Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Old Glory

Got a story? Contact Old Glory • Email: peterlove@madasafish.com • Tel: 01323 833125 Following a record-breaking Christmas Spectacular festive concert series at the Thursford Collection, John Cushing has told our reporter that 1920 Burrell DCC 8hp No. 3227 Victory is to be put back to steam and is away under repair at this very moment in East Anglia at Craftmaster Restorations, Over, Cambridgeshire under Jamie Allen’s skilled hands. The project is being overseen by local Foster Lord of the Isles owner and trustee of the Thursford Collection, Andrew Waling. Victory was the first showman’s restored in the collection, some 12 years after it had been sold to Kings the scrapman along with Alexandra and Unity, the two-speed engines, so it’s fitting to see it come back to life again. In…

Got a story? Contact Old Glory • Email: peterlove@madasafish.com • Tel: 01323 833125 With it being 6 degrees below freezing at one stage on Sunday 18 December top Cosworth engineer Tom Attwood from Whitchurch collected his latest purchase with lots of care. Tom must be thanked for all that he has done for the steam preservation movement over the last few years with his analysis of steam coal alternatives. He has just purchased 1920-based Foden No. 10320 5-ton wagon from highly-respected engineer Henry Netherway from Bodenheim, Herefordshire; an engine that Tom has driven many times before. Henry took the project on which started out as Isle of Man Highway Board No. 1 Foden, but was a derelict pile of parts including a boiler, a cracked cylinder block and not much else.…

As only the Sussex Steam Engine Club can do, it will be celebrating 30 years on 10-11 June at The Plough, Station Road, Plumpton Green, BN7 3DF with a rally. All engines are welcome to attend. It all started thanks to the 1992 Steam & Tractor Spectacular held at Holms Hill, Cross-In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex for charity. It was staged by Roland and Jeff Burgess, Peter Love and Richard Wade. The event was an outstanding success until the rain came at 4pm on the Sunday, but by then the pay gates had been closed. Over the winter a committee was put together with Roland Burgess as president, Peter Love as chairman, Jeff Burgess vice-chairman, Richard Wade secretary and Brian Tompsett as membership secretery. The first meetings were cram-packed and…

Sandstone Estate’s recent Cherry Steam Festival in November 2022 proved that the demand for such events is moving back to pre-pandemic levels and they are pleased to announce their next event, the Easter Steam and Cosmos Festival, to be held from Friday 7 April to Monday 10 April 2023. The Sandstone Steam Railway has had the section of line from Mooihoek to Vailima Siding refurbished and a number of trains, hauled by one of their Class NGG16 Garratt locomotives, will be making their way on this extra 2km of line which involves a climb of the fearsome gradient of Pandora Bank! Once on the downgrade to Vailima Siding the Soutkop mountain, more generally known as Sekonyela, can be seen in the distance. This landmark was featured in many photographs of…

While waiting for the new boiler parts, attention turned to some of the smaller parts including making up a new smokebox door, cleaning up the motion work, remachining the front axle, drilling a new cast chimney base, removing all the useable parts from the tender and cleaning up the boiler fittings. It wasn’t too long until some of the new boiler components started turning up and the first to receive attention was the new front tubeplate, with the tube holes being drilled and the support bracket being riveted on. The new barrel followed next which has been put to one side until the team is ready to fit it. The most recent job has been the firebox. Thanks to John Eastwood at Israel Newtons Zach managed to get the new…

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The 56th Annual Steam & Country Rally at Woodside Farm, Welland, Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, took place in dry and warm conditions over 29-31 July. It was to see a record crowd come through its gates with some waiting in a queue for 90 minutes to get in on the Saturday; yes it was that busy right up to 8pm and Sunday was ultra-popular as well. Back on the scene in 2022, it’s always a pleasure to attend this non-stop action show starting with the H J Pugh sale on the Friday, after which the sale field was transformed into a car park, which was much needed over the weekend. There were over 80 steam engines on show chugging around, taking part in the heavy haulage, driving the rack and band saw…

The town of Darlington is well-known for its association with steam, primarily for the development of the railways in the 19th century. The town boasts museums, and the oldest railway station in the world, but there are other sites that can provide interest to the steam enthusiast, one being the Tees Cottage Pumping Station that has provided the town with drinking water since 1849, and still operates its 1904 beam engine and 1914 gas engine on ‘open weekends’. The Victorian pumping station is situated on the banks of the River Tees in the south-west of Darlington, it served the town by supplying drinking water up until 1980. Most people who live in Darlington probably don’t realise the importance of this Scheduled Ancient Monument in their town’s history, or that two…

