Members' Engines

Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies 7nhp Traction Engine.
Garrett 33296 Adventurer.
Garrett Showmans Tractor 33358 Lord George.
Ruston, Proctor Success.
Aveling & Porter Roller Josephine.
Burrell Showman's Road Loco. Margaret.
Foden Wagon.
Fowler Ada.
Ruston, Proctor Rusty/Foden Road Loco. Monarch.
Marshall Old Nick.
3" Scale Burrell Roller.
Garrett Showman's Road Loco. British Hero
Aveling & Porter Roller.
Fowler AA7 Giant Tiger.
Sentinel Tipper Waggon.
Barford-Perkins Motor Roller.
4" Scale McLaren Showman's Engine.
Fowler A8 Showman's Engine Girlie.

Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies 7nhp Single Cylinder Traction Engine.
Owned by Kim and Stuart Hart.

This engine, Works No. 24436, left the Ipswich Works in March, 1912  for agent Duncan Loane of Devonport, Tasmania. After many years threshing and hauling, it was laid up at the side of a road and left. It is believed to have ended its days due to breaking 2 teeth on the 3rd shaft gear. Rescued along with an identical engine, it sat in the corner of a Tasmanian contractor's yard for many years before an offer was received to purchase it for restoration.
   The engine was returned to England in June 1999, and bought by the present owners the day after arriving. After being transported back even closer to its birthplace in Suffolk, restoration began in earnest. Progress to date includes a complete strip-down, new boiler barrel, smoke box and tubeplate, and throatplate repair. The front axle has been built-up and re-machined, and new bearings have been made for the front wheels. The boiler was reunited with its front wheels in May 2000.
   For an up-date on the progress of this engine, please refer to: www.hartsteam.btinternet.co.uk You will also find details of their Aveling & Porter Roller, Works No. 4877.

Garrett 33296 Adventurer.
Owned by Molly and Mike Dyson.

The engine left the Garrett Works at Leiston, Suffolk, on 22nd May, 1918 as part of a large order that was placed by the Ministry of Munitions and delivered to the Officer Commanding the Mechanical Transport Depot at Kempton Park. The cost was £681 but additional charges of £7 4s 0d were made for the wider front wheels and £5 17s 0d for the full-length canopy. It was then used with a trailer for the haulage of war materials.

     

   In 1920 the engine was sold by auction to E.W.Farrow & Sons of Spalding, Lincolnshire. They returned it to Garretts for an extensive overhaul at a cost of £239 9s 3d and they licensed it as BJ 5510. After being  forwarded by rail to Spalding,  it was used for the haulage of materials for Farrow's engineering business and to work on the three farms that they owned between Spalding and Bourne.
   Carter Brothers of the Reliance Works at New Pound near Billingshurst in Sussex purchased the engine in 1941. It was then used for timber extraction and the haulage of timber back to the Works. It continued in use until 1959, when it was sold into preservation.
   The engine was continuously licensed up to 1987, when it  required extensive boiler repairs. Since 1995 Molly and Mike Dyson have owned the engine.

Garrett Showman's Tractor 33358 Lord George.
Owned by Kevin Swann.

Built for the Ministry of Munitions (War Department) for the war effort, the engine left the Garrett Works at Leiston, Suffolk, on 1st October, 1918.
Bought in 1920 at a government surplus sale at Kempton Park by Malcolm  of Debenham, Suffolk, Bloomfields converted it to Showmans form and, in 1921, sold it to Fred Harris, a showman, for hauling his set of Savage three-abreast gallopers. The engine was used extensively in the Eastern Counties, attending fairs such as the Cambridge Midsummer Fair, Long Melford, Aldeburgh and, on a number of occasions, the Nottingham Goose Fair, this journey taking 4 days.
   After the gallopers were sold in 1931/32, a set of square-end dodgems was acquired from Fred Gray, the well-known London showman. The dodgem loads were transported to Glemsford station by rail, the weight paid for was in excess of 32 tons, and the engine took the loads away from Glemsford to the winter quarters at nearby Clare in two trips. On speaking to Tommy Harris ( Nephew of the owner ) who steered on this occasion, we were told that the front wheels lifted when the engine started and that when they arrived at Clare, the chimney base was glowing red-hot. This little engine worked these dodgems until the early years of the war, her last known working being at the Holidays at Home Fair at Stradishall, Suffolk.
   After that, the engine was laid up in Ashen Road, Clare, until the winter of 1953 when the owner's late father, George Swann, enquired if it was for sale. A deal was soon done and the engine towed back to Goddard's of Saffron Walden. Work was then carried out to make the it presentable, a patch was bolted to the smoke box and a replacement cab, coming from the Fowler Showmans engine 'Empress', was acquired from George Harris. After a few test runs it attended the first East Anglian Traction Engine Club Rally at Great Saling, Essex, in 1955. Since then it has attended most EATES events. In 1979 the firebox failed and repairs were required; these included new firebox, front tube plate, tubes, new axle, second shaft bearings and a new cab to Garrett's design. The engine returned to the rally scene in 1984 and since then, work has been carried out on the cylinders and valve faces. It has had a complete repaint to its original livery and now that the paint has dulled-off a bit, looks very close to its working condition. The engine is mostly roaded to events and has covered a lot of miles in the past few  years, attending many rallies and road runs.
   After the Councillor's Cavalcade 1999, the engine was taken off the road for repair. Click Repair for details and progress on this work.

