TRACTION ENGINES
This entry is the last of three sets of photographs taken at the Traction Engine Rally, Much Marcle, Herefordshire, July 23rd, 2016. It features "traction engines" - the general purpose road locomotive used for hauling freight and doing the work of a modern day combustion engined tractor about the farm, and various industrial sites.
This is just a photographic catalogue of the engines. There were 35 steam powered road engines at the Much Marcle Rally. This year the "National Traction Engine Trust" has organised a programme of 83 such rallies between April and October throughout Great Britain, but mostly in England. The largest is the five day "Great Dorset Steam Fair" held annually at Tarrant Hinton, near Branford Forum, with an expected 220 steam road engines.
Unloading a "John Fowler" compound tractor.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
Averring & Porter tractor.
Another Aveling & Porter tractor. Taking water whilst being prepared for unloading.
Ransome & Jeffries tractor. Looking at the small cylinder block, it appears to be simple rather than compound.
Three shots of a large Foden compound tractor. This vehicle was built to special specification for a farmer in Tasmania. Now back in England and in pristine condition. Notice the large diameter, very wide, rubber tyred rear wheels and the small upside-down leaf springs on the front axle.
A Burrell compound tractor. The "headlights" are either oil or acetylene fuelled. Notice the lack of springs on the front axle.
A Marshall compound tractor in first class condition.
Another Burrell tractor.
Another Averring & Porter compound tractor.
There were a few scale model traction engines. These were often made as apprentice pieces in engineering works in the days when engineers needed to know who to operate lathes, milling machines and a host of other skills. Nowadays this type of engineering is computerised and only a small number of specialist engineers have the skills to operate "traditional" machine tools. Usually these powerful little engines were one-eight full size.
A scale Garrett engine. The chimney extension is to keep smoke and cinders out of the driver's face.
This looks a bit like a scale model of a Fowler engine, but I cannot say for sure. Often such models were only "based" on an original and not true copies.
Another Garrett traction engine model.
Another Burrell, simmering away during a break.
This engine was for sale - price not advertised. It is likely a one-tenth or one-twelfth scale. Note the small wheel at the read to stabilise the engine with the extra weight of the driver imposed.
This is just a photographic catalogue of the engines. There were 35 steam powered road engines at the Much Marcle Rally. This year the "National Traction Engine Trust" has organised a programme of 83 such rallies between April and October throughout Great Britain, but mostly in England. The largest is the five day "Great Dorset Steam Fair" held annually at Tarrant Hinton, near Branford Forum, with an expected 220 steam road engines.
Unloading a "John Fowler" compound tractor.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
Averring & Porter tractor.
Another Aveling & Porter tractor. Taking water whilst being prepared for unloading.
Ransome & Jeffries tractor. Looking at the small cylinder block, it appears to be simple rather than compound.
Three shots of a large Foden compound tractor. This vehicle was built to special specification for a farmer in Tasmania. Now back in England and in pristine condition. Notice the large diameter, very wide, rubber tyred rear wheels and the small upside-down leaf springs on the front axle.
A Burrell compound tractor. The "headlights" are either oil or acetylene fuelled. Notice the lack of springs on the front axle.
A Marshall compound tractor in first class condition.
Another Burrell tractor.
Another Averring & Porter compound tractor.
There were a few scale model traction engines. These were often made as apprentice pieces in engineering works in the days when engineers needed to know who to operate lathes, milling machines and a host of other skills. Nowadays this type of engineering is computerised and only a small number of specialist engineers have the skills to operate "traditional" machine tools. Usually these powerful little engines were one-eight full size.
A scale Garrett engine. The chimney extension is to keep smoke and cinders out of the driver's face.
This looks a bit like a scale model of a Fowler engine, but I cannot say for sure. Often such models were only "based" on an original and not true copies.
Another Garrett traction engine model.
Another Burrell, simmering away during a break.
This engine was for sale - price not advertised. It is likely a one-tenth or one-twelfth scale. Note the small wheel at the read to stabilise the engine with the extra weight of the driver imposed.