, its most notable feature being the clip gear provided within the wrought-iron rear wheels. The gear was an attempt to better the usual arrangement of fixing clips, or spuds as we more familiarly know them, onto the surface of the wheels when soft grounds were encountered. The rather lightly constructed wheels were built
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around ten pairs of spokes. Between each pair an iron tongue was placed transversely, such that it could be pinned in a retracted position, its outer end flush with the rim of the wheel, or projected out, when required, up to five inches beyond the strakes to give additional grip, the fixing pin being relocated in another hole nearer the circumference of the wheel. The side and front views clearly show, respectively, the pins and the ends of some of the clips. Holmes claimed the arrangement 'of great advantage' and that it had 'proved itself simple and valuable during twelve years' experience' — presumably since their first engine in 1867. Whether the clip gear was fitted to all Holmes & Sons' traction engines is unknown — certainly by 1890 the firm was offering a revised, modernised design that was without the device. The business succumbed to a take over as long ago as 1905, and its records have long since disappeared. Details for the above notes are taken from R.N. Clark's Development of the English Traction Engine, the records of the Road Locomotive Society, and various issues of The Cambridgeshire Chronicle during January and February 1895.
Holmes & Sons' Improved Traction Engine' as illustrated in their circa 1880 catalogue. (collection Road Locomotive Society)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THOSE NEEDING ECONOMICAL REPAIRS ON THEIR TRACTION ENGINES
PINIONS
SPURS
BEVELS
All types and makes of bevel gears, spur pinions, spur wheels, helical gears etc, rebuilt to standard.
B. C. Reconditioning (Gears) Ltd 28
Unit 7, Lower Ardglen Estate, Evingar Road, Whitchurch, Hampshire RG28 78B. Telephone: Whitchurch 3701
Steaming Around Compiled from members notes and reports by Derek Rayner
An unusual claim made by a contributor to this i33Ue3 notes is that of a traction engine still working for its living. A timber yard in Norfolk still employs a Marshall agricultural to drive its sawbench — and what better power could one have when the fuel is free! Whether the engine has been so employed without a break since what we refer to as 'working days' is not known, but it does raise the question as to whether there are any other engines which can vie for the title of The Last. Not long ago in these pages, we read of a sawmill in Northumberland which was setting up
in business with a portable for power and we also heard of sollieulie iu lily Midlands who purchased a Wallis Advance roller with the intention of using it as a day to day roadmaking tool. Whether either of these schemes came to fruition is not known. So, can anyone give any other examples of engines in regular employment since their working days. By the time you read this Christmas will be long gone and we will be quite well into the New Year, but nevertheless I should like to take this opportunity of thanking all contributors, however great or small the
AVON
resident of East Anglia. Peter and Margaret Spokes brought along their 1919 Aveling roller 9024 (NT2019) for the first time, whilst also there was Bill Vaughan Jenkins' Clayton roller and Frank Scrace's Fowler roller 15941 of 1923 (NW5265).
A small event was held during the summer at the Ring o' Bells hostelry, Priston, near Bath, attended by three engines. The Goold brothers took their 1933 Sentinel S4 8843 (UJ2112), Bill Vaughan Jenkins his Clayton roller 48946 of 1924 (YA9576) and Alan Fry showed 1913 Garrett tractor 31193 (BJ1659). Bristol Harbour Regatta in early August also featured a traction engine gathering, organized by the Avon Valley club. This was held on the docks near the middle of Bristol and did not really get spoilt by the weather. Engines participating in the event included Nigel Musham's 1931 Fowler road loco 19338 (RX8106) MONTY, Richard Sandercock's Burrell CONQUEROR and 1903 Allchin agricultural owned by the Henton family from Leicestershire, 1261 (AY9878). One newcomer was an engine used in the vicinity when in the showland ownership of Percy Cole — Robert Finbow's 1919 Garrett tractor 33566 (AD9069) LITTLE BILLY, now a
BEDFORDSHIRE There were 69 engines at the 1986 Roxton Park Rally in September. Several newcomers to the area gave interest for local enthusiasts and public alike. Paul Antell brought along his beautifully restored 1910 Robey traction 29333, all the way from Stourpaine country, and another long distance traveller was Eddie Wood who, together with Gerry Cosgrove, steamed up from Kent with 1921 Burrell 3931 (WY1563). Also included in the engine line up were Colin Gilbert's 1923 Tasker tractor 1902 (KL 9885), Richard Parrott's 1877 Burrell agricultural 748 (CF3667), Stuart Gray's Fowler road loco 14910 of 1917 (CT9092) and Jim Coombes' pair of heavy haulage
communications were, for their help and assistance during the past year. Without information this part of the magazine, in particular, cannot be compiled and I have, of necessity, to rely on details from many different individuals and organizations up and down the country. Thank you indeed for your support and may it continue in 1987 — my good wishes and Happy Steamings for the New Year. Contributions for this issue have been received from the following: Banbury Steam Society, Cornish Traction Preservation Club, Lancashire TEC, Notts & District SVMC, Rushton Vintage Vehicle Society, Scottish TES, Sheffield & District SS, Southern Counties HVPT, Steam Plough Club, West of England SES and Jim Coombes, Martin Craig, Alan Crockford, Percy Debbs, C.H. Denyer, R.C. Doran, Tony Eden, Martin Fletcher, Keith Flinton, David Green, D.R. Hail, Pete' Haywuud, Alan Hines, Tyrone James, Brian Johnson, Mike Jones, Tim Keenan, Jonathon Lucas, C.T. Marlow, Roger Newbery, David Parkin, Steve Parrott, David Peach, Sandy Ross, Ted Sansome, M. Skora, Chris Smith, Trevor Stockdale, Alan Thomas, Michael Watts, Peter Wells and Austin Windle. Press date for the next issue is the last day of January. Information, news, letters etc by then please to D.A. Rayner, Invicta, 9 Beagle Ridge Drive, Acomb, York YO2 3JH. Press dates for future issues are the ends of April, July and October.
Fowlers 17105 and 17106. (The last three engines have all been advertised for sale recently.) Burrell showmans DRAGON was decked in black ribbon in memory of her owner, Mrs Edith Chamberlain, who died a week or so before the event. Rollers included Barry Two's 1903 Wallis 2660 (CJ4816), a diminutive little threepoint machine. Stuart Gray's Fowler road loco has now gone to the Barrington brothers in Kent and in its place, Stuart has acquired 1925 Sentinel Super wagon 6327 (NE4770) from Arnold Brook of Yorkshire. Another engine movement is that of Colin Piggott's partly restored 1903 Fowler traction 9701, which he purchased from Oxfordshire some two and a half years ago. The engine has gone to David Venn and Colin has bought Ivan Pottle's Fowell 93 of 1904 ICE7894), which Ivan has owned for 31 years. Another engine advertised for sale is 1933 Ruston & Hornsby traction 169167 (TL5452), presently recorded in the ownership of John Brown. 29
BERKSHIRE Knowl Hill Rally 1986 was another tremendously successful event. It was, not unusually, the showmans engines which were greatly admired and they included, among the usual southern based engines, a visitor from Yorkshire, Richard Preston's 1913 Burrell LIGHTNING II. Another of the same make, Hardwick's WINSTON CHURCHILL had not been seen around for some time and also commanded a deal of attention. Engines present for the first time were Derek Marder's 1933 Wallis Advance 8086 (CG4543) and David Eves' Fowler roller 17234 of 1927 (PP9257), whilst perhaps the most remarkable exhibit was a 1918 Ransomes agricultural which had only just been repatriated from Ireland. Mike Smith had steamed his newly acquired engine 27277 (A14239) for the first time in over 30 years on the Monday prior to the rally, after completion of boiler work to satisfy the insurers and it had subsequently been driven to the rally — a very creditable achievement. Also there were Ran Hawthorne's 1922 Fowler roller 14674 (BW9937), A. Price's Sentinel S4 wagon 8957 (BPD969) and Ivan Fear's 1931 Marshall portable 86161, driving a threshing machine. The end of season event at Jealott's Hill near Bracknell attracted a large gathering of engines in October. Held in the grounds of the New Leathern Bottle, this by now traditional event was widely supported and raised a good amount of money for a local hospital. Some fifteen engines were present and some of these participated in a road run from Maidenhead prior to the event.
Rollers included Jumbo Palmer's Wallis conventional 3-point 7799 of 1924 (H06354), David Eves' 17234 and Phil Narraway's 1921 Aveling 10168 (TA2027) whilst tractors were Jim Hutchens' 1912 Aveling 7612 (F52181 and Ted Gale's Burrell 3497 MAY QUEEN (H05993). A wagon present was John Keeley's 1929 Sentinel Super 6722/8109 (YC7914).
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE The Chiltern club's Silver Jubilee Rally at Prestwood near Great Missenden was a great success; around fifty engines appeared at the event. There were several newcomers to the event including Peter Bowers' 1931 Sentinel DG4 8454 (UX 7958), part completed and on its first outing in preservation, David Philpott's 1924 Marshall conversion 77876 (PU4053) and Wallis & Steevens roller 7905 of 1926 (0T3191) owned by Tony Vince and family. Others present included John Evans with his Robey roller 42216 of 1925 (FE6672), Boughton's 1897 Fowler general purpose BLACK JACK and Les King's 1919 Garrett traction 33442 (BL9009). 'Amalgamated Heavy Haulage' was also out in force in the shape of the road locos LORD ROBERTS, VERA and BOADICEA. We hear that due to domestic problems Jim Coombes of Aspley Guise is selling his Fowler B6 Super Lion heavy haulage engines, 17105 (VM2110) ATLAS (ex Norman E. Box, Manchester) and 17106 (KD2826) DUKE OF YORK (ex Edward Box, Liverpool) together with the Crane 80 ton solid tyred well trailer. Jim bought DUKE OF YORK from Bill McAlpine in a dismantled state in 1981 since when
the engine has been completely rebuilt with help from Mick Maskell of Wilstead on boiler work and Roger Pridham of Lamerton who fabricated the new tender, belly tanks, and also the swan neck jib to the original drawings. Both ATLAS and DUKE OF YORK were extensively rallied in 1986 and made an unforgettable sight hauling the fully loaded Crane trailer up an incline at the Knebworth rally in June. It is disappointing to see this particularly splendid outfit leave the area. On another sad note, the Brill Rally, held at the hilltop village for many years, took place for the last time in 1986. It was an extremely successful last event and it is pleasing to note that another possible site has been found for the 1987 rally. The star of the final show was undoubtedly Paul and Jill Fowler's 1920 Foster showmans 14501 VICTORIOUS which is now in fine condition following extensive renovation work. A long distance visitor was Terry Young who had steamed his 1913 Garrett tractor 31633 (BJ1696) from Colchester to attend. Two other newcomers were Ted Dyer's Burrell traction 2386 of 1901 (N0394) and Colin Gilbert's 1923 Tasker tractor 1902 (KL9885). The end of September saw a glorious weekend at Stoke Mandeville where the annual Hampden Hall Country Fair took place in the grounds of the local Agricultural College. A small display of engines was arranged by Gerald Anderson and these included Dave Newton's Clayton & Shuttleworth roller 34980 of 1902 (XC9578), Wallis 10 ton roller 2357 (H06139), an 1896 machine owned
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by the Vickery family, and, driving a threshing drum, Terry Petty's 1913 Marshall traction 61970 (BJ5934). The straw from this machine was neatly bundled and taken away on a pre-war Bedford lorry owned and still regularly used by the Berkshire based thatching firm of Mullins & Newman. As a result of an advertisement in the last issue of Steaming, Steve Parrott has been able to acquire some belly tanks for his newly acquired Fowler roller 15813 of 1921 (WR8965). It is hoped to get them fitted during the winter months and so commence the slow transformation of the engine back into a tar sprayer. Contrary to rumour there is no intention of converting the machine into a pseudo-traction as is happening to too many ordinary, honest, rollers. An error crept into the last issue when we editorially contrived to mention that Steve had sold both his Aveling rollers to Mr Cox of North London. Mr Cox purchased only the derelict 8547; the other, 7583, went to Andrew Hail of Staffordshire, as correctly reported on page 185.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE Expo at Peterborough at August Bank Holiday suffered, as did most events on that weekend, with poor weather; although it was fine all day on Sunday, rain commenced on Monday at 1pm and did it rain! Although there was a good selection of engines, there seemed to be something lacking — atmosphere. Perhaps a quote from the editorial of the Expo programme may be relevant: it unwittingly referred to its own event as 'what used to be a steam rally'. Six showmans were present, including EX MAYOR, DRAGON, EARL HAIG and CARRY ON together with a newcomer — Fowler 9475 of 1902 (BS8015), a showmans conversion of a road engine imported from Australia some time ago. The work has been carried out by owner C.R. Williamson. Also in attendance were Aveling conversion 5293 of 1903 (1131726) owned by Pentelow and Skinner, John Crawley's 1921 Sentinel Standard 3899 (ET1969) and Fowler roller 17482 of 1929 (XCE948) owned by K. Woolley. Early September saw another successful Haddenham rally organised by the East Anglian club in conjunction with the Haddenham Sports & Social Club. Good weather meant a good turn out and an excellent range of engines was presented by the various exhibitors. One surprise was the appearance of Stan Burgess's 1913 Foden road locomotive 3534 (MA5502), an unusual engine which
Over from Holland for the HCVS's London to Brighton run in May 1986 was this 30hp Stanley 'mountain wagon', a design originally built for the Stanley Hotel at Estes Park, Colorado, USA. It was restored from dereliction in Holland some years ago and is pictured here by Peter Love purring away from Battersea Park at 7.30am. We hope to set down more on Stanley steamers in the next issue or so.
has been in Stan's ownership for a long time and is currently undergoing restoration. Others present included Barry Peacock's 1920 Ransomes agricultural 31298 (5A4253), Richard Parrott's Burrell CENTURY, Robert Pumfrey's 1914 Ruston Proctor traction 50278 (CE7949) SUCCESS, Fowler ploughing engine 16646 of 1926 (RD4520) owned by Roy Lipscombe, Alan Jackson's 1946 Aveling Barford roller AG760 (BTL810) and Kevin and George Swann's 1918 Garrett showmans tractor 33358 (EJ545).
CHESHIRE Andy Wicks has sold his Burrell roller 4069 of 1929 (RL9960) to Mark Walker. Mark is no stranger to the rally scene, having been a regular participant in recent years with his Fordson tractor. Due to Peter Froud's prolonged illness, none of his engines were seen out in the early part of 1986. His Sentinel wagon, 8714 of 1932 (KG1123) was partly stripped down for the fitting of a new superheater. A new one has now been made and Jim Stevenson, Steve Allsop and Tim Leach combined to assist in the reassembly of the boiler so that the engine could make its first appearance of the year at the Hollybush Steam Party. In addition to this problem, the
inner firebox pressing has been found to be getting thin, so the working pressure has been reduced to 210 psi, for the time being. The ex-Bridson Burrell road loco 3098 (MA5657) has meanwhile been lying at Rose Bank for over eighteen months awaiting work to start on the fitting of a new firebox; the 1909 engine has now returned to the Liverpool Museum's large objects store to enable this work to be undertaken, After the Hollybush weekend, George Cole's Clayton traction was used to pull the Burrell from its resting place and position it ready for low loading. (We regret to record, elsewhere in this issue, the death of Peter Proud.) Two engines advertised for sale recently have been 1937 Fowler roller 22596 (EJ5535), possibly the last one made, and Peter Startup's 1920 Fowler showmans 15652 (CU977) REPULSE. Mark Morgan's 1923 Armstrong Whitworth roller 10R35 has recently had a new high pressure piston fitted following several cracks being found in the original. The roller has subsequently been steamed and performed fairly well although there is something still not quite right with her.
