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Marshall 5 Ton Steam Tractor. Fowler 8 ton Steam Roller
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8_10 Brass Cleaner



Joined: 06 Jan 2016
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 4:20 pm    Post subject: Marshall 5 Ton Steam Tractor. Fowler 8 ton Steam Roller Reply with quote

The second of my posts about the various junk I have, this one will deal with my two steamers. See my other post on my Austin 7's http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18107

Firstly

Marshall 68574. ‘’The Mascot’’ CH2462
The engine is an example of a 5 Ton Steam Tractor built by Marshall & Sons Ltd of Gainsborough Lincs.
Completed at the works on the 19th July 1915 and supplied via Thurlows of Stowmarket (as agents) to F G King of Ipswich. It was road registered in the Lincolnshire Heavy Motor index as BE2864. King traded as 'Eastern Counties Haulage' working as a general haulage contractor, furniture mover etc.
Thurlows daybooks (still extant) record:
23/07/1915 The Eastern Counties Haulage Co Silent Street, Ipswich
To 1 Marshall 5ton Compound Steam Tractor with firebox of their special patent type, oil pump, cylinders 4 ¾” x 8” diam, 9” stroke, working pressure 200lbs, waterlifter with hose & rose, winding drum & 50yds steel wire rope, mounted on springs to both hind & front axles, hind wheels with rim brake, full length awning with curtains, hoops to lagging, brass top to chimney, feed pump, injector & connections, additional tank under boiler barrel, side boards made deeper than usual on awning & complete with full outfit No.68754
£503-0-0
Registering the above Tractor as per
Registration certificate sent £ 1-0-0
£504-0-0

¼ down, balance in 3 years with interest at the rate of 5% per annum
C/paid Ipswich s/n GER (Cash Paid, Ipswich Station, Great Eastern Railway)


It is suspected that it was requisitioned for war office use in 1916, but by 1919 it is known to have been returned to King as again from Thurlows daybooks, it is recorded as sold on the 5th August 1919 to Cole Brothers of Roxholme, Sleaford. The record is clear that whilst the engine was not owned by Thurlows it was sold on behalf of King and the price (£620-0-0) was knocked off Kings account with them. King had earlier (in June 1919) purchased a brand new Garrett overtype steam wagon via Thurlows for the price of £1323-3-0. Coles were themselves engine dealers.
In September 1920 it was sold to Arthur Proctor, who was a showman in Derbyshire. He re-registered the machine CH2462 in the Derbyshire general series in accordance with the new licencing rules. It is believed that it was named ‘The Mascot’ at this time, a name previously held by a Burrell showmans engine earlier partly owned by Arthur Proctor with his brother. It is not believed that the Marshall carried showmans fittings.
However within 12months Arthur had passed away at a young age and by 1922 the machine was back with Coles. Coles had it advertised for a while. No sale materialised and in the end he converted the machine into a roller, the parts were supplied by Marshalls in 1922. Two hind rolls, the headstock, scrapers and the front fork and rolls.
It is not clear what happened next, likely local work in Coles ownership, but by 1927 it was with Robert Bridson & Son of Neston. Before the war it was used chip chasing behind ether Bridsons Fowler or Burrell Road Locos and gear, and after the war with Sentinel 8122.
Bridsons tackle travelled fairly extensively in Merseyside, Cheshire, North and Mid Wales. The Marshall would pull one or two Fowler-Woods chippers to and from the job.
Robert Bridson & Son was wound up in the late 1960’s.
Father bought 68754 in 1969, worn out, with a very tired boiler, and restored it (with my help!) to its original steam tractor condition between 1984 and about 2000.
The machine travels to all events under its own power, covering something approaching 500mile/year.
Minimum crew is 2. Driver and Steersman. You can do it by yourself safely, but you go much slower!.
Average speed is usually between 6 and 8mph, cruising speed 10mph with occasional bursts at 15mph.
Will do 25 miles between tank fill ups (water), a 25kg bag of coal will cover 7 or 8 miles on a good day.

Pictured the day father let me have it.


Secondly
Fowler 15489. CA6327
The engine is an example of a 8 ton steam roller built by John Fowler & Co in Leeds. Class T3.

The roller was supplied new to Wrexham Rural District Council in 1920, along with sister 15490.

I do not know a lot of its early history, save that it was finally registered on the general Denbighshire registration series in 1924 (It had been a requirement since 1921!) as CA 6327.

