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.
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.
President (and 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, Ramridge Dene, Weyhill, Andover, Hampshire SP11 OQP. Vice-Chairmen: J. Crawley, Eric A. Fillmore
Chief Executive: John Crawley, Field House, Turvey, Bedford MK43 8DU. Membership Secretary: Mrs Fay Wood, 'Windrush', Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Cambs PE19 4JY. Treasurer: C.J.C. Barber, 6 Merrydown, Downley, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP13 5NQ Chairman, Rally Sub-Committee: E.A. Fillmore, 34 Northwick Perk Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 2NU. Chairman, Engine Owners Sub-Committee: M. John Wharton, 85 Corn Street, Witney, Oxfordshire 0X8 7DH. Chairman, Steam Apprentice Club: Sylvia Dudley, 12 Hillway, Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire MK17 8UL 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 5HQ.
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• John Fowler's knowledge and experience of Victorian steam engineering was built up by difficult personal endeavour. He couldn't pick up one magazine and read all about the traction engine happenings of the day. Nowadays it's easy .... a subscription to
Steaming. Don't let your membership lapse — you'll be missing something.
The Magazine of the National Traction Engine Trust Volume 31 Number 1
Winter 1987/88 Editor: Roger West, 14 Charles Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershin LE 16 9AB
Assistant Editor: Derek Rayner, 'Invicta', 9 Beagle Ridge Drive, Acomb, York Y02 3JH.
Display Advertising: to the Editor
Small Ads: to the Editor
Distribution and Change of Address:
Editorial Readers of this magazine, particularly those owning or involved in the operation of traction engines, cannot have failed to notice the increasing number of topics, covered in the Trust News paragraphs or the Letters pages, that centre on potential problems with legislation, insurance or the acquisition of supplies and materials for engines which are not in everyday use. The sceptic may cry that such problems are just a part of life in the 1980s, whatever one does for a living or a hobby, but it is a fact that our engines could become far more troublesome to operate than ever they were when in commercial use eighty years ago. The appointment of John Crawley to the post of Chief Executive to the Trust is intended to see our organisation become a body which is able to withstand the pressures of road steam engines mixing with the approach of the twenty-first century. If some feel the title may be too grand they should reflect on the bureaucratic world in which we have to carry out our hobby — metaphorically shutting off steam and stopping to wait for the horses to pass by won't suffice nowadays, as it did for engine crews at the turn of the century. The Trust needs an etticient and enthusiastic administrator of its affairs, and we wish John success in his endeavours on our behalf.
Mrs Fay Wood, 'Windrush', Hail Weston, Huntingdon, Cambs PE19 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
This issue 4 9 12 14 17 18 20 22 23 24 38 41 47
Trust News Isaacs of Braunton 21st Anniversary Memories of a Good Journey A Practical Course in Roadmaking New Zealand Reports The Spirit of '87 Fowler 7129 Steam in Angeln Steaming Around, compiled by Derek Rayner Around the World Letters Books, New Members, Small Ads
Hugh Bull John &Ward Percy Dabbs
Bob Payne John Boughton Gustav Winkler
26th February 1988 ISSN 0260 - 2962 Published by the National Traction Engine Club (1984) Ltd for the National Traction Engine Trust at 14 Charles St, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Printed by AB Printers Ltd, Leicester.
Cover Burrell 3996 of 1924 has been widely travelled by owner Richard Sandercock since it wont to Cornwall for preservation some years ago, but this picture by Dick Blenkinsop catches the 5hp road locomotive on its home ground during the West of England club's 30th anniversary road run in August 1985. 3
Trust News From the Chairman
sales stands, sometimes combined
Since my last notes the Executive Committee has confirmed the appointment of our vice-chairman, John Crawley, as Chief Executive of the Trust. This appointment, initially on a part time basis, will ultimately occupy
with a Trust hospitality tent, at suitable selected venues following the successful venture at Stourpaine rally this year. Steaming, which has for so long provided the principal benefit of membership, will of course continue
John full time. He expects to spend an ever-increasing amount of time bringing his long experience in traction engine preservation and event
under Roger West's able editorship. A variety of problems face the Trust, which will require action over the coming years. Members will recall
organisation to bear on all facets of the future development of the Trust's activities. Please write to him with any problems you may have concerning our activities.
the difficulties experienced earlier this year with the Construction and Use Regulations concerning water carts drawn by steam propelled vehicles. Ultimately, Trust representations
After a period of consolidation during which the National Traction Engine Trust and its associated trading company, National Traction Engine Club (19841 Ltd, were formed from
culminated in an amendment of the Regulations, satisfactory to our interests, being made by the Department of Transport. Information now
the original National Traction Engine Club, we now look forward to a period of expansion in the Trust's activities. John's appointment is a necessary initial step in this plan.
First and foremost, we hope to provide an improved service to our members. Under these new arrangements, we expect that all correspondence directed through John will receive a prompt answer either directly from him or from the appropriate Officer of the Trust. Secondly, it will be our aim to establish closer regular contacts with
our affiliated clubs. There are many ways in which the Trust can assist and represent at national level these regional clubs, whose members make up the principal strength and support for the traction engine preservation movement in the country. We wish to improve our contacts with our
affiliates and want to help them with any problems whenever we are able. In this context we have recently supported local clubs in their objections to planning applications affecting the old Burrell works in Thetford and the former Sentinel works in Shrewsbury. Our existing sales team, ably led by Keith Shakespeare, is continuing to
promote Trust sales and made a substantial increase in sales turnover during 1987. We plan to provide larger 4
reaching us suggests that restrictive Common Market legislation may now be in the pipeline. The Trust is carefully monitoring these reports, and action to resist or at last mitigate any restrictive legal proposals in the EEC
Parliament may soon be necessary. We are actively examining boiler maintenance procedures and boiler inspection requirements with a view to agreeing a code of practice for locomotive type boilers in preserved steam road vehicles with the Health and Safety Executive. This could then be adopted by the various insurers and
inspection agencies with a view to standardising inspection requirements for preserved engines. We are also investigating boiler inspection charges with the ultimate aim of establishing a standard national service, hopefully at more reasonable charges. Control of rallies and the elimination of conflicting dates and venues will also receive your Rally sub
Committee's close attention during the coming months. This follows the extensive discussions on this subject at the recent Rally Organisers Conference and also at the Annual General Meeting of the Trust. In this connection, may I appeal to all organisers who have not yet done so,
to advise the Rally sub Committee of their projected 1988 dates. Advice at the earliest possible time will assist the sub Committee in their task.
At the Annual General Meeting, we were pleased to welcome Peter Smart, chairman of the Road Locomotive Society, who kindly proposed the toast to the Trust. In his address he proposed that our two societies, both with kindred but differing interests in steam preservation, should work
closely together, ourselves on the practical aspects of keeping steam operation alive and thriving and the Road Locomotive Society on the historical and technical record side of our interest. Peter further proposed that the discontinued practice of exchanging committee representatives should be restored. We welcome this
initiative and will be making the necessary arrangements with our fellow Society. In closing, I should like to mention Stuart Gray, who has acted as our Publicity Officer for some years. Pressure of business has now necessitated his resignation from this post although I am pleased to say he has agreed to continue as a General Committee member. Our thanks are due to Stuart for all the efforts he has put in for the Trust and we look forward to his continued involvement and interest in our Committee.
(Peter Barber)
Rally Organisation Rally sub-committee Over the years it has been our policy to hold annually two Conferences for Affiliated Club officials and Rally Organisers — one in the
autumn and one in early spring each year. The Chairman in his notes in the Autumn issue of Steaming indicated a conference was imminent and I am pleased to report that over sixty delegates attended in November; in fact quite a record for an autumn conference. Routine business was dealt with and completed on the
morning, which left the afternoon free for open discussion. An affiliated club from one area in the country was unhappy at the emer-
gence of the 'commercialised' rally, and considered such events were likely to damage the integrity of traction engine rallies as far as the public were concerned, particularly in that the publicity used could be misleading. Represenatives of that club were present, as was also one of the independent organisers. Both had an opportunity to put their views and a frank and lively discussion took place. We hope in course of time some toleration of each others' attitudes might be reached and possibly some co-operation between the parties concerned; at least there is an indication that this might be so. The autumn also sees the beginning of the compilation of the Approved Rally List for the following season. At the time of writing these notes we have 39 events notified, which is slightly higher than last year; this is a good start for the 1988
season. The list so far is the one we have submitted to the British Tourist Authority in order to gain overseas publicity. The next updating is on 31st December and this will form the basis of the Approved Rally List we provide to the English Tourist Board for home publicity. We have been allocated a stand at the 'Excursions 88' exhibition of this Board and the Trust's attendance will enable us to publicise rallies to a wide range of tour operators who might be arranging dayout excursions. Coach proprietors and club officials responsible for arranging outdoor visits figure prominently amongst those attending this event. The exhibition is held in January and our end of December list will be used at the event. Trust officials will be on the stand and any enquiries regarding specific rallies will be referred to the appropriate organiser. Our main conference of the year is
From Alan Martin's Collection 39
I've always thought of this picture as a charming vignette of Edwardian village life. Just how the photographer came to be around in Towersey village in Buckinghamshire about 1905 when baker Nelms was taking a delivery of an order of flour, or why the children were included, doesn't matter — it makes a superb record for us today. Notice that all the little girls seem to be wearing hats, quite unlike today. Sheldon & Co of the Osney Mills in Oxford were one of the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co's first customers, with the wagon being works number 19 of 1903 (registration number BW25), but if we wonder at the slow and bumpy fifteen mile journey to Towersey from Oxford the owner no doubt saw the steam motor as a distinct improvement on horse drawn wagons.
held in February — usually the second Saturday and so the next will be on 13th February 1988. It will be held in London. The main theme of the Spring Conference is forward looking and will deal primarily with the 1988 rally season. The main approved rally list for the year is formulated at the Conference and this is the basis of our general circulation of over 4000 copies; it is also published in the Spring edition of Steaming for the benefit of members. Our series of talks on various aspects of rally organisations will also be continued. All of this activity involves several Trust officials in quite a lot of work and much time is given by several of them to prepare and produce all the necessary items; I am much indebted to them for their efforts — particularly I would mention Ron Copp and Tony Fookes . (Eric Fillmore, chairman, Rally sub- Committee)
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Engine Owners Column Further Aspects of the NTET Insurance Scheme There have been two large claims this season involving engines which have fallen from low loaders. We have subsequently been asked by the Scheme insurers to urge all members to take special care to secure engines properly when they are carried this way. There seems to be a danger of engines moving sideways so that one rear wheel slips off the edge of the bed of the low loader with the obvious consequences. Fortunately no one was injured in the two serious accidents which we have dealt with this year, but they could easily have been, and the effect on the scheme can clearly be envisaged. The cost of these two accidents this year exceeds the total premium income of the scheme and inevitably Comprehensive rates will have to go up by next season. Several letters in this issue of our magazine refer to low loader accidents. Obviously we cannot disclose details of claim settlements without the agreement of the members involved but certain factors could be borne in mind to alleviate the likelihood and cost of such claims. 6
• Try to prevent it happening by using proper means of attaching the engine to the low loader, hearing in mind the need for proper lateral fixings. • Nylon straps are generally thought to be inadequate for fixing engines to low loaders because they break if snatched over a fairly sharp edge of the engine. • Choose your recovery man carefully if the worst does happen. In recent years we have had two recoveries which cost over £1,000, and another two which only cost £90. All four engines were unable to move on their own wheels. • Keep your road speed down when low loading. Modern car drivers are not aware of the problems caused by sudden braking which may snatch your fixings. No chain will suffer much snatching. One engine owner known to us uses ex-railway wagon couplings with turnbuckles to secure his engine. It seems unlikely that he would have any problems as these are designed to take snatch and are very strong anyway . Maybe such a system could be adopted by others, especially those who use their own low loaders. Certainly it must be sensible to have fixings inspected regularly to ensure they are up to the job.
Telephone Cross Hills (0535) 34674
Regarding the specific points raised by the writers of the letters in this issue, it would seem unlikely that a levy of £10 per owner would produce anything like enough to compensate an owner whose engine was damaged. The total restoration cost of one recently damaged engine has been estimated at over £20,000. Thus 2,000 people would have to pay in annually to alone meet one such claim per year. The NTET scheme offers Comprehensive cover at favourable rates. Comprehensive means full 'All Risks' cover for the engine up to its full agreed value, as well as Third Party Liability including boiler explosion, so no other insurance cover is needed. Regarding Mr Bullman's point about a Code of Practice for low loading maybe the Engine Owners sub-Committee could consider this. However, it would seem a hard task to write a definitive code as engines and types of low loaders vary a good deal. There is also the question of who is to enforce such a code of practice; good sense and willingness to take advice from experts before the first trip on the low loader probably is the best advice we can give to members. Finally I should like to emphasise that no matter how well you are
insured against accidents it is much better to prevent them happening, so please could I ask all members to take great care and use their common sense to prevent an accident occurring. Our aim, along with the NTET, is to try and make sure that owners can still use their engines in this country when and where they like. There are always those who would try to restrict our engines from being used and accidents give such people cause to attempt to do so. Let's make sure we don't give them that chance by putting our own house in order.(David Franklin, John Scott & Partners Ltd.)
HVCC Conference Trust vice president Anthony Heal attended the Historic Vehicle Clubs Committee biennial Conference in October. Anthony is NTET representative on the committee. The chairman explained the wide variety of historic vehicles catered for by the joint committee — from motor cycles to traction engines. Thirty different organisations were in attendance. During the year the HVCC had been instrumental in securing two relaxations against punitive legislation. The exemption for water carts for steam engines and for historic vehicles visiting rallies abroad without export licences have already been mentioned in our pages. Discussion took place on the registration lapsed of re-issue numbers, which DVLC Swansea were refusing in a great many cases. There were signs of sympathetic interest by the Centre but the chairman said that whilst the subject may be of great concern to individuals it was not the most serious matter facing the old vehicle movement and at least did not prevent use on the road. The more serious problem had arisen in the form of legislation which might be implemented in this country through membership of the EEC. It had been thought that what went on in Europe was outside the domain of the HVCC and could not affect the UK, but that had proved to be a wrong assumption. The problem could have surfaced in any number of ways, but had manifested itself in a requirement for tachographs in all coaches. Though this is no doubt quite a sensible directive for everyday commercial use, only the UK minister foresaw problems over old vehicles in preservation, and the proposal was signed after an 11 to 1 in favour vote; the UK had to comply. Whilst subsequently an
exemption has been accepted in principle, the episode illustrates the potential problems. Approaches to vehicle clubs in the Federation Internationale de Voitures Antique to build up a more powerful lobby had produced little response — the Euopean movement generally seems apathetic, and this despite countries such as France and Italy already requiring special permits to take certain old vehicles on the road. It is clear that it is important for British old vehicle users to unite and speak with a single but very powerful voice to avoid restriction being placed on their interests. The HVCC chairman promised to keep a close communication with the Transport Directorate and said that the more clubs he could claim to represent the stronger his position would be. The NTET strongly supports the work of the HVCC. All vintage vehicle owners stand to lose much from any adverse EEC legislation, but road
steam engines, being very largely British phenomena and, historically, a rarity on the continent, need especially diligent attention. Our thanks go to Anthony Heal for his enthusiastic and careful work on our behalf. (Notes taken from the Report of the 1987 HVCC Conference.)
Steam Apprentice Club The SAC would like to express thanks for all the offers of help it has had during 1987, in putting on events from which Apprentices can gain experience. In particular we are grateful to Mike Beeby of Rempstone, Nottinghamshire for allowing us to hold a weekend at his yard in
These two steam engines at the Tan field Railway's summer show in August 1987 are both survivors of a design which were thoroughly typical of their respective marques. Ave/ing & Porter roller 10005 of 1921 was an early example of the maker's 10 ton F type, which together with the single cylinder version was arguably one of Rochester's best selling machines, whilst the four wheeled saddle tank loco in the background, built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns at Newcastle in 1954 was one of the last in a long line of similar engines that could be found in so many collieries, steelworks and other industrial establishments up and down the country. (Tony Porter) 7
November, centred on putting engines away for the winter period. We are now looking to 1988 and any offers of venues for SAC events, whether at
rallies or private premises, would be appreciated. (David Duffil, 181 Foden Road, Great Barr, Birmingham B42 2EH.)
upstairs room is available from 7.30pm. TUESDAY, 26th JANUARY 1988
— Locomotives of the 1940s and 1950s, by Bill Timmings. TUESDAY, 23rd FEBRUARY 1988 — Some Working Engines, by Alan Martin. TUESDAY, 29th MARCH 1988 —
Memories, by Steve Neville. Details of the April meeting are not yet finalised, but will be noted in the
Future dates Rally Organisers Conference The 1988 Spring Conference of Rally Organisers and Affiliated Clubs will take place at the Great Western Royal Hotel, Paddington, London on Saturday, 13th February 1988 at
11 am, with coffee and biscuits available from 10.15. Invitations and formal notices will be sent out in the usual way, but newcomers are always welcome to these instructive and mutually beneficial gatherings. Please contact me should you require details as a first time attender. (Eric Fillmore — address inside front cover.)
London Area Social Meetings Social meetings will continue to be
held on the last Tuesday of each month, starting at 8.00pm. The venue is 'The Horse & Groom' in Great Portland Street, London W1 which is a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus
tube station, north along Great Portland Street. All members are welcome, as well as friends or potential new members, and the
OUR MAGAZINE 25 YEARS AGO
next issue. (Bill Timmings, London meetings organiser.)
Corrections In the article on post war Sentinel wagons in the Summer 1987 issue
two items need correction or alteration. The caption to the picture of the Penderyn dumper on page 119 should state that the vehicle was left hand steering, and the price list (page 115) has become out of phase — the
S4 tipper cost £2600 and the following two prices apply to the S6 flat and the tipper respectively. Our apologies are due to author John Hutchings for these errors; he also points out Sentinel's practice of using the double g in their spelling of the word wagon. As a matter of house style and consistency, however, this magazine adopts the single g, except where making direct quotes from sales literature etc or setting down the Shrewsbury firm's title in full. Much the same rules apply to threshing and thrashing, spellings variously used by different manufacturers or regions of the country but rendered in the former
spelling for consistency in our magazine.
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The first issue of Lhe magazine for 1963 — the seventh volume — was another of John Crawley's Specials. This time it featured steam rollers and about half the pages were of tabular
and illustrative material maker by maker, and there were other articles on the subject. Appropriately, there was a detailed report on the sale of the rollers of the former Barnes Bros firm
at Trowbridge, Wiltshire. All nine were Avelings, but compound and singles, slide valves and piston valves came under the hammer and fetched from £120 to £250 each. It was considered good that the rollers had not gone for
scrap — this was the time when the scrapman still did, on occasion, pay the highest price and actually break up the engine. The events diary for the coming year was already strong — three social events and eleven rallies were listed and five of the latter survive to this day with very similar names and locations. Local clubs were proliferating and the Scottish group proudly claimed there were forty engines in Scotland that
could be considered preserved. The Area Notes correspondents had contributed a good proportion of the magazine. Large groups of engines were gathered at various places — at Dingles in Cornwall, at Arthur
Napper's in Oxfordshire and at George Evans' near Tring, where all sorts of rare and interesting types came together in the scrapyard. But these engines were never likely to be scrapped for George was an enthusiast and the yard was a sanctuary as far as steam was concerned.
Isaacs of Braunton Hugh Bull, for many years now a resident of Australia, writes of a well known North Devon firm
The name of Isaac and mention of their works and engines in North Devon has occurred several times in Steaming in recent years, and as those who have had anything to do with the firm must be getting a bit thin on the ground, I thought that some notes on the subject might be of interest to readers. The works was at Braunton, a large village a few miles north west of Barnstaple. It was founded by William Isaac (the author's maternal grandfather) and on his death in 1910, left to his sons, four of whom took over. I have not been able to get much technical information, but personal details include the fact that Grandpa hailed from Girt Farm, near Ilfracombe and 'brought a boiler with him'. As this doubtless did not refer to a chook, I imagine the said boiler was a traction engine or at least a portable. I know that their early threshers were driven by Wallis & Steevens engines, for I have seen photographs. The four sons eventually sorted themselves out with the result that one took over the clerical side; one took over the outside maintenance of plant and looked after various oil engines, portable engines and such like dotted around North Devon; one looked after the carpentry and building works and one was always out threshing or reed-combing when he was not overhauling gear. However, their functions seemed to be more or less interchangeable. The reed-comber was an Isaac patent, as was a plough and a roadgritter for the top-dressing of roads. I recall my Uncle William making me polish the brass plate on the side of his reed-comber before letting me blow the whistle on his engine. My experience of the works extended over periods of school holidays from about 1914 to 1934 and again from 1946-51. I think the firm finally closed down about 1954, but threshing by steam was a rare sight by that time. The last one I saw was the comber working at Croyde, driven by ST BRANNOCK, at the end of 1950.
All the time I knew the firm, they had four sets and the reed-comber, the latter usually being driven by William, who built the first one in the yard. I believe that the comber was mounted on a Ruston drum. On completion, Grandpa Isaac presented William with a brand new Clayton & Shuttleworth and when he went to Lincoln to choose the engine he was presented with a brass nameplate WILLIAM ISAAC together with the standard owners nameplate 'William Isaac & Sons'. That made two more for me to polish before I could blow the whistle! I must have been all of seven years of age before he let me start and stop the thresher; I only threw the belt off once, but got called Cockney. As our family lived some distance from the sound of Bow Bells, he was out on that score. The Clayton was 5hp single number 34250 (later registered TA 926) and William claimed that she had travelled over 25,000 miles before being put to one side and becoming
derelict. As that works out at about 10 miles a week and he reckoned at having threshed at every farm in North Devon, he may have been correct. The local paper reported that nearly every farm in North Devon was represented at his funeral. In the late 1920s William went compound with the advent of a Burrell, and the local foundry presented him with a brass nameplate ST BRANNOCK, the ceremony being duly recorded in the press. Her works number was 3894 (registration NX947) but how they get her to be only 5hp beats me — the Clayton's working pressure was 100lbs and she was a single; the Burrell was a compound with a pressure of 2001bs. In those days ST BRANNOCK was a traction engine (she nowadays masquerades as a showmans engine) but with a solid flywheel. Uncle thought that the latter might have been a replacement, but couldn't say definitely. The name came from the village where the Isaac works was; St Brannock is buried there, and Braunton is a corruption of 'St Brannock's Town'. Isaac's other engines as I knew then included the Aveling & Porter
Isaac's Aveling & Porter compound traction 6299 of 1907 standing in the Braunton yard in August 1951. (Frank Jones) 9
Foster Wellington tractor 14082 of 1915 (BH7086), pictured when abandoned at Braunton in August 1951, was known to her crews as SALLY. (Frank Jones)
compound 6299 of 1907 ITA14411. When I first knew her she was in khaki and bearing the number WD X63 and a broad arrow. Her driver was Albert Mock. She was frightfully heavy forrard, a cow to steer, and would bog on a concrete road. Isaacs did well with army surplus; the Aveling, of course, must have been requisitioned from someone but they got several new army trailers. Albert also drove Isaac's smallest engine, a Foster Wellington tractor which had the legend S.A.L.Y. somewhere on it and as such was known as SALLY. The Marshall single 35397 (TA9291 was derelict the last time I saw it in 1950, as was the Clayton, but the Clayton's spirit lives on here in Queensland, Australia, where I now live, in the form of my 3in scale model (featured in Model Engineer for June 19871. Then there was the Tasker convertible roller 1309 which has since blossomed forth in the amusement park at Exmouth. On one occasion when rolling a road for a housing estate at Fremington, near Barnstaple, she gave me a beaut cauliflower ear when she lurched over a big stone and caught my head against the canopy. A shockingly painful ceremony! Isaacs also had a 10 ton single cylinder Wallis, but that was pretty far gone in 1950. Next to mind is a Burrell Devonshire single crank compound. Very popular with drivers, but it had a rough-machined crankshaft in that the webs hadn't been finished. It looked awful, but possibly the'crankshaft was 10
a wartime job; scathingly, we judged the Civil War, before they had decent lathes! My favourite in the fleet was a Burrell Gold Medal 5 ton tractor 3540 (AH 01711 She is now in America in small pieces and awaiting overhaul.* I overhauled her during the 1932 depression when I worked at Isaacs; that had become necessary due to the engine's being involved in a 'civil disturbance' during which sand was shovelled into the motion work. A resident engine at Isaacs belonged to Fred Isaac, who was the eldest grandson, and William's son. He was plant superintendent to the Devon County Council and had charge of a mass of steam driven machinery ranging from steam-driven quarry and tar plants to steam rollers and wagons. Just by way of a change of scenery, he bought Burrell double crank compound traction engine 3903 EXCELSIOR and used to take his holidays driving this engine with one of Isaacs drums. How's that for being a steam buff? The engine was in spoton condition, and I believe that she also is still going strong. The works was driven by a Marshall portable when I first knew it, but went over to a Robey 12hp soon after World War 1. I think the firm must have carried their own boiler insurance, because the last time I saw this engine it was leaking quite lustily all along the foundation ring. I drove her for a bit in 1932 and suggested that a boiler wash-out might be a good idea. On removal of mud plugs, sludge and scale was over the top of them. I suppose the gentler fire of wood and
sawdust might have averted a burnout. Shc probably wasn't washed out again! About 1952, ST BRANNOCK had extensive welding work carried out at foundation-ring level. As I write these paragraphs, one or two more incidents have come to mind. For instance the well-known sight of Uncle Will on the footplate of the Clayton, hotly pursued by the comber which was 14 foot high and trailed by the trusser, called for the comment 'There goes the Georgeham Express'. This was engendered by an occasion whereby the outfit did 14 miles in 15 hours, and Georgeham was a local village. Another time, Uncle put his twelve bore on the shakers — the usual place for transport of odds and ends. Somehow the gun broke adrift, fell to the road and discharged, peppering the surrounding countryside and getting an 'outer' or two on the comber's backside. The trusser then proceeded to ensure that such an event would not occur in the future by running over the gun's barrel, thereby converting the gun into a non-standard type. The convertible SUNNY JIM was received in pieces, and, having been left to mature until the height of the stinging nettles equalled the height of the flywheel, they set about making her into a roller. Came the day to steam her out of the barn-like shed at back of Isaac's yard, and Uncle Will officiated. Well, only the Marshall had its regulator opening the opposite way to the other engines and so he was soon in strife. The Tasker was highspirited and took off like a bronco when Uncle spurred her by shutting the regulator in the open position. The front rolls having come to earth from a height of several feet, SUNNY JIM decided to hit the wide-open spaces in spite of the intervention of the wall. Unfortunately she was baulked in her attempt by the rear rolls slipping and the wall putting up more than a token resistance. You see, it was one of those slate and stone concrete walls. Also by this time, Will had instinctively pulled back the reversing lever and that action now took full effect with the result that the little roller charged backwards with an acceleration that has only been exceeded in the space age, bashed into a massive old lathe which was used for turning the roller wheels and which was buried under several feet of antiquities dating from early history. Luckily the collision did
*True at the time of writing, but see page 180 of our Autumn 1987 issue.