CASE Jerome Increase Case (1819-91) sold and contracted with early threshing machines. He settled in Racine, Wisconsin to make his own improved versions in 1844 and from 1865 incorporated the ‘Old Abe’ bald eagle regimental mascot made famous in the Civil War and named in honour of President Abraham Lincoln. From 1869 Case made steam portables (No. 1 is preserved at the Smithsonian) followed by traction engines from 1876 (having built a buggy to the design of Dr Carhart - which see - in 1872). Also in 1876 Case added ploughs to his range and these became a separate business called the Case Plow Works which was finally acquired by Massey-Harris (see Sawyer-Massey) in 1928. The resale of the Case name at the time to the original Case Threshing Machine…

Well it’s February already and we have seen all types of weather so far in 2023, floods, snow, ice, not the best weather to undo the sheet and work on the engine, but, it’s got to be done, or the season will start without you! Jonathan Wheeler has been in touch about this exciting portable gathering at Bressingham Steam & Gardens over August bank holiday, wouldn’t it be an amazing sight to see 50 of them together and many of them driving something? I see it as very achievable, plus the organisers are offering money to attend, so do please get in touch with them, pr@bressingham.co.uk - 01379 686900 or jwheeler@wheeler-steam.co.uk. It’s good that the Science Museum have replied to our request following the sale of four of the tractors…

Got a story? Contact Old Glory • Email: peterlove@madasafish.com • Tel: 01323 833125 Take your hand off the tiller for a moment to put an important new date in your diary: the spectacular Spring Tractor World & Classic Commercial Show at Malvern’s Three Counties Showground Saturday on 11 and 12 March 2023. The biggest and longest-established show of its kind, 2023’s show packs in even more, including veteran, vintage and classic tractors and agricultural machinery, commercials, Land Rovers, club displays, stationary engines, miniature steam engines, models and vintage horticultural and garden equipment. With all the event favourites’ visitors love, Sunday sees the return of the popular Classic Commercial Drive-In Day. Filling all three large exhibition halls at the well-connected and equipped Three Counties Showground, comfort is guaranteed, with ample parking and…

In early December Paul Davis of Astwood Bank, Reddich steamed home from Allison Engineering on his 1930 Foden No. 13832 6 ton tractor The Dorset Wanderer which was another that started life as a wagon. Always thought to be the fastest of its breed it still has much about it to believe that claim is actually true even in 2022/3. The tractor has the experimental three-position double-high which needs some skill to operate properly. The engine has been off the road for some time and came into the Allison works for a retube, a 10-year test and a number of other smaller jobs to complete the hydraulic test. The works have also recently completed for the same owner 1924 Burrell D class 5hp road locomotive No. 3996 Conqueror which has…

Despite rumours that have been floating around over the high cost to insure this famous and very successful event, the Innishannon Steam & Vintage Rally in aid of Irish Cancer Society is set to be staged over 4-5 June 2023, the Irish bank holiday weekend. At the official launch of the 2023 event the charity was represented by Nicola McMahon, community fundraiser-minister. This year’s rally will be the 25th and it is looking for more volunteers to take part in the event than ever before. The rally regularly attracts visitors from all over the UK, with many attending from Wales and Northern Ireland to what is the biggest steam event in the Republic of Ireland calendar. In 2022 there was a great atmosphere at the Crossbarry village not far away,…

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Delighted to boast that this is Britain’s best-selling magazine for steam and vintage machinery enthusiasts. If you have enjoyed this issue of Old Glory and love original style or gleaming restored machinery especially road steam, or are fascinated by Britain’s rich industrial and transport heritage then why not subscribe? You will save money on the shop price and receive every issue direct to your door. Whether you’re interested in the latest news, places to visit or black and white photography of these wonderful machines in working times, featured by top writers and photographers you’ll find it all in the pages of Old Glory. OR GO DIGITAL FOR JUST £32.99! Prefer to get our great content on your phone or tablet? Get instant digital access to…

Following on from our picture in OG February 2023 of 1917 Fowler BB No. 14712 Wilbur heading towards Lincoln and Jubb Engineering & Training Ltd as can be seen from these pictures they have made great progress. The engine has been stripped and its new boiler has arrived and has already been placed on the ploughing engine which is great to see.…

