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An unusual machine just arrived from a prolific builder - with five other traction engines under his belt along with several locomotives, he's now onto building a pair of 4 inch scale Savage "Little Samsons".

This is a model of a 1915 Minneapolis 65hp traction engine - built from his own drawings, patterns and castings, starting with three photographs and ten key dimensions published in an American journal. The original engine was a straw-burner with conveyor fed firebox (which I imagine was kept pretty busy, wringing 65 horsepower out of bales of straw). The model, rather more practically, is coal-fired although retains the double firehole doors of the prototype.

There are a variety of useful additions which makes the machine very much more practical on the road, including removable rubber tyres (the rear wheels have cast strakes underneath), a deftly concealed second gear and screwdown hand brake. It comes out as a massive machine in this scale, as long and wide as a four inch scale Burrell agricultural and, at 850 pounds, not a deal lighter. I can't remember the last time I rode (fairly) comfortably on the back of a 3 inch scale engine - the last thing anywhere near this size was a Fowler K5 ploughing engine we sold back in 2004, although checking just now in the archive I was surprised to find out it was over a hundredweight lighter than the Minneapolis.

Steel boiler - originally built with expanded steel tubes, it was re-tubed in 2009 in copper. 110psi working pressure, feed by Southworth twin cylinder steam pump and Double B injector, there is a water lifter to pump water into either tank - both tanks and coal bunker are in stainless steel. The pump can draw water from either water tank on the engine, or a tank in a driving truck - running this morning it easily kept up with the boiler, although needs servicing including replacement of a couple of studs. The injector is set up for feed from a remote tank. Twin safety valves mounted on the steam dome, blower is in front of the dome, rod-operated from the footplate. There are a pair of whistles mounted on the dome.

Cast iron cylinder and trunk guide with overhung crank. Slide valve actuated by Woolf gear - nobody has ever satisfactorily explained to me the functional difference between this and Hackworth, it seems like the same thing with an extra few rods and pins, but I'm sure somebody will enlighten us. Mechanical lubricator.

The original engines had a single, low speed to move about the farm. The model has two speeds, selected by a lever next to the clutch - both gears are considerably higher than the prototype, with high very usable on road runs. The engine has a differential, mounted below the clutch.

Driving is an interesting experience - it's been in steam all morning, I've enjoyed it hugely. Basically give it some throttle, then feed in the clutch - it takes up smoothly, before locking into the engaged position, after which you drive just like an "ordinary" engine. Not as difficult in practice as it sounds, although the clip I made of it this morning really needed three hands for throttle, clutch and camera...

Believed to be unique in the UK, the builder would be interested to know if anybody else has made one. The engine is road-registered with V5.

Boiler built 2000, engine completed and road-registered 2002
Hydraulic test 3/12/11 @165psi for 110psi working pressure, valid until 2/12/13
Steam test 3/12/11 @110psi, valid until 2/2/13

Length 69 inches
Height 32 inches
Width 29 inches

Weight 850 pounds (or three 3 inch scale Burrells and a sack of coal)