CORNWALL The Cornish Traction Preservation Club's rally at Winnards Perch, near St 31
Columb, took place in early August when over a dozen engines participated. Two 1918 built ploughing engines were present, these being Daniel brothers Fowler 15163 (WR7151) and McLaren 1552 (BD 5504). Aveling rollers were William Danning's 1901 single 4747 (NX371), and 11216 of 1925 (TT4018) a newcomer, in the fresh ownership of Paul Wills. It was good to see Derek Hattam's 4hp Robey tractor out again at this event; 41493 of 1924 (MF3946) has been off the road for five years. Between the Winnards Perch event and the West of England Society's rally later in the month, a couple of engines changed hands. These were William Danning's Aveling, sold to Richard and Maureen Eslick, and Mike Leath's 1935 Wallis Advance 8095 (GOU 537) which now belongs to his regular crew member, Morton Betty. These two rollers, and Paul Wills' Aveling all appeared at the 31st annual West of England Rally, on this occasion held on the Tywarnehayle Farm near St Agnes, a site previously used back in 1962. There were 31 ,engines present and returning to Cornwall for the first time in 46 years was the Dale family's Burrell Devonshire engine 2950 of 1907 (AF3532) from Cheshire. Another first time attender was Aveling roller 9024 (NT2019) owned by Peter and Margaret Spokes. Owners from Devon included Peter Wright with Burrell 71/2 ton tractor 4028 of 1925 (RL19781 and Clarence de la Cour with Devon County Council's 1917 Green roller 1968 ITA2431). It was a successful rally on the new site and the weather was the kind to ensure a reasonable attendance — certainly better than for the disastrous 1985 event. Early September saw the Liskeard rally which was attended by some twenty engines. A newcomer to the event was John Vines' 1905 Aveling roller 5697 (DD6064) from Gloucestershire. More local engines were Len Hosking's Burrell traction 3902 of 1921 (MA7503), Dr W.R. Dyke's 1921 Foden wagon 10530 (TA1216) and Russell Gillbard's Marshall agricultural 38024 of 1902 ITA629). Also present were three Fowler rollers, including 18075 of 1930 (CV1662) owned by Andrew Cloake and Raymond and Joyce Hoskin's 1932 single 19205 (AAF130). There were certain comments passed about engine owners here who parked their lowly traction engine and roller between the showmans engines outside the beer tent — some said in an effort to raise themselves to a 32
higher class, although others doubted whether this was possible. Lanlivery rally at St Blazey later on in September was washed out on the Saturday but Sunday was better, though few movements could take place. Engines here included Ian Beard's 1948 Aveling-Barford roller AH162 (JXH174) and Hedley and Tyrone James' Marshall traction 34022 of 1900 ITA28761. These two went on to Reg Morse's open day at his Mawla Well Farm Museum and swelled the attendance there to thirteen engines. Others present included Len Hosking's Burrell traction 3902, David Hick's Burrell traction 3918 of 1923 (PU578), Joe and Dennis Warren's Foden wagon 11208 of 1924 (YA7952) and Morton Betty's Wallis Advance roller 8095. After the event, Ian Beard and Tyrone James set off to Ian's yard with their charges, a journey of about four miles. During the long climb out of the valley, they contrived to get some rubber inner tubing on the engines' fires and the resulting smoke effects, with overhanging trees and safety valves just feathering, made for spectacular photography. With both engines being singles, the sound was also worthy of recording.
John Chirtea of Brinklow, Maryland and was shipped to the United States on board the container ship ATLANTIC COMPASS from Liverpool to Baltimore.
The Cromford rally programme for the event staged in early August seemed to suffer from the same affliction as that of Chatsworth House rally, mentioned in the last issue; lack of details of the main attractions — the engines. An offering of two lines per exhibit with numerous spelling mistakes is hardly good value. Engines present included Flear's two 1917 Fowler ploughing engines, AA6 13381 (N0372) and BB1 14375 (6E7595), Colin Brothwell's newly restored Ruston & Hornsby traction 115100 of 1922 (D02953) and Ray Booty's Robey agricultural 42675 (JU8198). Also there was Brian Dunford's 1915 Burrell showmans 3703 (DW2120) LADY MARY, Peter Knight's 1926 Marshall roller 81427 (PY6079) and Brian Wright's Wallis roller 7539 of 1917 (6E9360). Also entered, but not present, was Regent Motors Sentinel Super 1465 of 1921 (AW3321), a machine subsequently advertised for sale.
CUMBRIA
DORSET
Advertised for sale recently at Kendal was 1909 Garrett showmans tractor 27342 (BJ668) PRIDE OF SCOTLAND. The engine has now been purchased by an American collector,
If one can imagine a big wheel, steam yachts, gallopers, swingboats, a large striker, a switchback rodeo and another big wheel all in line , backed with almost every modern fairground
DERBYSHIRE
Soaking up the sunshine at Thoresby Hall Park on 26th May 1986 is VICTOR/A, Wallis & Steevens 6hp agricultural 2489 of 1900. (Robin Walker)
ride imaginable, fronted by twenty eight showmans engines and the whole lot facing half a dozen large organs each with its attendant engine, then this was the magnificent, colourful spectacle which was Saturday night at Stourpaine 1986. Michael Oliver had done it again. Superlatives have been used many times before but it is really difficult to describe in words what sort of a show it is. The exact tally of engines is ponderable but there were around 110 listed, including some 39 showmans including tractors and conversions. Burrells dominated the showland line with names like EX MAYOR, DRAGON, PRINCE OF WALES, PERSEVERANCE II and PRINCESS MARY (three of these!) and it was good to see QUO VADIS back again after a long absence from the area she once frequented in early preservation days. The 1986 gathering appears to have been the biggest event yet and the engine list was swelled this year by a strong Scottish contingent including participants from Aberdeen in the shape of Barrack's Foden tractor 11444 of 1924 (VA 2519) and their Fowler showmans style tractor 16006 (SA6370) which started life as a roller in 1923. One wonders whether they would have taken any trophy for the furthest travelled engines, for on this occasion, Steve Neville's Burrell road loco 3593 DUKE OF KENT might have ousted them as it had just returned from Bad Wildungen, West Germany where it had served as official
transport to the owner, the Mayor of Saffron Walden, during the twinning ceremony between the two towns.
DURHAM The long established Darlington Show, held in mid August, had as an added attraction in 1986 some six engines. The l'Anson's 1911 Burrell showmans 3195 (UP2936) COUNTRY GIRL was there as were Stan Whitfield's Marshall roller 81119 of 1926 (SF5348) and Donald Cook's 1931 Robey Tandem 43747 (VK4540) and three conversions from Fowler rollers. Since there is now no traction engine rally in Co Durham, it is a pity that the Darlington Show organizers do not make more of this event. A visitor to Beamish Museum in August found that 1926 Mann's light tractor 1747 (MUP662) was away at ICI Billingham for extensive boiler work to be carried out on it. Not fai away, at Jack Wakefield's, another of these unusual products from Leeds is to be found — 1386 of 1919 (U4943). Great progress is being made with this
machine's restoration with the boiler lagging all squared up and finished in a very smart black livery.
EIRE A visitor to Galway recently noted an Aveling roller parked up in front of the council offices. Closer inspection revealed it to be 10924 of 1924 (IM2070), a 10 tonner which saw use until 1952 working for Galway Council. It has been cosmetically restored and is still in fair condition although many fittings are missing.
ESSEX A roller to return to the area is 10 ton piston valve Aveling 10346 (N05892). This was supplied new to Essex County Council in 1922 and subsequently was owned by Jack King at Stotfold. It has recently been bought by Trevor Stockdale from Roger Murray of Staffordshire and is currently based at Brightlingsea where Shipyard Services Ltd are bringing it up to rally condition. An end of season event at the Barleylands Farming Museum attracted a large engine entry — some 20 were present — and a big crowd turned up during the course of the weekend to both browse around the Museum's exhibits and to look at the engines. Encouraged by this, the organisers have plans to stage an even bigger event in 1987. Included in the visiting engines were Michael Matthews' 1924 Wallis traction 7801 (PU3378); Ernie Eagle's 1908 Marshall agricultural 49725 (BW4509) and Fowler general purpose 10373 of 1905 ICE7922) owned by Dave Dale. A couple of wagons were present, these being Edgar Shone's Sentinel S8 9105 (UJ3652) in the expert hands of Nigel Underwood, and Sentinel Standard 1716 (AW3833) owned by Arthur Bullman. It was good to see this latter wagon at the show, for it was on the outing to the 1985 event that it broke its back axle, now, obviously, repaired. Two showmans engines brought a touch of the old fairgrounds to the proceedings. John Downs' steam gallopers and some side stuff had his Burrell Gold Medal tractor 3453 (AH0117) THE MAY adjacent to them; Trevor Williams' Burrell 3894 (NX947) ST BRANNOCK was also in attendance.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Unusually large crowds attended the Stroud Vintage Transport & Engine Club's rally at Stonehouse, brought out by excellent weather. The biggest exhibit present was Andrew Melrose's 1870 Fowler ploughing engine 1368
MARGARET whilst also there were a trio of rollers: Paul Cummins' Marshall 82389 (U02835); Aveling 14089 of 1930 (YD973) owned by Charlie Hawkins and J. Slade's Aveling 14102 of 1931 (4132DG) ex Portugal. Two conversions were also present, Jonathan Lucas' Fowler 21221 (CV 0734) and T. Leighton's 1921 Aveling 10084 (RF5076).
HAMPSHIRE There were some twenty eight engines present at the Alderholt rally on a new site at Godshill in the New Forest in early August including a display of several machines owned by the Hampshire County Museum Service. Taskers were predominant in this oroup but Wallis Advance roller 7867 of 1926 10T30781 ex Lytham St Annes Borough Council was also there. Others present included Ransomes tractor 39127 of 1928 (PN1903) owned by Ron Giddings, Andy Sellwood's 1926 Babcock & Wilcox roller 95/4013 (YR RORCI), Den Cully's 1907 Fowell traction 97 (CE7893), and Ted Gale's 1922 Burrell showman 3890 MAJESTIC. On the whole, the organisers took good advantage of the new site and the rally was well laid out. A visitor to Portsmouth in early August was astonished to see an apparition approaching. On the other side of the dual can iageway on the back of a low loader was SALTY, Fowler ploughing engine 14379 of 1917 INK 17541 long since converted to diesel with a McLaren engine. It was later discovered that this engine and its twin, 14380 (NK 1755) SALLY were to be used by dredging contractor Adrian Birth in the removal of silt from the site of the Port Solent Marina development. The engines were located either side of a drained area of Portsmouth Harbour, near Porchester Castle. It was anticipated the contract would last up to three months and some 150,000 cubic metres of black sludge would be moved to another part of the harbour near Horsea Island. It may have been one of these engines which a member saw on a lowloader in a field adjacent to Chessington Zoo early in August. Can anyone comment? Local enthusiasts were saddened to learn that Taskers' old premises at Anna Valley, Andover were being demolished, the site now being designated for housing. They were once the town's biggest employers. Fortunately the Hampshire County Museum Service have care of a good selection of Tasker products; it has recently been suggested by a local 33
town councillor that the collection should be housed in Andover in the disused hangars on the outskirts of town. On the last Sunday in September, Bert Dibben's get together at Martin was once more blessed with perfect weather and a varied selection of engines. One or two regulars were missing — regrettably Geoff Hunt passed away earlier in the year so his Marshall road engine 57304 of 1911 (TM4430) was absent. Arthur Thompson was unwell, although his Burrell showmans 3847 PRINCESS MARINA was present, having been steamed from Salisbury by Peter Parrish and Mike Penny; Foden WATTIE POLLOCK was another absentee. The other showmans engine was, of course, Fowler B6 19782 (UB7963) THE LION owned by Ernie Lucas which was in steam and generating for its lights. Loader's Fowler D2 road loco 12255 of 1910 (FX7170) PRINCESS, now nicely restored to near original form, pulled a wagon load of enthusiasts to the Coote Inn and back for the lunchtime period. Ron Hood had steamed his 1910 Aveling roller 7024 (TA2657) from Alderholt and also present were the host's two active engines — Wallis & Steevens traction 7102 of 1909 (BH7446) and Advance roller 8105 (SOR490G) new in 1936. On the last Monday in October, the Annual Titchfield Bonfire Boys Carnival (the 117th) was held in the ancient village near Fareham. In the large procession were HMS Sultan's Sentinel DG4 8393 of 1930 and Aveling roller 14147 (YD4740) owned by Bob Bean and Dick Martino. Mention of the village of Titchfield can occasion reference to the somewhat derelict remains of Aveling roller 10025 of 1921 (R8325) which has languished for some years in a nursery. Following a recent mention in these pages of its 'red rust' overcoat, the roller seems to have been sold and has disappeared from the locality. News of its present whereabouts would be appreciated.
HERTFORDSHIRE The county's steam calendar contained no public rallies for the second part of 1986, travel out of the county being necessary to attend an event. An annual occasion, however, is Albert Fensom's autumn steam outing and this took place on October 18th. Five engines, together with some tractors took to the local lanes, the usual engines being added to in 1986 by newcomers Garrett traction 33442 34
of 1919 (BL9009) owned by Les King and 1924 Marshall conversion 77876 (PU4053) owned by David Philpott. The outing included the 1 in 7 hill at Five Acres near Flamstead which gave an opportunity for some tube cleaning before the winter lay up. A temporary visitor to Friar's Wash is Aveling 10 ton slide valve roller 9006 (NM974). New in 1919 this engine has lately had some boiler repairs carried out in Northamptonshire and Albert Fensom is undertaking the detailed reassembly. It is believed that after World War 2, this roller was used to rebuild the roads at nearby Whipsnade Zoo. To add to the county's list of engines which are off the road for boiler repairs is Peter Bartlett's 1920 Aveling tractor 9225 (CJ4160). This was acquired from Herefordshire a few years ago and has often been seen out in company with a fine roadman's van.
Sentinel Drivers Club
The advertisement in our last issue seeking support for the reforming of the Sentinel Drivers Club has produced encouraging response for David Parkin and Nigel Underwood. Independently Mike Tuxworth had been having similar thoughts and all three have now joined forces. The original Sentinel Drivers Club was formed by the Sentinel company in 1923 with the object '...of helping the driver, and showing that the waggon makers are prepared to give him all the advice they can'. Many thousands of drivers and stokers joined the Club, enjoying the surety of help from any other members when in trouble on the road. The proposed new association will inevitably take a rather different direction, concentrating on the preservation and present day running of Shrewsbury products. Through the kindness of McMullens Brewery (owners of a DG4 model featured on our cover some time ago), it has been possible to organise an inaugural meeting at the Hertford Brewery on Saturday, 7th
ISLE OF WIGHT Another engine has come onto the Island. Fred Hollis has bought 1920 showmans style Aveling tractor 9354 (KE1748) from Sandy Steele in Scotland.
KENT It seems that Quexpo 86 will have been the last rally to use Quex Park at Birchington-on-Sea, as the owners have decided on a change in policy. The associated road run to Margate was perhaps one of the most successful to date with some ten engines taking part, a last minute entry on this and at the rally being Fowler ploughing engine 14213 of 1914 (HK9840), owned by the Pierce brothers but driven on the run by Brian Hope. Other engines present at the event included John Butler's Yorkshire 5 ton steam wagon 652 of 1914 (U2749) which had just had its crankshaft repaired by John; 1931 Fowler roller 17496 (GN8299) owned by Jock
February 1987 at 1.30pm. It is hoped that an ex-employee of Sentinels will be a speaker at the meeting, followed by general discussion with a view to formally constituting the Club as soon as possible. Readers interested in having further information of the Sentinel Drivers Club should contact David Parkin, 100 Aketon Road, Cutsyke, Castleford, West Yorkshire WF10 5DU or Nigel Underwood, 5 Dawes Close, Writtel, near Chelmsford, Essex or Mike Tuxworth, 7 Raymonds Villas, Wimbish, Saffron Walden, Essex (please provide SAE).