Working days had finished for Marshall single 35397 of 1.901 (TA.92.9) by the time this photograph was taken in September 1949, (collection Alan Martin)
not matter, for scars from an earlier collision with a steam roller were already in copious evidence on the lathe bed. By now the runaway had the bit between her teeth and having been spurred on by the regulator and reverse she again headed in the general direction of Exmoor, taking a goodly portion of the adjacent doorway in her flight before she was curbed by the driver returning to the footplate and neutralising all systems. There may still be some who remember the Isaac drivers. Uncle Will took up Council work and as such had to leave his gear in other hands on these occasions — Larry Adams and Alphie, his brother, come to mind. Larry was later caretaker at the local school. Another was Lionel Manning who lived at Croyde. Marshall 36093
0
For further details contact
was 'Father' Darch's engine, but I think he left early in the story. All the original Isaacs are long dead — and this generation are in the front line now. As for Isaacs' works, nothing now remains — no trace or remembrance, as the old site is now covered by a housing estate and there is not even a road named in its memory. A pity, as in its day the business was known throughout North Devon and had the monopoly for quite a large slice of the action in other fields such as building, agricultural machinery — you name it, Isaacs dealt in it, and possibly had the agency. (We thank Alan Duke for providing copies of Frank Jones' pictures taken in Isaac's yard showing the engines in the final abandoned days.)
'My sympathies have gone out without stint, to our Editorial representative who has gone through 'One Day's Work' on various steam wagons and tractors in order to reproduce, for the information of the readers of this journal, faithful accounts of performances. Since I have taken an extended trip, through the worst of Manchester streets, on a Leyland steam wagon, I am modifying my commiseration; certainly my vehicle was shod with rubber tires, but the ease of starting and the absence of jar on this wagon were a revelation to me. It came about in this way: Messrs Jos. Orrell and Co. motor carriers of Darwen, make two daily journeys between that town and Manchester and Mr Orrell looked in at the show [the Manchester Motor Show held the previous month] on one of the clays. I happened upon him and he was so enthusiastic about his Leyland that I was easily persuaded to take a seat; it was then that I was struck by the points of the vehicle, and that I learned — which interested me very much — from the driver that its fuel consumption worked out as follows. 4Y2 cwt of coke suffices to take a four ton load from Darwen to Manchester and back, a distance of 40 miles; 75 gallons of water are used on the same distance; and one quart of oil each way. As I have said, they make two double journeys daily (80 miles) and the driver convinced me that they can, when the road is clear, get up a speed of over (not safe to publish the figure — Ed.) miles an hour. It is all the more interesting to me because this testimony came, not from the maker, but direct from the user of the wagon.' (From the Out and Home Column by 'Extractor' in The Commercial Motor, 3rd March 1910.)
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.
Roger Pridham, Hollybank, Chilsworthy Beam, Gunnislake, Cornwall. Telephone Tavistock (0822) 5276 Daytime, 832945 Evenings
11
The STEAM PLOUGH CLUB's
21st Anniversary John Billard This winter sees the 21st anniversary of the founding of the Steam Plough Club. The story commenced, fittingly, in the Winter 1966 issue of Steaming — 'Steam Plough Club — Anyone interested in a small club to specialise in Ploughing Engine matters should write to Harold Bonnett...' From this small beginning the club has flourished and grown to a position where it can now claim to be the sole club anywhere specialising in steam cultivation and providing technical advice, history of engines and implements and offering a forum for all matters relating to this fascinating subject. The inaugural meeting was held on 3rd December 1966 in the Great Northern Hotel in London. It began with a party luncheon at which eleven sat down; A.L. Drage of Great Chrishill near Royston presided. 26 attended the afternoon meeting with Harold Bonnett in the chair. The club was formed with Harold taking that same position and Michael Goodman as Secretary. The objects of the club were set to provide a list of ploughing engines, to promote practical demonstrations — some of those present being 'old ploughing engine drivers who would be glad to offor their services'. It was also decided to secure an engine into a museum for preservation. Since the beginning the club has had a journal Steam Plough Times and this periodical introduced the first demonstration organised by the club at Great Wymondley in April 1967 using Bill Colebrook's Fowler AA class 13880 and Mike Goodman's AA class 15563. Although the going was very hard and the coal poor the weekend was a great success and became the forerunner of many subsequent events, At the first AGM held in July 1968 well known club member the late Arthur Jackson of Sawtry told several tales including the following — 'On one occasion a set of engines was doing some mole draining on a steepish hillside in Huntingdon12
shire. Whilst the work was in progress and before the outfalls had been made under the headlands into the ditch at the bottom end came a torrential thunderstorm. The water ran into the moles with such force that a row of fountains 12 feet high and more spurted up from the dead ends of the moles across the downhill end of the field...' By this time in the club's history the last of the dredging contractors were selling up, not necessarily for economic reasons or because of the state of the tackle but because of the 'impossibility of obtaining skilled men to drive the engines'. The asking price for a BB1 in reasonable order was then about £600 per engine. In 1970 club member John Rogers started work on a 16mm colour film which proved to be an outstanding record of steam cultivation. This film marked the club as an innovator in that sphere and has been shown at hundreds of venues over the country and overseas. The following year saw a major demonstration at Weston Park where the club's display of ploughing and cultivating took place in July. The
weather was dry and sunny and some 3500 spectactors came to watch. Four engines worked in two pairs: Alec lbbott's BB1 15536 and Ron Ruffs BB1 14383 worked a four furrow plough, whilst Bill Colebrook's AA 13880 paired with Charles Roads' BB1 15451 using a cultivator. It was this event which really established the club and having divided the profits with the church at Weston, enough was left for club funds to enable John Rogers to complete his work on the film. The club became very fortunate in building a most fruitful relationship with the Institute of Agricultural History and Museum of English Rural Life at Reading University and in conjunction with the Archivist, David Phillips, the club has assisted in the collation and sifting of steam cultivation historical records, particularly since the acquisition by the museum in 1974 of the John Fowler collection of drawings and records. As a result of this work most questions by members of a technical or historical nature relating to engines or implements could be answered. About this time there was a considerable awakening of interest in the subject by public
A Steam Plough Club cultivating demonstration at Weston Park in July 1971. The engine is Bill Colebrook's AA class 13RRa working Charles Roads' cultivator. (collection Harold Bonnett)
A survivor from the early days of steam ploughing — Andy Melrose's 1870 Fowler of uncertain identity at Stourpaine in 1987. (Roger Newbery)
four locations in England. But in particular this most specialised of clubs has built up an enthusiastic membership, many owning or operating tackle, over a quarter of which can be relied on to turn up at its meetings. It has found a niche offering film and video tapes of steam cultivation to members in the dark months when the engines are cold. But most of all we are delighted that steam cultivation survives — not only into our 21st year but with every chance into the 21st century with the help of the Steam Plough Club.
museums and the club took into membership, or assisted such organisations as, the Science Museum and the Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket. With his access to the papers and records left by another notable early member the Rev. R. Stebbing, our records officer Bill Smith has built up a large collection of records and photographs, extracted for club use. Here, the able assistance of Alan Duke and the Road Locomotive Society must be acknowledged. A major find in 1982 was some very rare footage of film made by Fowlers in the 1920s showing the cultivation of virgin territory in Java using steam tackle; demonstrating various types of implements made in England (most of which have not survived) and, remarkably, of Alf Pepper (Jr) — Fowler's chief tester — operating the first Gyrotiller in 1927. As found, the film was in an advanced state of decay and an emergency injection of cash and action was required to save it. More recently the club copied the original 16mm colour film made by Michael Davies during his spectacular rescue of six Z7 engines from Mozambique in 1975-6. The club's continued interest in archival films has unearthed, in the last few weeks, a hitherto unknown 16mm sound colour film of one of the last sets in commercial use, Carr's Fowler BB1s 1 51 82/1 51 83 dredging a lake in South London in 1962. Now, twenty one years from our founding, it is easy to see that the club's early objectives have all been
achieved. It has access to the finest collection of records on the subject and a new generation of members has grown up undertaking restoration of engines on a scale undreamed in 1966. One weekend last summer saw steam cultivation simultaneously in
(We offer our congratulations to the SPC on their anniversary, and draw attention to their advertisements for membership and for film hire which appear, complete with relevant addresses, in our Small Ads in each issue of this magazine. If any readers of our magazine have cine film of steam cultivation that they would like to pass on to the SPC for safekeeping, or copying, the club would be delighted to hear from them. — Hon. Editor)
SPC members pose for the photographer in front of one of Charles Roads' sets of Fowler tackle (the left hand engine is a BB, the other an AA) at Long Melford Rally in 1969. (Harold Bonnett) 13
MEMORIES of a GOOD JOURNEY HOME Percy Dabbs records in detail a Saturday afternoon's journey across country roads with traction engine and tar tank at the end of a season's contract tarspraying for Taroads Ltd.
It was the last week of the road tarring season in the October of 1930. We'd been filling in holes in the road and spraying and chipping the Downholme to Leyburn road (now the A6108) in North Yorkshire, and, the contract nearly finished, spent the Friday evening topping up our tar tank at Leyburn station yard ready for an early start on the Saturday morning, and then the journey home.
My engine was Ransomes 15092 of 1903 (BT4799), a single cylinder traction engine. We normally worked two of these engines together — one loading whilst the other was spraying, because the tar took so much time to heat up before it would run out of the railway tank wagons in which it was delivered. The second engine that season had been another Ransomes compound 35197 of 1924 (PY1858),
Ransomes compound traction engine 35197 with tar tank on a visit to Tan Hill Inn. The area manager of Taroads Ltd, Mr Rawlings, is on the extreme right and driver Jack Shepherd next t,, him. The chipper /ads stand posed with their shovels. The date is recorded as 9th June 1931 less than a year after Jack Shepherd first made it to the inn, but it was not unusual in those days for the roads to be sprayed twice in two years to build up a hard surface. (C. G. Curtis) 14
driven by Jack Shepherd. He'd gone back to our yard a few days earlier to get on with some threshing. This particular season had lasted over a month longer than usual due to the large amount of work to be done and the poor weather we had suffered earlier in the summer. Both the engines, incidentally, were owned by J.B. Sunter of Kirkleavington, near Yarm in North Yorkshire. On our last Saturday morning then, we were ready in good time for work. Me and my mate Raymond Bulmer (who lived at Dalton, between Richmond and Barnard Castle), and indeed all the crew, were looking forward to getting home. The final Saturday morning job went well and we got finished by about 11 o'clock by which time we were only half a mile out of Leyburn on the Bellerby road. It didn't take long therefore to run back to the station where we had boon parked up for quite a few days with our living van. Here too stayed the chipper lads — the men who actually spread the chippings on the road on top of the tar which we had spread from the tank towed behind the Ransomes. They lived in bell tents and had with them as foreman a little chap named Tommy Moran from Sneaton, near Scarborough. While Raymond got some dinner ready in the van I filled up the engine with coal. I had made a deeper bunker on the engine by fixing six inch boards around the top. This meant I could carry an extra bag of coal there, rather than humping it up on top of the tar tank. I always carried two or three spare bags in case of emergency, for we often had a long way to travel out to where we were working, followed by anything from two to four hours spraying, depending on how the chipper lads were feeling. My old friend Tom Brown, who used to drive for Woods of Yeadon, used to say that I had extended the bunker because the engine used a lot of coal, but really she didn't use any more than others — Tom liked to pull anyone's leg. By the time I'd got coaled up, and moved the engine round to where the van was in the other yard and put the hosepipe in the tank, dinner was ready. We had a very good stand for the engine at this place. After we had our dinner — I can't recall what it was after nearly 60 years, but it would be alright — Raymond washed up and made the van all secure for travelling whilst I supervised the loading on to the fop of the tar t a nk of all the firm's brooms, shovels and other odds and ends we had been using, plus the three bell tents. By now it was turned one o'clock. The last things to load up into
the living van were our bicycles which were our only means of personal transport at that time. Ray got into the steersman's seat, so I had no problems there. We had plenty of coal and water, a good head of steam, the fire was drawing well and so we set off. There were about five tons behind us; these tar tanks were heavily built and quite 'numb'. All told, engine, van and tanks there would be about fourteen or fifteen tons. After about a mile we passed through the top of Harmby village, where I had spent my school days. Less than a mile further on a steady pull over Spennithorne railway bridge took us to Constable Burton. This was the main road we were on, the A684, and we changed gear to climb up the sharp little hill out of the village. It was back into high gear at the top and then a nice run down to Wild Wood where we filled up with water for the first time since leaving the station yard. Not because we were empty, or even low, but it might have been too far to the next opportunity and I thought it better to be safe than sorry. As I recall we were near Akebar Farm at this stage, near the Finghall-Hunton crossroads. The next stage was a bit up and down, but nothing worth changing gear for, to Patrick Brompton. At the far end of Brompton our route left the A684 and took the left turn to Hackforth. As we entered the village, just past the Greyhound Inn, we took more water, this time from a nice clean stream. Neither of us drank so we didn't call at the inn (we couldn't afford it anyhow!), but Ray took the opportunity of our stop to attend to the stove in the van and I oiled round the engine. We would want some tea at the next stop, so it was as well to keep the stove well ready. When all was in order, we set off again. About a mile or so past Hackforth we stopped at a couple of cottages near East Appleforth. About a couple of years before I had left an AJS motorcycle here after I had some tyre trouble — and I'd never had a chance or means to pick it up before now. The bike was a 1914 model with a 2%hp engine, two speeds, a clutch and no kick-start. I'd bought it from a schoolmaster's son from Thornton Watlass near Bedale a few years earlier. The machine was heavy and it took a bit of lifting onto the tar tank but we managed it and away we went again. About a mile and a half further on we would come to Catterick village but before that there was Lime Kiln bank to go down. It was not too steep so I didn't change down but I did keep a
The 1920s were years when many thousands of miles of rural roads — main highways and lesser byways — were put into a condition fit to cater for the ever increasing motor traffic by tar-spraying and chipping. As well as the tar tank trailers, such as the ones Percy Dabbs worked with in North Yorkshire, many users chose to have the vessels on a steam wagon chassis. These two pictures show examples of tar wagons made up by the Derby firm of Thomas Coleman, a firm that specialised in producing road making plant, including living vans. The original illustrations were catalogue pages and both are captioned 'fitted with 1000 gallon tank and Coleman patent 'Flapper' tarspraying attachment; the top one is a rectangular tank mounted on a Clayton & Shuttle worth chassis, whilst a Leyland wagon has been fitted with the circular tank in the second picture. There is no clue to the further identity of either machine. (collection Road Roller Association)
tight hold of the Ransomes on the reversing lever right from the top of the hill. We joined the Al Great North Road in Catterick village; it was before the bypass, of course, and Scotch Corner, so well known to travellers now, was then just a small wayside pub with a few farm buildings
attached. I drove along the old road over Catterick Bridge and just before the station turned right and headed for Scorton. This road has been altered a lot since those times. At Scorton we took on more water and heaved a bag of coal from the tar tank into the 15
engine's bunker. Onwards to Atley Hill was a nice level run, but just past there is a steepish bank down, so I stopped to move into lower gear. Here again the road has been much altered and such a change would now be unnecessary. Once we were back in top gear we turned right again, this time for East Cowton. Through the village, past the station and under the bridge which carries the main line from London to Edinburgh, we went on for another half mile to stop at a small stream for more water. We had now covered some 22 miles since Leyburn, and having thrown another bag of coal on the bunker, took the opportunity to have some tea. Raymond put the kettle on in the van, I cleaned the fire, before we continued on our way towards Great Smeaton. At the west end of the village we joined the A167 Northallerton to Darlington road for a quarter of a mile or so and then went off left for the village of Hornby. The same by-road took us on to Appleton Wiske. Here lived Jack Shepherd, my other workmate and driver of Sunter's second Ransomes. He kept the Lord Nelson Inn in the village. It was Jack incidentally who was the first driver recorded to have taken a steam engine and tar tank to Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in England at 1732 feet and now 'famous' by television advertising. The intrepid journey had taken place earlier that summer, on 4th August 1930. Just before getting to Appleby Wiske we stopped to take more water — the last time we should need it. It was getting dusk and we still had about four miles to go and only one hurricane lamp! On we went to Picton, where I lived at the time. We paused to unload
the AJS motorcycle and a bag of coal I knew by then we wouldn't need to get back to the yard. Whilst Raymond and I were doing this, and finding another lamp, my wife made another cup of tea — then we set off on the last two miles to Kirkleavington and Souter's yard. I was a bit concerned by now as it was quite dark and we had a mile of the relatively busy A19 to travel on — and us not very well lit. However, all went well and no one intercepted us. We pulled straight into the yard, gave the engine a rub down, sheeted her up and called it a day. By the time we had finished, it was about 11 o'clock. Raymond was going to stop in the van for the night so that he could get away on his bike early next morning. I tried to persuade him to come back to Picton where he would get a better night's sleep than in the van, but he reckoned he wanted to make an early start on his 25 mile cycle ride to Dalton, near Richmond. As I cycled home in the dark I reflected on the day's run. It had been some 32 miles all told. We'd had a very good journey, only changing gear twice — once for uphill and once for down — and the engine had performed well. I wished all our journeys could have been so uneventful! Having now finished tar spraying for the year, it would be back to the winter activities of sawing and threshing. But I think I liked tar spraying most of all.
GWYNEDD COUNTY COUNCIL Highways and Transportation Department FOR SALE by tender Disused Living Van Corrugated iron body on timber frame, mounted on steel and timber underframe. Six-spoke cast wheels with solid rubber tyres and hand brake drums. Suitable for restoration. Viewing by appointment — phone Dolgellau 422341, ext. 241.
All bids to be sealed in envelope clearly marked LIVING VAN to reach, by 4.30pm, 19th February 1988, the County Surveyor, Highways Department, County Offices, Caernarfon LL55 1SH
'Mr H. Raworth, Lawrence and Hall Ltd, of Station Bridge, Harrogate ...writes: 'The Yorkshire steam motor wagon purchased from your firm five years ago has been used regularly and exclusively for furniture removing. It has answered all our requirements, and given every satisfaction in the long and trying journeys in the rough and hill districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire.' (From The Commercial Motor, 16th February 1911. The firm concerned had purchased Yorkshire 138 new in 1906.)
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 16
Aveling 8956 of 1918, an R10 class single cylinder roller at Thoresby Hall rally on May 1987. A replacement steel canopy has been fitted to the traditional Aveling pattern. (Robin Walker)
The Road Roller Association last autumn introduced a welcome innovation for many engine owners.
A Practical Course on Roadmaking
Mike Hartley practices rolling up to a kerb on the inaugural RRA course. The roller is a 1938 Green built machine. (Derek Rayner) Following a suggestion from an Association member, an idea has been formulating in the minds of RRA committee members for the last two years on how to instruct members in the art of road making, and how to use a road roller as a tool for the purpose for which it was intended. Now that demonstrations of road making are firmly established rally events, the Association decided that a course would be provided to instruct enthusiasts in the basic knowledge required to construct a road, and to provide a good surface suitable for normal traffic. Over a weekend at the end of October, members of the RRA committee therefore acted as guinea pigs on the first training course, held at the Armley Mills Industrial Museum in Leeds. The course was presented by past president of the Association, Lyndon Shearman, who was a road rolling contractor in Halifax for many years. He has subsequently trained as a lecturer and so, coupled with his knowledge and experience, was an ideal candidate to instruct students. A great deal of research also went into the production of a training manual for issue to the participants. Armley Mills Industrial Museum were very keen to host the course and agreed to provide all the facilities required — lecture room, roadway and vintage diesel roller, not to mention coffee in copious quantities. It was
decided that the course should be conducted over a full weekend on a residential basis to enable students to enjoy social activities as well as the practical work. Participants travelled to Leeds on the Friday evening and the course itself started on Saturday morning with an introduction to the various types of road construction, followed by a period outside the lecture room getting to know the vintage roller, and gaining confidence in the handling of it. Lunch was taken at a nearby hostelry and afterwards the group learned how to use a combination of hand tools and the roller in order to improve the section of roadway under repair. A pleasant social evening took place at a restaurant in Leeds to end a very enjoyable, albeit slightly damp day. Sunday was devoted to learning about road surfacing, particularly tar spraying and tarmac utilisation, followed by another practical session with the road roller. Safety aspects of road making demonstrations were talked about and the course finished after lunch with all the students engaging in an active discussion about the course content, as a result of which some improvements will be made for future courses. It was agreed that the course had been very satisfying and enjoyable with everyone learning a good deal to supplement their previously limited
experience of the subject. The style of the course is such that anyone can attend and learn without having any previous road making experience, although it is expected that course participants will already be able to handle either a steam roller or a motor roller — but it is not intended that a person can attend the course and go away with sufficient knowledge and experience to make a motorway! A certificate of attendance will be issued to each student to signify that he or she has completed the course, but this in no way will be a certificate of competence. It is intended to run the course twice a year, in the spring and autumn. The course fee will be around the £20 mark for non-members with a substantial discount given to RRA members. This cost is purely to cover expenses incurred in staging the course and, therefore accommodation and meals will be extra. As a rough guide, about £60 would seem a fair estimate for the full weekend, inclusive of meals, course fee and hotel. A maximum of eight people can be accommodated on each course and places will be allocated on a first come — first served basis. Anyone wishing to attend one of the 1988 courses should write in the first instance for an application form to Lyndon R. Shearman, 4 Oxley Links Road, Oxley, Wolverhampton WV10 6TJ. (Bernard Bartram) 17
NEW ZEALAND REPORTS More happenings from traction engine groups in New Zealand 1. Museum Review Robert Oram of Andover, Hampshire, recently spent several months touring New Zealand, seeking out traction engines and other
• KawaKawa: Opua KawaKawa steam railway, Bay of Islands scenic railway • Matakohe: Otamatea Kauri Pioneer Museum, Matakohe Northland • Auckland: MOTAT, Great North Road, Western Springs • Tauranga: Pioneer Museum • Fielding: Steam Traction Society, PO Box 410, Palmerston North. • Tokomaru: Steam engine museum, C. Stevenson, PO Box 46, Manawatu • Paraparaumu: Southward Museum Trust, Car Museum/Wurlitzer, Otaihanga Road • Featherston: Geared locomotive, re-building programme • Wellington: Pioneer and railway museum, cable car • Blenheim: Brayshaw Museum • Wakefield: Waimea Steam Museum, Rover Car Club NZ • Greymouth: Shantytown, reconstructed period village with steam loco • Rangiora: Herons Steam Museum, Fernside, Merton Road, Rangiora • Rangiora: Havills, Mazer Mead • Christchurch: Ferrymead Historic Park, 269 Bi idle Path Road • Christchurch: McLeans Island • Christchurch: Lyttleton Harbour; steam boats working • Ashburton: Tinwald Steam Museum and Car Museum • Geraldine: Vintage car and machinery museum • Tlmaru: South Canterbury, traction engine club, D.J. Pitt, Claremont, RD4 Tlmaru • Pleasant Point: museum and railway • Dunedin: Museum, early settlers • Invercargill: Tuotara • Kingston: Kingston Flyer Loco • Queenstown: TSS EARNSLAW, steamship
2. The Steam Traction Society Recent restorations at the STS premises at Maewa, near Fielding, include a new smokebox for McLaren 6hp traction 514 of 1894; minor work on Garrett tractor 29777 of 1911; tubeplate repairs and retubing for Burrell 6hp traction 2774 of 1905 and similar work on Ruston Proctor 6hp portable 33885. Though only a few hardy souls manage Christmas outings in Britain, that season is good for parading in 18
summaries for other countries or parts of the world, although for reasons of space and the relatively limited amount of interest, details will have to be brief.)
interesting items. As an aid to other visiting enthusiasts Robert kindly offers the accompanying map and list of locations worth visiting. (We would be pleased to consider similar
awOK ow. Matokohe•
Aucklan Tauranga
Fielding . •Tokameru Paraparaumu • .Feyttteten Ilingtan Wakefield
•
Blenheim
Greymouth
nanworo istchurch hbu: t o n fsie 'tarot., Pleasant Point Our.enstown• Kingston tinedin nvercargill
I
New Zealand. Six engines made an impressive sight at Fielding — McLaren 514; McLaren compound traction 916; McLaren conversion 1425 of 1912; Marshall roller 55620 of 1910; Burrell 6hp single crank traction 2500 of 1902 and Garrett 29777. Also available for steaming is Aveling 8ton compound roller 11688 of 1927. An event at Springston near Christchurch in March 1987 featured 24 engines. Eight 8hp Burrells of various types and six Marshalls supported 8hp
Fowler compounds 7635, 9534 and 9658, and 7hp Fowlers 12810 and 12921. Three McLaren compound engines were accompanied by the sole roller at the rally — McLaren 1834 of (Steam Traction Society 1926. Newsletter.)
