Sold August 2004 Back to Archive

Tasker's of Andover enjoyed much success in the light steam tractor market at the beginning of the last century, producing a good-looking range of engines encompassing both single cylinder and compound engines in various guises, from light road tractors right through to Showmans engines. Designed to take advantage of legislation allowing steam tractors not exceeding 5 tons in weight nor travelling at more than 5mph to be driven by one man (rather than the two man crew required for larger engines), the Tasker "Little Giant" became very popular.

More usually seen in 4 inch scale, this engine was built by a professional pattern-maker in 2000. Based on a single cylinder A2 of 1907 it is built to Derek Kilburn's drawings, serialised in "Engineering in Miniature".

Steel all-welded boiler with expanded-in copper tubes. Southern Federation hydraulic test certificate for initial twice pressure test. Boiler feed by mechanical pump driven from the crankshaft and injector. Twin safety valves.

Single cylinder with slide valve actuated by Stephenson's reversing gear with pole reverser on footplate.

Two road speeds, winch and differential mounted behind left hand rear wheel.

The work done is to a good standard, work remaining includes:

Machining the winch and differential casting (this is a large component, the casting weighs around 1cwt)
Sheet metal including boiler cladding and gear guards
Make grate and ashpan (the grate is made from stock bar rather than a casting in this design)
Make belly tanks
Plumb up boiler fittings and mechanical pump

There are a quantity of parts with the engine, including new injector, water lifter rose, gear selector levers and casting etc.

This will make up into a very nice sized engine - no heavier than a large 4 inch scale road locomotive, but taller and easier to drive, more a small "real" engine than a large model. On its rubber tyres and fitted with belly tanks, it would be particularly suitable for road runs.

Length 7 feet
Height 5 feet to top of chimney
Flywheel 16 1/2 inch diameter
Width 33 inches
Weight approx 3/4 ton when finished