SENTINEL VIDEO one hour video of the 1986
Sentinel Road Run Shrewsbury to Bishops Castle f16.00 cash with order — state format when ordering D. Latimer, Hope Valley Shrewsbury SY5 OJB (tel 0743 791379 or 791040) Mark 2 version now available
Murray; Bob Whitfield's 1921 Marshall tractor 74962 (YA2197) and the Barrington brothers 1931 Fowler roller 18503 (G05298). Another late entry to the event was Kevin Town's 1927 Wallis Advance roller 7943 (0T6007). Subsequent to the above it is learned that Barrington brothers have sold their Fowler roller to Terry Binn, after they had purchased Fowler road loco 14910 (CT9092) from Stuart Gray in Cambridgeshire. Another engine on the move is John Butler's Yorkshire, now gone to Michael ListBrain. Michael has also purchased the remains of the now unique 1932 Foden Speed 6 wagon from Will Day and Robbie Jardine. This is 13976 (MI3304) and was collected from Headcorn by Michael's 1926 Foden wagon 12228 (WL910). The Speed 6 is to be rebuilt by John Butler who, as chief engineer of the erstwhile Resco company, was responsible for the construction of the replica GWR broad gauge locomotive IRON DUKE. A steam show with a difference was staged at Chatham in early September with an industrial based rally at the Chatham Historic Dockyard where not only traction engines and the like were on show but more steam in the form of dockyard cranes and 1924 built River Dart paddle steamer KINGSWEAR CASTLE. Several Robey Robey 6hp agricultural engine 42675 of 1927 makes its way towards the portable boilers (original inmates of rally field at the Brocklesby Park event in June 1986. (Clive Hollingworth) the Dockyard) were also to be found in this unusual and extremely interesting venue. Road steam presence included Maynard's 1925 Aveling tractor early on in the season a boiler fitting the Yorkshire wagon 652 and Foden 11251 (PE3617). Bob Whitfield has blew off when the engine was in 12228 together with Smudger recently purchased Jonathan motion. Later, a lowloading problem Smith's 1922 Aveling roller 10271 Wheeler's Ruston & Hornsby portable resulted in rear end damage but this (ME2103) and Peter Denham's 163864 of 1931. It is now housed at was sorted out to enable him to take Armstrong Whitworth 10R 19 of 1923 the Cobtree Farm Museum, Maidstone part in various back-end events. (FJ 2795). and was seen in steam in early Finally, it is rumoured that Jock The Eastwood collection of October at a steam ploughing Murray's Fowler roller, ex-Mechanical engines has recently moved to weekend. John Bailey's 1906 Burrell Tarspraying & Grouting at Reading and Fordcombe Park near Tunbridge Wells. traction 2819 (RP5913) was one of the few still to retain FowlerThe Eastwood family are developing sufficiently finished in its reassembly Woods tar spraying gear is to be this superb and pleasant site into a just in time to attend the Quexpo converted to traction engine style. If museum of Kent bygones. It was open event. He has had new pistons cast so, this is another sad reflection on the to the public on the four Sundays in and now having made sure that all the respect we now seem to have for our October. In steam were Burrell road leaks have been stopped following engine's histories. loco 3941 of 1923 (BP9547) THE extensive repairs in Cornwall, John is BADGER and Burrell showmans 3285 intending to relag the engine ready for LANCASHIRE of 1911 KING GEORGE V (AH5304) the 1987 season. Tom Varley's October steam up at together with Peter Love's Marshall A visitor to the Dartford Borough the beginning of the month saw Burrell traction 61880 of 1913 (FL3942) in Council's Stone Lodge farm at the end showmans 3444 HIS LORDSHIP in the care of Gordon Castle. This new of September found a steam threshing steam together with the Howard and exciting venture is sadly beset by demonstration in progress. Providing traction engine 201 of 1872 and planning objections from (amazingly) the power was Aveling 12427 of Yorkshire 2 ton wagon 117 of 1905 local conservation groups. 1929 (P0616) owned by Alan Jones. ICA 170). A visitor was David The Weald of Kent Club's road run This engine is now masquerading as McNamee's Marshall portable. from Borough Green to Offham was a an agricultural engine having On display in the shed were the great success in 1986 with some ten previously been a roller. rest of Tom's collection, namely engines taking part. Participants Brian Hope has not had the best of Aveling showmans 4885 SAMSON; included Bob Whitfield's Marshall luck in 1986 with his Aveling roller an old Aveling traction from Australia tractor, the newly arrived (to the 5156 (TU874). Following its return and Foster wagon 14470 of 1921 county) Fowler road loco of the from Bicknell brothers, it was retagged (also from Australia) and the now Barrington brothers and Terry and repainted at the front end and unique 6 ton Fowler wagon 19708 of 35
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1931 (UB8660) a former Leeds Corporation gully emptier rebuilt by Tom from remains obtained from a scrapyard in Leeds.
LEICESTERSHIRE The Rutland Railway Museum held an open weekend at their site near to Cottesmore in early August. On view, but more or less static, were eight engines including the first outing of another conversion. The engine, Fowler 9475, was repatriated from Australia some time ago and had some work carried out on it prior to coming to its present owner, C.R. Williamson. Now named DUKE OF RUTLAND, it carries the new 'vintage' registration number BS8015. Other engines present at the event included Bill Story's Aveling roller 12468 (LJ322) and two showmans — Foster 14066 of 1915 (FE1589) owned by M. Dawson and F.R. Fussell's Fowler conversion 17578 of 1928 (UA3397), together with Peter Wright's 1908 Ruston Proctor road engine 35501 (13E7438). An open weekend at Ratcliffe-onSoar power station saw a rare outing for 1926 Babcock & Wilcox roller 95/4012 (YB5090). This roller is owned by the Babcock Group. A roller off the rally circuit for a number of years is the late John Beeby's Marshall 82517 of 1927 (RR7519). This was last steamed, after standing idle for a period, in December 1984. A few repairs were found to be required and Michael Beeby hopes to put things in order during this winter so that the roller can be steamed during next summer. Mention has been made before of Peter Van Houten's 1928 Foden tractor 13196 (GC5832). This has been off the road for some time now 36
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for a complete rebuild, but for Peter's marriage in August an unexpected visitor was Bill Gardiner with Foden wagon 13120 of 1928 (VM4536). Gordon Tuckwood gave his Garrett showmans style tractor 33419 of 1919 (BJ4201) an airing at the Leicestershire Ploughing Match at Prestwold. This engine, which was a straightforward haulage tractor with Harkness in Belfast, has still to attend a full scale rally in his ownership. Gordon did, however, go along to an event at Nether Broughton in aid of the British Heart Foundation; some nine engines attended. These were Colin Brothwell's 1922 Ruston & Hornsby 115100 (D02953), Aveling Barford's Aveling traction 1995 (BT39391, Mrs Swingler's pair of Fosters, and Robert Tyler's Fowler tractor 16365 of 1928 (YC3689). Len Crane's Fowler crane engine 17212 also attended. Some ploughing took place at Richard Vernon's farm at Cotesbach near Lutterworth in mid October using two Fowler engines — K7 15517 of 1920 (CT4052) and 15334, a BB1 of 1919 (N02045). The plough used was a 6-furrow type which Richard and his crew converted, with a lot of hard work, into a seven furrow. It was thought that the K7 was perhaps a little small for a seven furrow plough but nevertheless, a start was made on the 22 acre field by lunchtime. The particular field chosen was on a good slope with a hump in the middle. The gang set it out so the K7 was at the top of the field. With the K7 pulling hard uphill, the exhaust was such that it might have been expected the firebars would be seen shooting out of the chimney top at any time. The standard of ploughing by the crew, who were not by any means experienced in the steam ploughman's
art, was nevertheless good and after some false starts, the plough was set up satisfactorily, so by the end of the day things were going well and every one enjoyed themselves.
LONDON A traction engine rally was staged in Battersea Park in conjunction with the Camelot Medieval Fayre associated with the 900th anniversary of Domesday (surely no one thought there was any connection?) Poor weather meant that the assembled engines, some twenty in number, were not feted by as large a crowd as had been hoped for. Several owners had the rare opportunity of driving through London, as a road run was organised over Battersea Bridge and back over Chelsea Bridge. Engines present included A.T. Vince's 1926 Wallis Advance roller 7905 (0T3191), J. Field's 1920 Wallis tractor 7641 (BW4668) and Mike Retman's Aveling tractor 9181 of 1920 (EP1649) together with Fowler roller 17483 (CV1454) owned by Margaret Boughton and Anthony Heal's McLaren 1652 BOADICEA. Also in attendance were Burrell showmans 3894 ST BRANNOCK owned by Trevor Williams and Dave Prout's 1904 Ransomes traction 15609 (CJ4220), this latter having being brought from Herefordshire to be present.
NORFOLK Marshall traction 75077 of 1922 (BJ7640) took a day off from her usual chores at the Arthurton Bros timber yard to attend a threshing demonstration at the end of August. She is owned by G. Dann and is still used regularly on a saw bench in a small yard alongside the A47 near Norwich,
rarely appearing at rallies. Could this be the last commercially worked traction engine in the British Isles? Nor far away, the Norfolk Museum of Rural Life at Gressenhall have acquired a Garrett stationary steam boiler (number unknown). Originally used to sterilize greenhouse soil, it is eventually hoped to use the boiler to power the museum's collection of stationary steam engines which have been restored and erected in the premises. At the beginning of September, the museum's c1870 Tidman 'peep show' engine was in steam at their annual open day. This tiny 11/2 hp portable engine has a vertical boiler and a single cylinder engine and is believed to have been supplied to a showman. At the Royal Station Museum at Wolferton, Aveling 10 ton roller 10121 of 1921 (E54162) has been steamed to a couple of local events during the season, but due to personal commitments, the owners, Frank Earl and Eric Walker have yet to rally the engine. Burrell enthusiasts will be saddened to learn that the former drawing offices at Thetford were severely damaged by fire at the end of August. The premises are currently occupied by a company which makes pillows. The cause of the blaze is unknown but unfortunately, the group of buildings gutted includes the one with the Burrell memorial plaque mounted on it. On a more pleasant note, the old paint shop on the other side of Minstergate has been restored by its owners, Gateway Supermarkets.
Each year the Bishops Castle rally sees a fine line up of showmans engines — many from the collection of one man, Frank Lythgoe. Here, at the 1985 event, we see his McLaren 1623 GOLIATH, Burrell 4030 DOLPHIN, Foden 2104 PROSPECTOR, Burrell 3610 WILLIAM V and Burrell 3093 DREADNOUGHT. (Ian Taylor)
At Bressingham Steam Museum, 1933 Sentinel timber tractor 8756 (VN4294) has returned to the highway. Owner Robert Bloom intended lowloading her to the start of the Salop club's road run from the Shrewsbury works to Bishops Castle but museum staff persuaded Robert that she should go to Shropshire under her own steam. BRUTUS completed the journey, which as the crow flies is some 170 miles, in two days with an overnight stop at the Welland Valley club's yard at Market Harborough, Leicestershire, and did similarly on the return trip. So much was the experience enjoyed that it seems likely she will be stretching her legs again in the forthcoming season. At Hingham, an unusual roller is available for purchase from an antique shop on the B1 108. It is a French-built Laffley which from its appearance was presumed by our correspondent to have originally been a steam roller.
(Laffley machines had a very strong superficial resemblance to steam rollers, the internal combustion engine and drive gearing being housed within plated up framing between the rear rolls, giving the rough appearance of a firebox. The cooling water tank approximated to the size and disposition of a boiler barrel and the front end could almost have been swopped
with any Aveling — except the headstock mounted trade mark was a fine brass elephant! Laffley rollers are, or were, common in France and T C. Aveling of Birmingham advertised them here in the 1920s. Just how many they sold is unknown; the Hingham example could be a recent import. Did Laffley build steam rollers? — Hon Editors.)
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE A couple of local engines appeared one summer's evening at a trade show organised by a plant and machinery equipment firm at Wollaston. The engines were Jim Rochester's Burrell Gold Medal tractor 3626 of 1914 (AH221) and 1911 Aveling roller 7080 (E5346) owned by Dave Colvill.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE The annual steam up at the Black Lion at Radcliffe on Trent for the Jess Swingler Memorial Fund had three engines present, these being AvelingBarford's 1884 Aveling traction 1995 in the care of Pete Hodgkinson, Jim Crane and Andy Best and making its debut at the event was Bob Tyler's Fowler Tiger tractor 16365 of 1928 (YC3689). This looked in excellent form following its recent rebuild and will be an asset to the local rally fields. The other engine was Mrs Freda 37
Swingler's Foster showmans type 14564 (FE8055), powering Arthur and Malcolm Reeder's Gavioli organ. A good night was had by all and over £800 was raised. An engine to come into the county is Fowler crane engine 17106 of 1928 DUKE OF YORK (KD2826), our cover picture on the last issue. Paul Scholey has bought the engine and as a result has sold some of his other engines; the new owner of Fowler road loco 8712 is Jim Smith and that of the Aveling tandem 6530 is Andrew Biglands, one of the lads who has been crewing on the engine during the last summer or two with John Carr. We wish them well with their new charges.
SCOTLAND A new venue at Coatbridge was chosen by the Scottish TES for an August Bank Holiday steam weekend. The event was organised in conjunction with the Summerlee Heritage Trust at the Summerlee Industrial Heritage Park. A large number of interested spectators were attracted on both days in real summer-like weather and the success of this venture augurs well for the official opening of this park at Easter 1987. Engines attending were Archie Rennie's Aveling tractor 5917 of 1906 (ST3083); Jimmy Drummond's Fowler tractor 17260 1E59796) of 1927; Marshall roller 83452 of 1928 (5Y3582) owned by Trevor Rees and Jimmy Wood; Mark Halsall's 1912 Aveling roller 7857 (SI-14274) and Murdoch McKenzie Ltd's Fowler roller 17471 of 1929 (GM1523). There were several items of ancilliary interest such as tractors, commercials and stationary engines and the Edinburgh Society of Punters who 'punted' on the canal.
SOMERSET The Somerset Club's rally at Langport in August attracted good crowds. Two dozen engines were present and these included newcomers in the shape of Cyril Finch's 1920 Aveling roller 9128 (E5336) and Bill Scurlock's 1893 Robinson & Auden 7hp portable 1038. Also present were Des Penny's Ransomes agricultural 26995 (EW2320), James Gilbey's Burrell showmans PERSEVERANCE II and Garrett showmans tractor 32122 (BH8900) THE GREYHOUND owned by the Walker family from Shrewsbury. An engine noted for sale is another Garrett showmans tractor, 32762 of 1915 (AD8954) owned by Dennis Chappell. In early September, the South 38
Somerset Agricultural Preservation Club organised a working weekend entitled 'Yesterday's Farming'. Colin Waite's 1916 Fowler ploughing engine 14256 (KE3135) teamed up with Graham Thomas' Fowler 15278 of 1919 (FA1301) to work a Fowler antibalance plough. Three agricultural engines were set to work with threshing machines, these being Brian Wilkins' 1918 Ruston Proctor 52266 (CJ4178), Sam Hillman's Burrell 2767 of 1905 (YA1683) and Ron Sams' 1919 Clayton & Shuttleworth 48224 (BH7651). Also present were J. Darch's 1914 Aveling tractor 8376 (KT2828), and Martin Farmer's 1888 Ruston Proctor portable 13606 and Ruston Proctor traction 51737 of 1917 (E68164), newly acquired by George Train but not in steam. The latter underwent steam tests in early October and it is hoped the engine will be making a working appearance at the 1987 event. We would be interested to have local reports of activities at premises at Yeovil, adjacent to the turntable used by steam railway locomotives which ran there last year. Work appeared to be in progress on a Fowler ploughing engine, a roller and a Garrett.
STAFFORDSHIRE The Third Annual Vintage Weekend organised by the Rushton Spencer Vintage Vehicle Society held at the Knot Inn at the end of August was a huge success and attracted a large collection of exhibits from the surrounding area. McLaren showmans 1623 of 1918 GOLIATH (DH2482) was there to generate for the organ (also from the Lythgoe collection) and Dale's Burrell 2950 of 1907 LITTLE MAC (AF3532), was coupled to a Humphries threshing box, which was run throughout the weekend. Providing lights for an evening barbeque was 1906 Aveling showmans tractor 6093 (D2800) owned by Denis and Pam Woodward. Other engines present were Andrew Hall's recently acquired roller 1912 Aveling 7583 (TF395), John Millington's Marshall roller 40047 of 1904 (8E8186) and Wallis Advance 7967 of 1928 owned by Alan Painter. Jack Hardman showed his Aveling traction 8597 of 1915 (SW757) MAUD FOSTER which had recently undergone extensive repairs to the rear axle and another visitor was Williamson's Sentinel S4 8884 of 1933 ITJ33191. Together with other attractions, the event captured an atmosphere all too rare at the larger rallies and the organisers hope to repeat this in 1987.
SUFFOLK A small event organised by the Suffolk Farm Machinery Preservation Society at Eyston Hall, Borley, attracted a handful of agricultural engines. These included Alan White's 1892 Burrell 1606 (N02533) SPANKER, Simon Webb's recently acquired 1898 Foster 2127 (D02003) and Richard Webb's Marshall 40101 of 1903 (BJ6356). Also included at the show was an unusual Tuxford portable engine, number 1434, owned by Mr D'Eath of Lavenham. There was a very good attendance at Henham Rally in September, both of general public and engines. The latter numbered about 40 whilst the former were in the thousands. It seemed, at the end of the event, to have been one of the best ever and certainly a suitable tribute to the steam section's former organiser, the late Len Murray, who guided it through the early days. Engines present included some newcomers: Willy Middlemiss' 1912 N class Fowler roller 12530 (J7255), Richard Seago's 1926 Burrell roller 4044 (YB7730) and A.A. Green's Marshall roller 78563 (IW2573). Strumpshaw Museum exhibited 1921 Aveling roller 10079 (BJ7116), whilst an impressively large engine was Michael Nibble's McLaren road loco 1332, once an export to Australia. John Antell came from Dorset with his 1909 Fowler traction 11491 (AH6486). An historic vehicle rally and village fair was held for the second year running at Buxhall near Stowmarket and several engines were present. These included Kath Barrett's 1912 Burrell Gold Medal tractor 3433 (AH0108) PETER PAN, Natal Taylor's Wallis Expansion engine 7497 of 1916 (N04710) and the unique Turner portable engine of 1874. This latter is owned by Len Moore and is normally to be found at the Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket. In addition, Simon Webb attended with his 1898 Foster traction and a newcomer was Aveling roller 11670 of 1926 (5N3875) recently acquired by Steven Pye from Steven Frost. Another engine to come into the vicinity is 1922 Aveling roller 10190 (FX8654) previously with David Perks in the West Midlands. Alan Hines, the new owner has been involved with engines since a boy. His grandfather had a new Burrell engine and threshing tackle in 1889 but unfortunately this was cut up in the early 1950s. Alan and his son, Stuart, who is an SAC member, are looking forward to exhibiting the roller in the not too distant future.