Developing a skill demands plenty of time and patience. Spending hours perfecting a piece to slot into that all important place to make the engine run and, perhaps more importantly, steam, is par for the course for both kit and scratch-build miniature makers. Befitting of someone who doesn’t stand still and who is very much hands-on, even during our conversation James Stanley announces “I am standing here now filing a part for it!” For James, and his fellow enthusiasts who spend many a pleasurable hour in workshops and garages up and down the country after tasking themselves with the challenge of building a steam engine in miniature, time is precious and every second counts! So there is a justifiable eagerness to complete his latest project – a six inch version…

After a three year hiatus the Torbay Steam Fair made a welcome return last summer, reports James Hamilton. After twenty years at the same site the rally has moved to New Kennels Showfield, Churston, on the high plateau between Paignton and Brixham, only a short distance away from the original site. A great deal of planning and organisational effort from the Torbay Steam Rally Association, lead by show manager Tony Brooks, was required to ensure the new location was utilised to full advantage. Opening on Friday 5 August the three-day event was blessed with fine weather and the car parking field rapidly filled each day. Twenty-five full-size engines were dispersed about the rally field. The show was of a good size but not so large as for them to be…

What do botanical survey teams, tsetse fly control and the late Queen Elizabeth have in common? The answer is the Land-Rover, which was nothing if not adaptable. It wasn’t necessarily an innovative vehicle – four-wheel drive had been used on a Scottish steam carriage as early as 1825 – but its continued success lay in the fact that, like the Willys Jeep of 1941, it was small and quick enough to fulfil most of the functions desired of a passenger vehicle, rugged enough for all manner of off-road applications, and simple enough to be built en masse and sold very cheaply. The Jeep had impressed a lot of people, but perhaps none more so than brothers Spencer and Maurice Wilks, managing director and head of engineering respectively at the Rover…

Got a story?: Contributions welcomed by Derek Rayner, email: derekinvicta1915@gmail.com That marvellous 2ft gauge railway in South Africa, in the eastern Free State and on the border with Lesotho, is to stage its Easter Steam and Cosmos Festival from 7 April to 10 April. In recent times, the section of line from Mooihoek to Vailima Siding has been refurbished and a number of trains, hauled by one of their magnificent Class NGG16 Garratt locomotives, will be making their way on this extra 2km of line which involves a climb of the fearsome gradient of Pandora Bank to the siding and then returning after a photostop with Soutkop mountain, more generally known as Sekonyela, in the distance. The event will include not only steam on the rails but also on the…

Some 76 single-crank compound 7hp unsprung double-geared Burrell traction engines were built between 1897-1914 and No. 3164, AH5799, left the Burrell works at Thetford on 9 December 1909 and arrived at Bircham, north-west Norfolk, under the ownership of Herbert Edgar and Arthur Phillip Warton. They owned, and rented, five farms in this area; Pond House Farm at Bircham Tofts, Old Hall Farm in Ingoldisthorpe, Courtyard Farm in Ringstead, Ling Farm in Thornham and Church Farm in Bircham, farming around 1,100 acres in total. During their time with her she was involved in a rick fire in 1927 and was returned to Burrell for repair. She was then sold on to Joe Bushell, a threshing contractor based in Ringstead, Dorset in 1939-1940, where she remained until 1947. The engine was kept…

Great news that keen steam owner Sean Skinner has recently purchased 1918 Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies 7hp No. 27277 DS7473 (exAL1253) traction engine from retired airline pilot John Garrod from Cambridgeshire, writes Simon Colbeck. The engine was sold to Sheridan & Flynn from Kilmessan, County Meath in the Republic of Ireland and was first preserved and rallied in Ireland before coming back to the UK. In recent years Allison Engineering replaced some stays, tubeplate and tubes in the engine. On the morning of Saturday 29 October Sean renamed the engine Kathleen after his mother, a much better name than its previous one The Leprechaun. On the annual Worcestershire end of season steam and vintage vehicle road run that traditionally starts at S E Davis’s superb premises at Astwood Bank, Reddich…