3. Heron's Steam Museum The Heron family of Fernside, Rangiora, north of Christchurch, celebrated the opening of their museum in June 1987 with a two day
GEORGE STREET, LONDON — yes, in full! Can anyone offer more information on this manufacturer, or was he an agent?
4. South Canterbury Club
Marshall 39914, a three speed sprung traction, engaged in hill-climbing in New Zealand. (D.F. Gower)
The portable possibly built by Charles D. Young in London. (C.F. Gower)
The South Canterbury Traction Engine and Vintage Steam Club's 1987 rally took place at Pleasant Point in April. Good weather and crowds, and a high number of entries made it their best one yet. Among the nineteen traction engines were Burrell 2618 of 1903, Burrell 3255 of 1910 (which hauled a typical New Zealand threshing train of drum and three trailers cum cooking/sleeping vans for the crew►, Burrell 3522 of 1913, Fowler 8270 of 1900 and McLaren 1266 of 1914. The club's museum in a brand new building was officially opened in December 1986; this, together with the existing workshop and club room gives the group facilities and influence well beyond what might be expected of an organisation with just 109 members. The local Timaru Herald recently published a good article on the club — probably one of the more sensible write-ups to appear anywhere about a traction engine group in a newspaper. John Kyle recently sold two Burrell engines at auction — 2852 and 3050. They fetched NZ $15000 plus tax apiece (about £6000), and moved to North Otago and to a local syndicate respectively. (South Canterbury club's Newsletter.)
DREDGING of MUD, etc. FROM
rally. Thirteen traction engines attended — two each by Marshall (singles 38513 and 399141, Robey (compounds 28295 and 29530), Burrell (compounds 1110 and 1719); Aveling 7484, and the balance by Fowler, plus Marshall roller 80887. Also at the museum for future restoration is Foster 3456 of 1908 an early example of the makers' Wellington tractors. David Gower, reporting the above, asks if anyone knows of other Marshalls similar to the one owned by Barbara Tibbles and himself — 39914
of 1903, an 8hp single with three speeds and coil springs on the rear axle and underslung leaf springs on the front. It has the top gear sliding on a spline with six loose keys on the flywheel boss whereas later machines had a hexagonal boss. A further question mark surrounds the remains of an ancient single cylinder portable alleged to be last used in 1883. Though presently mounted on Marshall wheels, the remains of the originals have cast on their bosses the legend CHARLES D. YOUNG & CO, ENGINEER, 319 GREAT
LAKES, RIVERS, PONDS, BROOKS 40 Years' Experience Estimates Free
Boinford & Evershed Ltd. Dredging and Excavating Contractors
Salford Priors, EVESHAM
Bomford & Evershed advertising in The Countryman in October 1934. (C. T. Marlow) 19
One picture is worth a thousand words ... Stourpaine on the Thursday evening.
Caught in the morning light the next day at Stourpaine is Wallis & Steevens single cylinder traction 7227 of 1911. Out for the first time after a heavy rebuild including new tender and re-straked back wheels, this engine spent a good deal of time at the event driving a rack sawbench. This is an ideal way of checking valve and governor settings, both of which need to be right for such work. Note the authentic Wallis lining out on the wheels and boiler barrel, and the maker's transfer affixed to the lagging sheets. Just the job!
Essex rallies always have, for me, a certain air of expectancy about them. The Barleylands event turned out to be an excellent traditional rally with the added attraction of the adjoining farm museum. Shown here is the recently restored Fowler AA ploughing engine, 14728 of 1918, one of a pair owned by the museum and used for ploughing demonstrations.
The steam working at Worminghall, Buckinghamshire, over the first weekend in August was also an excellent event. Just about all the steam exhibits had a job of work to do on the very well laid out site that had the minimum of clutter to spoil the visual delights. Here we see the last few sheaves going into the threshing drum powered by Marshall 61970 of 1913. It is rare to see steam threshing, sawing, road rolling, timber loading and ploughing all at one rally. So if you want a treat why not look out for the event this year.
yrj
FOWLER 7129 John Boughton In the summer 1987 issue of Steaming, David Clark of Essex asked for information about the history of Fowler 7129, and as the subject may be of general interest to readers, I am pleased to supply the following details from my memories of a fine engine. My revered father, the late Thomas T. Boughton of Amersham Common, Buckinghamshire, purchased Fowler compound 7129 from his friend Harry Sheppard of Luton in the early 19203. The engine had been acquired by Harry from the Austin Motor Company of Birmingham where it had been used as a roller, and also as a crane which was bolted on to the saddle of the front rolls. The roller became part of the TTB fleet of thirty or so steam rollers which were hired out for road works in London and the Home Counties. The photograph of the engine was taken after my father bought it. Later it was rebuilt with rolls from another Fowler. The original wheel rims cracked and broke after a time, and my father bought a Fowler single cylinder roller from Herbert Hailey of Great Wymondley, Hertfordshire especially to get the rolls which were of exceptional quality, having rims made of manganese steel which it was said work hardened on impact with hard use. Perhaps the fact that the roller was fast on the road, and that it had no differential or compensating gear, had a bearing on the collapse of the original cast iron wheels. The replacement rolls were excellent and lasted until the roller was taken out of service in the late 1940s, at which time the front rollers were sold to a local farmer to haul behind his farm tractor and roll his grass fields. During the 1930s the roller was one of eight or so which were hired out to Aubrey Watson Ltd who had the contract to tar and chip the roads of Northamptonshire every summer. The rollers set off together from Amersham at the beginning of the season, in the early summer, for destinations all over the county. Fowler 7129 always commenced work near Northampton at Duston and was usually the first to arrive on station as being a compound with a balanced crankshaft and fast gearing it 22
was very fleet footed compared with most other rollers. Thoughout the many years that the tar spraying work was carried out, my father was indebted to our fine friend and 'gentleman of steam' Esmond near Boughton, Kimbell of unsvvei vingly who Norlhaniplun, extended help in many ways, especially by making his threshing drivers available during the summer months to drive some of the rollers. His co-operation is remembered with much gratitude. For many years the roller was driven by Frank Honey who kept it very clean and well polished in its green livery. He christened the engine ALICE and was very fond of it. Another good driver was Bert Bedford, who returned to this country from Canada after his crops were wiped out by a hail storm on the prairies of Saskatchewan. Bort with his wife and daughter lived in the caravan which he towed behind the Fowler wherever they went. It was said that you could eat your food off the engine, or from off the caravan as it was always spotlessly clean. As I remember the engine it had a spoked flywheel, the spokes being covered by dished steel plate to give the impression that it was solid. The chimney was of cast iron with a Fowler brass top. Around 1950 the roller, together with many other fine companions, was sold to Hardwicks of Cox Lane, West Ewell, in whose yard
it stood for many years before being sold into preservation. (Alan Duke, and David Phillips of Reading University, add further details of Fowler 7129. The engine was recorded by Fowlers as one of their D class compound rollers, 4nhp 'German' type of 12 tons weight and with cylinders 5in and 8in by 12in. It was built for Wrexham Local Board in 1894, being booked out on 30th January. There is no record of when it passed to Austins, or indeed if anyone else had it in between. Wrexham Borough Council (as it had become in 1895) took a new Aveling & Porter in 1904, which was their last roller, and the Fowler may have been sold then, but if so it didn't go as a trade-in to Avelings. Boughton would have acquired the roller in or before 1921 because it was first registered in Buckinghamshire and allocated 8H8579. The Fowler purchased for its rolls would be 6962, a D2 10ton single, new to Holland CC, Lincolnshire, in 1894.)
'One hears ... that Fowlers of Leeds are still going on with their internal-combustion experiments, and that Avelings of Rochester have been bitten the same way.' (from the gossip column of The Commercial Motor, 8th September 1910).
Fowler 7129 of 1894, pictured when owned by Boughtons of Amersham, and showing its original wheels. The sheeted flywheel is also evident. (collection J. Boughton)
STEAM in ANGELN
Gustav Winkler The 1942 built Zettelmeyer roller returned to steam in West Germany. (Gustav Winkler)
In Flensburg, a town on the West German border to Denmark, a steam roller has been restored by a group of students from the local polytechnic, and others. It is a Zettelmeyer 10 ton single crank compound roller built in 1942 and which had come to Flensburg as a replacement for a diesel roller lost during World War 2. It is still owned by the same local road building firm. In the fifties it helped build, among others, the so-called North Road going through the heart of scenic Angeln, the area from which the Angles migrated across the North Sea, giving England its name. After twenty years of service, the steam roller was taken out of service, sandblasted and carefully painted over as a 'shop sign' for the firm. Another twenty years later, a group of enthusiasts came together to restore it. An initial hydraulic test proved fruitless; the water just leaked out of the boiler tubes. Ready-made tubes not being available in Germany, a smithy was set up and forging dies made to give the tubes the proper end diameters. The stay tubes, threaded on both ends, posed a bigger problem which was solved with the help of the local technical college. Expanding was done with expansion rollers borrowed from the local shipyard. Otherwise the riveted boiler was found to be sound. The motion was freed and the external steel piping replaced by copper. A boiler certificate was issued by TUV (technical inspection agency for pressure vessels, motor vehicles and so on) in 1986, the original pressure of 12 atm being reduced to 10 bar because some of the boiler fittings are made of cast iron instead of steel. A three tone whistle acquired in England
from John Goold of Camerton gave the finishing touch. Since then, the steam roller has been on show about a dozen times. There are, of course, no steam rallies in Germany of the kind well known in England. Therefore, on most occasions, the steam roller was the only one of its kind, and the main attraction. An exception to this was the first Steam Meet in SchleswigHolstein on August 15th and 16th 1987 at PlOn about 60km south of Kiel, where in fact there were seven steam engines on view: • a ploughing set with a pair of 21 ton Heucke engines normally stationed in Bavaria • a threshing set with a Marshall engine made in 1911, said to have still been working in England in the sixties and now owned by the farmer on whose grounds the meet took place • another portable steam engine operating a wood cutter • a Henschel field railway locomotive owned and operated by the TUVmuseum near Hamburg, for which rails were set up • the Zettelmeyer steam roller • last but not least a fire engine made in 1869 in Altona near Hamburg for the city and now owned by a fire insurance company. This was by far the oldest exhibit, but the only one not operating. Back to the steam roller of Flensburg. Its crew would be happy to show it to anybody passing through the area and would like to hear from those who can give practical advice, for instance on water treatment. Furthermore, there are hopes of taking the roller to England for a rally,
preferably in or near Carlisle which is twinned with Flensburg. This sounds like taking coals to Newcastle, and indeed we would prefer going on the Esbjerg-Newcastle ferry, but there the prospects are not good. It would be easier to go to Harwich. Any ideas on how to finance the transport on English soil? Please contact Gustav Winkler, Kanzleistrasse 91-93, 2390 Flensburg, West Germany or phone 01049-461-53471 for more information, a viewing, or a day out!
Models to Holland The Vestingdagen Stoomweekend at Hellevoetsluis, Holland, hopes to include model traction engines at their 1988 event, subject to sufficient sponsorship. Any owner wishing to be considered is invited to send a nonreturnable photograph to the undermentioned address, together with a description and history of the engine and overall length of their car and trailer/caravan (stating which). The organisers will select entries from the enquiries and are also interested in threshing machines, ploughs etc. Those invited will be provided with free ferry passages, and accommodation (bed only) if required. Please send a 9in x 6in SAE to Stewart and Caroline Ho wick, Toscaig, Heathview Road, Milford, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5DF. 'One hears ... that Aveling & Porter Ltd means to push the sale of its steam wagons in France, Spain and other European countries.' (from the gossip column of The Commercial Motor, 7th July 1910.) 23
Steaming Around Compiled from members notes and reports by Derek Rayner
into from the rear — or low loaded, DANGER is always with us. Everyone needs to be reminded of this factor from time to time and to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent such accidents. I should like to take this opportunity now, early in the New Year, of thanking all past contributors for their many and interesting contributions during 1987. Whether their items have been in the form of just a short letter or, as in some cases, reams of details, may the contributions continue to flow in during 1988. My grateful thanks are extended to all who sent in information for this issue, in particular: Banbury Steam Society, Hollycombe Steam Collection, Leeds & District TEC, North Staffs & Cheshire TEC, Road Roller Association, Scottish TFS, Sheffield & District SS, Somerset TEC, Southern Counties HVPT, Steam Plough Club, West of England SES and John Albon, Len Ball, A. Britten, Fred Britton, Martin Craig, Alan Crockford, J.H. Davies, C.H. Denyer, Bernard Fielding, Martin Fletcher, Keith Flinton, Sandy Garden, Peter Haywood, Tim Keenan, Frank Knight, Eric Maxwell, Bill Padwick, Dave Perks, Sandy Ross, Ray Rowe, Ted Sansome, Bill Scurlock, Chris Smith, David Tew, Alan Thomas, Deryk Vernon, Michael Watts, Derek Webb and Peter Wells.
featured quite has Safety frequently in this section of the magazine in the past; it is something which should be uppermost in our minds all the time, whether we are working on engines in the close season, or are driving an engine on a rally field and having to contend with the hazards of people and their unpredictable movements, or just moving an engine by low loader. The latter activity has in the past caused comment in these columns on the subject of the actual loading methods — at least one engine has tipped over on its side when a ramp has given way. However, in this issue there are two unrelated incidents which feature another type of accident — engines
have fallen off low loaders whilst negotiating roundabouts. No specific reports have been submitted on these accidents, so details are a little sketchy but such accidents do bring into focus for everyone the necessity for securely tying down engines on transporters, and perhaps not utilising just any old security chains or ties, but something which is subject to regular competent inspections, as it would be if it were lifting tackle — and driving slowly around roundabouts, some of which are considerably tighter than one might at first think. It seems that no matter whether engines are driven to events — with the ever present chance of being run
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 1988.
BEDFORDSHIRE
included Alan Garwell and Dave Pond's Fowler roller 18659 of 1930 (DG3969) and Wallis 2357 of 1896 (H06139) owned by the Vickery family. A late entry was Peter Williams 1920 Aveling tractor 9225 (CJ4160). Continuous rain on the Saturday of Roxton Park rally made conditions very unpleasant and about the only time that most of the engines moved was when they were helped off the field on Sunday night with a large four wheel drive tractor. There were several first time appearances at the event — the ex Portuguese Fowler roller of Garwell and Pond; Barry Krywald's Aveling roller 6970 of 1910 (YA893); 1918 Aveling roller 8956 (AY9690)of Herbert Gurnhill and Richard Parrott's 1915 Burrell traction 3695 (TB2740) LORD DERBY. This latter engine has been fitted with the crane jib formerly attached to Burrell 1876 EMPEROR, the old Thetford
works engine, and is said to be the fourth Burrell to have been fitted with this crane. Two other newcomers were Jim Hutchens' Aveling showmans tractor 7612 of 1912 (F5218) and the newly acquired Garrett 4CD tractor 33295 of 1918 INH5567) which Charles Saunders had only just obtained from the Franks brothers in North Yorkshire. One of the several wagons present posed one or two problems for the numberconscious enthusiasts — Sentinel Super 5256 of 1924 (KC 5071) owned by B. Weatherhead, is shown in Traction Engine Register as 5778 of 1925 (SF 1345) but more recent researches have obviously proved otherwise. Engine movements in the area of late have included Garrett 32682 of 1915 (NM179), a tractor owned by the Saunders family, which has now gone into their workshop for a long
The village of Elstow was again host to a steam rally and country fair in July and it turned out to be a feast of well organised entertainment. Engines present included Tony Warwick's Fowler Tiger tractor 15632 of 1923 (SP8063), Fowler compound agricultural 14012 of 1915 (CE7818) owned by Michael Maskell, the consecutive pair of Fowell tractions 91 and 92 (CE7856 and 7857) owned by Richard and Deryk Parrish and Peter Coulson's 1936 McLaren tractor 1837 (AAM8011. Eaton Bray and District Rally was held in September after having been called off in June due to the state of the field. It took place at Totternhoe and was attended by the Fensom family's engines, David Scott's Fowler traction 15466 of 1920 (PF7364) and David Philpot's Marshall 77876 of 1924 (PU4053). Others present 24
awaited and much needed restoration. A pair of ploughing engines have come into the county recently from the Wiltshire area; the new owner of these Fowler BB1s is Edward Wotton, the engines being 15208 and 15209 of 1918 (AJ6405 and 6406). They are presently unlagged and have no ropes on their drums. The left hand engine has had a new boiler barrel and firebox and the right hand one has passed a hydraulic test. There is also a seven furrow plough to go with them and a collection of tractors. Mr Wotton is having a building erected for his new collection on his farm and the engines are to be looked after on a full time basis by Alec Ibbott.
BERKSHIRE Another fine show was staged at Knowl Hill in early August and the after hours events were as good as ever. Engines in attendance included George Fensom's Marshall traction 43560 of 1905 (BD5414), Jim Hutchens' 1912 Aveling showmans tractor 7612 (F5218) and McLaren road loco 1652 of 1919 BOADICEA owned by Anthony Heal. Among the big showmans were Jack Hardwick's Burrell WINSTON CHURCHILL and Jack Wharton's KING GEORGE VI whilst Fowlers were represented by Wharton's SUPREME and also Goff Radcliff's SIR JOHN FOWLER. Jim Hutchens' Garrett tractor THE JOKER, the only one of the Suffolk Punch type still remaining, was damaged after breaking free from its low loader whilst on the A4 Bath Road between Reading and Maidenhead, and the road was blocked for several hours whilst debris was cleared up. Though rumoured at first to be seriously damaged, the engine was later seen at the end of the season steam up at the New Leathern Bottle, Jeallots Hill, not much the worse for wear, so things were obviously not quite as bad as they first looked. An engine noted as being for sale was Foden steam wagon 2876 of 1911 (M3631). The asking price was £28,000 by the owners, Gordon Hedges and Tony Byng.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Steam came to the aid of a local charity appeal at High Wycombe in the shape of Dave Newton's Aveling roller 8064 of 1913 (NK1102). The roller was driven from Little Chalfont to High Wycombe accompanying at team of stretcher bearers carrying a young lady some fifteen miles to hospital. As a result of this effort, some £2,000 was raised for the High Wycombe Scanner Appeal. A working event staged at
Burrell 2668 of 1904 BRITANNIA spent almost 40 years of its working life with the Thurston family around East Anglia. It is seen here at the Chiltern Rally in July 1986. (Robin Walker)
Worminghall by the West Bucks vintage engine group was a very good show. Steam ploughing was undertaken, along with sawing, threshing and road rolling. This latter was done by Phil Cherry's Aveling Barford roller 14184 of 1937 (LS3967); sawing was the in the hands of D. Smith's 1899 Fowler traction 8282 (AC9321), whilst Tasker tractor 1666 of 1915 (AA5639) owned by D. Last demonstrated timber loading. A load of barley was threshed by Peter Court's 1897 Marshall traction 28922 (BH7606) and a portable baler was driven by Fowler traction 18539 of 1929 (NM74) owned by Rowland Green. Two Burrell showmans were present, these being Jack Lawrence's 1915 tractor 3631 (OR2729) KATHLEEN and David Wren Davis' 1904 engine 2668 (NM257) BRITANNIA. Gary Smith has sold his 1924 Burrell roller 3991 (AF9803) back to Hampshire from whence he obtained it. The new owner is Nigel Isaac, son of the previous owner, Derek Isaac. Gary has now acquired a Marshall S type roller from Spain — further details of this new acquisition would be appreciated.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE The Expo event at Peterborough at August bank holiday had a good selection of engines present, as well as something for all the family to see. For an enthusiast interested only in the engines however it was perhaps a little on the expensive side to get in and the
engine details in the programme ran to about half a page, which is a little sparse to say the least. Engines present included Gordon Heeps' Fowler conversion 17287 of 1927 (UW1329), Don Robinson's Foster showmans 14502 VICTORY, Wallis agricultural 7666 of 1919 (BL8289) owned by the Saunders family and W. Story's 1929 Aveling roller 12468 (LJ322). Chris Lavery's Foden 4 tonner 3510 of 1913 (M4673) was also present. September saw the fourteenth Haddenham Rally and a newly restored local engine appearing in the shape of Stan Burgess' 1913 Foden road loco 3534 (MA5502) MONARCH, looking very impressive in its new green paint. Other engines in the field of around three dozen included a couple of Fowler ploughing engines — Roy Lipscomb's K7 16646 and the Museum of Lincolnshire Life's 16053 of 1925 1E65518) — together with Peter Johnson's 1924 Fowler roller 16175 (NW8198), John Mead's converted Burrell roller 3313 of 1911 (AH6813), Ruston Proctor agricultural 35501 of 1908 (6E7438) owned by Peter Wright and Garth Holman's Fowler traction 11357 of 1908 (NM219).
CHESHIRE Heavy rain in July was again responsible for lack of movement of engines at the Leaning Tower rally organised in Crewe by the North Staffs and Cheshire club and the Wybunbury 25
Tower Preservation Trust. Engines present included Ron Maddison's 1928 Ransomes tractor 39088 (UD2296), Alan Proctor's Wallis Advance roller 7967 (0T7256) and Garrett showmans tractor 33074 of 1917 (BJ3451) owned by C.P. Timmis. Sentinel DG4 wagon 8571 (KF 6482) belonging to David Goddard was also in attendance as was 1904 Marshall roller 40047 (3E8186) owned by J. Millington. It is believed that traction engines were also present at another event at Crewe, that being the railway celebrations which took place in July and August. The Astle Park event in August suffered badly from the rain, causing a cessation of activities on the Sunday. Notwithstanding that, the public turned out, dressed appropriately for the weather, and were able to see a good selection of engines. Included in these were the rare Mann's tractor 1325 of 1918 (U4748) owned by J. Phillips, Armstrong Whitworth roller 10R35 of 1923 (NE2271) of G. Morgan, and T. Clarke's 1924 Sentinel Super tractor 5558 (PD 1854). Also there were Burrell showmans 3703 LADY MARY owned by Brian Dunford and two Fowler BB1 ploughing engines — R. Metcalfe's 15139 (HR3399) and Denis Priestner's 15148 (CT4663). Amongst rollers in attendance were two which previously had worked for Buncombe's of Highbridge — Arthur Bridge's Burrell 4004 of 1925 (YB2010) and Clayton & Shuttleworth 48835 (YA7417), new in 1923 and now owned by Tarmac Roadstone. The Holly Bush steam party continues to thrive and this year's event, in mid October, was attended by both regulars and some rarely seen engines. One of the latter was Eric Marshall's Ransomes compound traction 35247 of 1924 (PU4391), whilst regular attenders included Alan Porter's Burrell roller 3535 of 1913 (TB2710) and Arthur Bridge's Burrell roller. Walter Fitter's 1910 Foden traction 2312 (MA7770) drove a threshing machine for a time but all the engines which had ventured onto the field found the ground somewhat sticky for them by the end of the weekend. The regular road circuit was well used by those who wanted to take their engines out for a run — the usual mile and a half circular trip — whilst some visitors chose to visit the steam tug KERNE which had come to join the party at nearby Acton Bridge.