SURREY The Egham Show at the end of August had a good attendance but with changeable weather it was somewhat sticky underfoot at times. Engines on exhibition included Eric Best's 1923 Wallis roller 7779 (H06260) once owned locally by A.J. Ward of Egham; another roller was Martin Fagg's Aveling 10048 of 1921 (FX8307). Three engines which were somewhat unexpected by enthusiasts were 1918 McLaren agricultural 1642 (6E8739), now owned by Mark Henchoz and lately restored at Kew Bridge, Gary Smith's 1924 Burrell roller 3991 (AF9803) and Hardwick's Burrell showmans WINSTON CHURCHILL. Another participant was Mike Robert's 1917 Tasker tractor 1741 (H02040). A new event was held in early October at Chertsey in aid of a local hospice. Attended by 15 engines and several other ancilliary attractions Hatch Farm Rally was a superb little event near the newly opened M25 motorway. Those present included two Sentinels — Charlie Russell's 1924 Super 5104 (CA6395) and partly restored DG4 8454 (UX7958), owned by Peter Bowers. Ian Bennett exhibited a couple of engines including Robey tractor 33957 of 1915 (FE 5043) and also present were Boughton's Fowler agricultural 7788 of 1897, Mr and Mrs M. Collier's 1937 Aveling-Barford roller 14187 (FPH122) and D. Horton's Burrell roller 3047 of 1908 (AH6867). Mark Henchoz's McLaren 1642 was also here as was Claude Jessett's 1920 Burrell Gold Medal tractor 3851 (PB9359). An amusing incident occurred at this show when three miniature traction engines of the ride-on variety appeared, all coupled together and towing a trailer, all bearing the legend AMALGAMATED MINI HAULAGE. Some well known engine owners were not as amused as our correspondent was.
SUSSEX The hundredth birthday of one of the south of England's best known traction engines was celebrated in style at the Amberley Chalk Pits Museum, with some sixteen engines joining in the party. The engine being honoured was Peter Fagg's Marshall 14242 (H05913) whose story has been told in these pages recently. Notwithstanding its age, after restoration in 1985 it became the oldest vehicle to complete the HCVS's run to Brighton. The celebrations coincided with Amberley's annual steam weekend. Despite heavy rain, a short run was made with the engines
Taking a rest from a spell of rolling the car park adjacent to the Nene Valley Railway's locomotive sheds at Wansford, near Peterborough in September 1986 is Aveling & Porter 10 ton single cylinder roller 5598 of 1904 (X08052). The engine is in the final stages of a very extensive rebuild by owners the Jennings brothers. (Jim Wade) to the nearby village. Crews were in full Victorian costume for the occasion, including the ladies who looked especially fetching, though rain forced them — all fourteen — to cram into the Museum's John Allen living van for the journey. An engineman's lunch, followed by the cutting of an engine-shaped cake decorated with 100 candles, preceded a drive back to the Museum to prepare for an evening barbeque. Lights for this occasion were provided by Brian Oram's 1891 Savage lighting engine 537 presented by Reg Fright and, making a fresh appearance after restoration, Adrian Tarrant's Burrell showmans 3878 of 1921 (BT3997) ISLAND CHIEF. A few teething problems with the latter engine will undoubtedly be soon sorted out. Others present included Bob Langley with 1895 Fowler traction 7459 (BW4506), Barry Partridge with Marshall roller 76913 of 1923 (PU804) and Peggy Hampshire's 1930 Foden wagon 13716 (RP9208). On the following day, Peter Love brought along to Amberley his Marshall agricultural 61880 and Douglas White arrived with Sentinel S4 wagon 9075 of 1934 (BEV467). Much interest centred around Derek Kilburn's Marshall tractor 73900 of 1920 (AH0823) which is now totally dismantled for the fitting of a new firebox and boiler barrel. Many visitors to the Museum were surprised to see what they thought was an engine
being cut up, as Derek wielded a cutting torch to dispose of the last of the old metal. Few engines can have ever had such a gathering in their honour as Marshall 14242 did and it has set a standard which others may find difficult to follow. A steam up at Northchapel in mid October made a splendid sight, with no less than sixteen engines present. The highlight for one visitor was Tarrant's Burrell ISLAND CHIEF generating for a fairground ride for the first time in many years. The engine unfortunately was suffering from problems and on the fire clinkering up, Oram's Savage lighting engine took a turn at the work, resulting in a rush of sparks in the night sky. Peter Lyon's Fowler 11698 of 1909 (NK925), nearing completion of a rebuild, had been driven to the event, as were Keith Leadbetter's pair of Tasker tractors, 1625 of 1914 (BP5833) and 1726 of 1917 (SR1294). The latter engine was due to return to Liphook around midnight — it has the advantage of steam generated electric lighting. Also present were, amongst others, Jimmy Searle's 1931 Fowler showmans style 19050 (CV5630), Tony Harman's 1918 Garrett tractor 33374 (CE8250), ex Ireland, and George Freemantle's 1934 Aveling Barford roller 14179 (BKX861). An unusual engine was Charlie Russell's rare 1910 Farmers Foundry compound portable number 36. 39
Best wishes for 1987 to all customers old and new. We hope to see you all at our next Collective Vintage Auction Sale to be held at Thruxton Circuit, near Andover Hampshire on Saturday 9th May 1987 Entry forms and further details available in due course
pEARSONS Agriculture House, Main Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire. Tel Andover (0264) 810702
The annual steam threshing at the Downs and Weald Museum at Singleton near Chichester took place on the last weekend in October. As usual, the team of Bert Dibben and Arthur Thompson were in attendance, 1 912 Arthur's Foden 3384 of (SN1646) supplying the power for Bert's Foster threshing machine. Adjacent to them was Charlie Russell's Farmers Foundry portable driving a baler, while his Sentinel wagon 5104 THE DUCHESS was on hand to collect the sacks of grain. Engines noted as being for sale recently have included 1936 Marshall portable 87866 (with Britannia type firebox) owned by Jim Hampshire. It was priced at £5,500 at the Wisborough Green tractor sale. Hellingly Rally over the August Bank Holiday saw the appearance of Fowler traction 8721 of 1900. It originally went to Sydney, Australia and has recently returned. This unsprung engine has recently been modified by the fitting of a third speed and has been advertised by Mr Houseman in a weekly advertising paper. Some news now of recent happenings at Bicknell brothers, Hollycombe. Bob Bicknell had the Ransomes crane engine 31066 of 1920 (PV4943) in action doing various jobs around the works, as well as progressively completing the restoration of the engine. He has even had his wife, Heather, doing a bit of painting. Alec Bicknell, who suffered serious injuries early in 1986 in a fall from an engine he was working on, has recently been released from hospital and is starting to get about again. We wish him well in his continuing recovery. Work recently carried out has included a new backhead, tube plate, firebox and 40
tubes for Brian Richmond-Dodd's Fowler road loco 11111 of 1910 (8E7988). Robin Cakebread's Aveling tractor 12766 of 1931 (5M99831 has received a new boiler, firebox, tubes, tubeplate and second shaft — Robin is finishing the reassembly work in London. Alan Steevens' Marshall traction (ex-Simon Caudwell), said to be 25556 of 1895, is having a new boiler barrel and complete new flanged backhead. The locally owned Burrell 1876 of 1895 (AH5366) EMPEROR has had a new backhead and another Burrell traction 3068 of 1909 (AH5978) VICTORY, owned by Doug Smith, is undergoing extensive repairs. Geoff Gilbert's Burrell traction engine 3984 of 1924 (NU4495) has received a new firebox, tender etc and has been run in by Peter Love, whilst Chris Lavery's 1913 Foden wagon 3510 (M4673) is having a new firebox and tubeplate (will the machine's beautiful original paintwork survive?). Work on Keith Leadbetter's Tasker tractor 1726 of 1917 (SR1294) was completed earlier in the year with a new tubeplate, smokebox and front end assembly. Aveling tractor 9225 (CJ4160), owned by Peter Bartlett and Peter Williams has had a new flanged firebox fitted. Finally, what might be the first new ploughing engine boiler to be constructed since preservation began has been made for Jim Bracey's Fowler. AA7 1919 15354 (CE7690). A massive undertaking indeed, and one now satisfactorily accomplished.
WALES Mike Jones' 1915 Marshall tractor 68754 (CH2462) continues to progress at Stuart Woodbine's boiler works near Chesterfield although production from Mike's money press has had to change to £100 notes with the necessary fitting of a new backhead and throat plate to the boiler. A new corrugated top has been pressed out for the firebox and the formers for the firebox sides are well advanced. A new boiler has been rolled and the seam welded and passed sound after X-ray treatment. By the turn of the year, it is hoped the various bits will resemble an engine again, for it is planned to refit the cylinder block to the then completed boiler. Mike is hoping to have the whole job done by mid summer to commence reassembly of the many other pieces which have meanwhile been receiving attention. Earlier in 1986, Mike purchased a very rough living van built on the chassis of a traction trailer. Mike is considering scrapping the van portion — it has stood since 1940 — and using the trailer for its intended purpose behind his Marshall tractor in due course. Other acquisitions of late have been a pair of Foster or Garrett tractor front wheels which have come off a threshing box and the mortal remains — the chassis and front axle — of Sentinel S4 wagon 9207 of 1935 (BYL484). Hopefully someone will eventually be able to use them to rebuild another running S4 type. The ex-Anglesey County Council Aveling roller 2439 of 1889 (EY1382) has now moved from Lloyd Jones
Marshall Metamorphosis Further changes affecting the successors of Marshalls at Britannia Works, Gainsborough are reported by Nigel Kellington of Gainsborough. Some years ago the business was acquired by the Nickerson group (see Steaming Winter 1980/81 issue, page 17); in October 1985 this parent company went into receivership and the four companies within the group were put up for sale. Marshall Tractors Ltd, the wheeled tractor division, was purchased by Bentall Simplex Ltd of Scunthorpe and have left the site. Also purchased were the contents of the company museum and the two steam engines, Marshall 7hp traction 78085 of 1924 and 6/8ton single roller 88314 of 1927, have also moved to Scunthorpe, together with the huge 1911 colonial oil tractor, brought back from
Australia some years ago. Track Marshall Ltd, the crawler tractor division, has been purchased by Mr H. Flatters, a former MarshallFowler sales executive, and continues at Britannia Works supplying crawler tractors and spares. Major H. Marshall continues to work for the company, now known as Track Marshall of Gainsborough Ltd, supplying drawings and technical information on road engines, threshing machines, and all past models of diesel tractor. The steam engine drawings have now been catalogued by Major Marshall making finding of any particular part much easier. Major Marshall's engine 45415 of 1906, a 7hp traction, will be kept at the works together with his full set of threshing tackle; however, the engine is currently having new tubes and smokebox at H. Smith's of Old Leake.
brothers yard at Llanfair DC to Peter Millington's premises near Wrexham. It is intended that the engine will be finished off here for display at the 1987 Anglesey Rally. Rumour has it that a Fowler roller from South Wales is to join the few engines in the north of the principality.
WILTSHIRE Fowler conversion 21221 of 1937 (CV 0734) noted as being seen in a lay-by near Devizes in the last issue is now owned by Jonathan Lucas of Devizes, purchased in February 1985 from the Southampton area. It is reported that she 'blew a hole in the firebox at the 1985 Castle Coombe Rally', just ten days after a boiler inspection. (This sounds like a tale from 1885... 1 Surely it wasn't as dramatic as this sounds — Hon Eds). A new firebox, barrel, smoke box, tube plate and tubes etc have since been fitted by Border Engineering and the engine appeared at the Headington rally in July 1986.
YORKSHIRE Firstly, a small correction to last issue's comment on 1935 Ruston & Hornsby portable 173761 which was sold at Gerry Proctor's auction — though never rallied in Gerry's ownership, it did appear at a Pickering rally in the mid 1960s with the previous owner who lived at Kirbymooiside. There were about a dozen or so engines at the Oakes Park rally of the Sheffield & District Steam Society at the end of June. Perhaps the most unusual exhibit was 1908 Aveling tandem roller 6530 (NM291), owned by Paul Scholey. Paul also exhibited Fowler road loco 8712 (DE2439) which contrasted in style with Irvin Barraclough's later 1917 Russian type Fowler 14893 (CT6888). Derek Webb's 1912 Aveling showmans style tractor 7778 (0S803) was present and a first time attender was Doug Ragsdale's 1909 Burrell showmans 3118 (AH5305) DREADNOUGHT. Fred Jackson's Wallis agricultural 2489 of 1900 (ek,D8906) spent most of the rally driving a Marshall threshing machine and straw trusser. An engine unexpectedly on the market is Fowler traction 9271 of 1901 (AJ5819) owned by Turners of Lazenby, in the north of the county. This has been parked at the back of a shed for something over 25 years; some considered it would never see the light of day again. It is pleasing to note, therefore, that it might get onto the rally fields again — it was exhibited at the very early Pickering rallies in the middle 1950s. Another engine advertised for sale was Arnold Brook's
The road locomotives at Stourpaine 1986 getting down to some serious playtime — and not a spectator in sight! Tackling the hillside lane with plenty of steam to spare are Garrett VERA, McLaren BOADICEA, Fowler ATLAS and — behind the suitably enormous load — Burrell LORD ROBERTS. In fact, the hundreds of spectators are getting a superb grandstand view from the high slopes on the left. (Roger Newbery)
1925 Sentinel Super wagon 6327 (NE4770) — this has now left the county into Stuart Gray's ownership in Cambridgeshire. Another sale has been Bill Robinson's 1889 Marshall traction 17134 (PY298), now owned by C.T. Robinson also from the north of the county. Driffield rally in early August had 73 engines present but only two rollers — Mick Gaines-Burrill's Aveling 12088 of 1928 (WK 5769) and Malcolm Stirk's Fowler 17585 (UA8178), new in 1929. However, this lack is perhaps not surprising in an area seemingly replete with conversions. Amongst other engines were John Marshall's recently acquired Burrell agricultural 4032 of 1925 (PW6287) and John Stephenson's 1930 Marshall traction 85620 (TF2954). It was good to see Charlie Byass's 1934 Foster showmans 14632 SUCCESS at the event, following considerable problems with the new cylinder block. It has been on and off like a yo-yo and things were, unfortunately, still not right. Later in the month, the Leeds & District club's rally took place at Harewood House. Engines new to the event were the rollers of Chris Smith, Aveling-Barford AC605 of 1937 (DTM537), and Colin Shutt's newly restored Aveling & Porter 11467 of 1926 (CP4694) VIATECT. This latter was advertised for sale very shortly
after the event. A wagon which appeared in chassis form the previous year, was this year steamed to and from the event, and although still not totally complete, it was good to see it mobile. This was Harold Bell's 1928 Sentinel Super 7591 (WE3236), an ex-Brown Bayley machine, the odd man out in their Sheffield steelworks fleet, the others being Standard models. Also present at the event were Jack Taffinder's Aveling roller 10629 of 1923 (CA6016), David Mitchell's 1920 Fowler Tiger tractor 15625 (U7148) and Paul Scholey's Aveling tandem roller in the hands of John Carr. As an aside at this point your compiler can confess to being coerced into driving this roller for a time on the RRA's roadmaking demonstration. I cannot resist taking advantage of my Assistant Editorial position to comment on this strange machine. I have come to the firm conclusion that although the thing has a horse on the front, it could not possibly have been designed by anyone at Rochester. Firstly, it is so uncomfortable to drive with the full width rear roll; if one stands on the 'manstand', the regulator is almost touching one's nose and a five foot rearward reach of one's right hand is required to steer the thing. But if you get comfortable crouching on the rear roll cover, your head hits the underside of the canopy as the roller wobbles 41
along — and it feels most unstable when on the move, anyway. Also its easier to clean the tubes through the firehole door from the rear of the engine, than it is from the front. I am of the firm opinion that the design is likely to have come from someone in deepest Norfolk in an attempt to discredit the Kent firm and was slipped into the Rochester drawing office under cover of darkness. I consider this foul product was then built by unsuspecting employees to eventually emerge, having been fostered in the Aveling nest, complete with brass horse. It really should have had a brass cuckoo on the headstock — definitely a misfit in the usual Aveling pedigree. Saturday evening entertainment was laid on at Harewood for the first time for many years. On this occasion, the fairground stayed open and a jazz band played in the beer tent. Showmans engines generated for their lights and one engine became victim of an on-site conversion job — Irvin Barraclough entered into the spirit of the evening and fitted up his Fowler Russian road loco as a showmans by hanging jam jars containing lighted candles from the canopy sides. Chris Smith steamed AvelingBarford AC605 away from Harewood on the 36 mile return journey to Wortley Top Forge near Sheffield, nearly completed in 8 hours, including dinner and water stops. Unfortunately he ground to a halt some three miles from home having only 1251bs on the gauge and wall to wall clinker on the grate, caused by inferior quality coal left over from the previous year's event (/ know the feeling well — DAR). However, the clinker was quickly jettisoned and the fire restarted with sticks and proper coal. The boiler from John Carr and Bernard Mettam's Aveling roller 12467 of 1929 (RF6437) is expected to be ready in November for reassembly to commence but full completion may take some time. As an aside, whilst at Top Forge Paul Scholey's tandem roller was briefly 'converted' in a moment of fun, to a showmans scenic engine by the addition of an extension chimney, 'dynamo exciter' and fancy lights. This was considered by many to be one downmanship (and by others as just plain boring). A steam working at Dalton in September had the majority of engines performing useful tasks. Malcolm Stirk's Fowler roller drove a stone crusher; Mick Gaines-Burrill's Aveling rolled in the crushed stone and on the agricultural side, Colin West's Marshall conversion 76890 of 1923 (PY272) drove a threshing machine 42
whilst John Smith's 1903 Fowler road loco 9544 (DS6584) powered a rack sawbench. Also present was Philip Ogden's Burrell tractor 3808 of 1919 (AH570) FORESTER. Most of these engines were on view on the occasion of the Road Locomotive Society's visit to York and the surrounding area during their AGM weekend in October. The venue for the meeting was the Yorkshire Museum of Farming at Murton, just outside York and at the same time as the meeting was underway, Alison Rayley powered a threshing drum with his 1923 Wallis Expansion engine 7774 (CT6081). In addition to visiting Dalton on the Sunday, the RLS also saw engines of the Whitwell and Rockliff collections and were granted special permission to go behind the scenes at York's National Railway Museum to see Sentinel Standard wagon 1960 (AW4131). This 1918 product is now owned by John Richardson and will eventually be restored in the livery of the pre 1923 Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, which company ran several Standard models. Another small event to take place at the beginning of September was organised by David Robinson, landlord of the pub at Hunton, near Leyburn. This gathering was attended by, amongst others, two Fowler engines — Andrew Craske's ex-Wood's of Yeadon roller 15589 of 1920 (U8709) and the recent acquisition by David Webster of Grantley Sawmills — Fowler conversion 16289 (NL8292), built as a roller in 1924. Although the Leeds Industrial Museum's pair of Fowler ploughing engines are still away under restoration, a recent visitor found a pair of newly acquired McLaren ploughing 'engines'. These are diesel engined machines the Museum has brought back from Sudan. They were exported in the late 1920s, McLaren works numbers 1962 and 1963, to the Sudan Plantations Syndicate and have been repatriated from the Gezira plain district, along with a BarfordPerkins motor roller, also now fitted with a McLaren engine, and some railway equipment. Described as motor windlasses, the machines are basically an engine mounted across a channel iron frame on wheels, but were extremely important in the development of the diesel engine in Britain, being very light in comparison with Fowler's contemporary offerings, which were based on the conventional ploughing engine design, or the diesel engined conversions of steamers. The McLaren windlasses were self propelled, using a McLaren-Benz engine, the first use of diesel in this
country for road propulsion, predating efforts from Gardners, Dorman, Leyland, etc. The annual Yarm Fair in North Yorkshire had a welcome visitor in late autumn. Richard Preston's Burrell showmans 3526 LIGHTNING pulled a trailer and provided a platform from which the Proclamation was declared at each of the four corners of the site. Finally, on a recent visit to Joe Duckett's Top Farm Museum at West Hardwick near Pontefract, it was found that good progress is being made by Ian Fearnley and helpers on his Mann's wagon 881 of c1913 (TF2598). The boiler, firebox, smokebox and tubeplate are reassembled. The chimney is on, as are the front wheels, whilst the rear end is temporarily supported pending installation of the channel frames to take the back axle arrangement.