Record-breaking Ruston, Proctor Success.
Owned by Robert Pumfrey.

This engine, Works No. 50278,  was new to Charles Pumfrey of Duxford in 1914. In 1915 it was requisitioned by the War Department for baling and haulage of hay and achieved a National Record by baling 242 tons of hay in one week. After the Great War, the engine was used for Contract Threshing until 1950. Since then it has attended Steam Rallies and Shows throughout  East Anglia. During the 1998/9 winter  it was repainted and rubber tyres were fitted.

     

Aveling & Porter 8-ton Single Roller Josephine.
Owned by Adrian and Simon Fox since 1998.

This engine, W. No. 14089, Reg. No. YD 973, was new in 1930 and was with W. W. Buncombe & Sons for the whole of its working life. The Fox brothers re-tubed it in Sept. 2001.

1922 Burrell Showman's Road Loco. Margaret.
Owned by Keith Honour.

Previously owned by Nick Baker of Dorset, this engine, No.3926, Reg. No. NO 4999, was exchanged for The Duke of Kent at the end of 2002. New to Thurston’s, Amusement Caterers, of Rugby, for the last four years it has been with Nick and for the previous twenty years it was with a preservationist in Holland.
   Keith has already taken Margaret to a small event at Godmanchester, Cambs., and next year he hopes to go with it to many rallies in East Anglia and perhaps further afield, travelling with his 'Four Seasons' fairground organ.
   Click Repair for details of work in progress on this engine.

1913 Foden 4-ton Wagon.
Owned by Duncan Marsden.

This wagon was new to J. Lawton of Manchester, whose original livery it still carries. It spent 51 years in the Henry Ford museum in America, returning to the UK in 1980. 

1905 Fowler Ada.
Owned by David Gowlett.

New to Lord Ellesmere of Newmarket, Suffolk, this engine, W. No. 10373, Reg. No.CE 7922, was bought for preservation by David Gowlett's grandfather, Ollie Taylor of Wimbish,  in 1947. It was rallied by him until 1969 and passed to the present owner in 1976.

1908 Ruston, Proctor Rusty/1913 Foden Road Loco Monarch.
Owned by The Wyeld Family.

Rusty, No. 34987, Reg. No. AH 5654, was bought for scrap in 1966 and restored by the late Roger Wyeld. It was first rallied in 1967 after spending all its working life in Norfolk and its last day of commercial threshing was at North Elmham on May 26th, 1949. It is now in its 40th year of rallying with the third generation of the family and has attended every Weeting rally.
   Monarch, No. 3534, was acquired in 1997 from the late Stan Burgess of Haddenham who had restored it after twenty years of dereliction. The Wyeld’s then did a lot of work on it in their workshops, culminating in dismantling the engine, so that the boiler could be taken to the premises of Mervyn Mayes at Yaxham. There it was fitted with a new riveted fire box before being returned to the Wyeld’s workshop for re-assembly in the engine. Meanwhile new stays had been manufactured and line boring of the main bearings of the crankshaft had been done.

     

   All this work was carried out over five months of the winter of 2006/7, much to the surprise of many people, thus allowing 'Monarch' to be present, with 'Rusty' for the 2007 Strumpshaw Steam Rally .