CORNWALL Morval Vintage and Steam Exhibition, near Looe, had a good turnout on a not too unpleasant day 26
and attracted some eight engines on display. These included Bill Lobb's Aveling conversion 8432 of 1914 (NM244), Bob Dyke's two steam wagons — 1921 Foden 10530 (TA1216) and Sentinel S6 8928 of 1934 (UJT333) — together with Rex Curtis' 1908 Fowler traction 11594 (EW2335), just returned from an event in Holland. At Trewithen Gardens during July, Bill Lobb and his Garrett showmans style tractor 34789 of 1926 (YB7841) were presented before Royalty when the Prince of Wales attended a Young Farmers' Club event there. Early July also saw the launch of Newquay Steam Beer by the Cornish Brewery of Redruth. Denis Warren's Foden wagon 11208 of 1924 (YA7952), repainted in the brewery's distinctive bright red livery to promote the sales of the beer in the West Country, was joined by John Crawley's Foden wagon 12364 of 1926 (TW4207), all the way from Bedfordshire, and also repainted in the red livery. It was the first appearance of this wagon in Cornwall and it is intended that it will be used on similar promotions in the company's trading area. Early August saw the Cornish Traction Preservation Society's event at Winnards Perch where some
eighteen engines were present. A couple of unusual working demonstrations took place at this show. Glenn Carter's 1907 Fowell traction 97 (CE7893) towed a binder to cut some standing corn which was later threshed by a machine driven by Ian and Wendy Beard's Aveling-Barford roller AH162 of 1948 (JXH174). A very enjoyable road run took place on the Saturday evening when twelve engines plus some other exhibits participated, all lining up in the narrow streets of St Columb for a time, before proceeding back to the rally field. During the following weekend, a convoy of some six engines made their way down the A30 from the above event to enable them to attend the West of England club's event at Tywarnhayle Farm, St Agnes. This procession included David and Kay Hick's Burrell traction 3918 of 1923 (PU578), the Aveling roller of .led Cox, 8581 of 1915 (DW2166), and Morton Betty's 1935 Wallis roller 8095 (GOU537), the Fowler and McLaren ploughing engines of Robin and Charlie Daniel and finally Derek Hattam's Robey tractor 41493 , of 1924 IMF3946). Visitors in 1987 included Bert Dibben's Wallis traction 7102 of 1909 (BH7446), which drove a sawbench, and Arthur Thomson's Foden traction 3384 of 1912
Devon County Council kept — and used — its steam roller fleet much later than many county authorities and still retains ownership of some, allowing them to attend rallies in the care of their custodians. The 1987 St Agnes event gave Alan Thomas the chance to photograph the County's No 1 7 7, built by Thomas Green, works number 1968. The single cylinder 3 shaft machine exhibits the typical, and different, appearance of a Green roller, compared with their contemporaries.
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(SN1646) WATTIE POLLOCK. First time attenders included David Cowling's 1927 Aveling roller 11969 (VB1107) and Glenn Carter's Fowell traction 97. A new arena event, on the theme of Road Trains of Yesteryear was a popular innovation — rollers pulled living vans and tar boilers, traction engines pulled traction wagons or threshing sets and so on. This is something which could be copied elsewhere and gives the public a better insight into what engines were used for in days gone by and how they looked when travelling. The Liskeard Steam and Vintage Club held their event at the end of August to avoid a clash with Stourpaine. Some twenty five engines were present and these included one new to the county in the form of Fowler 17290 of 1927 (AV1045), now owned by Ron Gregory. It was originally a roller and was converted whilst in Buckinghamshire to a showmans tractor. Ron has just moved to Cornwall from the West Midlands and is intending bringing his other engine, Aveling roller 10824 of 1923 (PT3595), into the county in due course. Reg Morse's open day at Mawla Well was tinged with sadness for it was to be the last of the series of
these popular events. The whole collection has been sold and will be able to be seen at a holiday complex at Carbis Bay in due course. A good attendance was therefore assured at this final event and the steamers there totalled fourteen. Visiting engines included Dick Wood's Burrell showmans 2651 of 1904 (AY9840) CHALLENGER and Glenn Carter's Fowell. One of the Mawla Well residents has subsequently left — Paul Richards having sold his 1923 Marshall roller 75826 (AF601 5) to Sid Hosking in neighbouring Devon. Sid already has a couple of engines, 1909 Marshall traction 52540 (6E7581) and Fowler compound roller 16157 of 1924 (DD5490), this latter being an ex Dingle machine as, indeed, is his new acquisition. Paul is also looking to sell his other engine, Robey tandem roller 42129 of 1924 (RL75), which is currently in a dismantled state and in need of a full rebuild. The other two residents at Mawla Well, Jed Cox's Aveling roller and Morton Betty's Wallis Advance are not intending moving, so steam will still be seen in the yard for some time to come. An engine to leave the county is Russell Gillbard's 1902 Marshall traction 38024 (TA629) CRESSING
TEMPLE, which has been sold into North Yorkshire. Compensating this loss, Andrew Cloak has purchased Fowler AA7 ploughing engine 15565 of 1920 (D02238) in a dismantled state from near Banbury. Some bits, including the flywheel, are still required and a lot of work will be needed over the next few years to put the engine back into working order. A further new addition to the county is another Fowler, this being roller 22596 of 1937 (EJ5535), the last Fowler roller, which has been purchased from the Shropshire area by Joy and Haydn Davies. Also into the area has come Fowler K7 ploughing engine 14695 of 1918 (MA5129) which John Boyling has purchased from Charles Rhws of South Wales. The other one of the pair, 14694, is by coincidence already in the county, owned by Geoff Westlake.
DERBYSHIRE A small event, called The Lifeboat Rally was held at Doveridge to take over where another show had previously been held. Several engines were present at this new venture, which was deemed successful by those who attended. These included Graham Love with 1918 Fowler road loco 15323 (HR3697), Barry 27
Littlewood with Aveling roller 12079 of 1928 (PH9633) and Peter Knight with Marshall 81427 of 1926 (PY6079). The Bass Museum Sentinel Standard wagon 1488 of 1917 (AW3407) was also in attendance. Dave Corbett took his ex Derbyshire County Council Aveling 10 ton roller 7798 of 1912 (R7497) back to its home ground when he went to the Cromford Rally in early August. This roller was based at nearby Crich (where the Tramway Museum is located) and on the Monday after the rally, he took it up to Crich council yard for some photographs to be taken in its old haunts. An unusual combination was noted at an end of season event at Elvaston Castle, home of the full scale event held in July. Fowler ploughing engine 17756 of 1929 (V08988), belonging to the Nottingham Musoums, was belted up to the Castle's threshing drum and baler. This task was also carried out in a more conventional manner as well — using Colin Brothwell's Ruston & Hornsby traction 115100 of 1922 ID 02953).
DEVON A kind and generous gesture by the Lincoln firm of Robey & Co will result in a new lease of life for the formerly parked up Robey roller from Tavistock, now under restoration by local enthusiasts. The roller, 42693 of 1925 (FE7490), is stripped down to basic components and the boiler had been sent back to Robey's for an assessment of repairs. The firm decided that it was not worth repairing and in consequence, volunteered to supply a new one free of charge. The new item will be welded instead of riveted (as was the original) but round rivet heads will be retained on the exterior to keep the traditional look and the original firebox will be put into the new boiler. As some readers may be aware, the annual Brixham rally was to have been cancelled for 1987 because of the loss of money on the previous two events. However, local interest was so great that Mike Stabb, family and friends decided to go it alone and stage a small event at Berry Head. This turned out to be quite a successful show, for, although small, it gave the opportunity to chat and make new friends. Engines present included Peter and Margaret Spokes' 1919 Aveling roller 9024 (NT2019), Owen Slade's Marshall convertible 68955 of 1916 (TA212) — now a traction on rubbers, Burrell agricultural 2662 of 1904 (AF3531) owned by Dove and Grey and another Aveling roller, 28
Fowler 12hp ploughing engines 14694/14695 were photographed by Joe Thomas during their dredging work at Cadbury's estate at Bourn ville, Birmingham in May 1966. The 1918 built class K7 pair, owned by H.T. Brown of Tettenhall, Wolverhampton were later separated when sold to different owners.
11599 of 1926 (TT9449) owned by Devon County Council and on loan to the Dart Valley Railway. In mid August, a rally was held at the National Shire Horse Centre at Yealmpton near Plymouth. Engines Owen Slade's present included Maishall and Uie Burrell 2662 of Dove and Grey together with Fred Britton's McLaren traction 547 of 1896 (BD5448), Andrew Melrose's 1870 Fowler ploughing engine 1368 (AL8468) MARGARET — a long way from home — and Wallis traction 8052 of 1936 (0U7435) owned by Jim Snell. The August bank holiday event at Chapelton Barton near Barnstaple organised by the Devon club clashed with similar events not too far away but nevertheless two days of good weather provided the makings of a successful show and in addition to the usual displays of vehicles and othcr exhibits, steam engines were present in the form of P. Wright's 1925 Burrell tractor 3951/4028 (RL1978) and Denis Warren's 1924 Foden wagon 11208, now resplendent in a bright red livery advertising a local ale. A correction is necessary to the notes of the last issue. The Foden tractor sold to David Hirst was that owned by Gerald Lynch, and not Joe Lynch. It is understood that the steamer has been replaced by a Foden diesel tractor! Simon Caudwell has recently sold his Wallis oilbath tractor 7289 of 1912 (AA5014) to Cyril Finch, owner of Aveling roller 9128 of 1920 (E5336) MAJOR. However, Cyril apparently couldn't come to terms with the Wallis and has now sold it to G. Stoneman. Cyril has also sold the Aveling to a Mr Marshall in Somerset as it is understood that he has something else in his sights. Simon was recently host to a steam up when Fred Britton's McLaren drove a saw bench for an afternoon's timber conversion. Another engine has also been acquired recently by G. Stoneman this is Aveling conversion 8432 of 1914 (NM244) which he has bought from Bill Lobb in Cornwall.
entrants later in the day, as shown by the muddy wheels of many departing engines. Mention must be made of the NTET hospitality tent, the sales stand and the various helpers a fine effort by all. On the engine front, Foden wagon 1364 of 1907 (M1606) belonging to David Hirst was in the auction; bids went as high as £17,000 but it was not ascertained whether it was sold. Interesting engines included the only surviving Brown & May showmans, 8742 of 1912 GENERAL BULLER (wrongly dated on page 201 of our last issue), owned by John Rundle; the remaining Robinson & Auden traction engine 1376 of 1900 (AD8889) owned by Harry Lyon; four Allchin tractions and Robey boiler 27447 of 1908, a huge object which weighs 25 tons and, with its equally large Robey engine, has been built into its own articulated trailer by Jim Bracey of Berkshire. Statistics of the engine list were impressive — 28 Burrell engines; 32 Fowlers; 12 of each from Aveling and Wallis and 9 from Garretts were the makes strongly represented. The 21st anniversary of the Steam Plough Club, was celebrated in style with ten of this type of engine there. Perhaps the most incongruous sight was of two road rollers emulating Amalgamated Heavy Haulage — Wallis Advance 8100 of 1936 (BAA432) owned by Dave Antell and Fowler 17496 of 1931 (GN8299) belonging to Jock Murray charged up the slope, belching BLACK smoke, with a loaded timber carriage and really made the 'welkin ring'!
DURHAM The first Tanfield Railway Summer Steam Show was held at Marley Hill on August bank holiday weekend with ten engines of various sorts in steam. Three road engines were present, Henry l'Anson's Burrell showmans 3195 of 1911, COUNTRY GIRL, Fowler roller 16008 of 1923 (SG8149) owned by John Bainbridge and Matty Renwick's 1921 Aveling roller 10005 (BB5023). The railway had five industrial railway locomotives and a steam crane in steam and working, along with the newly arrived Robey vertical engine 43862 of 1928. This Robey will eventually drive the workshop's line shafting which powers over a dozen machines. Visitors could see a building under construction which will be a home for the railway's 1922 Aveling roller 10419 (BR2303). When the shed is finished, this formcr Guy Potts roller will have repairs carried out and will then be a regular steamer at Marley Hill. The following weekend saw Beamish Museum hosting their annual steam day and commercial vehicle trials. Attending here, having hauled a threshing machine from their base at Houghton-le-Spring, was B.M. Stafford's fine Fowler road loco 15649 of 1920 (CT3940) PROVIDENCE, making a superb sight as she came along the lanes to the event. Also present was Richard Preston's unique compound Savage lighting engine 761 of 1900.
DORSET Stourpaine was Stourpaine again — bigger and better than ever. Our correspondent visited on both Friday and Sunday and still didn't see everything. 145 engines were noted, including both steam gallopers, the steam yachts and the fire pump. The weather was quite reasonable until Sunday when it started to rain during the day, although there had been overnight rain earlier. In consequence, there were problems in dispersing the
Robey 4hp compound tractor 41493 of 1924 stands outside its shed, making steam, before journeying to the Winnards Perch rally in August 1987. (Alan Thomas) 29
ESSEX A third annual event was organized on Marks Tey racecourse just outside Colchester by the East Anglian club. Engines present at the show included the Swann family's 1910 Wallis traction 7115 (H05815), 1920 Aveling roller 9102 (N01226), Harry King's 1917 Aveling tractor 8809 (SG2850) and Wallis & Steevens roller 2574 of 1902 (H06045) owned by Jack Rhodes. Sentinel S8 9105 (UJ3652) owned by Edgar Shone and driven by Nigel Underwood also attended, as did 1892 Burrell agricultural 1606 (N02533) belonging to Jim White. A 1920 Aveling roller has been noted for sale in the county at an asking price of £7000. It is believed to be Terry Swann's 9102 (N01226). The two day Barleylands event at the end of September picked two superb days and what a good rally it was, 1986's single day event being just a curtain raiser for this. On this showing for 1987, it is an event to watch out for in the future. There were several engines at this event which are rarely seen in public. Fowler 14728, one of the Museum's pair of Fowler ploughing engines 14728 and 14729 of 1918 (D01918/1919) had been nicely restored and was hard at work with C.H. Cole's Fowler 15454 of 1925 (TW1802). Others present included Fowler traction 8224 of 1898 (HK9982) owned by Ted Rawlinson, the 1924 Garrett tractor 34539 (CF5488) of Brian Nevard and the Aveling-Barford roller AC621 of 1937 (GMK939) of Will Childs. Unfortunately a proper programme had not been produced for this event but there was a notice by each engine giving its details. This was a good idea but since the engines moved about quite a lot, it was somewhat difficult to keep track of which was which. The East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappell and Wakes Colne station held their end of season event in early October. Around a dozen engines were present including Arthur Bullman's Sentinel Standard 1716 of 1917 (AW3833), Aveling tractor 8809 belonging to Harry King, John Downs' Burrell showmans tractor 3453 of 1913 (AH0117) THE MAY, Burrell traction 3135 of 1909 (BJ6398) owned by P.N. Garland and Dave Skittrall's 1896 Foster agricultural 2163 (D01945) MASTER FRED. In the railway workshops, having a new firebox fitted, was the boiler of Aveling roller 12462 of 1929 (VB7301) owned by the C.R.G. Association; the remainder of the engine was in a pile in the corner of the yard. 30
The Sentinel 1930 to 1980 This book traces the history of the company and its products including the DG and S type steam waggons, the remarkable Doble experiments, the SentinelGarner lorries and the Sentinel-HSG gas producer vehicles. Also covered are their steam locos and railcars, post war diesel lorries and buses, machine tools and many other wartime products of this highly versatile company. Contains 320 pages with 153 illustrations. Available directly from the publishers price £10.95 post free.
Woodpecker Publications WOODPECKER LODGE, BARNESHALL AVENUE, WORCESTER, WR5 3EU
Dave Skittrall's engine made page 5 of the Daily Mail on the Monday after the weekend's event; two days of torrential rain in the area resulted in the River Colne flooding the area and there was a nice picture of the Foster and its crew making a way through the fast flowing water, which was a couple of feet over the top of the bridge, on their way from the railway station to the Swan Inn on the opposite side of the river for a pint. They no doubt left many a motorist and pedestrian with tongues hanging out, unable to cross the water.
HAMPSHIRE Netley Marsh rally at the end of July had the usual good selection of engines, two of the most interesting being the unrestored Burrell tractor 3786 of 1918 (PB9610) owned by Don Cully (attending its first rally) and the rare Fowler T1 ploughing engine 14253 of 1916 (AC9589) owned by R.L. Corbett. This machine was originally fitted with a double drum and is believed to be the only one of its type still remaining. The weather was good for both days of the rally and a record attendance of 30,000 was reached. Other engines present included Ron Gidding's 1928 Ransomes tractor 39127 (PN1903), Fowler roller 15965
of 1923 (IA6195) belonging to Tarmac Roadstone, Tom Andrews' 1927 Burrell roller 4070 (WW2181) and 1912 McLaren traction 1160 (H05570) owned by M. Hillary. K. Foreman's newly built steam tractor, mentioned in the last issue, was also present at this event; it has been constructed in the owner's works over the last few years to drawings current at the turn of the century, being based on a Wallis & Steevens 3 ton motor. It is numbered 9801 and weighs 4 tons — presumably the builder had the same problem as Wallis and their contemporaries did in keeping within the lower weight limit! Work continues at Hollycombe where two members of the Society have spent a considerable amount of time stripping down Aveling roller 10050 of 1921 (XM4037). There is still a long way to go and lots more work to be done before this roller appears in steam again. The Clayton portable has been receiving attention — having its paintwork rubbed down for, in due course, painting along with some of the farm machines. The horrendous gales which devastated a large swathe of south east England in October brought an unexpected sight to one traveller in
Hampshire. On the Sunday morning after the big blow, at Sheen, near Petersfield, our reporter was amazed to see Keith Leadbeater's 1914 Tasker tractor 1625 (BP5833) fully engaged in timber work. It was, for him, a moment of happiness and sorrow how sad it was to see all those beautiful trees felled by the hurricane force winds a night or two previously, yet how pleasant it was to see the 73 year old engine doing the work she was designed for. Bill Targett has sold his Aveling roller 7771 of 1912 (PC9014) to R. Smithers, so she remains in the county.
A Runaway Sentinel
HEREFORD and WORCESTER The second rally organised by the Herefordshire TE&VC at Much Marcie fell foul of the poor summer weather and the participants had more than their fair share of rain. Engines present at the event included all three of Frank Burrell showmans Lythgoe's DREADNOUGHT, WILLIAM V and DOLPHIN whilst another showmans was converted Aveling roller 10084 (RF5076) MALVERN QUEEN owned by Ted Leighton. Others there included Alan Robins' 1928 Wallis Simplicity 7940 (0T8512), Alan's other engine, Burrell traction 2051 (CF3638) of 1897 and D.R. Price's 1898 Marshall traction 29944 (AL9271) which he had only recently acquired. There was only one wagon present — G.B. King's 1935 Sentinel S4 9192 (CML781) but agriculturals included Peter Court's 1897 Marshall 28922 (BH7606), 1912 Allchin 1546 (AP9079) owned by J. Williams and P.J. Cork's Burrell 4049 of 1926 (TW5228). An extremely interesting feature to be found at the event was a dynamometer brake, built originally for agricultural tractor testing. Here it was belted up to two differently rated traction engines and the brake horse powers measured. The 7hp Allchin and the 8hp Marshall registered 31 and 48bhp respectively — giving an indication of the difference from the nominal horsepowers usually quoted for traction engines. A recent visitor to see Cecil Potter was shown his dieselised Aveling roller — a rather unusual machine. Cecil thought it was of around 1907 vintage but when shown Traction Engine Register, was amazed to see that the roller was celebrating its centenary this year. It is 2291 of 1887 (AX3590), and was fitted with a McLaren diesel engine above its boiler many years ago when major repair was required to be carried out by the
these two pictures, courtesy David Goddard of Shrewsbury, show a Sentinel Standard wagon and its trailer, owned by Joseph Fish & Sons Ltd of Bristol, in embarrassing circumstances on Harley Bank, where the Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury road drops steeply from the top of Wenlock Edge. However, apart from what we see from the photograph — that the wagon in running off the highway has very effectively uprooted and felled one of the GPO's telegraph poles and also turned the trailer onto its side — little is known about the occasion or the Sentinel itself. Alan Duke is unable to relate its registration AW9516 to a Sentinel works number, so identity remains a mystery. Fish had about twenty wagons at one time (this one is fleet number 24) and was associated with several other companies, with whom there was some interchange of vehicles. Can anyone comment on the Sentinel or the date of the incident?
then owners, Bomford & Evershed. This firm converted several rollers in this way, and also extended the lives of ploughing engines when repairs to their boilers became uneconomical. A photograph of Aveling 2291 appeared in the Spring 1981 issue.
HERTFORDSHIRE A first time show staged at Trent Park, Cockfosters in mid August by the Enfield & District club was a real winner and an excellent selection of engines was gathered together from the home counties and slightly further 31
afield. A steam ploughing demonstration was undertaken by Peter Stanier's 1917 Fowler 13877 (282HYR ) and Richard Pearce's 1914 Fowler 14213 (HK 9840) from Kent, whilst other engines present included family's Burrell the Saunders showmans EX MAYOR and their Foden 6-wheel tractor, McMullen's 1932 Sentinel DG4 wagon 8694 (YG746) and P. Skinner's Aveling conversion 5293 of 1903 (21726). Terry Petty's 1913 Marshall traction 61970 (BJ5934) was also in attendance, together with 1907 Burrell Gold Medal showmans tractor 2876 (PB9615) RELIANCE owned by Eric Choake. There is unfortunate news to report regarding Ted Dyer's Burrell single crank compound agricultural 2386 of 1901 (N0394). During the return journey from Weeting rally back to its home in Hertfordshire, the engine fell from the low loader whilst negotiating a roundabout. The engine was rescued by the Saunders' heavy lifting equipment and taken to Stotfold, where it still remains. Very extensive damage was caused, including broken crankshaft, flywheel, front axle and cylinder dome cover. With the end of the season almost upon us, most engines have been drained down but John Crawley's Foden 12364 continued to be displayed in the West Country by Albert Fensom well into November as part of the Newquay Steam Beer promotion. In our last issue we reported on John Bett's Garrett traction 28218 of 1909 (CF3556), temporarily located at Friars Wash. Progress to date includes some detail welding work carried out to the firebox and the preparation of the boiler for new tubes; the bottom of the water tank has also been replaced. ISLE OF WIGHT A correction is due regarding the new owners of Burrell roller 3985 of 1925 (RK 2907). These are jointly A.and M. Brittan and R. Stacey. The roller was new to Stanley North of Selhurst, London and finished with the firm in the late 1940s. On completion of the work previously described at Bicknells, the roller was taken to the island in early July where the long job of cleaning and painting was started. It was anticipated steaming the roller in 1987, but it was taken as a static exhibit to the Havenstreet Railway Extravaganza at August bank holiday. At the Havenstreet event, a couple of Burrell showmans engines were interesting visitors for different reasons. The Tarrant family's 3878 32
ISLAND CHIEF was a one time resident on the island in the ownership of Arnold's amusements at Cowes, whilst the other is now kept in the Netherlands — 3926 of 1922 STOKOMOLIEF (previously named MARGARET) is owned by Dutchman G6 Van Der Pol and was en route to Stourpaine. Other engines present at this pleasant show included 1930 Sentinel 8393 (DX9048) HMS SULTAN, Colin Knight's 1913 Wallis agricultural 7293 (BH6808) and Fowler ploughing engine 14253 of 1916 (AC 9589), the T1 model owned by R.L. Corbett. Also there from the mainland were a couple of Fodens, Mrs Hampshire's C type wagon 13716 of 1930 (RP9208) and road loco 1294 of 1909 (110JLB) owned by the Retman brothers. KENT With the end of the Quexpo steam rallies in 1986 it was expected a void would be left at the end of the season in East Kent. However, the Hobbs family, who own Garrett agricultural 35461 of 1931 (0U9309), decided to stage an event at Sarre Mill, with all the proceeds going towards the restoration of the Windmill — in which they have an interest — and which is situated some eight miles from Ramsgate on the A28 road to Canterbury. Despite heavy rain before the bank holiday weekend, the rally was a great success with a dozen engines attending. These included Colin Attride's Aveling roller 10271 of 1922 (ME2103), George Marsh's 1914 Foden showmans conversion 4752 (SN1647) and Marshall traction 74871 of 1921 (6E9002) owned by Les and David Birch. The Hobbs' Garrett was also present, as was Terry Maynard's 1925 Aveling tractor 11251 (PE3617) and the very old 6hp Barrows & Carmichael portable — it dates from about 1860 — owned by Colin Tucker. The portable was belted to a 1946 Ransomes huller which threshed wheat from a field adjacent to the windmill. It was, in all, a very creditable first time effort by those concerned and it is hoped to stage a similar event at the same time in 1988. A ploughing engine has changed hands in the west of the county and although the date of sale is not known, it is believed not to have been reported previously. The new owner of Fowler K7 13830 of 1913 (FN5021) is Karl Hopper. LANCASHIRE The Lancashire Daily Post women's page is an unlikely place to find a reference to a ploughing engine but in early October it featured Sue
(formerly Pearsons) extend Seasons Greetings to all customers old and new We hope to see you in the Spring of 1988
Saturday May 7th — 11th Spring Collective Auction Sale of steam engines, vintage tractors, stationary engines, bygone farm and domestic equipment, instruction books etc. (Entry forms on request).