ROAD ROLLER ASSOCIATION
to R.R.A.
During the latter part of the 1986 rally season, successful rolling demonstrations were staged by the RRA at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire and Harewood House Rally near Leeds, although the latter was at a somewhat lower key than previous years owing to a shortage of equipment. In October, committee members met at the Klondyke Steam Centre of the North Staffs & Cheshire club. They were able to see Peter Knight's Marshall roller 81427 (ex North Riding County Council) in steam and also inspect and drive the two small Wallis & Steevens motor rollers donated to the Association earlier in the year by Derby Pavings. A committee meeting was later held in a most convivial atmosphere — in a nearby pub kept by member Steve Durance. Steve's Marshall roller 57168, presently stripped down for repairs, was also available for inspection. Discussed at the meeting were proposals for a road making instructional course, to be held later in 1987 and plans for the AGM to take place at Stowmarket during the weekend of 7th/8th March. The meeting itself is to be held on the Saturday at the Cedars Hotel, Needham Road at 1 pm. It is hoped during the weekend to encounter some steam and to visit the Museum of East Anglian Life. Further details of the Convention, which is available for RRA members and friends, together with booking applications, can be obtained from the Chairman, Bernard Bartram, 144 Shardlow Road, Alvaston, Derby DE2 OJS.
Around the World We gratefully acknowledge receipt of club magazines etc from the South Canterbury Traction Engine and Vintage Steam and Club Stoomwalsenclub Nederland, and of other items from members and sources as individually credited.
AMERICA Two showmans tractors have recently crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America. Thomas Young writes from New Jersey to report that Wallis & Steevens 7572 (H02035) made a surprise appearance at the Kinzers event in Pennsylvania during August 1986. It had come from Ireland and was for sale at a price of $60,000! The Oilbath tractor was showmanised a few years ago by its then owner in Surrey. Garrett showmans tractor 27342 of 1909 PRIDE OF SCOTLAND did have a showland history — with Hewsons Animated Pictures — and is also the oldest 4CD example now surviving. Bernard Fielding reports its dispatch in mid September 1986 from Liverpool Docks to Baltimore and into the hands of an American collector from Maryland. This engine was restored to an expensive standard in recent years but has subsequently attended very few rallies.
the museum is recalled as being at Barntrup, 22km south of Hameln, and 66km south of Hannover. Also on open air display in front of the premises were a Lanz portable engine, a Wallis & Steevens Advance steam roller (previously owned by Strabag), a narrow gauge railway loco and many other industrial artefacts.
LUXEMBOURG Member Robert Verhoeven from Rotterdam, Holland, sends details of what is said to be the last steam roller in Luxembourg. Displayed for the last eight years in the City Park in Bettembourg, a town in the south of the Grand Duchy, is Ruthmeyer single crank compound 726 of 1931. The roller appears in need of some paint to keep it presentable and to protect it, but is complete in all details and, to British eyes, refreshingly free from vandalism. Both front and rear rolls have additional curved cast weights bolted to the web of the rims.
NETHERLANDS The 1986 Medemblik Rally, held at the small town on the edge of the
Zuider Zee some 30 miles north of Amsterdam, took place in mid June and as usual, the British contingent made the show. A strange item in the fair, to Dutch eyes, was a 1900 helter skelter. Engines crossing the North Sea included Paul Scholey's Foster 2775 of 1903, Peter Timmis' Garrett showmans tractor 33074 of 1917 and Andrew Semple's 1918 Ruston & Hornsby tractor 52607. The Foster engine was belted up to Lawley's 1901 saw bench run by Beano Hill and his friend Bert, both of whom are very popular in Holland. Providing the saw with tree trunks were Len Crane and his family with their Fowler crane loco 17212. This engine was not only impressing the crowd, but also the road surface — one of the Dutch owned rollers had to work on the damage after the show was over, thus doing a useful job. This roller was Jaap Kuitwaard's newly acquired Aveling 11296 of 1925. . In mid August 1986, George Kwekel again organised the continent's biggest steam rally at Hellevoetsluis, near Rotterdam; there were more than fifty engines present. As something different this year George arranged a line-up of living vans — most of the visiting ladies were delighted to see these old fashioned items so displayed. Newcomers were 1903 Wallis roller 2656 of David Hirst from England; French built Merlin portable 62 of 1923 owned by Steamcentre Maldegem from Belgium and Marshall traction 74489 of 1921 of Jan Brinksma of Holland. Several other English visitors included Burrell DUKE OF KENT, Fowler showmans THE IRON MAIDEN and Burrell showmans ST BRANNOCK.
WEST GERMANY Further to the notes on the German built Lanz traction engines in the last couple of issues, Stan Warburton kindly sends in details of a still existing example of the breed. About six years ago his brother came across a museum some way south of Hannover in Germany which included a single cylinder Lanz traction engine. It was standing outside in poor unrestored condition, very rusty with its chimney and canopy collapsed through decay, but otherwise very complete as far as fittings were concerned. If we presume the engine is still 'preserved' and part of the museum it is perhaps by now in better circumstances — if anyone wishes to investigate further
The Ruthmeyer roller in Luxembourg. (Robert Verhoeven) 43
In new ownership one could see Jaap Kuitwaard's Aveling roller and Henny van Duuren's 1933 Sentinel S4 wagon 8827, driven by Rob van Deventer. Another British newcomer to join the usual large number of Dutch steam boats at Hellevoetsluis harbour was steam tug TID 164; the 1945 built boat came over the North Sea under her own steam. Attendance at the event was once again over
100,000. Dutch enthusiasts hope many of their new found friends from England and elsewhere will return to a Dutch event in the future — they will be assured of a warm welcome. (reports by Jan Brinksmal
NEW ZEALAND The South Canterbury club's Newsletter reveals that the restoration of Burrell 2618, pictured in our Winter
1985/86 issue, is all but complete. Arthur Wigley has put Marshall traction 57913 back into running order, and Burrell traction 3529, owned by George Winter is being worked on to similar ends. Arthur Wigley has also recently made available to the club for display in their museum, his Aveling & Porter roller. The E type 10 tonner, 11358 of 1925, is a comparative rarity in New Zealand.
mentioned. My thanks are due to Bill and Jackie Briggs for their work in tracing the engine's identity for me. Jack Meaker
Letters Screens Burrells I was interested to read Bob Field's story of his days with Screens heavy haulage engines. Readers may like to have sight of a photograph which I recently came across of one of the firm's other engines. Inscribed on the back is the legend 'Burrell Traction Engine in Hagley Road, Hasbury 1893' but perhaps that was written on later
(Len Crane advises us that the picture of Burrell 3197 on page 155 of the last issue was, in fact, taken at Round Oak Steelworks, Brierley Hill.)
because the engine turns out to be Burrell 2035, a 10hp compound crane engine of 1898. It was new to E. Danks of Oldbury and had passed to Screens by the mid 1920s, though there is no record of how long they used it. I would judge the engine to be nearly new in the picture and although the quoted date is wrong I see no reason to doubt the location that is
Burrell 2035 on an outing with a fine pair of matched traction wagons, and without its crane jib, at Hasbury near Birmingham about the turn of the century. (collection Jack Meaker) 44
Matlock, Derbyshire
Fowlers in Liverpool With reference to Bernard Fielding's letter and the photograph on page 192 of the Autumn issue of Steaming, the engine shown was not Fowler 9983. Fowler B5 class 9983, owned successively by G.A. Watson & Co Ltd; Edward Box, and J. Routeledge, had a belly tank, Boulton patent wood block rear wheels and, when fitted with its crane, worked the rope from the usual type of winding drum already on the rear axle, not from a fitting in front of the chimney. It seems to be almost certain that the mystery engine shown was Fowler A4 class 9516 new to Liverpool Corporation in 1903. The order for this was for a traction roller with Crane and it was dated 30th May 1903. By strange and fortunate coincidence I have a photograph of both these Fowlers side by side in the course of testing the newly completed Briarsdale Road bridge in Liverpool on 12th November 1926. The engines were each reputed to weigh 20 tons, and are drawing 25 ton trailers, to form a 90 ton test load. I am indebted to Alan Duke who identified these engines for me from their registration numbers when I obtained the photograph several years ago, and to David Phillips of the Museum of English Rural Life at Reading, who has given me the order details from Fowler records. These do seem to prove that this was the engine in question. Cheslyn Mileham
Woking, Surrey
Fowler 9983 (left) and Fowles 9516 (right) and their respective loaded trailers form the 90 ton test load as they cross Briardale Road bridge in Liverpool on 12th November 1926. The white lines on the carriageway and kerbstones seem to be aids to enable the drivers to place the engines such that the test loads were in the optimum position. (cidlection C.G. Milehem)
The distinctive Fowler pictured in our last issue was, in fact, quite truly represented by the illustration on page 192. I can advise that it was works number 9516, new in 1903 to the order of Liverpool Corporation. It was a very unusual machine, being a 6hp A4 class compound crane road locomotive convertible to a 10 ton roller. The lower end of the crane's jib was fixed below the rope winding drum, the latter in turn being mounted over the smokebox in front of the chimney base, and behind the roller headstock casting. The jib was straight without the more usual cranked or swan neck top. So far as I know the engine was owned throughout its working life by Liverpool Corporation, and certainly never by Edward Box Ltd, or MRS Ltd. Edward Box's 8hp class compound crane loco was, as has been shown in the Summer 1986 issue, 9983 of 1904. It was mounted on Boulton patent wood block spring rear wheels. The cranked jib of its crane was
levered from the sides of the smokebox. The picture published on page 126 of the Summer 1986 issue shows Edward Box and his Fowler 8hp B4 class single cylinder road locomotive 7963 of 1897 in 1921, not as shown. Another picture of the same scene appears on page 14 of Tam McTaggart's new book The Big Box; actually the task was the removal of coastal defence guns after the war. I hope these brief details will enable Mr Fielding and others to differentiate between the three Fowlers mentioned. Alan Martin
Ruislip, Middlesex
(Tam McTaggart adds an explanation of why Norman Box would not help his father's widow in 1925/26 (Summer 1986 issue, page 127). She was, in fact, his step mother, Norman's own mother having died when he was young.)
Public Appreciation I was astounded to read in the Autumn issue of Steaming, Derek Raynei's comments about the general public showing 'little or no tangible thanks' for the trouble and hard work of getting an engine into rally field condition. He may not be aware of this but whilst he is polishing his pride and joy, the general public are the ones who are standing in a queue to hand over hard earned cash to the rally organisers, thus safeguarding the rally for future years — preserving it if you like. Many thousands of Joe Publics are doing this not only at rallies but museums and anywhere else they can see steam engines. Surely we don't want to start an 'us and them ' camp in Steaming; we see enough of that in one or two of the railway enthusiast magazines. The public do appreciate what the engine owner has done, that is why we travel hundreds of miles in search of these wonderful machines. You see, for us, preservation does not stop at traction engines but involves scores of things like cathedrals, boats, paintings, aircraft, museums and many aspects of human life, to name but a few subjects. All these, and 45
orothea estorations Ltd.