1908 Marshal Old Nick.
Owned by Ernie and Rachel Eagle.

This engine, W. No. 49725, Reg No. BW 4509, started life in Oxfordshire and was owned by the Oxford Steam Plough Co., later known as John Allen & Sons Ltd. whose nameplate the engine still carries.
   Acquired in 1984 by the present owners, the picture, taken at the 1999 Weeting Rally, shows it towing a Shand Mason Horse-drawn Steam Fire Engine brought to the rally by the 'Historic Fire Engine Society' of the Netherlands.

3"Scale Burrell Steam Roller.
Owned by Brian Bourn.

This model is based on Brian's full-size 1924 Burrell roller 'Fire Queen', W. No. 3973.

1908 Garrett Showmans Road Loco. British Hero.
Owned by Charlie Saunders and Bruce Whatley of Huntingdon.

This 6 nhp compound road engine, W. No. 27160, Reg. No. AD 1891, was delivered new to Alfred Dawson of Ipswich, Suffolk, but was returned to Garretts in 1909.
   In May 1910, it went to W. E. Swallow of Barton Guiting, Gloucestershire, and was named Cotswold Queen. There it did general haulage work.
   In September 1921  it was with T. Walker of Tewksbury, Gloucestershire, and was converted to a Showman's engine. Later that year  it went to a Showman in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, who re-named it British Hero. In 1935  it was with John Harness Rundle of Lincolnshire and was used for general work.
   In 1956 it was purchased for preservation by Mr. Orth of Maldon, Essex, and called Crimson Lady. During its 35 years there it was only occasionally steamed, mainly at Christmas, and was once rallied at Great Baddow in Essex.
   In October 1991 it was purchased by the present co-owners who almost completely rebuilt this engine and restored its name to British Hero. Pictured at the 2001 Lincolnshire Steam &Vintage Rally, it is the only surviving Garrett Showman's Engine.

Aveling & Porter Roller.
Owned by Martin Stubbins of Brightlingsea, Essex.

This roller, W. No. 12462, Reg. No. VB 7301, was ordered in April 1929 by Stanley North & Sons, a pipe and cable laying contractor of South Norwood, Surrey, it was delivered in December 1929.
   After a period of ownership by West (Redhill) Ltd. the roller was purchased by Herbert Smith & Sons of west Thurrock, Essex, and was extensively used on contracts with Brentwood and Thurrock UDC, Ford's Dagenham plant and Tilbury Docks.
   The roller was last registered in the mid-1960's, and was sold for preservation in July 1976 for the sum of £2000. It was moved by lorry from Herbert Smith's to Locke's of Halstead, Essex, where the new owner drove it 3 miles to a school playing field. There it sat until the early 1980's, when it was towed to the East Anglian Railway Museum for boiler repairs.
   Whilst at the museum it was purchased by a consortium, one of whom was Richard Hemington. Richard, eventually became the sole owner, and the roller emerged in the Spring of 1994.
   A change of ownership took place in 1997, when it was purchased by Philip Copeman who painted it olive green.
   It was purchased by the present owner in May 1999. At this time the boiler was re-tubed and the roller returned to its black livery. The sign-writing was copied from old photographs, taken during Herbert Smith's ownership. 

Fowler AA7 Giant Tiger.
Owned by H. R. Philpot of Billericay, Essex.

This engine, W. No. 14728, Reg. No. DO 1918, was built in 1917. Picture shows it being operated by Trevor Ellis and working with ' Giant Panther',W. No. 14729, Reg. No. DO 1919, at a Ploughing Demonstration  at High Roding, Essex, in October 2001.

Sentinel Three-Way Tipper Waggon.
Owned by Melvyn Camps of Saffron Walden, Essex.

Pictured standing in front of the waggon at the 2000 Thurlow Rally are, from the left, Kevin Swann, Jean and Bob Whitehead, previous owners in the 1960's, and Melvyn Camps.

Barford-Perkins Motor Roller.
Owned by Eric Teverson of Witham, Essex.