Saturday May 14th — near Taunton, Somerset. Foden steam wagons, Marshall tractors, threshing machines, Commer lorries etc. Saturday May 28th — Ashley Countryside Collection at Chulmleigh, Devon — contents of farm museum. Catalogues and further details in due course from:
Agriculture House, High Street, Stockbridge, Hampshire 5020 6HF Tel: Andover (0264) 810702
Whitney's interest in Fowler 13481 of 1913 (N0796), which she and her husband Andrew own. Much of the last seven years has been spent on restoration of the engine which Andrew owned before the couple met. The reporter's introductory paragraph was a journalistic gem: 'Cupid has some unlikely guises, but surely none stranger than a 20-ton firebreathing dinosaur of the steam age'. Another Fowler which has had a long awaited restoration is showmans 10318 of 1905 (WR6790), SUNNY BOY No 2. This engine lay at Johnson's yard at Banks, Southport for a number of years and is now at British Leyland's Commercial Vehicle Museum at Leyland, splendidly restored in blue and red livery. This engine worked in showland for Marshalls of Bradford but our correspondent doubts whether it ever carried its present livery during its working life. Matchbox toys have recently brought out a limited edition model of this engine (as restored), it being marginally larger than the old Lesney model of a Fowler showmans engine. Philip Cowel has been advertising
for parts to assist in the rebuilding of Burrell single crank traction 1687 of 1893 (MS3090). This engine was previously in Scotland and Philip has only got the boiler and cylinder block. He would like to contact anyone who can help with other parts. He can be reached on Preston (0/72) 653569.
LEICESTERSHIRE Audrey Boston's Foster traction 14593 of 1927 (FE9179) is back on the road after some winter repairs, and attended the twenty-fifth consecutive Market Bosworth rally in mid August. This event was blessed with very good weather and other engines included Terry Gibson's Fowler showmans 15652 REPULSE and Fowler crane engine 17106 of 1928 DUKE OF YORK, owned by Paul Scholey. There were record crowds on both days of the rally. Dave Corbett is changing the tubes on his Aveling roller 7798 of 1912 after climbing the hills to Crich (see Derbyshire notes) and other work being carried out in the vicinity is by John Robins, who is reboring the cylinders of his 1909 Burrell single crank compound traction 3126 (BJ7155). Both cylinders are badly scored; the engine has been off the road now for a number of years. Fred Dockray has acquired a very old portable engine, with what appears to be a wrought iron boiler, from Lainchbury's of Kingham, Oxfordshire. It is a product of the Lampitt firm, having been built in 1862. It was last steamed in 1921 and has certain interesting features such as an overhung crank and Salter safety valves. Fred would welcome any information on Lampitt portables and may be contacted at Main Street, Long Whatton, Leics. In the south of the county, Richard Vernon gave a late September ploughing and cultivating demonstration at Cotesbach using his Fowler ploughing engines 15334/15335 of 1919 IN 02045/2044). A roller which has been off the circuit for a few years is Burrell 4041 of 1926 )U0793), owned by Don Wing. A new firebox and various other repairs have been carried out and the engine was present at an end of season event at Naseby, before draining down for the winter. An end of season event at Bill Story's yard at Barrowden raised over £200 for local charities. As well as Bill's own engines, there were some visiting ones from other local enthusiasts who helped to make the event a success. An engine to come into the county is 6 ton Foden wagon 13138 of 1928
1930 built Foster Wellington tractor 14608 pictured at the Fairford rally in August 1984. (Robin Walker)
(AN9568), previously owned by A.J. Henry and kept at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum in London. Its new owner is Frank Knight of Burrough-onthe-Hill.
LINCOLNSHIRE An end of season threshing event was held at Mawthorpe for the first time in a number of years. These events were popular when previously staged by Eric Riggall and this revived event was no exception. Power for the threshing machine was provided by the Riggall's very late Foster portable, 14737 of 1942; also there was their Marshall Q class roller 76797 of 1923 (FU1327), an ex Lincolnshire County Council machine. A welcome visitor was Glyn Macdonald with Burrell conversion 4073 of 1929 (VF 5265), which then powered the family's Verbeeck organ. Clayton traction 48162 of 1920 (CT8260) has been sold by Steven Wood of Grimsby to Fred Coupland and so remains in the county.
LONDON An added attraction at Mitcham's Status Fair in August was T. Williams 1921 Burrell showmans conversion 3894 SAINT BRANNOCK, which, appearing on the opening day, stood near the dodgems, generating for its own lights. The Mayor, who opened the fair, took full advantage of an invitation to inspect the engine more closely, and was seen later accompanying the engine, on its footplate, on a tour around the fairground.
NORFOLK The Weeting rally in mid July staged a commemorative event to celebrate one hundred years of the patent of the Burrell single crank compound with a return road run to Thetford from the rally site. Engines from all over the country participated in this well patronised event and in consequence, the number of engine exhibitors at the rally was swelled to almost eighty. Twenty one single crank compounds visited Thetford and the cup for the best turned out engine was awarded to Frank Knight from Leicestershire for his 1912 traction 3385 (SG6600). First time attenders at the rally were Jack Rhodes' 1902 Wallis roller 2574 (H06045) which had steamed 80 or so miles to the show; Saunders six-wheel Foden wagon; Willem Middlemiss' 1915 Burrell showmans 3669 (G6470) NERO and Burrell traction 3695 of 1915 (TB2740) owned by Richard Parrott and now fitted with a crane. In the north west of the county, a charity event was organised at Stow Bardolph to benefit the Ely Cathedral Restoration Fund. Engines which attended the show included Kath Barrett's Burrell showmans tractor PETER PAN, Neville Playford's 1912 Burrell roller 3388 (TB3718) and the 1920 Tasker tractor 1822 (H02930) owned by Geoff Reed. Also present were George Venni's Burrell traction 1244 of 1886 (AH5494) and Margaret Studley's 1911 Allchin agricultural 1527 (CF3650). The old Burrell also attended a country show organised by the Anglian Vintage Machinery Enthusiasts Club at East Walton Park, not far from Kings Lynn, a little later in 33
the season. Although there was a vast collection of exhibits at this event, there was only one other full sized engine — Roy Lipscomb's 1926 Fowler K7 ploughing engine 16646 (RD4520). An engine noted for sale in this area was Aveling roller 10364 of 1922 (ER88), said to be complete but in bits. The owner is R.N. Dixon-Spain. More news regarding the Marshall portable and threshing drum abandoned near Loddon and mentioned in the last two issues. They were purchased at Sotterley near Beccles by Kidd's of Briston, Melton Constable (who are believed to be dealers), but on the way north the transporting lorry broke down and the boiler and drum were unceremoniously dumped in the layby where they have been seen by our various correspondents. On the subject of boilers, the Garrett boiler owned by the Norfolk Museum Service returned to the Gressenhall Rural Life Museum at East Dereham for the annual open day in October. This engine, which was purchased from Sussex earlier in 1987 has been extensively overhauled by Mervyn Mayes at his Yaxham Works. The restoration involved a new smokebox, front tube plate, chimney and ash pan. The boiler will be used to provide steam for the Museum's
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collection of stationary engines. The first to go live will be a large single cylinder horizontal bed engine made by Bradfords of Manchester and which once used to power a laundry in Norwich. This work will be undertaken by Mr Mayes with the help of volunteers from the Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society. Also at the Yaxham premises, work is progressing on the reboxing of a Case traction engine (imported some years ago) owned by D. Walker. The engine was, until recently, on show at the Bressingham Steam Museum. The Gressenhall event mentioned above was a virtual washout with torrential rain marring the proceedings. The Burrell ploughing engines from the Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket found things particularly heavy going. Also present at the event were Richard Parrott's 1907 Burrell traction 2948 (N0106) and Marshall 75077 of 1922 (BJ7640), an agricultural owned by G. Dann — a rare rally attender.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Allen Eaton has sold his 1930 Fowler roller 18279 (CV15031 to Mike Smith, a new owner a few miles away at Cogenhoe.
NORTHUMBERLAND A relatively new museum is to be found not far from Newcastle, near Wallsend — the site of the test workshops of the Tyneside Metro prior to it becoming operational a few years back. The workshops were built on the line of one of the old plateways which took Northumberland coal down to the River Tyne for shipment. It is therefore fitting that the ancient railway locomotive BILLY, built in 1826 by Robert Stephenson for the Killingworth Railway, should be located here. At an open day held in September, 1875 Hornsby portable 2958 owned by Tyneside Museums was on show whilst B.M. Stafford & Sons exhibited their 1929 Foden wagon 13476 (KX 5003).
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE An engine to come into the county from just over the border in South Yorkshire is Aveling tractor 9228 of 1920 (CJ4159), which has for many years been owned by Wilf Payne. He has sold it to Ken Tyler and it has already been out to a couple of local events. A ploughing match at Retford attracted a couple of local engines. The Barnes family attended with their 1900 Wallis roller 2524 (BP8585) and John Blagg brought along his Marshall
traction 36575 of 1902 (B13667). The latter was put to work threshing. The fifth Jess Swingler memorial steam event at Radcliffe-on-Trent had four steamers in attendance. Ken Tyler was present with Aveling 9228 and Bob Tyler came with his 1928 Fowler conversion 16365 (YC3689), both of these steaming the short distance along the A52 on the Saturday afternoon. Also along this road, from the Nottingham direction, came Aveling traction 1995 of 1884 (BT3939) owned by Aveling-Barford and crewed by Jim Crane, Andy Best and Paul Hodgkinson. The last engine was Freda Swingler's 1910 Foster conversion 12509 (UX6727), which powered the Reeder's Gavioli organ. The sum of £1,250 was raised for the British Heart Foundation.
OXFORDSHIRE There was an incident at the Holton Rally in July which at its worst could have been highly dangerous but was at best embarrassing. It is related here as a cautionary tale for others, with names omitted to spare someone's blushes. The owners of a particular roller took it for a drive around the rally field after the day's events when most of the members of the public had gone home. In the process they set it on fire. It would appear that a flashback from the firebox door ignited oil and grease on the moving parts above, thus causing some alarm. Fortunately several exhibitors, including the safety officer, and an on show fire tender were quickly to hand and no serious damage was caused. Fairford rally, towards the end of August, had its usual Friday night opener outside the Eight Bells public house when half a dozen engines were present to light up the proceedings, including the showmans KING GEORGE VI, SUPREME, VICTORIOUS and tractor THE GREYHOUND. At the event itself, there were several newcomers including a recent addition to the county in the form of S. West's 1910 Tasker tractor 1424 (1131679), and D. West's Marshall traction 65908 of 1914 (BD 5609), believed to be attending its first rally. Others present included Jeff Shackell's 1920 Fowler roller 15490 (CA6328) — which was sold up north shortly afterwards — and J. Plaister's Marshall traction 71837 of 1919 (DD2007). Wagons present included another first time attender Sentinel Super 1465 of 1916 (AW3321) which was rebuilt by its makers during World War 2 and in consequence carries a much more modern cab than is usually associated with a wagon of this age. A
••••
'
latecomer was P. Smith's 1894 Aveling roller 3430 (PB9801), and also present was Fowler conversion 19354 (YSV866), a former roller exported new in 1933 to Portugal and now owned by Peter Nichols. The 40th anniversary event of the Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins and Burford Ploughing Society at the end of September was on the Swinbrook Estate, Astall and the Steam Plough Club, themselves in their 21st Anniversary year, put on steam cultivation on the Sunday using Daniel brothers Fowler BB1 15163 of 1918 (WR71511 and Andrew Melrose's single 1368 of 1870 (AL8468). In addition, a pair of diesel rebuilt Fowler BB engines were also put to work, these being 14379/14380 of 1917 (NK1754/1755) now owned again by Jeremy Walker — these were works conversions to diesel power, six cylinder engines being fitted by McLarens to the tops of the boilers. This interesting demonstration was made even more special by the use of a Howard plough loaned for the occasion by Jack Wharton.
SCOTLAND Marshall roller 75653 of 1922 (SR3182), mentioned In the last issue, was sold at a vintage vehicle auction at Forfar some time ago to G. Fyvie, who owned the engine prior to its years in Aberdeen. Another Marshall, general purpose engine 47731 of 1907 (MS3081), has been sold by Jock McKay to a museum in the Glasgow area.
A fine weekend at August bank holiday in 1987 made up fully for the gales and downpour which wrecked
•
An
Simmering to itself whilst the crew leave for an unrealistic but forgiveable lunch break at the 1986 Weeting event is Fowler class 881 15453. (Clive Hollingworth)
the previous year's event at Bishops Castle. Around 40 engines were present and the parade, as usual, was led by showmans engines in a two-bytwo formation — and very impressive this is. Those present included T. Henderson's 1901 Fowler traction 9225 (CF3795); A.E. Mason's Fowler roller 19053 of 1931 (WX7694); Marshall portable 8839 of 1881 owned by Richard Hesbrook; R.D. Pritchard's Fowler roller 14333 of 1914 (AD8773) and the 1926 Burrell traction 4049 (TW5228) of R.J. Cook. As usual Sentinels were well to the fore at this their now traditional home rally, and these included Walkers' S4 9307 of 1937 (DYY134), John Nudd's Standard 3976 of 1921 (NY344) and DG4 8571 of '1931 (KF6482) owned by David Goddard. An application has recently been made to the local council to redevelop part of the former Sentinel Waggon Works at Shrewsbury as a shopping centre. Although protests are unlikely to stop any such development, there are moves afoot to have the famous works' entrance with its guardian Sentinel over the archway listed as an historic building so that at least this is kept and incorporated into any new development. Passers-by can then be reminded of the engineering heritage of this particular area of the town.
SOMERSET SHROPSHIRE
'
Work is progressing well on Bill Scurlock's Ransomes tractor 36220 of 1926 (UE2496). A new firebox has been constructed by Border Engineer-
ing of Yeovil, and a new boiler barrel and tiiheplate is on its way to being fitted by the same company. Hopefully the whole lot will be back at Bill's in time for Christmas so that he can fit the box himself with the aid of his helpers and get the engine reassembled by the early summer. Bill has obtained a copy of the drawings for the special drawbar for ploughing used on these tractors and is contemplating having one made up so that he can try some direct traction ploughing. One interesting item about Bill's tractor is that it was first constructed as 31109 in 1920 but was not sold at that time and finally came out with an up to date 1926 number when actually sold. (We note Traction Engine Register records no less than seven numbers for this Ransomes exhibition tractor. The maker's determined efforts to make the tractor appear the latest one built conjures up visions of the availability of some sort of 1920s version of TER, which prospective customers could consult to check on the true age of their intended purchase. — Hon Editor). Readers in the Somerset area may care to note that John Reeves of the Somerset club has volunteered to co-ordinate reports from that area for onward transmission to the Assistant Editor. For those who may find this method more convenient, John's address is The Weathervane, West Monkton, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8QZ (te1 0823 412657).
35
STAFFORDSHIRE Fowler roller 16392 of 1925 (MB8144) of the Garbett and Broughton partnership returned to its Burntwood base near Lichfield in late October, having completed a 200 mile round trip taking in Weston Park Rally and the Leaning Tower Rally at Crewe; the season was rounded off by attending a sewage works open day at Water Burslea)! Severn-Trent Authority invited Chris Garbett to bring the roller and advertise European Year of the Environment, but the actually turned environment somewhat black as only house coal could be obtained for the day. A housing development is taking place near the Burntwood workshop and at the suggestion of Chris, the roads have steam engine related names. An alternative access to the workshops has been constructed off Hunslet Road — ideal for the two Fowlers which reside there.
SUFFOLK August bank holiday again saw some superb weather at Eye for the annual show. Alongside the other exhibits which one expected to see at an event of this nature, a number of traction engines lined up for the public. Included in these were Natal Taylor's 1916 Wallis agricultural 7497 (N04710); Ernie Eagle's Marshall traction 49725 of 1908 (BW4509); 1911 Burrell conversion 3313 (AH6813) owned by John Mead; the Aldrich's Garrett tractor 33395 of 1918 (BJ3398); 1912 Burrell showmans 3433 PETER PAN owned by Kath Barratt and George King's 1918 Garrett tractor 33141 (BJ7721). A fortnight after the bank holiday, in mid September, Buxhall held its Historic Fair and seven engines were there on static display. Some of these were as listed present at the Eye event but in the meantime, Eagle's Marshall had been to Stourpaine. Others present included Simon Webb's 1898 Foster 2127, which was also at Stourpaine (as its muddy wheels testified), Alan Hines' 1922 Aveling roller 10190 (FX8654) and the Garrett traction 33442 of 1919 (BL9009) owned by Les King. An auction at Cockfield in September attracted a large crowd of spectators and some buyers. Engines for sale were Ken Steward's 1920 Fowler ploughing engines 15420/ 15421 (HR4261/4262) SIR JOHN and SIR JOHN'S LADY together with 1931 Foster traction 14622 (FW1917) and The vintage tractors. several ploughing engines made £25,000 for the pair and the Foster was sold for £17,500. There were several 36
implements associated with ploughing in the sale. A 6-furrow anti-balance plough sold for £1,200; a 9 or 11 tine cultivator, £600; an old (c1880) reversible harrow, £480; a low wheel mole drainer of the same age, £780 and a high wheel mole drainer of around 1920, £1250. A living van with an original interior was withdrawn at £850.
SURREY A new event staged at Hersham, entitled the Hampton Court Steam Rally, turned out to be a well organised event but unfortunately suffered from the bad weather. Engines attending included T. Williams' 1921 Burrell showmans conversion 3894 SAINT BRANNOCK; Jack Hardwick's Burrell scenic 3909 WINSTON CHURCHILL and Ted Gale's 1930 Foden tractor 13484 (LG8784). Two agriculturals were Les King's Garrett 33442 of 1919 (BL9009) and Marshall 61970 of 1913 (BJ5934), owned by Terry Petty. An interesting feature at the event was the use of WINSTON CHURCHILL to tow a number of showmans trailers, creating a scene of yesteryear. The Foden tractor tried its hand pulling one of the dodgem trucks. At August bank holiday, the Egham and Thorpe Show, with Ivan Fear in charge of the steam section, had a record number of full sized engines — these numbering twenty. Those present included the Russian Fowler 14950 of 1918 (VF2984) of Brian Richmond Dodd; Eric Best's Wallis roller 7779 of 1923 (H06260); Jack Hardwick's Burrell scenic WINSTON CHURCHILL; Mike Roberts' 1917 Tasker tractor 1741 (H02040); A.F. Cakebread's Aveling tractor 12766 of 1931 (SM9983) and Sentinel DG4 wagon 8454 of 1931 (UX7958) owned by Peter Bowers. In mid September there were not as many engines as usual at the Woodlarks event near Farnham. This charity ploughing match is usually one of the final events to be attended by some local engines but perhaps the weather put people off since it was certainly not very pleasant underfoot on the Saturday. Present at the event were Bicknell's 1920 Ransomes crane engine 31066 (PU4943) and also their Ransomes portable 8613 of 1891; Wallis Advance roller 7790 of 1924 (H06281) owned by M.J. Langford and Derek Trice's 1917 Mann's tractor 1260 (U4298). This latter engine has more recently been offered for sale. Other engines present included 1909 Fowler traction 11698 (NK925), owned by Peter Lyons, and Marshall F.J. Darnell's 1910
agricultural 54587 (AJ5781). Tasker tractor 1741 of 1917 (H02040) has been repurchased by Hardwicks from Mike Roberts of Kingston. The new owner is John Hardwick.
SUSSEX Marshall 10 ton roller 76913 of 1923 (PU804) had been sold by Barry Partridge to Chris Simmonds also of Sussex. To replace it, 1911 Foden 4 ton wagon 2876 (M3631) has been purchased from Hedges and Byng of Berkshire. Barry, accompanied by local steam engineer E. Langley, steamed his new acquisition from Berkshire to its new home on the coast. However, they were stopped by police in Alton and told that they could go no further since they were causing too much smoke and causing a public nuisance. After a lot of talking and grovelling, Barry was eventually allowed to proceed on his way and the remainder of the journey passed off without further trouble.
WEST MIDLANDS An engine recently to come into the area is Aveling roller 14176 of 1933 (VJ6815) which has been purchased by Dave Perks from Dennis Swain in Leicestershire. She was new to Leonard Jones of Weobley, Herefordshire and remained with him until 1964; the roller appears to have worked very little during its life. Retubing is necessary together with a new canopy and other superficial repairs; it is hoped that these will be done during the winter months so the roller can be rallied during 1988. It is possible the Aveling has never been to a rally, for it didn't leave the previous owner's property during the ten years it was with him. Another local engine in use at the moment is Foster 14418 of 1920 (LVN891), owned by T. Newey of the Elephant and Castle pub at Netherton. Residing at the rear of another local pub, the White Lion at Windmill Hill, Colley Gate, is a Marshall portable in a very derelict condition. It is understood that the engine is to receive superficial restoration for exhibition inside another public house. This engine is threequarters complete; its history is unknown.
WILTSHIRE Heddington and Stockley rally was a good event in 1987 in some fair weather and with an excellent crowd. An opening procession is a feature of the show. Engines present included D. Goddard's 1914 Garrett showmans 32122 (BH8900) THE GREYHOUND, Peter Barker's Burrell tractor 3458 of
More than any other manufacturer, Garretts of Leiston indulged in lettering of a very decorative nature when it came to sign writing their steam wagons. This picture shows Garrett 3 ton wagon 30247 (8J1265), new in March 1912 to T. Hanley & Sons Ltd of Doncaster, Yorkshire. The superheated wagon was photographed by a local Doncaster firm and carries a goodly load of wheat(?) sacks. Note the windlass on the flywheel and the racy three horn hooter. (collection Derek Rayner)
1913 (AB8795) DEFIANCE and Foster showmans VICTORIOUS, owned by Paul Fowler. Another showmans was Derek Hedgeman's Burrell 3949 of 1923 (N08287) PRINCESS MARY.
YORKSHIRE Robert Goodwin from North Yorkshire has sent his 1910 Fowler ploughing engine 12366 (BP5599) to the works of Edwin Snowdon at Hull for a new firebox. In addition to this, a large patch will also be inserted in the outer wrapper below the firehole door. Unfortunately progress on the work has not been as fast as had been hoped due to the firm's commitment on other projects, but the opportunity is being taken by Robert, during the engine's enforced absence to erect a large shed and workshops to make the eventual reassembly easier. Harewood Rally at August bank holiday had some good weather and in consequence, some good crowds. There were a couple of first time attenders at the event, namely David Webster's 1924 Fowler conversion 16289 (NL8292) and Derek Webb's 1912 Avelino showmans style tractor 7778 (0S803). Also present were Jack Taffinder's Aveling roller 10629 of 1923 (CA6016), David Mitchell's Fowler tractor 15625 of 1920
(U7148) and Sentinel Super wagon 7591 of 1928 (WE3236) owned by Harold Bell, restoration of which is now completed to a high standard. There are now three rollers at Wortley Top Forge, near Sheffield. Chris Smith's 1937 Aveling-Barford AC605 (DTM5371, which he steamed to and from Harewood as usual, is being fitted with a new canopy this winter which will be lettered Amalgamated Asphalt Co Ltd (haven't we seen something like that somewhere else on a canopy? — Hon Editor). Also, a new final drive ring and a new side water tank of reduced capacity are to be fitted — the old tank split on the way to Harewood. David Carr and Bernard Mettam's Aveling roller 12467 of 1929 (RF6437), a type D compound, had a new box fitted some time ago but is still not back together. Some problems have been experienced with the standard of the additional work carried out by the contractor and so progress has been painfully slow. The third roller at Wortley is Andrew Bigland's 1908 Aveling tandem 6530 (NM291) — this is to receive a new crankshaft gear and have the crankshaft ground during the winter months. An unexpected addition to the rollers in the county is Fowler 15490
of 1920 (CA6328) previously owned by Jeff Shackell in Oxfordshire. It is now with Jim Gratton in the south of the county and joins his two Aveling rollers. Jim has now purchased engine number four, this being Burrell showmans 3950 of 1924 (M02916) PROGRESS, obtained from Keith Emmett in Northamptonshire. A steam gathering was organised by David Robinson at Hunton in the north of the county in mid September. His own recent addition to the rallying engines of Yorkshire was present — Marshall 38024 of 1902 (TA 629) CRESSING TEMPLE. Also there were Harry Lyon's 1900 Robinson & Auden traction 1376 (AD8889) and Stan Whitfield's 1926 Marshall roller 81119 (SF5348). Down south, at Tickhill, an end of season event was organised by David Webb at the Royal Oak in late September His Aveling showmans style tractor was present and this was joined by Tasker tractor 1318 of 1906 (AA2143) owned by Tasker Craven Ltd, Bill Kitchen's 1918 Ransomes traction 27512 (R6244), Andrew Bigland's Aveling tandem roller and Wallis roller 2524 of 1900 (BP8585) owned by Mick Barnes. Also present was Jim Smith's 1900 Fowler road loco 8712 (DE2439) PRIDE OF WALES. The Alderson family's Fowler 14948 of 1918 (EB4999), originally a Russian type engine but converted in preservation to showmans style continues to receive attention at the side of the family's bungalow.
