Sold September 2023 Back to Archive

Life long fans of steam rollers, there's been something missing in our lives since the last of them, the Fowler "Dorothy", left us back in 2016. Thus was the decision made, earlier this year, to make enquiries as to what might be coming available for sale, on the basis that the best engines are rarely advertised, changing hands by word of mouth.

We wanted something in first class condition, ready to use and with a boiler that wouldn't need significant attention for some years. Whilst capable of tackling pretty much any job that comes up on a full size road engine, the workshop here is always booked up with "proper" (ie: paying!) work - we weren't looking for something else to do in our spare time.

As is the way with these things, both Mike and Ashley got to hear of this engine from two separate sources. Word had it that it was particularly well sorted with an excellent boiler, tested for many years by our favourite boiler inspector who, on a follow-up phone call, confirmed its condition.

Having bought the engine in early summer, it has been to a variety of places, starting with Woodhall Spa 1940s weekend. Always fun, we go every year with a vintage car (our 1927 two litre Sunbeam tourer this time) and something steam-powered if we've got a suitable engine available.

Blistering hot with temperatures in the 90s this year, we cooked pizza on the fire shovel and hid under the canopy for a bit of shade. Connor and Ashley ran it the 8 miles home on the Sunday evening, confirming its rapid performance on the road - it clips along very well in high gear.

With Lincoln Steam Rally booked, we bought an ex-MOD trailer and installed a 1000 litre plastic water tank with electric pump and car battery, extending range between stops and allowing the engine tanks to be filled on the move (it also proved handy on the way home when we accidentally set fire to a grass verge...). Whilst wiring up the pump, Colin took the opportunity to make a miniature "dashboard" which hangs in the back of the canopy, providing a mounting for a pump and indicator switch - the flashing indicators on the trailer a useful safety feature when manoeuvring amongst traffic on the open road.

Lincoln Rally was a 15 mile run each way from the works, the engine performing impeccably. Since then it has done various local runs, including a couple to the pub in the next village and, most recently, to collect Christmas puddings for the works from the village butcher.

The pictures opposite were taken at, starting from the top: Lincoln Steam Rally, the engine ran over from the works on the Friday and back on the Sunday, sheeted up each night - last picture shows it back at the works with trailer; Woodhall Spa 1940s weekend, lighting up at Metheringham shortly after 4.30am on the Saturday to get over to Woodhall and parked up with the vintage vehicles for 9am; and finally, steamed earlier this week for a short run to the village butcher collecting the puddings which we delivered to the works.

There are a couple of videos on our YouTube channel - the first taken on the Woodhall Weekend in summer, starting with steaming it early in the morning; the other taken this week, showing it on the pudding run.

So why is it for sale?

Rather like waiting for a bus (or, in this case, a steam roller), no sooner do you buy one than another comes along. Shortly after YC 7439 arrived another Fowler turned up on our doorstep, an 8 ton roller converted to tractor form in the 1960s but laid up, unsteamed for the last 20 years. From what we could ascertain with ultrasonic tester, mirrors and our "flexi-telly" the boiler looked good and so, with some misgivings, another Fowler turned up on a low-loader at the works...

Ashley has laid into this smaller engine with gusto - it's "garaged" in our small container which he's kitted out as a roller servicing depot, complete with lights and winch for getting it in and out.

Now retubed, we're expecting to steam it over Christmas - leaving us with one Fowler too many...

After a great deal of thought, a decision has been made to keep the tractor (not least because it fits in a container, whereas the 10 ton engine has come down to the works for winter and is now a looming presence in the boiler shop!)

The engine is offered in current test, complete with firing irons, good set of sheets and the trailer with water tank as detailed above. Recently repainted and lined to a high standard, it is in excellent condition throughout with particularly good boiler, injector that's a delight to use and running gear in good order.

Complete with some history, including old log book, pictures of the engine before preservation and correspondence.