Sold April 2024 Back to Archive

Amongst other details the article gives details of where he sourced components: front and rear springs, double-acting slide valve cylinders and crankshaft were from Stevens Model Dockyard of London; smokebox door and ring from Bassett Lowke of Northampton, who also supplied the chimney base and petticoat pipe; the boiler, of solid drawn seamless copper tube, has a bunsen flame burner supplied by J.Flanders of Surbiton; cast iron wheels and rubber tyres were from the splendidly named South London Wheel and Rubber tyre works.

The builder claimed that the wagon would carry 30 pounds, and pull "about 1cwt" on a trailer. The boiler worked at "40 to 50 pounds", the engine reversed by means of slip eccentrics.

The machine has many ingenious details, including a steam brake and tipper body, operated by a screwed rod driven from the engine.

At 102 years old, a remarkable survivor - comparing it to the photographs taken in 1922, it has remained largely original over the years.

Complete with drawings and copies of the original articles, along with a modern transcript of same. It shouldn't be necessary for us to say that - in deference to its age and provenance - this venerable machine has not been tested !