ROAD ROLLER ASSOCIATION
lie K.R.A.
The Association's commitment to providing a practical course in road making has progressed and the first one was held at the end of October at Leeds (see article elsewhere in this issue). The 1988 AGM of the Association will take place in the south of England; the chosen venue is Winchester, and dates are the first weekend in March. A visit to a local steam collection is planned and it is hoped to have a steam roller in attendance at one or other of the venues during the weekend. Further details can be obtained from the RRA secretary, Mike Deering, 32 Grampian Road, Little Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey GU17 BNH. The chairman's new address is, Bernard Bertram, 55 Shaw Lane, Holbrook, Derbyshire DE5 OTG (tel 0332 880592). 37
Around viciir • the i ! t i f e World
We gratefully acknowledge receipt of magazines from Iron Men Album (USA) and from members and other sources as individually credited.
ARGENTINA A correspondent reporting to Continental Railway Journal on his January 1987 visit to the narrow gauge railway system at Rio Turbio in the south of Argentina confirms the continued existence of the preserved Sentinel S6 tipper. It was illustrated in the Summer 1982 issue, and may be the one pictured in steam in the Summer 1987 one.
AUSTRIA
Puricelli compound roller, displayed at an asphalt works in south east Vienna, showing a remarkable Aveling influence in its design. (Roger West)
Following in Assistant Editor Derek Rayner's footsteps around the Vienna area your Editor determined to return from an August holiday one up in the find-an-engine stakes. It was a good start when the outline of a roller was spotted from the motorway on the journey into the city from Vienna airport. Subsequent investigation revealed the roller was displayed on an inclined ramp outside the works of Teerag Asdag, asphalt contractors, in Haidequerstrasse in the Simmering district. The 18 ton machine, according to an adjacent display board, was built by Puricelli of Italy in 1927. A quick glance at the accompanying pictue however will reveal it to be virtually identical to an Aveling & Porter RC15 model of the turn of the century. Closer examination of the roller shows the boiler was made by Ernesto Breda of Milan (no. 47551, and a few differences do set it apart from a Rochester built 15 ton compound — the cylinder block is mounted on a flat topped saddle; there are square corners to the built-up tender plating, the front roll centres and spokes are cast in one etc. The roller seems to have been used until 1964. Can anyone tell us more about Puricelli — did the firm build rollers except for the boilers, or were Breda and others building the complete machines and
Henschel compound roller 1005 of 1924 in a playpark in Vienna. The children were diligently packing every one of the German built engine's oil cups with sand, seemingly with great knowledge. (Roger West) 38
W M G HEDGES & SONS BOILERMAKERS AND STEAM RESTORATION ENGINEERS Boilers of all types built or repaired. Wrought iron boilers a speciality. Coded welding to ASME 9. Tenders, smokeboxes, chimneys, etc built to order. We now offer a full machining and fabrication service, plus cast iron welding. Written enquiries to: 33 Cheney Road, Faversham, Kent or phone: Medway 826555 (day), Faversham 538128 (evenings) • WINNERS OF THE 1987 STEAM HERITAGE AWARD FOR ROAD ENGINES •
branding them with the name Puricelli as sales agent or a major public works contractor? The name has been noted on other steam rollers and also oil engined rollers. Keen observation by the Editor's wife during a trip on the Big Wheel in the Praterpark revealed a bright red painted roller in a tree-lined childrens playground down below. Situated in Jungenspielplatz but a few moments walk from Nord station, the overhead piston valved compound bears little to
reveal its identity; however, the Austrian notes in our Spring 1983 issue record the roller had a plate on its firebox showing the maker as Henschel & Sohn, 1005 of 1924.
BELGIUM A steam rally was held at Maldegem railway station, just north of Bruges, in mid August. The station and a considerable stretch of railway track has been taken over by Stoom-
centre Maldegem who hope to run a steam train service in due course. Visitors to the rally from Britain included Les Birch with Marshall traction 74871 of 1921 (6E9002), the Howard brothers Fowler showmans RENOWN and Len Crane's Fowler B6 crane engine. From Holland came Ge van de Pol's Burrell showmans 3926 and Nanne Bekkema's Fowler ploughing engine 15203 of 1918. A locally owned engine is a Robey portable which has an intriguing and mysterious history. It was discovered in a building in the Antwerp dock area about a year ago. There is no works number on the engine to aid identity. It is said that the machine had been prepared for shipment from Belgium to an overseas customer — probably in an African country — around 1940 when the Germans overran the area. It was therefore hidden away in a warehouse so that it did not contribute to the German war effort and was subsequently forgotten until its recent discovery. At that time Stoomcentre chairman, Danny Viaene, was contacted and the portable finished up at Maldegem. It is Danny's belief that the Robey actually dates from the end of the last century. (Jan Brinksmal
THE NETHERLANDS
A small Robey single cylinder portable with a Rip-van-Winkle history, seen here in August 1987 at Maldegem, Belgium. Can anyone comment, from this picture, on its age or likely history? (Jan Brinksmal
Robert Verhoeven of Rotterdam sends details of the collection of engines owned by Herr Goris of Duiven near Arnhem. Two portables are a Robey single cylinder, in good order. and an American built Case which is minus its engine (that's still in France), and steam rollers are represented by Ruthmeyer single crank compound 214 of 1913. By far the 39
Ransomes RCT type traction engine 22122 of 1910 at Arnhem in August 1985. (Robert Verhoeven)
most interesting item, however, is Ransomes Sims & Jefferies traction engine 22122 of 1910, a machine in somewhat poor condition though mechanically complete. It has been acquired from Spain but was delivered new from Ipswich in March 1910 to R. Wallut & Cie, Agents Generaux, Paris, an example of the makers single cylinder 18bhp Light Locomotive Traction Engine, Type RCT. David Phillips of the English Museum of Rural Life kindly provides details from the Ransomes records in his care and the despatch report makes interesting reading. Fittings included a Gardner governor, water tank under the boiler, French law test cocks, coal bunkers either side of a wooden driving platform (all this is presently missing from the engine) and a toolbox full of a wide variety of spanners, wrenches, chisels, small spares and packings, wicks, etc. Other items were packed in separately detailed parcels — one of firing tools, and mud hole rakes; another of water hose and wire rope; a skip full of lamps, asbestos packings and cotton waste; a case containing the governors, lubricators, whistle, steam gauge, and finally the chimney and beehive spark catcher was despatched wrapped in matting. Ransomes careful attention to the way they sent the engine off for work no doubt set the new owner off on the right foot. If it was sold by Wallut to a Spanish customer in 1910, it is unlikely to have had many near neighbours. 40
WEST GERMANY An open air museum at Hessenpark, in Frankfurt, offers the sight of a Fowler engine among its exhibits. It is a compound of uncertain type or pedigree, having been acquired by a collector in the Kiel area of northern Germany where it had been used for many years in a sawmill, lacking its road wheels, or rollers, whichever it originally had. It was subsequently provided with a set of
welded up traction engine wheels and is now owned by Herr Grundling of Offenbach. It would be interesting to know more of this elderly Fowler — no works number can readily be seen. The same owner also has Fowler roller 7573, a single cylinder D1 class 10 ton machine. This was despatched from Leeds to the company's Magdeburg branch in March 1896, fitted with the usual German steam gauge and boiler fittings, and patent renewable front and hind rolls, the latter having a slight taper to them. (Robert Verhoeven) Keeping company with six narrow gauge railway locos at the Fahrzeugmuseum at Marxell bet Karlsruhe in Baden Wurttemburg is a steam roller apparently of, Wallis & Steevens manufacture, report John Morley and Frank Jones. Closer inspection of the Advance type machine, however, revealed an un-Wallis like plaque shaped mounting cast into the headstock, and two brass plates — one inscribed Strabag Nr 75.168 (presumably a previous owner), and the other B. Ruthmeyer No 579, 1928 — the real manufacturer. Part of the story of the pirating is related by Bob Whitehead in his history of Wallis & Steevens (published by the Road Locomotive Society, 1983). A couple of score 8 and 10 ton Advance rollers were sold to Swiss agent Ulric Ammann of Langenthal, near Berne, the first soon after the design appeared from Basingstoke in 1925. A planned arrangement for Ammann to have more examples built under licence in
Viewers of this picture will quickly recognise a Wallis & Steevens Advance roller, but the cognoscenti will then hesitate — there is more to this engine than it first seems, as can be seen from the West Germany notes. (Frank Jones)
Austria fell through on disagreement of the amount of royalties per engine. It seems likely the potential market was subsequently satisfied by one of the already imported examples being used as a pattern by the German firm of Ruthmeyer of Soest, near Dortmund. Ruthmeyer had earlier plagiarized the designs of Charles Burrell in their manufactures, as we have noted several times in this section of the magazine in recent years. It would be interesting to know if it really was Ammann who passed on an Advance for copying — surely he would have kept it quiet from rollers Basingstoke, because continued to be purchased by him from Wallis through into the mid 1930s, and one final example just before World War 2 in July 1939. Oil and petrol engined rollers of various kinds were produced (or at least sold!) by the Ammann Finn including a wierd mono-roller design in which a five foot diameter roll, supported by a small jockey roll at the rear, is driven by a petrol engine suspended inside its circumference! From the above it would seem that other sightings of Advance rollers in Germany (see Winter 1986/7 issue) are, in fact Ruthmeyer built copies. Fowler AA4 ploughing engine 12137, reported as back in steam in our Spring 1987 issue, now appears to have been placed on outside display at the museum at Kirchheim-Teck, though well protected by a large but unsightly removable cover over its motion and manstand.
Letters The South Wales enigma I am wondering if I'm able to shed some light on the mystery 8 ton Aveling roller at Gorseinon, South Wales, mentioned on page 141 of the Summer issue. In 1960/1 rolling contractors Richards of Newport were disposing of their once large fleet of steamers. Most of these were driven under steam to Mahoney's scrap yard in Rutland Sti eet, Newpui t al Ill I would often go down there to look at these once lovely engines — generally Aveling compounds. On one visit a pretty little 8 ton piston valve single had appeared — Aveling 12397 of 1929 (DW6574). She was in exceptionally complete condition with cans of cylinder oil and tools; all ready to go. I attempted to purchase her but Mahoney steadfastly refused anything less than £180. In 1961 that was a fantastic amount for a roller and indeed soon after I purchased SALLY — Aveling E type 10 tonner 10126 (FX8651) — from Eddisons Brecon depot for £50. It was even ready to steam once the glands had been checked, dead leaves shovelled out of the bunker and the green brasswork
Two pictures of Aveling 12397 at Mahoney's scrap yard, Newport in 1961. Note the can of cylinder oil by the trunk guide and the generally good condition of the machine. (David Hall)
polished! Incidentally, I see from the magazine that Mike Berry now owns SALLY and I wonder if she still carries her old name, given by her driver about 1932 when working in Swansea. But to return to Aveling 12397, after my abortive attempt to purchase, the little roller languished in the yard for a few days. Then my father coming home from work one day mentioned he had seen a roller on a low-loader going through town. I went down to Mahuneys and 1 2397 had guile. Subsequent enquiries drew a blank and reading the mention in the Summer issue I wondered if the playground roller could be that little Richards 8 tonner I tried to buy all those years ago. David Hall
Newport, Gwent
Armstrong's antecedents With reference to the discussion on Armstrong Whitworth rollers in the last issue, I understand that the Aveling & Porter design was incorporated into the machines by Ralph Aveling, who had family connections — probably he was a nephew. After having a dispute with the firm it is said he left, hurriedly, taking details and drawings to Armstrongs, and thinking his actions would soon see the Rochester works shut down through
41
lack of business. I also recall Armstrongs tried to sell my father some of their rollers to add to his fleet. Further, I might mention that Babcock & Wilcox never made a steam roller — the engines that survive today carrying their name were all manufactured by Clayton & Shuttleworth before that firm was taken over by Babcocks.
N.D. Buncombe Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
A McLaren roller The accompanying photograph of a McLaren roller was recently sorted out for me by my cousin. It shows a machine which was driven by my late uncle, Sidney Smith, in the Basingstoke area. My mother used to take me, as a young lad, from our house at Ash to my grandparents and uncles place at Popham, and whilst there on holiday I used to get quite a few rides on the roller. I wonder if it has survived to be preserved.
Sentinel spares
G. Moore
Tim Keenan wrote on the subject of Sentinel spares being collected up and taken to Shrewsbury in the last issue (page 196). When I was driving a Leyland Octupus for a living in the mid 1950s, I and another lorry were sent to collect return loads from a Sentinel agency at Whiston near Rotherham. I filled my vehicle up with many bits and pieces which included three brand new boilers (two were 100hp) and a reconditioned one. There were also boxes of copper washers and gaskets for the firebox flanges. It took two more lorries and three days to clear the place and when we got to Shrewsbury we were unloaded by electric magnet and the boiler and all steel parts put on the scrap pile, the copper and brass put in a shed at the top end of the yard past the boiler house. All this was done on the orders of Rolls Royce Ltd. There were reconditioned engines amongst the parts — ordinary and S type engines. At this time in my life steam was not my greatest interest — otherwise I might now have some bits to make one up!
(The registration M01854 enables Alan Duke to identify the McLaren as works number 1694 of 1923. The 10 ton compound roller was delivered new to Newbury Rural District Council and passed to the Berkshire county authorities with the reorganisations of April 1930. About 1933 it was acquired by Ford & Sons (Wokingham) Ltd, who later became John Allen & Ford Ltd, but the roller was presumably cut up for scrap sometime after it was last licensed for the road in 1952.)
Ted Sansome
Hinckley, Leicestershire
(The works at Whiston would be those of Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd, a firm which was very active in promoting and selling Sentinel steam railway locomotives to industry in the 1950s, Rolls Royce took over the Sentinel Waggon Works in 1956 — could it be that the calling in of spares etc was a business decision to do with the take over? Most of the parts would have been equally suitable for road or rail use, but few steam locos were built after Rolls Royce moved in and a couple of years later the firm was enjoying very extensive sales of the newly designed Sentinel diesel shunter. Thos Hill were by 1960s rebuilding many ten year old Sentinel steam shunters as Vanguard diesel locos. — Hon Editor) 42
Aldershot, Hampshire
QUO VADIS Barry Herbert's article on the Burrell showmans engine QUO VADIS in the last issue was very interesting to me and perhaps I may be allowed to enlarge on one bit of the story from my memory. I have very pleasant recollections of a visit to Hardwicks yard to see the engine in 1953 or 1954 — I can't remember which after 30 or more years, but probably the latter. I had thoughts of purchasing her. Our journey to Hardwicks at Ewell in Surrey was made possible by Dick Jolly providing the transport, as he had done on many other visits to scrap yards and other places in the early days of preservation. The cars Dick had then would of course, be most sought after nowadays — if my memory serves me correctly it was a 1932 Morris Minor that took us to see QUO VADIS, but later there was a remarkable 1930 Austin heavy twelve doctor's coupe. I might add that never once on all those trips did one of the cars break down, surely a credit to Dick's mechanical skills. But I am going off course from what happened on our day out to Hardwicks. QUO VADIS had been one of my favourite engines when, as a boy in the early 1930s, I saw it at St Giles Fair at Oxford. I recall her in 1933 and again in 1935 when the engine hauled the loads of and drove Jack Proctor's
Sid Smith poses as he oils round McLaren roller 1694. Note the high position of the steering chain guides — a feature typical of many McLaren rollers. (collection G. Moore)
'Airways' on the site on which William Wilson's rodeo switchback used to stand. That was the last time I saw the Burrell until we went to Ewell. Before that I had seen Wall Bros. advertisement for the engine in Worlds Fair; I duly wrote to them and they replied that the engine would be sold to the first firm offer which I believe was to be in the region of £75. For some reason or another I never made the effort to go down to the yard to take the matter further and we next heard that the engine was sold to Hardwicks. So along with Blossom Taylor and Dick Jolly I made arrangements to go there one Sunday. I was hoping the engine might be available at not too high a price — there was no question of needing to know the condition of its firebox or boiler, for I was not concerned to steam the engine, rather just to save it. On arrival we we shown the Fowler SUPREME and the Foster SUCCESS which were together in line, and the proprietors seemed to assume we were interested in this pair. My enquiry for QUO VADIS surprised them — I'm sorry I can't remember if it was Jack Hardwick or another member of the family who showed us
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
Please note that we have moved to new premises . Our address now is: B & C Reconditioning (Gears) Ltd, off London Road, Amesbury, Wiltshire SP4 7EQ Telephone Amesbury (0980) 23210
43
round — and we were directed to another part of the yard where the Burrell stood on a concrete area cleared of scrap; I got the impression they were preparing to cut her up. After a good look round I asked the price and was told they would write and let me know. Time went by with no reply, so maybe my address got lost or the letter went astray. I always regretted they wouldn't state a price at the time — perhaps it being a Sunday and not a working day made the difference. Anyhow weeks passed and I eventually learned that Ken Coombes had bought her and that was all that mattered, for QUO VADIS had been saved and the future assured; From that day I always believed that I had helped in some small way, just by wanting to buy the engine that Sunday. Viv Kirk
Oxford
Engine requisites and spares With reference to the ever decreasing availability of certain vital traction engine requisites, readers having difficulty in buying single spiral steel tube brushes, threaded %in Whitworth, may be pleased to know that these can be purchased direct from one of the manufacturers, Chandler & Hands Ltd, Lutterworth Road, North Kilworth, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 6HW. They are very reasonably priced and to supply you with a quote all they need to know is the outside diameter of the brush over the bristles and the number required. Bob Payne
Kettering, Northants
The difficulties experienced by Paul Abbott with his Aveling convertible seem to be similar to the problems we have had with our roller, number 7385. Many Avelings from the early years of the century had steam cocks mounted on top of the front of the firebox for the supply to the injectors, operated by extended control rods from the footplate. The original cocks on our boiler were worn out and could not be reground any more. The only new 200 lbs pressure cocks that I could obtain had asbestos packed grooved bodies, but these were unsuitable for frequent use since the asbestos repeatedly blew out, resulting in the roller disappearing in a cloud of steam while on the road. Since no other cocks were available, I had no option but to replace them with normal globe valves. This gave a problem with the extended rods back to the footplate, so the original levers had to be replaced with control wheels. This was less authentic but at least it finally resolved the leaking valve problem! The lack of suitable valves reflects the fact that during recent years the availability of spares for steam engines has got worse. Manufacturers are rationalising the range of products made, while many old time engineer's stockists have stopped holding the parts that we require. It would be useful if a directory could be published in Steaming listing the source and availability of supplies and services commonly required by members. Several of the specialist veteran motoring magazines do this on a regular basis. This could save a great deal of time in obtaining parts, while
specialist suppliers would be encouraged to continue to meet our needs. I know that the Trust maintains such a register, but unless it is published members are unlikely to contribute to it or use it on a regular basis. Sandy Ross St Albans, Hertfordshire
Off the hook Reading in our Autumn issue of engines which attended the West Somerset Railway event in May 1987 brought to mind a now humorous incident which could have had a more disastrous ending if an element of luck had not been present. It concerns Dobbin Warren and his Marshall Universal roller 85060. Those of us who know him realise he is a character all on his own — Mike is a big dealer in scrap commercial vehicles and gained his nickname Dobbin from his earlier days when he would himself pull home old farm carts he had purchased, because he couldn't afford to spend the money on motive power! When Dobbin unloads the roller from the low loader, where it lands is usually where it stays until somebody or other steams it. The method of unloading is to let the engine run off dead! At the WSR things did not go according to the usual pattern as one of the firing irons vibrated itself from its hook, landed on the manstand and bounced up at poor Dobbin to strike him in the parts most beers seem to reach. Imagine the scene — one low loader and one new Citroen car in an otherwise empty station car park, plus the temporarily driverless Marshall
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roller. I say driverless because a man bent double with one hand over his mouth stifling his utterances and the other over... well, he cannot be regarded as driving a roller whatever way you look at it. By now you will have guessed that the footloose roller was heading steadily towards the brand new motor car — but fortunately it did miss it by the proverbial hairs breadth. Dobbin hasn't been the same since. I have seen him on several occasions trying to insert the offending fire iron in places on the roller where it should not go. My thanks go to Mike Warren for allowing me to relate this tale. Bill Scurlock
Taunton, Somerset
(This tale would seem to come under the heading of learning from others' mistakes ... and illustrates the folly of cutting corners in the first place — Hon Editor)
Hazard warnings on engines Any measures which contribute to road safety, and that safeguard our rights to move engines under their own steam on the road must be welcome. Recommendations for flashing beacons (page 158 of our last magazine) obviously make sense on today's roads, where the standard of driving displayed by the average motorist seems to be spiralling downwards; at least, that's my observation from ten years on the footplate. In 1986 a Volvo tanker ran its cab into the rear wheel of Lincoln Museum's Fowler AA7 JOHN in an ill-judged attempt to overtake but fortunately friends on the footplate were only shaken and the engine, at least, undamaged. For 1987 we adopted the measure of a rotating warning patch, inspired by wind-powered scarecrow devices. I taped a 2ft long patch of fluorescent orange material to the flywheel rim it flicks in and out of view as we move along and is visible from a good distance. It gives the motorist that little extra time and warning that there is a situation ahead that he must deal with. However, the underlying problem seems to be the refusal of a high percentage of motorists to show any concern for others or even themselves. From time to time, lines of motorists behind an engine are inevitable, but 80% of these are patient and good natured. The considerate crew from their vantage point can wave the line past as conditions
Getting its teeth into the job of clearing and transporting a large beech branch brought down by gales on the Hoflycombe estate is Ransomes Sims & Jefferies crane engine 31066 of 1920, (Roger Newbery) permit, turning the wave to an outstretched warning palm when the way ahead becomes hazardous or uncertain. Why is it then that 20% of motorists (or so it seems) are willing to take their family in the Repmobile past an engine, on the wrong side of the road round a blind bend, when they can see that someone in a better position has clearly indicated that the road conditions are at best unknown and at worst potentially fatal? What measures will protect anyone from such homicidal arrogance? Richard Brooks
Swinderby, Lincoln
Learning from misfortune I would like to comment on one or two topics which have been aired in our magazine recently. Some topics and reports have not had their final outcome set down for us all to learn from and I would, for example, like to know the end result of John Newton's accident described in the Spring 1985 issue. Did he have to foot the repair after all? Those of our readers who are members of the East Anglian club will have seen a suggestion made in that club's magazine Steam Preservation as a result of the Steaming article on the above mentioned accident. The idea put forward was that a central fund should be set up under the NTET
whereby the victims of circumstances such as John Newton's could be helped by all other engine onwers paying say £10 per year into the fund. I would still like to see such a fund set up — surely it would give us peace of mind at an affordable price. Earlier this year an engine parted company with a lowloader resulting in an enormous amount of damage, but fortunately with no personal injuries. I have heard many contradicting stories about this incident, so again can we be informed of the true outcome? On the subject of lowloaders, the matter of securing engines should be aired. Some engines arrive at rallies professionally secured, making them virtually part of the trailer; others turn up metaphorically balancing on a tightrope. Could this matter become part of the Code of Practice of the NTET. Obviously, an engine could still arrive at a rally poorly loaded but maybe they could be stopped from leaving until properly secured — that at least would reduce the risk by 50%. I hope members driving engines will follow the new Department of Transport recommendations on flashing beacons (last issue). I feel two beacons are better than one and, of course, drivers should use reliable batteries. There is no telling who is on the road nowadays, and I tend to try to do most of my engine journeys on main roads and dual carriageways because the back lanes in this area 45
Just because 7hp Davey Paxman 13073 of 1907 is a rather rare survivor from a not very prolific builder of traction engines doesn't mean it lacks fine proportion and good looks, as can be seen from Clive Hollingworth's photograph taken at Brocklesby Park rally in June 1987.