Engine overhauls Tenders Tanks Smokeboxes Flanged Plates Smokebox Rings Chimney Tops Metal Spraying Grit Blasting Polishing Convex beading Wire bound suction hose Brass boiler banding New Road, Whaley Bridge, via Stockport, Cheshire (06633-3544)
Also: Churchill Road Bristol 4 (0272 715337)
more, are competing for the money a family can afford to set aside each week for leisure. The important thing as far as the traction engine movement is concerned is to make sure it gets its share of the public's money by giving good value and making visitors feel they are wanted — because any rally, whatever its finances or abilities, certainly needs them. One further point — it should be also remembered that the majority of the readers of Steaming are members of the public. Could we have some articles on places of interest where a family can go and see engines more or less all the year round — like Thursford and Bressingham; museums that cater for the interests of the traction engine follower. A.J.S. Jackson
Penn, Wolverhampton
(Fair comment, Mr Jackson. But, in fact, we don't consider a certain proportion of the readers of Steaming to be the general public; we're all people who are interested in engines — some so avidly or luckily that they can own one, others less enthusiastically but keenly enough to want to join in the Trust. Surely the 'general public' are those who go to a rally for a few hours 46
general entertainment on his or her doorstep — a few weeks later it might be a carnival or a stately home-cumwild life park. This is not to say that their admission money should be taken for granted, or that any rally organiser should give them less then fair value. Regarding the suggestion of including notes on museums in our magazine, we should be pleased to incorporate salient details of suitable places, provided a good degree of accuracy can be assured — there's nothing worse than putting down information likely to lead to disappointment or a wasted journey. Perhaps some museum curators or helpers may like to respond. — Hon. Editors)
Ploughing Again On looking through my Autumn issue of the magazine I saw (page 168/69) pictures of two ploughing engines which at once looked familiar to me, and by jove they were, for reading on I was delighted to know they were the pair of Burrells that W. Morley bought in 1917 and had railed to Bampton station on the Oxford to Fairford branch. It was my father James W. Pitts and Jim Mills who steamed them from there and travelled with the plough, cultivator, water barrel and living van to Brize Norton and into Morley's engine yard. The whole lot was checked over for a week or so, then the set went out to work. Yes, it was 1917, I know for I was there; only a lad its true! The Burrells travelled the countryside throughout Oxfordshire and around the adjacent counties under the care of James Pitts as foreman, Jim Pitts on the other engine and Jack Kinchen as ploughman. I was the lad or the 'go-fer' for sending to the shops and pubs for food, tobacco or beer, and also to make the tea. We had our ups and downs — I recall when ploughing a field for a Mr Wilmer of Friars Court, Clanfield, near Radcot Bridge along the River Thames, that my father's engine was being worked close to the river. On one pull, when the plough had just left him, he realised something strange was happening; the back of the engine was slipping sideways — into the river! What a sight. There was the engine with the smokebox pointing up to the sky, steam and ashes everywhere. It was a good thing the chap on the other engine was doing his job properly and stopped pulling, but held on. The ploughman ran back to father and asked what to do. He was told to
run up to Jim and tell him to start pulling when he heard father's whistle. Meanwhile, the waterlogged engine was put in gear with the rope drum in gear too. Luckily there was a good head of steam in the boiler, so with a whistle my father opened his regulator and surely and steadily, with its own power and that of the second Burrell, out came the engine onto good ground. Now all there was to do was clean up and prepare for work again. The fire was lit and steam raised and a few hours later all was back at work none the worse. That was how it was in those days. By the way, the engine in the river must have been Burrell 776, because it was the right hand engine that embarrassed us. The last work these engines did was in fields on which the RAF Brize Norton base was later built. At the time the Flying Corps was using one field for circuits and bumps training. The engines were then driven into an old lane between Brize Norton and Black Bourton and there they stood for several years, rusting away with briars and nettles all around them. This was around 1925, when my father left the employment of Mr Morley. I later learnt they were taken away for scrap by Edwards of Swindon, but as we know they happily survive. Harry Pitts
Carterton, Oxford
Aveling 4877 I was surprised to see the picture of Aveling roller 4877 in the last issue (page 1741. The driver was my late father-in-law Tom Potter and that's him standing by the rear roll; the date, I think, was said to be about 1920/21. Years ago I was told that the front roller, fork and saddle were replacements for the type it was originally built with, and also that it was a 6 tonner. Stan Warburton Dorchester, Dorset
Thanks for Charity Run Through the columns of our magazine may I thank, on behalf of the crews of my Fowler roller 15935 and of Burrell showmans KING GEORGE VI, all those steam folk who helped us on our charity run from Fairford to Stoneleigh last year, raising money for Multiple Schlerosis research. Many individual and collective acts of generosity helped us exceed our target of raising £5000, but I particularly thank the Holton and the
Looking very much as the District Surveyor might have known it when it was new is Fowler DH1 10 ton compound roller 15935 of 1923, seen here at the Banbury rally in June 1986. (Roger West)
Fairford clubs for provision of coal; the Fairford and the Town & Country rallies for accommodating our trip — particularly Trevor Daw and Steve Hill for making Stoneleigh so enjoyable; the fair organ owners (Dave Plant and John Keeley) and those who operated the organs during the week (Jill and Fred). Finally, but not least, to my good friends the crews — John and Angela Wharton; Geoff, Annie and John Shackell on the slower engine KING GEORGE, and Alan and Sue Cooper and Martin Burningham on the superior roller — my sincere and personal thanks for their work. Peter Best
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Engine imports and VAT The Robey Trust have recently acquired Robey 6hp single agricultural 33348 from Eire, and before bringing it to our base in Devon I contacted Customs & Excise VAT authorities at Plymouth and Fishguard for information. Both sources agreed that the engine, built in Lincoln and exported to Ireland in 1911, would be declared free from VAT as it was a British re-import and was exported before the 1973 introduction of VAT. I received a letter from the Customs authorities verifying this decision. On landing with the engine at Fishguard, however, dfici presenting the above mentioned letter, as required, we had problems. The officer who had given the advice and written confirmation was overruled by his immediate superior, who proceeded to demand from me several hundred pounds; said it was up to me to prove my case and that the money would be held on deposit for six months to give me time to do so. (I would add the money was raised at the time through the good offices of Robert Coles and friends in the Fishguard area.► The three hours of fruitless discussion at Fishguard were most distressing and yet I know other engine owners have imported machines free of VAT. Through the Trust's honorary solicitor David Tew, I have spoken to other people (including a VAT legal expert) who all feel I have a case, although possibly neither the
original officer or his superior can be said to be correct in their interpretation of the regulations. The selection of the correct CT code seems to be the problem. As the outcome of this experience of mine could usefully benefit future purchases of engines from abroad by members, I should be grateful if any who have imported steam vehicles in
the past would contact me. Whatever the final result in my case at least this grey area ought to be clarified so that anyone repatriating engines may avoid pitfalls and be aware of what will be required. David Davies
9 Churchill Road, Tavistock, Devon (tel 0822 5960)
Books THE BIG BOX, by Tam McTaggart, 96 pages, softback, 10in x 7 1/2 in, 154 illustrations. Published September 1986 by Alloway Publishing Ltd, Ayr. Price f4.95. This book is a companion work to Tam McTaggart's previous title Pioneers of Heavy Haulage. Using a similar format, and at the same economical price, the book deals with events south of the border, and as the title suggests, primarily the business of Norman E. Box. It also covers his family's exploits over earlier generations and his own excursions into road rolling and agricultural contracting with Fowler Gyrotillers. The main theme of course is that of heavy machinery haulage, and as well as some 150 illustrations (most of which have never been published
before), there is a lively text with many anecdotes and tales of epic journeys and of frequent brushes with the letter, if not the spirit of the law. Tam has long been a contributor to this magazine as well as the RLS Journal on the theme of heavy haulage on Clydeside. Those highly detailed accounts of his own first hand experiences have always made enjoyable reading but perhaps he is at a disadvantage in the present volume in working on strange ground, far from home, for some readers may miss the characters and the atmosphere of his far north stories. But there are numerous fascinating snippets in the book, including the story of the excellent Dyson/Crane 100 ton trailer, the design of which was dictated over the telephone by the 47
creator, and of how during the trailer's subsequent working life it was responsible for the untimely demise of no less than three brakesmen! Unfortunately those keenest on the pictures will comment adversely on the choice of paper and the consequent quality of reproduction of the illustrations. Much more could, and no doubt will, be written of Norman Box and his men and machines — more than could be covered in a book of this size and price. It is very evident though, that an enormous amount of work has gone into the book and the author acknowledges assistance from a formidable array of personalities and organisations. The appearance of Fowler B6 engines 17105 and 17106 on the rally scene this year, both engines from Box family businesses, plus the worthy efforts of Amalgamated Heavy Haulage, has resulted in a resurgence of interest in the subject, making The Big Box a timely and appropriate publication. It is noteworthy that royalties from sales will go to maintaining the Road Locomotive Society's photographic archive, from where many of the book's illustrations come. In short — recommended, good value and surely worth a place on all members' bookshelves. (Brian Freer)
FONT TO FOOTPLATE, by Rev E.R. Boston. 96 pages, hardback, 10in x 7% in, 123 illustrations. Published August 1986 by Line One Publishing Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Ltd, Price £10.95. For more than twenty years, Cadeby Rectory was a steam centre unique even in a hobby that seems to thrive upon originality and eccent-
ricity. Its purpose was as much to give pleasure to others as to extend its creator's life-long interest in railways and steam engines, a happy place whose operations were overseen by the original Fat Controller. This is Teddy Boston's story told in his own words which sadly, we read as his epitaph. An autobiography ought to convey the personality of its subject. All too often it does not, because attempted formality has robbed the written word of the expressiveness found in its spoken, more spontaneous equivalent. Here, however, we find one that does; it is written exactly as Ted would have told it to you personally. Thus the occasionally inverted logic whereby the successful pursuit of steam overrides all other laws of nature, the sense of fun that was never far below the surface and other characteristics that one got to know over twenty-odd years are preserved in print. Nor is it written with any sense of finality, despite the circumstances under which it was completed; on the contrary it is a work of optimism looking forward to the next round of adventures. I found the quality of photographic reproduction somewhat disappointing both in relation to the price of the book and to that achieved on the dust jacket. The economics of book production are something of a minefield, and one wonders whether the relatively high price betrays a limited print run in the expectation of sales to a small and rather specialist market. If so, this may be selling the book short as it is one of those rare works that, by conveying its author's unashamed enthusiasm, manages to bridge the gap between the enthusiast
Highland Steamboat Holidays Cruise the beautiful seidochs and winds of Scotland in an original coal-fired Clyde Puffer. Good food, comfortable accommodation. •*: '
Send large SAE for free brochure to Rachel and Nick Walker, The Change House, Crinan Ferry, Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8QH (Tel 054 65 232).
48
and the unconverted. It is a book that every steam man should keep handy to answer the question "What do you see in...." (Rodney Weaver)
LINCOLNSHIRE BUILT ENGINES, by Richard Brooks and Martin Congdon, 40 pages, paperback, 12in x 8%in horizontal, 68 illustrations. Published by Lincolnshire County Council, Recreational Services — Museums, Lincoln. Price £2.50. Besides being a pictorial glimpse of the engine-building heritage of the county of Lincoln this book has a purpose, for profits from the sale of it are to go towards the restoration of the Museum of Lincolnshire Life's Ruston, Proctor traction engine SYLVIE, recently missing from eastern rally fields with firebox problems. The booklet does not claim to be comprehensive, indeed ten times the number of pages would fail to do complete justice — either in words or pictures — to the amazing engine output from Lincoln and its county. Within the 40 pages however is a good balanced selection of illustrations of all types of engines with the portable — supremely dominant in terms of numbers built — not forgotten. They vary nicely from works poses through to illustrations of working engines but no rally poses — except for the cover showing a now nostalgic line up at an early Hykeham event. The pictures are grouped by maker, each section introduced by a brief history of the firm concerned. The decision to overlap some of the illustrations is odd (though the subject matter is not affected) and some of the captions could have been lengthier bearing in mind the blank surrounding spaces. But the quality of reproduction is good and the booklet as a whole provides excellent value for money. (Roger West)
STEAM THRASHING IN THE COTSWOLDS, by Michael Thexton, 116 pages casebound with colour jacket, 8in x 5 3/an, 56 illustrations. Published November 1986 by Regency Press Ltd, London. Price £7.50 (but the publishers have very kindly arranged a reduced price for members — see the current Mail Order form). 'An account of the history and operation of Blackwells of Northleach, the steam thrashing contractors' is the introduction on the title page of Michael Thexton's pleasant little book; it succinctly and accurately describes the contents of the volume. Aided by rewarding interviews
with the Blackwell family, a diligent search of the columns of the local press and a particularly fortunate survival of the firm's ledgers etc, the author has produced from seven year's research a very comprehensive history of just one Gloucestershire family's interest in an important part of English rural life. The story of the business is spread over a period from 1870 to 1963 with an extension, for Wallace Blackwell and his wife, into the days of preservation. Ten chapters cover the history of the family; the building up of their trade; the engines; the running of the round (here the author quite understandably stops short of real technicalities of the art of threshing) and finally preservation days, for Robey 29333 and Aveling 9228 of the family's fleet are still with us. In view of correspondence in our last magazine it is interesting to read that Blackwell's practice was to put the balers immediately behind their engines when travelling; another point the author brings out is that the whole family took part in the business, the women being involved in bookkeeping and contact with clients. The illustrations are an extensive and varied selection. Your reviewer
A fine scene — more like a modelmaker's set piece than reality — photographed at Bradford Colliery, just two miles east of the city centre of Manchester. Coal is being dropped via chutes from the screening plant into both railway wagons and rued transport. The Albion petrol lorries belong to a local carting contractor but the Foden 6 ton steamer was owned by The Bradford Colliery Co Ltd, their No4. Alan Duke records them as owners of two 5 ton Fodens, 7680 and 7682, and 6 tonner Foden 13518 (R3669) — the latter may be the machine in our picture. Bradford Colliery seems to have undergone development in the late 1920s — they purchased a new railway shunting locomotive, had the new Foden, and constructed an extension to the screens (the clean building); shortly atter the company became part of the large Bridgewater Collieries combine. Perhaps all that was the reason for making the pictorial record. (courtesy NCB Archives)
felt two useful additions would have been a map showing the area of countryside covered by the Blackwells and a family tree diagram. Footnotes that could have better been Incorporated into the text are somewhat irritating but overall these criticisms do not detract from what is a very nicely produced book. It is a well researched story, setting down the everyday happenings of a typical business that so many of today's preserved engines have been handed down from. As such, this book will appeal to all engine enthusiasts. (Roger West)
STEAM CARS (Shire Albums No 153) by Richard J. Evans, 32 pages, paperback, 8'/, in x 5'/. in, 36 illustrations. Published 1985 by Shire Publications Ltd, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Price fl . 25. It is perhaps inevitable that in a book on steam cars the emphasis is towards American products with famous names such as Stanley, White and later Doble, for undoubtedly this type of vehicle was essentially a product of the United States. It is pleasing to note therefore that one of the first vehicles of this class to be 49
made is included and that it was British — the photograph itself is an extremely early and indeed historic one. The car was manufactured by Cately & Ayres in 1868, but neither this country nor the city of origin, York, is stated. Although the book doesn't claim to be comprehensive, it seems a pity that so few references to products actually built in Britain are made, as there were several home produced innovative designs, including the Lifu. This is one UK manufacturer who does merit a mention and photographs, but the text does not connect them with this country or indeed to the Isle of Wight where they were made. The firm of Sheppee of York, who also produced similar liquid fuelled cars and lorries, does not merit a reference at all. Nevertheless this inexpensive publication, written by the curator of the Manx Motor Museum, gives a good basic grounding in its subject, something we have come to expect from a Shire Album. It covers not only the historic vehicles and how they worked but also more modern developments up to the early 1970s. There is a chapter on the do's and don'ts of running such a complex vehicle and how to prepare a steam
car for the road. Also, for those whose appetite has been whetted, there is a section where to find out more and where to see actual vehicles — not only in Great Britain but also abroad. Altogether an interesting little book; recommended for purchasing with those book tokens received at Christmas and yet to be exchanged. (Derek Rayner)
TRACTION ENGINES OF RUTLAND, compiled by A.R. Traylen (In Rutland Series, Volume 8). 66 pages softbound, 9 3/4 in x 7%in, 84 illustrations. Published 1984 by Rutland Local History Society, Oakham, Leicestershire. Price £3. 75. To date this book appears to have escaped notification or distribution in traction engine circles. Rutland, once the smallest of England's counties, was largely agricultural and it is not surprising that the majority of its engines — never large in quantity — were portables and general purpose types engaged in threshing. A handful of steam wagons, tractors and rollers made up the balance, and the account also mentions some 'outside' engines which worked in or passed through the county.
New Members A sincere welcome is extended to the following new members who have joined the Trust during the last three months. We hope they will all gain much friendship, information and enjoyment from their membership over a period of many years.