This E Type roller was manufactured by Barford-Perkins for about 15 years, starting in 1905. The range varied from1.5 tons (the A2)  to 12 tons (the K Type), the E Type weighing 5.25 tons. In the early 20's, a 4 cylinder Albion engine was introduced with a more conventional radiator.
   Dispatched 26th July 1909 as a petrol/paraffin roller to E.E. Pearson, Brickenbury, Herts.,it appears to have subsequently been owned by Dr Barnados Homes, William Baker Technical Schools, Herts. In about 1919, it was sold to Mr A. Scales of Hertford from whom it was bought by the Taylor Brothers in 1948 with a view to using, after exchanging the engine for a diesel. This, fortunately, was never done.
   In 1972, it was sold to C. G. Teverson for preservation and was subsequently overhauled by Stan Burgess. The engine was later rebuilt by B. J. Ashpole.

4" Scale McLaren Showman's.
Owned by Terry Baxter of Sudbury, Suffolk.

This engine  was built by Terry over a 5 year period to 1997. The design was originally by Mick Cox, but was then a two cylinder double high (100 p.s.i) engine; it was also very low geared. Terry and his now late partner, Mick Beadle, bought the design. Wanting to build it as a proper compound and market it as such, Mick Beadle undertook to redesign the boiler suitable for 175 p.s.i working and remake the cylinder pattern, complete with the necessary core boxes to make it breathe properly as a compound. Terry made a lot of the other patterns so that a full set of castings could be offered and also changed the gear ratios to make it more relaxing to drive on the road. The resulting performance is very good. Terry has completed several road runs since 1997, the highlight of which must have been the NTET (National Traction Engine Trust) 50th anniversary run where it was the only miniature to complete the 18 mile circuit. He also completed the WESES (West of England Steam Engine Society) road run from St. Agnes twice, including the climb up Engine Hill. The whole run was done in top gear, including the hill. Other road runs have been completed  with the EATES and BSEPS (Bedford Steam Engine Preservation Society), and from Albert Fensom's yard.
   Terry has made, and has available, castings for 3", 4" and 6" scale models of this McLaren and, to date, has supplied enough for about 40 engines. The 6" model castings were the last to be finished and so far, one model has been completed and another is being built  For information on his castings, contact Terry on 01787 375 819.

1913 Fowler A8 Showman's Engine Girlie.
Owned by Allan and Liz Marchington

 This 7nhp engine, No.13922, Reg. No. HO 5630 was built as a heavy duty road  haulage engine. It was supplied, new, to Mrs. Eliza Loader and Sons of Sherbourne St. Johns, Hampshire and was named King of Them All. In 1919 she was acquired by Charles Openshaw Ltd., Amusement Caterers of Reading, who converted her to a full ‘Showman's specification, complete with a Savage post crane, and named her Girlie. 
   In 1930  the engine was sold to John Hoadley of Wallsend-on-Tyne who used her to move his Ark Fairground ride. 
   In 1937 W. Slater, Amusement Caterers of Carlisle bought the engine and renamed her The Rocket. Slater’s used her to move an Ark which they bought off W.Shaw at the same time. 
   In 1955  Jack Wakefield of Hetton -le-Hole , Co. Durham, bought the engine for preservation. Restoration work was carried out in the ownership of John Bainbridge of Brintley, who briefly converted it to road locomotive form. 
   John Machin bought it in 1997 and entrusted John Smith, boilermakers of Dalton, near Thirsk, to undertake a complete overhaul programme, including a new smoke box, chimney, replacement dynamo, new canopy and paint-work refurbishment. 
   In March 2002  Dave Maris and family of Chesterfield, bought the engine at auction and, with the help of Chris and Richard Dobbs, undertook further restoration. At some stage the engine had reverted to its original name except that it was spelt Girly. Dave restored it to Girlie.
   The engine was purchased by Allan and Liz Marchington in October 2006 and they would greatly appreciate any further information that could be passed to them about the engine.
   Allan said that he first set eyes on the engine in November 1980 when it was in a large heated shed at Jack Wakefield’s yard. He was 14 years old and was there to help collect the ex-Beeby set, number 10, ploughing engines Nos. 15146/15147 which his brother had just purchased. There were lots of engines around the yard, standing both in open-sided sheds and outside in the elements, but as Jack showed them around it was clear that his pride and joy was the Fowler Showman’s Engine Girlie, which he had tucked away in a large shed at the bottom of the yard. Allan said that on that November day the shed felt lovely and warm and the engine looked very impressive. It was in a grey undercoat with the wheels off and stood to one side, as part of the restoration that Jack was carrying out. Allan said that as a young boy he never forgot that image and he finds it hard to believe, and fantastic, that he now owns her.