seem to be full of wallies in XR3s and GTIs who think that its the thing to do to totally disregard speed limits and drive like fools. Stephen Bullman
Wick ford, Essex
(It is a fact that same topics in our magazine do tend to fizzle without proper conclusion. However, the central fund idea was never likely to have progressed, for it was proposed only in another club's magazine and seems never to have been even mentioned to the Trust committee! Accidents have been happening with engines and lowloaders, seemingly with increasing frequency, but such incidents are obviously delicate affairs for us to report in detail, unless the words come from those immediately involved. If only that others may learn for the future we would urge that lessons acquired the hard way should be shared with all, a proposition that is touched on by another correspondent in this issue — Hon Editor)
Priorities As time passes by so, surely, the make up of rallies will change, despite all the debate and any amount of passing of resolutions. 46
As I see it there are now two types of rallies. The first is where engine clubs put on an event for their members to have the opportunity to show their engines. That is their first aim; the second is to balance the books so there is enough money left to put on another show the next year. If bad weather hits an event, as it did the Hertfordshire club's at Knebworth Park this year, engine owners must expect their share out of appearance money is going to be small, despite any guidelines. It is either that, or no rally next year. The other type of event, which is growing — and nothing can stop it — is where a handful of engines are used as pied pipers to get the punters in. These organisers, be them local Round Table or the village church restoration committee, aim to make a good profit, and they can't tell the difference between a Foster and a Burrell, a single crank or a compound. All they want is a big lump of historic metal with a flywheel going round and smoke coming out of the chimney. Today, alongside the engine lines you will find an army of people who were not around ten or twenty years ago, now making a living out of steam rallies. Stan with his van — selling anything and everything; few
overheads and no rates or VAT to pay, just pound notes coming in and pound notes going out. You can't call him a parasite, because the rally organiser will tell you Stan's dues go a long way to paying for the coal, toilets and the ground lent. That's the way I see things today and the Trust should not waste time and effort on trying to change things. For me the subject that our committee should be looking at and always seeking to make members aware of is safety, both on and off the rally field. The one thing that will bring our movement to its knees, is the day a boiler explodes and members of the public are killed. It's Murphy's Law that one day it will happen, just like the events during the last year: at Hungerford, off Zeebrugge and at Chernobyl. Behind the scenes at any rally or club night you hear stories of engines slipping off lowloaders, or professional boiler makers being frightened by what they find after stripping out a firebox. The old and now sadly decreasing generation of engine owners whose families made a living out of steam had a built-in respect for the destructive forces of steam pressure. But today for the younger generation, owning an engine is a sport, a pastime, and it is easy for them to think that with their low loaders to ease any transport problems, the priority of engine ownership is smart paint and brasswork. To me our movement can only survive if every low loader accident and all the other various mishaps are reported in this magazine. It maybe very embarrassing for the people concerned to talk about it, but if the subject is aired, without malice, it will make everybody aware of the dangers. At the same time maybe the Trust would like to invite all boilermakers and repairers to report, say twice a year, on things they have found. We are metaphorically as well as literally playing with fire and many of us, with luck, and with God on our side, have got away with incidents which could have been fatal. Look at what is happening to the world of sporting guns in the wake of the Hungerford massacre. The media, members of Parliament, and insurance companies could effectively close down our movement if we were to suffer a big bang. Preaching and acknowledging the word of safety must be the priority for the future of our movement. Christopher Lavery
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Books FOWLER STEAM CULTIVATING MACHINERY 1900-1930, by G.F.A. Gilbert, 96 pages casebound, 8 3/4 in x 12in horizontal, 76 illustrations, drawings or diagrams. Published by the Road Locomotive Society. A quick glance through this book reveals that this is one for the connoiseur. Ploughing engines have not received a great deal of written attention in detail and this book on Fowler engines and tackle in the twentieth century, by the editor of the Road Locomotive Society Journal and well known steam enthusiast Geoff Gilbert, fills this gap admirably. Its A4 size, with an attractive cover depicting the standard Fowler lining, adds to the book's interest and makes for greater clarity when considering photographic detail. It is very appropriate that the foreword is written by David Phillips, the Archivist of the Institute of Agricul-
tural History at Reading University, as he has been of tremendous assistance to many enthusiasts in their searches for information on Fowler engines. In his introduction the author gives credit to David and the Institute, to the Steam Plough Club, the late Arthur Jackson and the RLS. He goes on to give a brief description of tillage followed by an outline of the tackle, then on to details of the engines and implements. It is here that the author excels because in twn pages are outlined the principal details of the types produced including a reference to the numbers placed after the class letters on some types, for example AA6, AA7, classifications which are not always clearly understood. The illustrations, all taken from official Fowler photographs, comprise a wide range of engines produced in the period covered. One or two have a slightly blotchy background due probably to their being taken from
This picture is said to show Sentinel 8448 of 1930 recently engaged in the task of delivering paper for use on the second volume of Joe Thomas' book The Sentinel, which was due for publication before the end of the year. Well, its a nice idea and the experimental shaft drive 2 cylinder engined DG model wagon (it was the only one built) certainly survives in preservation, so the claim could be true but your Editor thinks Joe is pulling his leg! The long awaited second part of Joe's history of the Sentinel Waggon Works is now available, but we think the picture really shows Bowaters newsprint being transported on Merseyside by 8448 and Sentinel trailer during the year it spent on test with Grieve Haulage of New Ferry, Cheshire. (collection Joe Thomas)
albums, the original negatives being no longer available. One point here is that many of these photographs were taken in Leathley Road outside the Fowler works main entrance. Imagine doing this today on a public road! When looking at the various types, particularly some of the superheated engines, one has a feeling of "It's a pity one of these is not preserved". With further information in the Appendices together with a production chart this adds up to a very good book indeed, with excellent presentation and printing on good quality paper, well researched and free from the small errors which often creep into publications nowadays. Its price of £11.00 (less for members) gives excellent value for money. Every plough engine owner and enthusiast should have one. (A.F.W (Bill) Smith)
MEN, MUD AND MACHINES by Maurice Saunders. 134 pages, casebound, 9'/in x 7 1/4 in, 245 illustrations. Published September 1987 by Cortney Publications, Luton, Bedfordshire. Price f10.95. This volume, subtitled 'More Achievements in Round Timber Haulage', is a sequel to the author's earlier book on the subject published in 1984. The style follows the same pattern of short essays on various firms or individuals engaged in timber felling and transport. A few of the stories feature names that once used steam engines in the course of their business but that time being long past the details recorded in the book are very brief and a dozen or so photographs form the main steam content of this second volume. Haulage by traction engine is represented by two shots, depicting a Fowler and a Clayton & Shuttleworth, but Foden and Sentinel, always favoured more by timber hauliers for off the road work, feature in other illustrations. The unidentified DG timber tractor which appears on pages 31 and 33 is in fact Sentinel 6937 of 1927, owned by Williams Brothers of Pandy, Abergavenny. The quality of reproduction and presentation of the book is very good. Despite the lean ration of steam it will appeal to a large number of enginemen, for it centres largely on Latils, Unipowers and Matadors — machines which in latter days were often close to the environment of the traction engine. The author has again presented an attractive book, well illustrating the comradeship and close affinity of those who work in heavy timber haulage. (Roger West) 47
WERRIBEE STEAM THE PLOUGHS, by R. Butrims and B.C. Roberts. 60 pages plus card covers, 62 illustrations. 11 % in x 8% in, Published October 1987 by Plough Book Sales, PO Box 36, Meredith, Victoria 3333, Australia. (available from NTEC Sales at £5.50.) This most interesting book covers the history of four Fowler ploughing engines at the farms of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works at Werribee, just south west of Melbourne, Australia. However, the authors, confirmed steam ploughing enthusiasts, include much background information on the not inconsiderable number of Fowler ploughing engines imported into Australia, and describe the uses to which they were put, the methods being quite different from here in Britain. The scarcity of labour in the growing colony gave impetus to the use of mechanised ploughing as early as the 1870s and when a depression affected British agriculture a few years later. Fowlers must have been pleased to see their agents selling sets to the Queensland sugar industry for preparing virgin ground and to others for constructing dams for irrigation schemes. The sewage works at Werribee commenced in 1892 and Fowlers 4387/4388, secondhand 14hp wrought iron engines, were purchased to aid the development. The heavy clay ground was opened up, but not turned, by an Oliver plough working to a 30 inch depth. Later, in 1927, Z7 class engines 15505/15506 were acquired secondhand from a New South Wales Government irrigation scheme. They replaced the earlier engines and continued clearing the 15 mile long by 7 mile wide Western Farm until after World War 2. They always worked a constant 440 yards apart when breaking the land and each deep pull took 10 to 12 minutes. Unlike English practice this Australian steam ploughing was a once only job and many areas worked in 1936 have not been touched since. When more modern equipment took over it was some time before it was realised the replacement methods gave inferior quality results. The account ends with a description of how the authors have been successful, despite the great distances involved, in reviving steam ploughing Australian style (see Steaming, Winter 1984/5). The restoration of Fowler 15505, still owned by MMWB lit stood for 23 years on display), will enable the Werribee traditions to continue. The book is a well written and 48
researched history and should appeal not only to Aussies and steam plough buffs but anyone with an interest in the working of traction engines. Although the text is printed (on art paper) from typewriting, and the generous selection of illustrations is sometimes less then perfectly reproduced, these shortcomings do not detract from the book. It is good value for money, and an excellent read. (Roger West)
COLLIERIES IN THE MANCHESTER COALFIELD, by Geoffrey Hayes, xii plus 212 pages, softbound or hardbound, 8in x 30 illustrations and 12 maps or diagrams. Published by De Archaeologische Pers, Eindhoven, Netherlands and available from the author at 7 Bow Road, Auchtermuchty, Cupar, Fife KY14 7AG at £9.00 (soft) or £11.50 (hard) plus £2.50 postage and packing. This book, and the one in the
following review, are each works of well known Trust members and though they have no traction engine content they will doubtless be of interest to many members. Geoff Hayes' interest in all matters steam and in industrial archaeology has previously manifested itself in small but worthwhile publications on stationary steam engines. With this volume he produces a very full history of the steam machinery — winding engines, steam fans, locomotives etc — at collieries in the Manchester area. The geology of the area is covered, to put the coalfield into perspective, so too the general history of each of the collieries. The steam engines described are a varied and fascinating selection and well illustrate the tremendous reliance the coal industry had on the power of steam in the not too distant past. The author spent some years working with the machines he writes of. The somewhat limited appeal of
Geoff Wheeler sends this sad picture of his engine as it appeared the morning after the Great Storm swept across large parts of southern and eastern England in mid October. Only recently moved from Buckinghamshire to Suffolk and the proprietorship of the working Bardwell Windmill, Geoff and Enid were devastated to witness the windmill sails, as a whole, falling from the tower to hit the ground and then cartwheel over the top of Ruston 113043, shearing off the chimney and striking the cylinder block. That latter impact shattered the timbers of the 4 ton sails. Bravely concentrating on the damage to the engine — the mill sail repairs must surely be a bigger headache — Geoff remarks the sad thing is the loss of the copper chimney cap, as it was the original, but if there is a moral (besides not parking your engine by the side of a windmill), it is to insure comprehensively. The wellbuilt Ruston does not seem to have suffered irreversible damage from the heavy blow and will be on the rally fields again this year. Our thanks go to the Bury Free Press for their kind permission to reproduce the photograph.
the subject has resulted in Geoff having to rely on a Dutch publisher for the book's publication and whilst the reproduction of the illustrations is not of the hest it is good to see the eventual appearance of this well r esearched book that details a breed of magnificent steam engines which are unfortunately neglected by the enthusiast. (Roger West)
FIRED BY STEAM, by Geoffrey Wheeler, 96 pages casebound, 8 thin x l2in landscape, 40 illustrations and 24 coloured line drawings. Published by John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, London. Price £20. The second of these two books by members represents Geoff Wheeler's first excursion into writing on steam engines, though his splendid cut-away drawings of agriculture's, rollers etc will be well known to most readers. The author is an unashamed enthusiast for the old Great Western Railway, and fulfilled a youthful ambition to be part of it by securing employment at Paddington in 1945. The first half of this opulent book is Geoff's own story, from his first memories of railways in the Chiltern area, through pre-war spotting days to the end of his time with the GWR just before the company was nationalised in 1948. Very appropriate black and white illustrations accompany this section. There follows the collection of 24 of Geoff's exquisite coloured line drawings, each painstakingly
researched and executed. The locomotives of many railways are included, though naturally those of the GWR predominate. Each full page illustration is accompanied by an opposing leaf of commentary by the authui, covering the history of the type and personal recollections. Your reviewer, having in the past crawled over hundreds of railway locomotives, taking measured sketches for making drawings in his own simple way, is full of awe for the expertise and skill that comes from Geoff Wheeler's pen and air brush. (Roger West)
FARMING WITH STEAM, by Harold Bonnett. 88 pages, paperback, 8%in x 6in, 100 illustrations. Published 1986 by Shire Publications Ltd, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire. Price £2.95. This compact paperback, a re-issue of a title first published in 1974, is basically a picture album with very informative and extended captions by a well respected and long time traction engine enthusiast. The initial pages comprise text outlining the various applications of steam to farming, commencing with pumping installations for fen draining. It continues with accounts of the methods of threshing, ploughing — by cable and direct traction — and dredging. Also mentioned are the contributions of the showmans engine, in providing entertainment for
rural villages, and the steam roller, providing acceptable road surfaces for movement from farm to farm. The illustrations comprise a selection which strongly features East Anglia and Lincolnshire, perhaps to be expected, for the author grew up in the area and the region did change much with the advent of the steam engine. Other pictures feature foreign
locations, ranging from the predictable — America and Germany — to the obscure in Turkey or Peru. The general layout of the book is, unfortunately, somewhat tedious, the reader frequently being referred to pictures much later in the book whilst adjacent images have no immediate relevance. Further, the numbered captions are often out of sequence, requiring mental gymnastics of the reader. Notwithstanding these comments, the book offers good quality for the price and it is to be highly recommended for those who have read Shire Albums 143, recently reviewed in this column, and who wish to extend their knowledge of steam on the farm. (Derek Rayner)
ALSO RECEIVED: The Sentinel, Volume 2, 1930 to 1980, by A.R. and J.L. Thomas. Steam wagon enthusiasts will be pleased to hear of the publication of the second part of the history of the Sentinel Waggon Works. A full review will appear in our next issue.
N.R. Marshall, Evergreen, School Lane, Shapwick, Bridgwater,
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.
I.C. Vinton, 62 Woodfield Drive, Winchester, Hampshire. R.H. Humble, HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose, Helston, Cornwall. M. Chedey, Mallards, Brook Lane, Sheldon, Devon. Richard Newland, 51 Wykeham Field, Wickham, Hampshire.
Robert Newland, 51 Wykeham Field, Wickham, Hampshire. D. Prynn, Woodbridge Cottage, Rumford, Wadebridge, Cornwall. A. Cloake, Rosehill Nurseries, Cargreen, Saltash, Cornwall. B. Manning, 85 Kingsmark Avenue, Chepstow, Gwent.
Somerset. Family members — Victoria, Roger and Julia. I. Bartlett, 103 Ash Road, Northway, Tewkesbury. Gloucestershire. J. Manners, Chandell Worth Street, Islip, Oxford. D. Griffiths, Newlyn, Kingsdown Lane, Blunsdon, near Swindon, Wiltshire. Yvonne Pickersgill, 28 Goswela Gardens, Plymstock, Plymouth,
Devon. D.G.E. Lomas, 37 Claremont Avenue, Rose Hill, Marple, Stockport, Cheshire. J.Reeson, The Mill, Ings Lane, Hibladstow, Brigg, Lincolnshire. J. Ireland, 44 Ashgrove, Clevedon, Avon. C. Rowe, 17 Bennetts Tree Crescent, Alveston, Bristol. E.G. Jackson, 20 West Way, Rogiet, Newport, Gwent. E. Hughes-Payne, 44 The Gardens, Bedfont, Middlesex. B.M Woodman, 22 Waldegrave Gardens, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, Middlesex. J. Bond, 56 Pavenhill, Purton, Swindon, Wiltshire. Masser 0. Elkashoty, 6 Primethorpe Walk, Broughton Astley, Leicestershire C. Blackwell, 37 Northbury Road, Great Sutton, South Wirral, Cheshire. J.A. Home, 5A Frobisher Avenue, Portishead, Bristol.
J.A. Buckley, 55 Amber Heights, Ripley, Derby. Family members — Elaine, Natalie, Andrew and Christopher. R.N. Gould, 7 Lanesbridge Close, Woodlands, Southampton, Hampshire. Family members — Christine, Jason and Steven.
49
J.S. Cottis, 5 Grampian Way, Otham, Maidstone, Kent. P.C. Turver, 490 Station Road, Aylesford, near Maidstone, Kent. C.J. Lynas, 12 Institute Road, Aldershot, Hampshire. M.L. Best, The Old Cornmill Cottage, Mill Lane, Sheet, Petersfield, Hampshire. A.M. Bailey, 41 Berwyn Grove, Maidstone, Kent. P.T. Rees, 18 Grange Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire. L. Blundell, 61 Westmead Road, Barton-under-Needwood, Burton on Trest, Staffordshire. Patricia Fleming, 173 Witcombe, Yate, Bristol. M. Lee, 30 Pedna Came, Higher Fraddon, St Columb, Cornwall. Family member — Carol. R.F. Winter, Kestrel, Main Road, Havenstreet, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire. G. Dexter, Belgrave Place, Clifton Road, Slough, Berkshire. Dr. P. Borstel, Grafenwiese 8, D4503 Dissen a TW, West Germany. Family Member — Petra. D. Florey, St Annes, Collingwood Rise, Heathfield, Sussex. Family members — Delia and Emily. A. Beeching, 21 Magnolia Road, Radstock, Avon. Family member — Marcia. H.M. Oliver, 28 St Pauls Road, Colchester, Essex. Violet L. Jakovljevic, 4 Fair View Drive, Hythe, Southampton. Family members — Milosay. Mrs Leslie Kenney, 85 Livingstone Road, Gillingham, Kent. Family members — Albert and Darron. P. Cramer, Park de Moucheron 20, 4336 Ax Middelburg, Holland. W.A.K. Denley, 28 Walpole Avenue, South Shore, Blackpool, Lancashire. M.V. Tuffs, 55 Cedarcroft Road, Ipswich, Suffolk. J.D. Hancox, 51 Fisher Avenue, Rugby, Warwickshire. J.N. Harrison, Manor House, Little Smeaton, near Pontefract, Yorkshire. M. Mellor, 59 Sapcote Road, Burbage, Hinckley, Leicestershire. D.C. Meads, 21 Ringwood Road, Headington, Oxford. Family members — Ann, Genevieve, Richard and Matthew. W.J. Powell, 22 Robers Road, Kingsteington, Newton Abbot, Devon. Family member — Clair. W.J.C. Van Den Haspel, Boegbeeld 4, 3224 PC Hellevoetsluis, Holland. I.A. Waterfield, Romford East Farm, Verwood, Dorset. F.J. Lunn, 29 McBride Street, Garston, Liverpool. B. Lowe, 6 Tinmans Row, Downside, Cobham, Surrey. Family members — Jane and Harris. J.H. Gibbon, Pwllywhead, North Road, Whitland, Dyfed. S.H. Hosking, Smallacombe, South Huish, Kingsbridge, South Devon. Mavis E. Pearce, 44 Smithcourt Drive, Little Stoke, Bristol. Family members — Michael, Adrian, Caroline, Stephen and Jessica. A.M. Williams, Ashmill House, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon. B.A. O'Gorman, 219 Jules Street, Malvern, Johannesburg 2001, Republic of South Africa.
R.G. Hughes, Glendorgal, Ciwithian Way, Perranport, Cornwall. Family member — Joan. W. Van't Hof, Olivier van Noortstraat 6, 1212 AS, Hilversum, Holland. R.J. Russell, 54 Buckhurst Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex. G.W. Agnew, 28 Heathlands Close, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire. Family members — Jenny, Andrew, Emily and Samantha. B.L. Parkinson, 46 Hillmead, Horsham, West Sussex. Family members — Leslie and Doris. E.S. Sharp, Hillview, 182 Laurel Road, Rhiwderin, Newport, Gwent. J. Kuitwaard, Kogendyk 105, 1862 PS, Bergen NH, Holland. P.H. Adams, Woodbank Cottage, Hilton Lane, Shareshill, near Wolverhampton. Family members — Janet and Victoria. N. Johnson, 64 Lynn Street, Blyth, Northumberland. F.G. Peel, Nutter Cote, Thornton-in-Craven, Skipton, North Yorkshire. Michelle Ratcliffe, Clavadel, Sunbury Hill, Torquay, Devon. D. O'Mahony, Bridge Street, Enniskean, County Cork, Eire. D.W. Chapman, 13 Woodlinken Close, Verwood, Wimborne, Dorset. Family members — Wendy, Simon and Peter. M. Carnaby, 54 Tide Mill Road, Hampton, New Hampshire 03842, USA. G.J. Orchard, 50 Heights Road, Upton, Poole, Dorset. A.B. Martin, 1 St James Terrace, Penryn, Cornwall. R.T. Leonard, 38 Monastery Gardens, Enfield, Middlesex. T.H. Cuss, 26 Ratcliffe Road, Rugby, Warwickshire. M. Wilkes, Moat Farm, Berrow Hill, Feckenham, Redditch, Worcestershire. B. Witter, 110 Lawsons Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, Blackpool, Lancashire. B.H. Greenslade, 35 St Kildas Road, Oldfield Park, Bath, Avon. M.S. Mortimer, 53 West View, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. K.K.K. Judkins, c/o North Farm, Horton, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. P.H.M.S. Wood, 4 Kirkwick Avenue, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. J.C. Glen, Brunerican, Southend, Campbeltown, Argyll. M.J. Gough, 65 Kingsdown Road, Upper Stratton, Swindon, Wiltshire. N. Morgan, 24 Merlin Crescent, Newport, Gwent. I.C. McIntyre, 17 Gobions, Kingswood Estate, Basildon, Essex. Family members — Jacqueline and Nicholas. V.H.C. Hitchman, Powell Duffryn House, Broad Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire. T.R. Vant, 52 Fourth Avenue, Wickford, Essex. T.A. Rees-White, Rural Bygones and Transport Museum, Brick House Farm, Burnham Road, Woodham Mortimer, Maldon, Essex. J.A. Williams, 18 Dundonald Road, Redland, Bristol. Family members — Doreen, Margot, Bernard and Alison. W.L. Davis, 56 Priory Street, Tonbridge, Kent. J. Murray, 5 Church Close, Hartwell, Northamptonshire. N.H. McLean, Holmwood, Eleanor Road, Bidstow, Lancashire. J.R. Levey, 22 Sayer Way, Knebworth, Hertfordshire.
Terris Culverwell (INSURANCE BROKERS) LTD.
4 MARKET PLACE DEVIZES WILTSHIRE SN10 1HT TEL. (0380) 2237 AFTER 6PM 71004 Established 1882
IF WE CAN HELP, PLEASE CALL US
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We are registered insurance brokers who pride ourselves on giving personal service to all our clients. We arrange insurance for motor vehicles, houses, life, medical cover, liability, etc. Traction Engine insurance inspection and/or comprehensive insurance
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Marshall three speed road engine 46276 of 1906 at an event during last summer at the Amberley Chalk Pits Museum in West Sussex. (Bob Payne)
J.A. Thompson, 442 Ilford Lane, Ilford, Essex. R.P. Davies, Powell Duffryn House, Broad Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Family members — Patricia and Laura. R.W. Wade, 4 Rose Terrace, Sandy Cross Lane, Heathfield, East Sussex. D.R. Davison, 27 Stratton Road, Swindon, Wiltshire. H.F. Woods, Lyndhurst Cottage, 2 Forest Road, Bordon, Hampshire. Family members — Irene and Darren. R.H. Skingley, 10 Wadham Close, Ingatestone, Essex. K. Walker, Hole-in-the-Wall Cottages, Moor End, Bradley, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Family member — Donna. M. Postlethwaite, Woodby Lodge, Bitteswell, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. D.J. Parriss, 72 Pendered Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. T.E. Chapman, 59 North Avenue, Chelmsford, Essex. M, Heely, 6 Cherry Tree Avenue, Belper, Derbyshire. Family member — Gwenneth. N.M. Hilton, 6 Burchnall Close, Deeping St James, Lincolnshire. R.E. Hull, 29 Westfield Crescent, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. R.J. McAdam, 132 Market Street, Tandragee, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. Family members — Eva and Foster. C.A. Larcombe, 202 3-23-2 Wakabayashi, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. R.J. Francis, 14 Stone Row, High Street, Chipstead, near Sevenoaks, Kent. G.K. Taylor, 57 Desborough Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. A. Carter, 21 Herstone Close, Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset. R, Pinches, 71 Tintern Avenue, Astley, Tyldesley, Manchester.