P. Laguin, La Tuilerie, La Motte, Saint Jean 71160, Digoin, France. K.W. Petipher, 50 Green Lane, Radnage, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. C.N. Wood, 3 Badcox, Frome, Somerset. A.N. Kleinbussink, Telderssfraat 7, 8275 WS Kampen, The Netherlands. D.C. Lockyer, 39 West Street, Newport, Isle of Wight. J.M. Dyson, 43 Fen End, Over, Cambridge. P.C. Brook, 5 Gage Close, Marchwood, Southampton, Hampshire. C.J. Skerman, 26 Dawn Avenue, Wallisdown, Bournemouth, Dorset. K. Erskine-Levick, 179 Bay Road, Berrilee, New South Wales, 2159, Australia. B.J. Wilson, 7 Council Houses, Stockton, near Warminster, Wiltshire. Family members — Cynthia, Ian and James. 50
An opening chapter by John Clay briefly explains the development of the traction engine and this is followed by descriptions of the different types; all this is for general readers, but the bulk of the book consists of brief accounts of each owner's known engines, with illustrations. Much of the information has been provided by several well known engine historians. Oddly, for an historical society's publication, these details are set down in a somewhat cryptic manner — though enthusiasts will understand the abbreviated captions or notes readily enough. The number of illustrations is generous and many of them, reasonably enough, are from small snapshots, but sadly all, whatever their original quality, suffer from a rather poor standard of reproduction. However the book is a useful record of some of the engines in one relatively small area (the coverage is not exhaustive) with much of the material apparently gleaned locally by the Society from families of the original operators. (Roger West)
• All the books reviewed here are available from NTEC Sales
J. Goodwin, 100 Brackenfield Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands. T.E. Burgess, Brook Farm, 135A Windlehurst Road, Stockport, Cheshire. T.E. Clarke, 17 Beech Grove, Macclesfield, Cheshire. A. McEwen, Farling Top Farm, Cowling, via Keighley, North Yorkshire. Family members — Maria and Alasdair. D.P. Ellis, 49 St Leonards Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire. C. Peerless, 1 Fire Lane, Newton Longville, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. T.E. Wright, Box 814 Enderby, British Columbia, Canada E. Hinchcliff, 29 Charles Street, Glossop, Derbyshire. Mrs S.M. Snow, 3 Eastcroft Road, West Ewell, Surrey. M.J. Fitzgerald, 82 Flatt Lane, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. D.R. Price, The Oaks, Oakle Street, Churcham, Gloucestershire. A.C. Hewitt, 1 Riland Avenue, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. J. Kirkham, 30 Bollin Close, Lymm, Cheshire. K. Cockran, 4 Coxley Green, Wyton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. P. Ledger, 23 Busdens Way, Milford, Godalming, Surrey. V. Doyle, Bracklyn, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Eire. R. Hunt, 500 Bradford Road, Batley, West Yorkshire. P.R. Scoins, 44 Ainsford Way, Spencerbeck, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Teesside. W.T. Hughes, 27 Greenwell Street, Darlington, Co Durham. Nelleke and Matthys van Es. Family membership added to J. van Es, J. v Heemskerk str 20, 1272 AX HUIZEN, Holland. D. Boutka, Kleidijk 10, Oostvoine, 3233 LK, Holland. A. Buffing, 123 Hudsonstr, 3025 CH Rotterdam, Holland. P.A. Hondema, Ganimedessstraat 10, 1562 2L Krommenie, Holland. R.A. Verhoeven, Gouwstraat 52A, 3082 B5 Rotterdam, Holland. R. Kanselaar, Gyseland 16, 1361 VC Rhoon, Holland. J.R. Smith, Rothbury House, Washington Road, Storrington, Pulborough, Sussex. Family members — Dawn and Ian. J. Bray, 12 Church Street, Peel, Isle of Man. M. Retman, 152 Lodge Lane, Collier Row, Romford, Essex.
C.A. Heikoop, Dwarssteeg 8, 4255 SB Nieulsendijk, Holland. F. De Mets-Maas, St. JellINStIddl. 482, Essen, Wilder!. 2190, Belgium. R.M. Hoare, Brook Cottage, Byter Mill Lane, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon. S.J. Tucker, Carents Farm, Yeovil Marsh, Somerset. P. Upshall, 19 Rornsey Road, Yeovil, Somerset. T.B. Snapp, 35 Stanifield I ane, Farington, Leyland, Lancashire. G. Rider, 6 Overbrook, Hythe, Southampton. S. Hawkins, 11 Nantyrychain Terrace, Pontycymmer, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan. R. Hazell, 25 Priest Lands, Romsey, Hampshire. D. White, 4A Butterfield Drive, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland. R.W. Murray, 16 Manor Way, Woodford Green, Essex. P. Richmond, 46 Castle Street, Boston, Lincolnshire. P.J. Williams, 42 Trewen Road, Birchgrove, Swansea. P. Sims, 79B Clough Road, Sharrow, Sheffield. D.J. Best, 64 New Hey Road, Cheadle, Cheshire. N.V. Atkin, 45 Lambs Lane, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire. D.R. Marchant, Thornworthy, Lynton, North Devon. P.L. Colver, 81 Arley Road, Saltley, Birmingham. G.G. Hosegood, Trident Cottage, Old Sodom Lane, Dauntsey, Chipponhom, Wiltshire. J.C. Williams, The Flat 32A, Duke Street, Kington, Herefordshire. Family members — Julia and Gareth. A.C. I lall, 32 Hanworth Road, Feltham, Middlesex. Family member — Laura. C.N. Brook, 16 Orwell Close, St Ives, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. F.B. Neville, 36 Park Road, Alrewas, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. E.A. Morgan, 74 Gloucester Road, Stratton, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. B.R. Pilcher, 12 Sloane Avenue, Roturua, New Zealand. D. Thomas, 1 The Glade, Nettlestone, Seaview, Isle of Wight. J. Beale, Eaglesfield, Buxted, Uckfield, Sussex. J. Linehan, Mill Road, Middleton, Co Cork, Eire. Family members — Denis, Paul, Simon and Michael. T.G. Frostick, 12 Chapel Road, Great Totham, Essex. C. Leal, Silver Birches, Church Road, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight. C. Beloch, Alte Hatzperstr, 6 D 4300 Essen, West Germany. M. Widger, Cowdea Farm, Bettiscombe, Bridport, Dorset. I. Lander, 42 Paterson Place, Shepshed, Leicestershire. D. Boulter, 174 Manor Road, New Milton, Hampshire. R. Knight, Flaxfield Cottage, 15 Whissendine Road, Ashwell, Uakham, Leicestershire. B. Tidbury, Wee Cot, Barton Road, Bramley, near Guildford, Surrey. P. Stephen, 23 Chestnut Ave, Brentwood, Middlesex. Family members — Judith, Scott, Kristy and Michelle. S.A. Burrell, 42 Guest Road, Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, Hampshire.
THE
VINTAGE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MAGAZINE
K.R. Newman, 29 London Road, Petersfield, Hampshire. 5. McEvoy, Clonterry, Mountmellick, Co Laoise, Eire. J.D. Sullivan, 7 St Finbarr Street, Cork, Eire. R. Blease, Flat 4, 3 Parklands, Surbiton, Surrey. G.J. Webb, 103 Elizabeth Ave, Little Chalfont, Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Blakeway, 41 Church Hill, Ironbridge, Telford, Shropshire. M. Berry, 5 Moscord Close, Banbury, Oxfordshire. R. 011erton, 176 Inver Road, Blackpool, Lancashire. G. Mellinger, Marwendelstrasse 6, 6130 Schwaz, Austria. D.F. Haines, 20715 39th Ave, Langley, British Columbia, Canada. R. Marner, Horse Hill Farm House, Horsehill, Harley, Surrey. D.H. Mortimer, Arosea, 29 Glenboi, Mountain Ash, Mid Glamorgan. L. Wright, 282 Stafford Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. R. Pearson, 7 Roundoak Gardens, Nynehead, Wellington, Somerset. T. Liddell, 4 Albany Road, Ansdell, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. S.D. Young, 42 Medworth, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. J.M. Allen, 6 Longdown Road, Epsom, Surrey. P. Taylor, Mallards Rest, 22A Ventnor Road, Apse Heath, Sandown, Isle of Wight. I.R. Malpass, Portcuil, Chapel Allerton, Axbridge, Somerset. M.T. Blackburn, 4 Railway Cottages, Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. R.H. Walker, 24 Thorfinn Terrace, Thurso, Caithness. D. Trainer, Sachsenstr 16, 6411 Kuenzell 1, West Germany. G. Phillips, 22 Sunnyside, Mancot, Deeside, Clwyd. P.T. Forecast, 5 Penny Lane, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. Family members — Christine, Sheona and lain. A. Latham, 39 Se!say Close, Coppenhall, Crowe, Cheshire. D. Stadden, 17 Garforth Street, Netherton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. J.C. Abrahams, 55 Mountpleasant Road, Alton, Hampshire. L. Henry, 158 London Road, Temple Ewell, near Dover, Kent. F.W.P. Lea, 34 Radnor Road, Weybridge, Surrey. M.G. Savage, Hallams Farmhouse, Littleford Lane, Shamley Green, Surrey. D.J. Henderson, Urr Vale, 231 High Street, Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway. H.N. Stiles, Little Wickton, Stoke Prior, Leominster, Herefordshire. J.S. Christmas, 98 Imperial Avenue, Southampton, Hampshire. M.G.A. Evans, 17 Archer Road, Ely, Cardiff. J. Thornley, 20 Maple Avenue, Macclesfield, Cheshire. C.F. Moore, 108 Wallowstreet, Brierley Hill, West Midlands. B.C. Greene, 9 Wootton Avenue, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. D.J. Pollock, 48 Dominion Avenue, Spreydon, Christchurch, New Zealand.
THE
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MAGAZINE
Right for every enthusiast Packed with photos and features. Enjoy the best of vintage commercial reading with a subscription to The Vintage Commercial Magazine. ARC Mammoths l' he I .evandary ti-ardster Classics iv Colour ThigefieId tehusles Comm CIII Pick Up model Nein, desert buses
Four issues £8.50 post paid (Overseas, inc Eire, £10.50 surface mail. Airmail rates on application The Vintage Magazine Co. (S) Tavener House Axbridge Somerset BS26 2NN
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Iforst-Ai\ r4,I ritr\14..7 -
' t
Gone for lunch — and awaiting their crews' return at Acton Bridge, Cheshire in October 1982 are Burrell 3098, Burrell 4037, Clayton 46059 and A veling roller 10906. (Jim Stevenson)
J.G. Marshall, 260 Woodham Road, Christchurch, New Zealand. Master H.W. Jones, Holmsdale, 8A Mwrog Street, Ruthin, Clwyd. D. Hoyles, 81 Westwick Road, Bilborough, Nottingham. M. Woodrow, 43 Park Drive, Yapton, Arundel, Sussex. M.P. Tuxworth, 3 Rayments Bungalows, Wimbish, Saffron Walden, Essex. J.O. Lancaster, 8 Brett Close, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. J.B. Bowman, Hurst Dene, Green Meadow Lane, Hambleton, near Blackpool. Lancashire. C. Maughan, 8 Linden Close, Crawley, West Sussex. M. Ward, 204 Torrisholme Road, Lancaster, Lancashire. J.L. Fletcher, 18 Chantry Place, Kiveton Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. G. Ashfield, 11 Woodstock Drive, Wordsley, Stourbridge, West Midlands. C.M. Notman, 53 Fairview Drive, Hythe, Southampton. S. Jacobs, Oaktrees, Trelowth Road, Polgooth, near St Austell, Cornwall. T.H. Robinson, 10 Filton Road, Hambrook, near Bristol. A.G. Coombes, Field Cottage, Winterborne, Whitechurch, Blandford, Dorset. A. Willicombe, 13 St Albans Place, Taunton, Somerset. R.J. Corbin, 16 Frampton Close, Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire. Family member — Myra. J.C. Lockwood, Heath Cottage, Brightstone, Newport, Isle of Wight. P. Harrison, Blansby Park, Pickering, North Yorkshire.
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D.S. Loader, 16 Cartref Close, Verwood, Dorset. C.R. Gibbard, 1 Griffib Terrace, Penryhndeudraeth, Gwynedd. D. Knott, 70 Boismoor Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. D.J. Cobb, St Johns Cottage, High Street, Horningsea, Cambridge. C.B. Attride, 34 High Street, Manston, near Ramsgate, Kent. J.G. Kremer, Venus 11 9602 LP, Hoogezand, Holland. R. Rowe, 11 Islip Street, Kentish Town, London. G. Garbutt, Doctor Electronics, 1 4216 — 25th Avenue, Vernon, BC, Canada. R.L. Smith, 24 Clifton Road, Henlow, Bedfordshire. G.F. Steadman, 56 Marlborough Gardens, Malvern Link, Worcestershire. J.W. Cumming, Police Section House, 229 Willesden Lane, London. T.R. Hipkin, 28 St Andrews Road, Chinnor, Oxfordshire. Ashford Library, Church Road, Ashford, Kent. G. Spargo, 86 Pullman Court, Streatham Hill, London. A. Hill, Kestrel Engineering, Wavertree Court, Wavertree Road, Streatham, London. J. Meaker, 13 Victoria Court, Matlock, Derbyshire. R. Kay, 92 Ashgate Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. E. Ward, 4 Dyscarr Close, Langold, Worksop, Nottinghamshire. M. Barnes, 24 Arlescote Road, Solihull, West Midlands. M.E. Fagg, 20 Priory Street, Farnborough, Hampshire. F. Kingshott, 11 Kingsmead, Smallfield, near Hurley, Surrey. S. Veal, Wheal Rose, Downgate, Callington, Cornwall. H. Penney, Sevenstones, near Callington, Cornwall. A.F. Hoy, 21 Furner Close, Crayford, Kent. T.I. Osborne, Rosullah, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. P.R. Clare, 30 Snellgrove Close, Calmore, Totton, near Southampton, Hampshire. G.F. Train, 17 Lower Road, Wollavington, near Bridgwater, Somerset. M.R. Simmons, 17 St Catherines Road, Baglan, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan.
G.A. Daggers, 10 Meadow View, Rolleston-on-Dove, Burton-onI rent, Staffordshire. D.G. Crosby, 14 Brookfield Close, Armthorpe, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. T.H. Farrow, Pennypot Farm, Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland. P. Barnes, 24 Arlescott Road, Solihull, West Midlands. H. Rosa, 2366 Coventry Rood, Sheldon, Birmingham. S.W. Dean, 126 Brands Hill Avenue, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. D.I. Gardiner, 2 Montrose Drive, Hook Road, Goole, North Humberside. J. Walker, 63 Cranespark Road, Sheldon, Birmingham. J.A. Gordon, 60 Ferndale Road, Lichfield, Staffordshire. A.G. Hampton, 18 Colchester Close, Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire. D. Goodwin, Greenacre, Newquay Road, St Columb Major, Cornwall. R.H. Davis, Daveshill, Edgware Lane, Astwood Bank, Redditch, Worcestershire. D. Key, 2 Ashford Close, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Family members — Brenda, Alison and Adrian.
Small Adverts Small advertisements for private SALES, WANTS and ANNOUNCEMENTS, and appertaining to steam engines or associated items, are free of charge to National Traction Engine Trust members. Advertisements should be written clearly and concisely, and to ensure publication must be accompanied by the advertiser's NTET membership number. Non-members' rates for small adverts are 10p per word, with a minimum charge of £1.50, payable in advance. Members wishing to use these columns for trade purposes may do so at 5p per word, minimum charge £1.50, payable in advance. The publishers retain the right to refuse or withdraw advertisements at their discretion and do not accept liability for clerical or printers' errors, although every care is taken to avoid mistakes. ALL SMALL ADVERTISEMENTS TO BE SENT TO THE EDITOR. SEE TITLE PAGE OF EACH ISSUE FOR PRESS DATE.
Wanted — for Fowler D5 roller; hub cab, all draw gear and tender bracket (mounted underneath tender) to suit Allen 3 tyne scarifier, Fowler spun brass chimney cap 12in inside bore. — Telephone 021 745-4585, or write Steve Hill, 135 Solihull Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands 590 -3HW. For sale — Allen 2 tyne scarifier, complete. — Steve Hill, contact as above advert. Wanted — for 1945 Scammell Pioneer tank transporter: spares for gearbox, winch, and rear axle. — C. Smith, 2 Huthwaite View, Cote Lane, Thurgoland, Sheffield S30 7AH (telephone 0742 884019). Bronze Castings for steam siren (1/4 in supply) including drawings available from C. Francis, 8 Southdown Road, Southwick, Sussex BN4 1FT. Price £10 per set (overseas post add £5). Set of 4 new 40 x 8 Dunlop tyres, tubes, flaps and (Sentinel?) wheels for sale. — Mike Sutcliffe, 19 Woodland Rise, Oakway, Studham, Beds LU6 2PF (telephone 0582 873231). For sale — one pair of brass pipes for a Tasker tractor. Offers — G. Raggett, 7 Nutshell Lane, Upper Hale, Farnham, Surrey GU9 OHG.