With the local Government act of 1929, responsibility for maintenance of rural highways was passed from the Rural District Councils to the County Council, and consequently the engine moved owners to Denbighshire County Council.

At some point prior to 1960 it had some sort of accident, resulting in a lot of damage. It gained a home made canopy.

I have photographs of it under repair at the Ruthin Depot in 1961, and I know it was based at Cerrig Y Drudion, usually parked on the strip of council land on the junction with the A5.

In 1962 or 3 the boiler was condemned and the roller sold by the council to the Lloyd Jones Brothers, who had intended further use.

Things didn't pan out, but some repairs were carried out and the machine was sold to George Bridson of Neston on the Wirral, effectively to be preserved.

George partially converted the engine into a steam tractor, and I saw it as such in the early 1990's. George passed (or sold) the engine to his son (also George!). 'Young' George returned it to a roller.

I bought it in 2003. So far I have overhauled the boiler. New boiler barrel, new tubeplate, new firebox. The restoration is getting there, but I've been at it 12 years allready!. Another 6 months may see it move under its own power. But it will be far from finished.

Here is a picture of it at work in July 1960 near Cerrig Y Drudion.


This is what it looks like, more or less now. Though a lot of work has taken place on parts not currently fitted.
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Rick
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Proper heavy engineering Cool

Have you seen buzzy bee's posts (from a while back admittedly) about his roller?

RJ
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D4B



Joined: 28 Dec 2010
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice and Welcome aboard Cool
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:31 am    Post subject: Re: Marshall 5 Ton Steam Tractor. Fowler 8 ton Steam Roller Reply with quote

8_10 Brass Cleaner wrote:
working pressure 200lbs,


Welcome to forum.

You are certainly involved in much more serious engineering than most of us here. Something that has always puzzled me, how do you seal the boiler tubes into their end plates?

Peter
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8_10 Brass Cleaner



Joined: 06 Jan 2016
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:49 am    Post subject: Re: Marshall 5 Ton Steam Tractor. Fowler 8 ton Steam Roller Reply with quote

peter scott wrote:
8_10 Brass Cleaner wrote:
working pressure 200lbs,


Welcome to forum.

You are certainly involved in much more serious engineering than most of us here. Something that has always puzzled me, how do you seal the boiler tubes into their end plates?

Peter


They are simply expanded into the hole.

Some boilers are more flexible and you can have stay tubes, which are threaded into both plates, or welded nowadays. They are also thicker walled.
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8_10 Brass Cleaner



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:51 am    Post subject: Re: Marshall 5 Ton Steam Tractor. Fowler 8 ton Steam Roller Reply with quote

peter scott wrote:
8_10 Brass Cleaner wrote:
working pressure 200lbs,


Welcome to forum.

You are certainly involved in much more serious engineering than most of us here. Something that has always puzzled me, how do you seal the boiler tubes into their end plates?

Peter


They are simply expanded into the hole.

Some boilers are more flexible and you can have stay tubes, which are threaded into both plates, or welded nowadays. They are also thicker walled.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. It just seemed incredible to me that with a large number of tubes you can get a good high pressure seal on all of them or do restorers generally need to revisit them after pressure testing. Perhaps you can have "another bash" whilst pressure testing?

I have a similar wonder with rivetted boiler plates. Is the metal to metal contact close enough for a perfect seal or is it possible to run some type of sealant into the boiler?

Peter
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8_10 Brass Cleaner



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

peter scott wrote:
Thanks. It just seemed incredible to me that with a large number of tubes you can get a good high pressure seal on all of them or do restorers generally need to revisit them after pressure testing. Perhaps you can have "another bash" whilst pressure testing?

I have a similar wonder with rivetted boiler plates. Is the metal to metal contact close enough for a perfect seal or is it possible to run some type of sealant into the boiler?

Peter


Generally the tubes do not leak. If they do, they were put in badly.

Sometimes poor driving/firing technique can upset them and cause them to leak, usually letting cold air into the firebed is what causes this. They can usually be expanded again. Though you cannot do this too many times.

With respect to the riveted seams, when new they are caulked, one edge is closed tightly against against the other using chisels. However leaks in new platework are inevitable.

Further caulking and the expansive properties of ferrous corrosion will seal the seams. I'm currently going through this process on the Fowler.

That said its pretty good, and I havn't resorted to urine to speed the process up yet.
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Rootes75



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice gear, I like steamers and so do the kids.
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