J.A. Dale, 17 Rusket Road, St Paul's Cray, Orpington, Kent. Family members — Rosa and Cynthia. K.A. Henwood, Homestake, Summercourt, Newquay, Cornwall. E.N. Dean, The Trees, Windsor Place, Congleton, Cheshire. P. Marsh, 63 High Street, Minster, near Ramsgate, Kent. J.A.A. Ford, 2 Woodcote Road, Kingsway, Braunstone, Leicester. Family member — Barbara. C.J.G. Simmonds, Francis Lodge, Westdown Lane, Burwash Common, East Sussex. A.C. Cullen, 5 Chestnut Close, East Grinstead, West Sussex. A.J. Wootton, Homelands, 14 The Wold, Claverley, near Wolverhampton. L.S. Stringer, 7 Thames Road, Milnrow, Rochdale, Lancashire. D.J. Noel, 171 Reculver Road, Herne Bay, Kent. Family members — Maureen and Lisa. R. Chapman, Victor Farm, New Road, Little Burstead, Billericay, Essex. Family member — Ruth. L.F. Rafferty, Beaulieu Cross, Drogheda, County Louth, Eire. Family member — Ann. S.A. Pryke, 2 Priory Lane, Burford, Oxfordshire, C. Sell, Denesyde, Debden, near Saffron Walden, Essex. J.M. Banks, 36 Columbus Drive, Pensby, Wirral, Merseyside. Family members — Elizabeth, Richard, Heather and Catherine. A. Vickery, 36 Tassellhall, Redbourn, Hertfordshire. A.J. Lloyd, 7 Comberford Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire. M.G. Coppins, Parsonage Farm, Denstroude Lane, Canterbury, Kent. J,W. Harker, Northfield, Sewardstone Road, Chingford. B. Knight, 35 Tugby Place, Chelmsford, Essex. D.J. Sheldon, Martin Lodge, Cemetery Road, Bicker, Boston, Lincolnshire. L.D. Simpson, c/o Court Cottage Farm, Lamerton, Devon. P.W. Foster, 53 Ditchfield Road, Hough Green, Widnes, Cheshire.
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V. Allen, 17 Thirlmere Crescent, Shiney Row, Houghton-leSpring, Tyne and Wear. J.R. Sanderson, 8 Westover Road, Braunstone, Leicester. M.P. Delaney, 76 Newberries Avenue, Radlett, Hertfordshire. R.M. Newland, Hillside House, Berrow Hill, Feckenham, Redditch, Worcestershire. J.E. Blenkinsop, Harold Cottage, Church Road, Long Itchington, near Rugby, Warwickshire. R. Jayne, Oak View, Ruarden Hill, near Drybrook, Gloucestershire. J.C. West, 63 Gregory Tyning, Paulton, Brisol. A.M. Lemon, Amberton Cottage, Hatfield Heath, near Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. D.L. Armstrong, 16 Cross Lane, Mountsorrel, Loughborough, Leicestershire. A.F. Allen, 1 Gullet Cottages, South Pool, Kingsbridge, South Devon.
For sale — still available due to misunderstanding. Crompton alternator 400v 3 phase ac and 50v 40 amp dc complete with control gear and switchboards. Excellent condition, slow speed machine ideal to power workshop by belt from traction engine etc. Space needed, so little more than scrap price, provided undertaking not to scrap is given. Could deliver or consider exchange for suitable steam equipment or large flywheel. Cash adjustment. See above advert. — Telephone 07758 7252. Flat belting for sale, leather or synthetic. Ranges from "Asin to 6in wide — Telephone Huddersfield 606497 with your requirements. For sale — ex WD portable electrical steam generator set complete with boiler and original packing case built for jungle operation. £350. — R.W. Dean, 18 Ardenconnel Way, Rhu, Helensborough G84 8RZ. Rhu 820385 weekends). Wanted — Clarkson steam bus electrical generator set or similar — R.W. Dean, address as above advert. For sale — spares for Fowler T3 roller: headstock, shoes and scrapers and new chimney base — Jeffrey Shackell, telephone 0993 3375 (day) or 0993 73088 evenings.
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.
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 RG 10 9NA. Wanted — Vol 1 Nos 1 to 4 Steaming to complete set. Old type NTEC enamel car badge; old type NTEC members badges — showmans, plough, tractor, general purpose, wagon and roller, RLS Magazine Vol 17 No 1 and early copies of EATEC Steam Preservation. — M.A. Poole, 89 Glebelands, Pulborough, West Sussex RH2O 2JH. Wanted — large flywheel not less than 5ft dia, preferably much larger but weighing under 4 tons unless sectioned. Also require stationary steam engines any size or condition, even incomplete — steam pumps, lubricators, governors, and a steam indicator etc. Also small boiler, early plant or machinery probably steam driven direct or belt. Can collect any distance. — Telephone 07758 7252.
52
Wanted — stone crusher or crushing plant for use at rallies etc. Must be on iron travelling wheels, jaw size 16 x 9 or 21 x 10. Also any literature, catalogues, manuals etc on pre-war crushing plant. — John Sawle, Beacon Cottage, St Agnes, Cornwall TR5 ONU. For sale — Steaming Vol 3 No 1 and 2; Vol 4 Nos 1 and 4; Vol 5 No 2; Vol 6, all; Vol 7 Nos 2, 3 and 4; Vol 8 Nos 2, 3 and 4; Vol 9 Nos 3 and 4; Vol 10 No 3; Vol 11 Nos 2 and 3; Vol 12 Nos 3 and 4; Vol 13 Nos 2 and 3; Vol 14 Nos 2, 3 and 4; Vol 15 Nos 1, 2 and 3; Vol 16 Nos 2 and 3; Vol 18 No 4; Vol 19 Nos 3 and 4; Vol 20 No 1; Vol 21 Nos 1 and 4; Vol 22 Nos 2, 3, 4. 41 issues in total — £30 but will not separate except in exchange for numbers to complete set, or offers of loan to photocopy of Vol 1 Nos 1 to 4; Vol 2 Nos 1, 3 and 4; Vol 3 No 4; Vol 4 No 3. — M. Gilkes, 42 The Green, Southwick BN4 4FR (tel 0273 5932331. Wanted — 2ft gauge (or metric equivalent) steam railway loco, condition immaterial, full details with photo if possible to R. Parkinson, 6 Okefield Ridge, Crediton, Devon EX17 2EG (tel 03632 5611)... Wanted — Vols 1 and 2, or individual copies of Steaming. Also A Century of Engineering (R.H. Clark); Matchbox Yesteryear model of Foden steam wagon with tanker body in Horrells Cider livery — must be in good condition and preferably with box. — A. Rogers, 2 Marton Hall, West Marton, Skipton, North Yorkshire (tel Earby 842887). For sale — Marshall 8hp compound road loco, number 52962, slide valve, current boiler certificate 1501bs, 60% restored, new bearings and gears, excellent water tanks and tender. Offers to — R. Heher, 45A Jones Road, Kenthurst 2156, Sydney, Australia. Thinning my collection to manageable size, so the following stationary steam engines etc — horizontal pump 5in x 6in Scotch crank lubrication; Alley & McLellan horizontal, 2 cyl, 4in x 6in; vertical Pearn, Scotch crank, 4in x 5in pump; Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies dynamo 60/80v 31 amp, 430 rpm; Sissons compound 51/2 in x 9in x 5in; Sissons 4in x 2 1/2 in; Sissons 4%in x 2 1/2 in; ship searchlight circa 1910; rachet drive lubricators by Victor, Empire Eng. etc; sight feed lubricators and glasses/spares; Holmes horizontal 5in x 9in, Pickering governor, lubricator; Worthington duplex 5in x 4in; Worthington duplex 3in x 3in; Mumford banjo crank 4in x 5in Favorite; 2 cyl petrol generator circa 1942; Petter 1 1/2 hp diesel; Weir vertical 5in x 4in oil pump; and many, many more. Contact me for details — Peter T. Rees, 18 Grange Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire (tel 0923 2261281. Wanted — traction engine models 6 inch and 3 inch scale. Please contact F.B. Hennecke, Wilhelmstrasse 23, 3510 Hann. Muenden, West Germany (tel evenings 01 049 5541-10921, Breaking for spares — Diamond T, good Hercules diesel engines, or sell as one lot. — Telephone Stamford 55215. Road Roller Association for all interested in steam or motor rollers, road making machines, practices and history. Quarterly journal Rolling. Subscription £7.00 per year. — Membership Secretary, S. Arrowsmith, 7 Worcester Close, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7SS.
For sale - Steam Scene, Volumes 1 to 5 by R.J. Blenkinsop. In new condition, price £20. - T. Kearton, Woodhall, Askrigg, Leyburn, North Yorkshire (tel Aysgarth 484). Wanted - for completion of Fowler roller 18882. Authentic Fowler water lifter hose strainer. Cylindrical iron casting covered with interwoven mesh to fit 2in dia bore suction hose. R. Payne, 31 Newton Road, Geddington, Northants NN14 1AU. Wanted to loan- photographs of Fowler engines on agricultural show and municipal exhibition stands for engine livery research.. Postage etc refunded. - R. Payne, address as above advert. For sale - 1898 Burrell single crank compound traction engine fitted with full canopy. New tubes and full cladding off inspection before the last boiler certificate in July 1987. Very sound firebox and mechanical condition throughout. Ready to rally. One owner for the past 25 years. Last rally Sept '85. Anyone looking for a cheap bargain need not apply. Genuine enquirers only please telephone 0905-421252.
Many books, model kits and other items of interest to traction engine enthusiasts are available from the Sales section. Readers are urged to take advantage of this service (which also benefits Trust funds) for trouble free and economical postal shopping. Just tick the box of items you require and fill in the address slip.
TRACTION ENGINE READING New The Sentinel Volume 2(Thomas)
£10.95 0
New Fowler Steam Cultivation Machinery1900-1930 non members
£9.95 £11.00
New Steam Traction Engines in Camera (Crawley) Fairground Family
£12.95 £3.95
Sentinel Diesel Lorries A Zoo on Wheels (Middlemiss)
£6.95 £5.95 £14.95
The Farm Tractor A Parade of Steam Traction Engines, Vol 1
£1.75
Yesteryear Steam Models - special edition Matchbox models (limited 30000 per model). Y18 Atkinson brewers dray (1916 steam wagon in Bass & Co livery); Y21 Aveling & Porter steam roller (in trailer green) and Y12 Stephenson's Rocket locomotive with tender. Limited quantities available - telephone M&M Toys on Lincoln (0522) 690997 for details.
Rally Scene, Vol 1
£1.25
Aveling & Porter Ltd Farm Tractors
£2.75 £3.95 £2.95
For sale - Volumes 14 to date of Steaming in good condition. £20 plus post and packing. Telephone 0768 65974_
E.S. Hindley & Sons Catalogue' Nu 279 History of the Steam Plough Works (Lane)
Stationary steam engine layout - table top (24in x 37in) assembly of Stuart Turner engines and models. Numbers S50, 10H, double 10 and two coupled 9s drive lift pump, dynamo /light, centrifugal pump and compressor. Attended three rallies but only air driven. Coal fired holler is 9in dia x 70in high (44in to chimney top) and only test fired. Boiler, handpump and No 9s professionally piped up. ALSO stationary steam engine with reversing gear, Stuart Turner No 5A, 2'/ in bore x 2in stroke, 15in high, not run in. - Telephone Skegness (07541 810502 or 610181 with offers. For sale - living van by Barnes of Southwick, Wiltshire, 1928. Steel wheels, brakes, fully sprung, in good condition. Also water cart by Baker, recent new barrel; large stay taps 1in upwards (10 and 11 tpi); stay tube taps and bars 2in bsp and up. - Telephone 0725 52677 evenings. For sale - Foden Sun steam tractor built 1930, one of only a few sold. In good working order and passed annual boiler inspection in February 1987. Boiler is cross-tube with 220Ibs working pressure and the two cylinder motor runs on superheated steam. The wheels have been altered from original steel to pneumatic. The price is 25000 pounds sterling and includes packing, shipping and freight to an English port. A video film is available showing the machine working and the seller is prepared to meet the cost of a return economy class air fare if a viewer concludes a purchase. Enquiries to: J.W. Gray, PO Box 476, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 South Africa. Gauge glasses - many sizes available. Send for list. - Ray Hooley, 16 Alexandre Avenue, North Hykeham, Lincoln (Tel 0522-682406). 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 (Tel 0522-682406).
Some Adventures of Samson Cogg All the Fun of the Fair (Showmans Guild)
lower price A Review of Steam Tractors (Whitehead)
❑❑❑❑❑❑❑❑❑❑ ❑❑
Wanted - parts for Wallis & Steevens 6 ton Advance roller - door frame casting for toolbox (part no.808); copper top for chimney (no.777); firebars (no.707), and a whistle suitable for a small steam roller. - Mike Dyson, 43 Fen End, Over, Cambridge CB4 5NE (tel 0954 30659),
Mail Order ki
£1.50 £3.95
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Wanted - heavy winch as fitted to late 1920s Scammell machinery carriers. Also six round spoked type solid tyred front wheels of the same period and any bits of petrol engined era Scammells. - John Butler, 'Woodree'ves', Church Road, Harrletsham, Kent ME 17 'I AL (tel 0622 8bU2b0). For sale - copy of Michael Lane's Burrell Showmans Road Locomotive. Offers - Telephone 0980 610346.
National Traction Engine Club (1984) Ltd
£10.95 £10.50
non members Steam Threshing in the Cotswolds (Thexton)
£11.50
non members
£6.25
Traction Engines of Rutland
£/.50 £3.75
Lincolnshire Built Engines
£2.50
The Big Box (McTaggart)
£4.95
Steam Rollers in Focus (Crawley)
£9.95
Steam Wagons in Focus (Crawley) Ploughing Engines in Focus (Crawley)
£9.95 £9.95
Memories of St. Giles Fair
50p
Traction Engine Register Steam Power in Agriculture (Williams)
£2.50 £4.95
A Little and Often (Edmonds)
£4.95
A Wager for Ale (Edmonds) Stories of Round Timber Haulage
£4.95 f 4 95
lower price
Pioneers of Heavy Haulage (McTaggart)
£4.95
Vintage Steam Owners in the Colne Valley Area £2.75 El
(Harding) Trucks in Britain Fairground 8 wheelers
£4.75
Vol 3 Pickfords
£6.95 £5.95
Vol 4 Bus Co Service Vehicles Vol 5 Tankers
£5.95
Vol 6 Post Office Stores and Telephones Mamod 'Steam Power' Book Fairground Art
£5.95
❑❑ ❑ ❑❑❑❑
Wanted - by genuine enthusiast: steam roller, running or in need of restoration, all engines considered, write to: N. Keene, 5 Moor Lane, Fairford, Glos GL7 4AL.
£1.20 £29.95
continued overleaf
Wanted - two clack valves for 6hp single traction engine, also any photographs or information on Marshall Q class single 70321 (84226). - R. Alder, 10 Kings Grove, Maidenhead, Barks
KITS FOR MODELMAKERS Scaledown (4mm scale) Gavioli organ Generator (two per kit)
£3.50
0
£3.95 ❑
send SAE for more details on this range Wills Finecast (%th scale) Living Van Agricultural Engine
£44.85 0 £51.75 CI
Road Engine Showmans Engine Aveling & Porter roller Foden steam wagon
£55.20 £59.80
0 0
£74.75 171 £74.75
AmbrIco (4mm scale) Burrell road loci,
CI
C8.50 ❑ £9.50 CI £9.50 ❑
Burrell showmans Fowler Super Lion showmans
CLUB ITEMS: (all with NTEC logo and/or lettering) Sweat-shirts - grey with small rod logo £7.80 0 Adults sizes: S/M/L (non members) £8.60 f8.25 XL/XXL
(non members) £9.00 0 Children's sizes: (grey only) 24"/28"/32"
£5.50
0
(non members) £6.20 El Tles, white logo (for members only) navy blue/maroon/dark brown Windscreen stickers (SAE with order) I love traction engines Member (members only) Cloth patch (SAE with order) Use Steam' 'Save Oil Gilt/enamel car badge
£2.85 0
Gilt lapel badge (members only)
(non members) Garrett badge NTEC Postcard Set (6) (from Steaming covers)
Wanted - photos of any Tasker steam engines, working or preserved. Please state price. - S.W. Dews, address as above advert. For sale - steering shatt top bracket, tank water control valve, boiler clack valve, lifting links, die blocks, valve guide bush, change speed lever, final drive gear, wheel retaining collars, smokebox door curved Garrett brass nameplate. Fowler
spares - R3 big end brasses; two gears 11in o.d. 5%in bore, 12 teeth; diff star gears and pin, 8 teeth; chimney bottom flange 8% 1.d. Foster spares - valve guide bush, Wellington cross head; simpling valve; chimney bottom flanges 83 in and 8%in bore; wash out pump; crown and stays 15fisin dia, 12tpi; big end brasses 3%in bore; pump ram 1%in dia with gland brass. Various unused wheel and axle bronze bushes, boiler rivets, Barford boiler fittings and spares, steam valves and cocks
many sizes, gland brasses, tube expanders, 1/2 in injector, brass gauze water pump filter tin bsp, brass oil pipes with nuts, pressure gauges, heavy duty copper pipe Y2 in bsp threadable, Worthington horizontal twin steam pump, about 2 feet long. Please write to R. Millward, Castlecroft, 95 Stourbridge Road, Halesowen, West Midlands. For sale - small living van on iron wheels, fully restored and in very good condition, £750. - Cowley, 61 Bolas Road, Ercall Heath, Telford, Shropshire (tel Great Bolas 465). For sale - six 10 stud wheels, fitted 38in x 8in tyres, one new retread. Will fit Sentinel - Telephone 0446 734959.
0 40p 0
Exchange - large railway whistle similar to Fowler type, for good Fowler whistle suitable for 10 ton roller. - A.R. Craske, Dnlland House, Woodhall, Askrigg. Leyburn, North Yorkshire (tel 09693 4081.
60p CI
Help! - can anyone help me trace some Fowler-Wood tarspraying gear, eg pump, spraybar. Good price paid. A.R. Craske, address as above advert.
£1.25 0 £1.50
0
80p 0
Crane engine badge
Wanted - a copy of L.T.C. Rolt's Waterloo Ironworks (the history of Taskers of Andover), any condition. Please state price. - S.W. Daws, 49 Kirkley Run, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 OHN (tel 0502 824061.
25p
£12.50 0 £1 75 0 £1.00 I I
Fowler cap badge
(tel Maidenhead 31136).
Wanted - for restoration of 1947 Aveling-Barford roller (Ruston type) - crosshead feedpump (or pattern to borrow); whistle with valve; governor; Price 2 tine scarifier. Also cool burning stove and oil lamps for living van; small lighting set
leg Stuart petrol lightweight) or very small steam generator, J.C. Hallam, Museum of Science & Engineering, Blandford Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 4JA (tel 091 232 6789).
£1.00 C
To claim post-free for UK members please enclose current membership card. Non-members please enclose £2.50 postage per order. Overseas members please enclose £4.00 postage per order. PO/Cheques (in sterling please) to be made payable to: National Traction Engine Club (1984) Ltd Orders to be sent to: NTEC Sales, 179 Mickleton Close, Oakenshaw, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 7YA. Please allow 28 days for delivery.
For sale - artic low-loader trailer, converted to 4 wheel drawbar type with 5th wheel coupling, single rear wheels, 13ft well, vacuum brakes, handwinch, inc. spare wheels and ramps, £225 ono; 5 ton Felco hand powered travelling chain blocks and 19ft long 12 x 6 RSJ to suit; 1 Vain o.d. boiler tubes,
sound, used, lengths 5ft to 8ft 6in, 25p per foot; 4in Blackstone 'Unchokeable' pump, belt drive, mounted on wheeled frame, inc. piping and flexible suction; round tank, 3ft 3in dia, 5ft long, 200 gallon, suitable for water tender; set of blacksmith's bellows. - H.A. Palmer, 10 Linby Lane, Papplewick, Nottingham NG15 8FB. For sale - Steaming back numbers from Vol 13; rally
programmes and plaques; out of print traction engine books; photos sent on approval (please state makes or types); chisel lettered Aveling & Porter; another lettered Fodens; spanner lettered J.A. & Co (John Allen, Cowley); county registration plates - Bucks CC No348; Bedfordshire County Council No124; makers plate Aveling & Porter No 14122; Eddison's headstock number No 381; works plate Richard Garrett, Leiston, Suffolk, England, Gold Medal awarded; commercial early type AA badge in brass as fitted to steam wagons, tractors etc; 4%in oval plate 'National Traction Engine & Tractor Association, Member'; an early HCVC vehicle badge 3in dia. - G.R. Hawthorne, 69 West
Nairie Address
Chiltern, Woodcote, Reading RG8 OSG (tel 0491 680484). Membership No
Amount Enclosed
[1st 11, Winter 1.987/88
For sale - Case LA tractor, 1942, in very good condition, running order, good tyres, original mudguards, petrol/tvo engine, reg no CWF 226 - Telephone 083 483 248.
Video — super video tape of 1987 Elvaston Castle event, incorporating the NVT&C's National Awards Scheme. A sight, sound and sunny spectacular (...smell unavailable at present) which covers the setting up, arrival of exhibits and the event in full swing. A 2 hour tape, commissioned by the organisers, features all 33 steam engines of many types, plus many award winning vintage tractors and stationary engines. Included also are activities in and out of the ring showing commercials, cars, motorcycles, miniatures, crafts, models, fair organs and old time fair, racksaw and crane engines. Orders to Mrs E. Renshaw, 21 Windsor Drive, Spondon, Derby DE2 7DR including cheque /PO for £25.70 payable to E. Renshaw and stating if VHS/Beta required. For sale — 1939 orange Fordson model N, restored to a high standard using new spares. Offers — telephone 0566 5916.. For sale — Aveling & Porter axle 4 3/4 in o.d. x 6ft 2in long. About 10 years of Worlds Fair, inc rally reports and preservation news. Motor and motorcycling magazines period 1960-1975. Offers to A.J. Ross, 2 Bassett Close, Redbourn, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 7JY (tel 058-285-44531.
THE 1987 ■
team ng AVVAHDS The Most Laid-back Rally Organiser Awarded to Peter Smart, chairman of the Rushmoor event held near Aldershot, Hampshire in July. Such was his command of the situation that by mid afternoon he could afford time to pop into the trees surrounding the engine lines and patronize Madame Monica's Woodland Hair Grotto for a much needed trim.
For sale — solid rubber tyre sections; mud plug gaskets; manhole joints; graphite jointing compound; gauge glasses and seals; tube brushes; sheet jointing of all types; asbestos tape for sealing ash pan to foundation ring joints; leather and Balata belting in most widths; cylinder oil which can be also used on bearings; fire bars cast to your pattern. — S.J. Wharton, Southern Down, Minster Lovell, Oxford (tel Whitney 3336). Wanted — any photograph of Sentinel Super wagon 8393 HMS SULTAN at the Sentinel homecoming in 1986, in particular any shot of wagon in Sentinel works archway. — Tim Keenan, 8 Mutrix Road, Kent CT9 5JL (tel 0843-34419). Wanted — 42 inch diameter flywheel, solid or spoked — Michael Watts, telephone 0462 813543. Loco firing shovels — genuine narrow blade type, new manufacture from original mould. Ash handle, traction engine length, ideal for serious use or ornament, £12.50+£2„50 p&p. — J.N. Beesley, 19 Swing Gate Lane, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2LJ. For sale — wire ropes 415ft long x 11/thin dia, suitable for winch or ploughing engines, £25 each — Telephone New Milton 619884. Wanted for my collcction, threshing machine makers name plates. Sensible prices paid. — Telephone New Milton 619884. For sale — 6hp Burrell road loco, 3 speed, insured and licensed, boiler certificate. Telephone Yapton 551434.. For sale — Steam in the Village (Whitehead); English and American Steam Carriages and Traction Engines (Fletcher, David & Charles reprint); Traction Engines Past and Present (Beaumont); Traction Engines in the North (Joy); Fowlers Cultivating Machinery, Steam Ploughing Engines, RLS reprint; The Stourpaine Gathering (Case); Traction Engines in Retirement (Romanes); Steaming Vol 24 No 1; The Iron Wheel, No 3; Scottish Traction Engines, many issues; also assorted rally programmes. SAE for details to M.A. Poole, 89 Glebelands, Pulborough, West Sussex RH2O 2JH. Road and Stationary Steam St:Mks — rare and out of print. List Issue No 4, 7 pages now available. Wanted — Vols 1 and 2 of Steaming. — Ray Roberts (Booksellers), Whiston Hall, Stafford ST19 SQH. Spring drawbars wanted to complete the restoration of my two Wallis & Steevens traction wagons. They should be fitted with flat coiled volute springs on the towing eyes. I know they are out there somewhere, but can't find them without your help. — John Sawle, Beacon Cottage Farm, St Agnes, Cornwall 01087 255 23471. 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).
The Most Worried Engine Owner Awarded jointly to Eric and Ian Best for the concern and anxiety they have shown over the lovely firebox in their Wallis & Steevens roller, but three years old. They are seen here — actually they are cowering behind the tender — whilst sizing up a future replacement they had spotted at the Mid-Hants Railway at Ropley, Hampshire in September.
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