Road Roller Association — for all interested in steam or motor rollers, road making machines, practices and history. Quarterly journal Rolling. Subscription £5.00 per year. — Membership Secretary, P. Knight, 22 Rowditch Avenue, Derby. Wanted — in good condition; cast top cover plate for Fowler roller single cylinder block, with or without safety valves fitted, 12in x 8in with eight stud holes, to replace one badly corroded. ALSO traction type pressure gauge, 5in dia face, 0 to 300 or 350 lbs/sq in, Salter, Budenburg or similar. — R. Pearson, 137 Pilkington Ave, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands (tel 021-354 62821. For sale — 4%in scale 'Burrell' traction engine, professionally built, hardened crank, slides and straps. Steel boiler built to Cornhill standards 3 years old, current certificate. Fully painted, very good steamer, needs finishing touches to complete, £6800. ALSO 5in gauge SWEET PEA locomotive complete with passenger bogie, portable ground level track with clip together sections. Current boiler certificate, £2000. Please write to Tony Peake, 3 The Square, East Buckland, Barnstaple, North Devon. Wanted — Klinger or similar reflex boiler water level gauge and top boiler cock to suit off-side fitting on a Wallis & Steevens Advance roller. Please telephone Truro (0872) 77691 evenings. Wanted — the following copies of Steaming: Vol 1 Not 1, 2, 3 and 4; Vol 2 NO3 1, 2 3 and 4; Vol 3 Not; Vol 6 No 4 — A. Lindsay, 12 Grantly Court, Gayton Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4TN. For sale — large quantity of BSW studs: %in, %in, %in, %in, assorted lengths. B. Wood, telephone 0532 572127. Steaming magazine — wanted Jan 1957; Jan 1958; Vol 3 No 1; Vol 4 No 1; Vol 5 Nos 1 and 2; Vol 6 No 3. For sale or exchange Vol 7 No 4; Vol 10 No 2; Vol 13 No 3; Vol 14 Nos 1, 2 and 4; Vol 15 Nos 1, 2 and 4; Vol 16 Nos 1 3 and 4: Vol 20 Nos 2 and 3; Vol 21 and 22 complete; Vol 23 Nos 1, 2 and 3. ALSO Steam Preservation (EATEC), nine issues 1962-1965 — Brian Johnson, 2 Ivy Lane, Westergate, Chichester, Sussex (tel 0243 68 2617). For sale — feed pump casting, offside boiler fitting, six studs, good condition. ALSO pair of rear rolls. All suitable for Aveling & Porter R10 roller. Offers — Telephone Cook, Shrewsbury 860410. Wanted — for the restoration of a Sentinel six piece trailer — any information, photos etc, in particular photos of axles. — T. Clarke, 17 Beech Grove, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 7JU (tel 0625 339821. Wanted — stationary steam engine, 2in to 4in bore, up to 6in stroke, open crank, any condition, if restorable. Also old books, catalogues, photos of traction, portable or stationary engines. — J.S. Jones, Bentinck House, Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Surrey (tel 0483 225132 evenings). Still available — solid rubber tyre sections manufactured by the Avon Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd; cylinder oil; mud ring gaskets; wheel valves; belting; special nuts and bolts manufactured to your specification; Hallite Graph CAF sheet; piston and valve rod packing; firebox stay material from stock; water gauge glasses and rubber rings, etc. — S.J. Wharton, Southerndown, Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire (tel Witney 33361. Wanted — Steaming Vols 1 and 2 complete; Vol 3 Nos 1, 2 and 4; Vol 4 Nos 2 and 3; Vol 5 No 2. EATEC Steam Preservation Nos 51 to 49, 38, 35 to 30, 25 and prior. — Jim Semple, telephone Canvey (02681 695324. Wanted — 3ft 6in flywheel for compound Marshall, solid or spoked. — Contact Michael Watts, telephone Hitchin 813543. Steam Plough Club — for all interested in steam cultivation, offering regular newsletter, events, visits, history and technical advice. Subscription £5.00 per year, OAPs £2.00. John Billard, Old Station House, Twyford, Berkshire RG10 9NA. Films — 16mm films on steam cultivation for hire, Ploughing by Steam showing machinery in action — ploughing, cultivating, draining and dredging — £11 per day; Original Fowler films made in the 1920s/1930s — land clearance, ploughing and cultivating, Gyrotiller prototype — £17.00 per day. Both taken together — £24 per day. — John Billard, Steam Plough Club, Old Station House, Twyford, Reading, Berkshire RG10 9NA.
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1/32 Scale Tractor Model Kits - Super detail glue together 1/32 scale models that only require file and model knife to assemble. Most parts are cast white metal, all tyres are scale soft PVC mouldings: T1 1938 Allis Chalmers B £14.50 T3 1939 International Farmall A £14.50 T6 1983 Track Marshall 35 £36.50 £16.50 T9 1953 Fordson Major diesel £18.00 T11 1955 Roadless Major 4WD T12 1955 Roadless Major % track £18.00 T13 1956 Doe Triple D £33.50 T14 1947 Field Marshall II £16.50 T16 1946 Fordson E27N (steels) £16.50 T17 1946 Fordson E27N (tyres) £16.50 T20 1955 County Four Drive £18.00 AT6 Tasker pole trailer (for kit T20) £15.00 1/24 scale Gavioli Organ kit (105mm high). Fully moulded front, complete with metal pipe ranks, cymbal, drums, bandmaster and 8ohm speaker to play tapes from your cassette player - £22.00. 1/24 scale Generator kit. Gardner 6LW engine with Scammell radiator and Lister switchboard and generator on brass chassis, 127mm long - £21.00. Epoxy two tube glue pack for kits - £1.85. Please include postage: £1.00 for one kit, £1.50 for two. FREE model knife with all orders of 2 or more kits. Illustrated price list 50p. Model Tractor Co, 52 Roman Way, Bedhampton, Havant, Hampshire P09 3PS. For sale - tube expanders, 1 %in, 1%in, 1 9/16in, 2'%in; book Steam Yachts and Launches (C.P. Kunhardt). - P.J. Auger, telephone Lincoln (0522) 681611. Wanted urgently - set of front forks for 1929 Aveling & Porter F type 10 ton roller. Also set of Pickering governors and a 4 stud boiler feed water pumpbody. - P. Jacobs, 7 South Close, Blackfordby, near Burton-on-Trent, Staffs (tel 0283 2148351. For sale - Fowler 10/12 ton steam roller, 22596 of 1937. Fitted with diff., Pickering governors and scarifier, in excellent condition with full boiler report. Also for sale small quantity steam fittings and spares. Further details - telephone Seifton 228 evenings. Wanted - rear wheel for Aveling & Porter 8 ton, approx 15ft circumference 15inch wide with 51/Bin axle. Telephone 04352 6674. For sale - new measuring tools. Micrometer 0-1 in, £20; telescopic gauge sets to 6in, £30; depth micrometer 1 in, £25. All above are British made! - Telephone New Milton 619884. Wanted - cylinder block for Field Marshall or VF crawler, standard piston +.080in; winch for Series 3 type tractor good price paid. Telephone New Milton 619884. For sale - quantity of organ LPs consisting of fair and dance music. English and foreign organs. Reasonable offers, telephone Rugby (0788) 77750. For sale - 300 gallon water tank, 6ft long x 4ft dia; top centre 18in dia manhole with lid; bottom outlet, £35, Telephone 0522 686150. Wanted - living van, workmans type, restorable or restored. Details please to Bill Gocher, Lodge Farm Cottage, Padbrook Lane, Elmstone, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent CT31 1HF (tel Canterbury 722569). Wanted - Steaming magazines prior to Vol 29. I have for exchange or sale a full set of Automobile magazines from first volume to date, mint and in correct binders. Details from Bill Gocher, address etc as above advert. Obsolete agricultural, steam and traction engine literature for sale. Please send 3 first class stamps for our list of books, pamphlets and sales brochures. Vintage Motorshop, 500 Bradford Road, Batley, West Yorkshire, WF17 5JY (tel 0924 4707731. Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11.00 to 5.00. For sale - two four wheel water carts, also road roller living van, immaculate condition. - Telephone High Wycombe 10494) 34122. For sale - Ransomes Sims & Jefferies 10hp portable 44126. New hydraulic test and rallied extensively this year. Purchase of traction engine forces sale. Telephone Glenn Carter, Porthtowan 890395. 54
Wanted - any information or old photographs of Fowell No.97, rag CE7893. Please telephone Glenn Carter, Porthtowan 890395. Wanted - photographs (or copies) and any information about showmans engines McLaren 680 BELLA and Burrell 2986 PRIDE OF THE WEST, originally named ELWORTHY. Both belonged to Slaters of Carlisle and ended their days threshing and timber hauling for my grandfather John Thompson of Warkworth, Northumberland. Please contact W.P. Thompson, Warkworth (telephone Alnwick 711137). For sale - Petter Al 1%hp engine, 1950, restored and in good working condition, £60 ono. - Telephone Bristol (02721 649903. For sale - brass chimney top for Fowler 12in diameter original, fair to good condition, £40; Fowler throttle governor valve for single, £15; Fowler chimney bottom ring and smokebox locking handle and boss, £15; Fowler steering wheel and part of spindle and brass beading for Fowler motion cover, £15; two Fowler slide valves, used, £20; two Fowler steam gauges, 300Ibs with pipes, £25. - Telephone Croesgoch (03483) 7733, South Wales. For sale - Ransomes 8hp portable, very good boiler but needs all motion, crank, flywheel and block, £300; Baker water cart with pump on tyres fair to good condition, £75; Worthington Simpson reciprocating steam water pump 2%in bore, as new, also one for spares, £50; three lengths solid rubber tyres on steel backing, 9ft x 6in x 2%in new, £90; parts for Marshall roller - steering segments, rear roll scraper complete, headstock cover, £60; Marshall water pump brass plunger, new, £20; assorted brass bearings for Marshall threshing machine new and used; early Field Marshall Series 1 on cast iron wheels, running order, cylinder block cracked but as new block to go with it, £750 - Telephone Croesgoch 103483) 7733, South Wales. Wanted - driving pin for a Marshall 6hp traction Telephone Croesgoch 103483) 7733, South Wales. For sale - remaindered copies of Smoke and Steam, 1924/28 memories of GN and LNER footplate days. This 109 page and 15 illustrations paperback, duly autographed, at £1.50 post free from the author - Harold Bonnett, 7 Ilford Court, Elmbridge, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8TJ. Wanted - small steam engines, Weir pumps, Worthington pumps, Green's Economiser engines etc. - Telephone 0243 603653 evenings - southern England only. For sale - one Devac mechanical lubricator; %in and %in Penberthy injectors; various wheel and non-return valves; various steam gauges; brass Dewarance water gauge for Foden; brass safety valves for large boiler; old spring drawbar; Fowler drive pin; odd lengths of copper and brass pipe; boiler inspectors test pump (gauges and fittings in case); Wallis & Steevens 50 cwt diesel roller fitted with Austin 1500cc engine; 10 ton screw jack with toe lift; various volt and amp meters. - L.J. Lambe, 84 Redditch Road, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove B60 4JR (tel 0527 313981. Wanted - complete road haulage or agricultural traction engine to restore, or partly restored. - D.R. Price, Churcham, Gloucester (tel Minsterworth (045 275 278). Wanted - large whistle valve(s), 1 in bsp; also injector and clack box suitable for Aveling roller (to replace pump) or Aveling pump body complete. - T. Stockdale, 9 Gardener's Road, Halstead, Essex. For sale - Tangye solid fuel workshop stove; two Chieftain tank idler wheels, solid rubber tyres, 26in i.d. x 6in wide; small petrol driven 110 volt generator as used for hedge cutter etc; Fowler name plate; metal 'Steelpac' workbench 42in x 24in x 32in, fitted 4in engineers vice and drawer. - L.J. Lambe, 84 Redditch Road, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove B60 4JR (tel 0527 31358). For sale - Wallis & Steevens 6hp Expansion 7411 (AP9261), completely stripped, fitted new firebox, section of barrel, front tubeplate, tubes. New tender and gears built up, new rubbers and extensive repairs to motion. Repainted in original colours. Current boiler certificate; in exhibition order, would suit museum, export or someone who wants an engine ready for the next 50 years. - Telephone 0273 736515 evenings.
WORLD'S FAIR The outdoor entertainment weekly incorporating 1„.. IT07 .
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Rallies, News, Reports and Advertising
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Place a regular order NOW with your newsagent. Something to sell? An event to promote? For all your advertising requirements there is no better publication. For advertising and subscription details contact: The World's Fair Ltd., P.O. Box 57, Oldham OL1 4BB. 12 061-624 3687
Wanted — Volumes 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Steaming — complete or odd issues, also Vol 13 No 4 — M.Dix, 12 Springfield Close, Kettering, Northants (tel 0536 5202071. For sale — 1920 Wallis & Steevens Oilbath tractor No 7641; new firebox, fire tubes, ashpan, bearings etc; completely restored and ready to rally. Genuine reason for forced sale, hence only £13,500. — Colin Feyerabend, 62 Culverley Road, Catford, London SE6 (tel 01-697-29881. Wanted — for 1916 Burrell 6hp d.c.c. traction: boiler clack valves, simpling valve, complete governor assembly, smokebox door nameplate. — P. Barnes, 13 Caldbeck Drive, Woodley, Reading RG5 4LA (tel 0734 690095). For sale boiler hydraulic test pump; 20 new 2 1/4 in x 5ft 6in boiler tubes; part worn 40 x 8 and 900 x 24 tyres. — Telephone 0954-60756 evenings. For sale — Clayton & Shuttleworth threshing machine no 49274; Ransome Sims & Jefferies clover huller; cylinder oil pump from Foden wagon; pair front lamps off Fowler traction. — Telephone F.E. Cheffins (07541 2921. Wanted — information on Joseph Day (1855-1946), engineer who built the Victoria Ironworks in Bath 1883 and designed two-stroke engines which were manufactured by the Day Motor Co. News of the survival of Day engines would be particularly welcome. — Barry Job, Meadowside, Clayton Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs (tel 0702 661670). Wanted — any Steaming volumes 1 to 12; Stourpaine rally programmes 1 to 4 and 6 to 9. Good price paid — Martin Craig, 55 Wolversdene Road, Andover, Hampshire SP10 2AY (tel 0264 23843). Wanted — Merryweather 'Valiant' fire pump with or without original spoked wheels and/or hoses; current boiler certificate not necessary but must be complete. — J.C. Lockwood, Heath Cottage, Brightstone, Newport, Isle of Wight (tel 0983 740891/293633). For sale — quantity of 900 x 24 tyres on riveted 10 stud wheels, suitable Sentinel wagon, early 8 wheeler etc, £60; one aluminium rear wing to suit Scammell tractor, brand new, undrilled for 1400 x 16 tyres, £75. — Brian Freer, telephone 085 885 293 (Northants). Wanted — copy of Bob Whitehead's steam roller book A Century of Steam Rolling. Please advise price and condition to D.A. Rayner, 9 Beagle Ridge Drive, Acomb, York Y02 3JH (tel 0904 7815191. Wanted — for Wallis & Steevens Advance roller; union nut and bend (part 592); half coupling with nut (596); half coupling without nut 1597); strainer 15981. Or complete water lifting assembly. — F. Titmarsh, 96 Field Road, Forest Gate. London E7 9DL (tel 01 555 42471.
Wanted for Marshall traction 34022: differential gear, 58 teeth, captivated, 43in diameter peak to peak of tooth, 31 Yzin dia inside ring, width of teeth inc back ring 3 3 . Also 3rd shaft small pinion, 13 teeth, flanged, bolted type, 103/a in from peak to peak to fit 4in shaft, 14%in flange dia, 4%in wide, inc backing plates. — T.G. James, 6 Fernhill Road, Newquay, Cornwall TR7 1LE. Wanted — showmans living van; must be under 24ft and complete, ready for the road. — Telephone 0773 82 2651. Sentinel boilers — anyone requiring, or soon to require, new inner firebox for a Sentinel is invited to contact me, as I am investigating the production of a small batch on one order, with a view to more economical unit price per boiler. — John Crawley, telephone 023-064 248. Wanted — for Hofherr Schrantz — Clayton & Shuttleworth 3% hp portable of 1912, an open frame dynamo, 110v dc, 3 to 6 kVA at approx 600-1000rpm. — Friedrich Busch, Jurastrasse 27, 7400 Tuebingen, West Germany. Gauge glasses — many sizes available. Send for list. — Ray Hooley, 16 Alexandre Avenue, North Hykeham, Lincoln (Tel 0522-6824061. Ruston Hornsby transfers — full range of designs and sizes; send for list. Engines dated gratis. Full sets of publications available for most models. — Ray Hooley, 16 Alexandre Avenue, North Hykeham, Lincoln (rel 0522-682406). The National Vintage Tractor and Engine Club — caters for all enthusiasts (3000 members nationwide). 25 local area groups organise meetings with illustrated talks and help for members. Club magazine Vaporising with articles of interest and free ads for members. Basic membership £6.00. Details from Mrs P.E. Sims, 1 Hall Farm Cottages, Church Lane, Swarkestone, Derby DE7 1JB (sae please; sample magazine £1.00 stamps).
Endpiece The Banbury Steam Society's Yardsheet reveals a fine turn of phrase from commentator John Hirons at last year's Holton Rally. On introducing the church service to be held in the arena on the Sunday he asked the engine owners 'not to blow off, please, whilst the vicar is speaking'. But, of course, John knew just which large tent many of the enginemen were likely to have been frequenting during the morning, and his words were doubtless more accurately chosen than most of his listeners would have guessed/ 55
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