Got a story? Contact Old Glory • Email: peterlove@madasafish.com • Tel: 01323 833125 Vintage Horticultural & Garden Machinery Working Day Sunday 19 March, 10.00am, Stanfield, Norfolk on the B1145. Proceeds to the East Anglian Air Ambulance and Stanfield church. Contact: Adrian Hall, tel: 01328 851571 or stevenhall272@aol.com This will be their 13th year and the event is put together with the Norfolk Starting Handle Club. Each year they aim to make the event bigger and better, this year they have a large selection of working machinery from push hoes, rotavators to match ploughing with classes for small walk-behind, large walk-behind and ride-ons, vintage and compact. The new venue will see the best ploughing conditions since the event started thanks to better land. There will also be working stationary engines, working horses…

Got a story? Contact Old Glory • Email: peterlove@madasafish.com• Tel: 01323 833125 The High Weald Steam Working Weekend volunteers celebrated the end of 2022 after their successful first show, held in June 2022, with an end-of-year steam threshing day. Unfortunately, with persistent rain on 28 December the working was postponed until 29 December when the weather had greatly improved, with sunny spells and a light wind, says Bryn Kemp. The yard used was tight and this presented challenges with setting the threshing machine and baler. However this was offset by the advantages of a concrete yard given the amount of rain in the area during the preceding weeks. The threshing set was made up of Foster threshing machine No. 8802 belonging to Roger Wheatland, a Carter Brothers elevator belonging to Wayne…

The museum is situated on a narrow secondary road off the A287 and strangely does not seem to be signposted at all until you come to the entrance itself. As early as the 1950s local couple Henry and Madge Jackson realised that many old agricultural implements, such as wagons, and hand tools, used by earlier generations were being lost or destroyed. They became avid collectors of such items and, in 1973, after a suggestion by some friends opened what was then The Old Kiln Agricultural Museum. Some disused farm buildings in the part of the museum now known as Henry’s Yard were utilised for the museum, and their treasured collection soon began to grow, reflecting local life stories and many rural interests. Madge died in 2002 and Henry a few…

The history of local fairs goes back to the 12th century when towns or cities were often granted a royal charter to hold an annual fair, an event that would draw crowds from all the nearby villages and hamlets and was often held in conjunction with a local livestock market. My earliest memories are of a fair that came to a field at the eastern end of Eastbourne where I then lived on a newly-built council estate. Fairs were always exciting places full of noise, smells and twinkling lights. Money was scarce and the few pennies that jingled in the pocket of my short trousers had to be carefully spent, so one ride or a couple of goes on a hoopla stall in hope of winning a cheap toy or…

Two famous old engineering firms became a joint two million pound enterprise in the autumn of 1918 with over a hundred acres of factories and 12,000 men. Ruston & Proctor of Lincoln and Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham had been kept busy in the First World War. To their traditional industrial and agricultural products had been added all manner of military equipment. At Ruston these included Sopwith-designed aircraft from a factory set up at Boultham, Lincoln in 1915. One of these, a BE2C, brought down a Zeppelin at Cuffley, Herts in one of the earliest boosts to British morale and a further 2,500 were made, plus engines for them. Other products included 440 tractors based on Holt Caterpillar designs, 4,000 water carts, a million shells, 2,500 trench pumps, 8,000…

The Historical Construction Equipment Association’s 36th Annual International Convention and Old Equipment Exposition was held last year at Bowling Green, Ohio over 23-25 September where lots of new machinery was seen at work. Perfect blue sky and sunshine brought near-record attendance for the first two days, and although some rain fell on the final day, the show was deemed a great success. With over 180 antique historical construction machines on permanent display at this location (also known as the National Construction Equipment Museum), and some 140 additional machines brought to the show by their owners, the HCEA event offered an incredible experience for everyone interested in old machinery. Some major donations of equipment were recently added to the permanent roster including four Caterpillar machines from quarry owner Gary Mahan of…

The discovery by South African reader Sandy Buchanan of a semi-derelict Aveling compound portable engine was reported in OG 383. More information has come to light about the engine which is situated in a park in the suburb of Springs on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Some dimensions of the engine have been taken - namely the wheel diameters and the number of tubes, following which a trawl through the records of Aveling & Porter located in the Lincolnshire Archives has discovered what is believed to be the identity of the engine. Aveling No. 5479 was supplied to the Agent General for Natal (at 26 Victoria Steet, London SW) on 28 March 1904. It was a 16hp compound portable engine with ‘outside valves’ - i.e. slide valves and not an overhead…