Author Topic: ID please?  (Read 15646 times)

Gerilgambeth

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ID please?
« on: 08 April, 2010, 12:52:58 pm »
G'day Gents,
I'm hoping somebody can identify the steam traction engine in this photo?
It was owned by my grandfather and he took the photo back in 1921.
Thanks in anticipation.
Cheers,
Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

Triumphline

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #1 on: 08 April, 2010, 05:49:12 pm »
I think it is a Fowler or a Burrell. It would be nice in your shed :)
Patrick M Livingstone
The Austral Register
Sydney, NSW

mungo

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #2 on: 08 April, 2010, 07:38:43 pm »
Clayton or a Ruston

Gerilgambeth

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #3 on: 09 April, 2010, 06:08:32 pm »
Thanks Gents.
Does anybody know for certain what it is?
Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

Holden

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #4 on: 09 April, 2010, 06:37:18 pm »
I would say it is an early single cylinder Marshall.
It has the hand hold in the typical Marshall position.  It seems to have had a hard life looking at the back axle was probably built between 1900 - 1910 definetly british.

fowler4826

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #5 on: 09 April, 2010, 09:05:58 pm »
 I asked the question elsewhere & its a Clayton & Shuttleworth General Purpose Engine about 1900, here is a photo of the same type of engine thanks to steamscenes site.
 cheers Jason.

Gerilgambeth

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #6 on: 10 April, 2010, 05:49:38 am »
Again "Thank you" Patrick, Jason, Mungo and Holden for your replies.
Jason, that excellent photo looks very much like it, but I have just had it positively identified by Trevor Oliver, President of the Lake Goldsmith Steam Preservation Association as a 7 or 8 hp John Fowler.
Now I'm totally confused.
Cheers,
Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

fowler4826

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #7 on: 10 April, 2010, 07:38:04 am »
Its definitely not a Fowler look at the steam chest cover on the cylinder it has a single middle row of studs so the same bolt pattern as the pic I put up this is a unusual feature as most have two middle rows. As I was not certain I asked elsewhere (Poms) & they all say Clayton. Where was the photo taken, also here is a link http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/engines/ with pictures of almost every road steam brand look through here if you want to kill some time.
cheers Jason.

Holden

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #8 on: 10 April, 2010, 08:06:03 am »
sorry mate you need a bigger picture or it made clearer so that we can see better in order to help you the early English steam firms tender to copy each others ideas thus they all look very similar like the modern cars of today.

fowler4826

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #9 on: 10 April, 2010, 08:23:44 am »

Gerilgambeth

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #10 on: 10 April, 2010, 08:26:44 am »
Jason,
I believe you're right. It is a Clayton & Shuttleworth.
All the Fowlers I looked at were quite different and your explanation of the row of bolts explained a lot.
I'll email Trevor and gently explain to him that he's wrong.
Thank you for your time and advice.
Thats a really good website by the way.
Rob

Holden,
I know its an old shot, but its the best one I have of the machine. If you click on the image it'll ask you to open a file. The image in that file is nearly 2 foot in length and has ample detail.
Cheers, Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

fowler4826

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #11 on: 11 April, 2010, 03:32:53 pm »
No prob's Rob,
 I wonder what happened to it, was it scrapped or did it survive any idea where it worked.
 cheers Jason.

Gerilgambeth

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #12 on: 11 April, 2010, 06:51:03 pm »
Jason,
Yes I do know a little about the machine and the story is both sad and an indication of how time changes our values.
It operated on "Gerilgambeth" a 2-3,000 acre property situated at Harefield, roughly half way between Wagga Wagga and Junee NSW. The machine was sold at a clearing sale in October 1926. The chap that bought it lived out near Mangoplah, south of Wagga and about 30 miles away. Because it had been unusually wet prior to the auction, the new owner waited a while for the ground to dry out before attempting to move it. He successfully got it all the way through or around Wagga to the front gate of his property and turned it off the road into his driveway when the thing sunk to its belly in red clay. It remained stuck there for years and despite repeated attempts to free it from the clutches of the clay, it ended its days right there, with the owner cutting it up for scrap. Right up until the mid/late 70's you could still see the bottom half of the rims and some of the spokes sticking up through the mud and a permanent driveway deviation around the spot. There are a few other shots of "Gerilgambeth" in the historical images page at our club website....if you're interested. http://matama.weebly.com/
I did warn you it was a sad story. But please dont ask me about WHY they sold the place.....
Cheers,
Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

Gerilgambeth

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #13 on: 11 April, 2010, 06:59:06 pm »
A bit more about it.
Despite how rough it looks in the photo, 5 years before the clearing sale, it was described (in a newspaper report) as being in excellent condition at the time and is reflected in the price it fetched, being 500 pounds.
On the lighter side.....It was also used regularly to steam rabbits...the practice was supposed to be more efficient than fumigation.
Rob
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life". WINSTON CHURCHILL

fowler4826

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Re: ID please?
« Reply #14 on: 11 April, 2010, 07:13:06 pm »
Thanks for that it was a sad end but it was for so many things we all love on here.
 cheers Jason.