Driving and Operating Traction Engines Dyson • £25.00 • (A) Forty years ago, when the last book on operating and driving steam road vehicles was published, there were still many men around who had been professional drivers to instruct new the amateur ones; now there few, so this new book, written by someone with 20 years under his belt as an engine owner, is welcome. The author starts by describing the major types - traction engines, ploughing engines, road locomotives, tractors, rollers and miniatures (waggons don’t feature), looking at the technical and practical differences in each, then moving on to everything connected with the boiler, water feed and lubrication. This is followed by chapters on driving at rallies, and on the road, before the final chapters on Washing Out and Preparing for Winter, Boiler Inspection and Routine Maintenance. Good, useful stuff, even if I don’t agree with the author’s way of descending hills, - maybe they do things differently in flat Suffolk to the Surrey/Sussex borders where I learnt to drive 30 years ago! Well presented with 213 photos in colour and just 8 B&W. 144 pages. Hardback. Haven Publishing Add to shopping basket

The Modern Steam Car and its Background Derr & Clymer • £ 9.85 • (F) Facsimile reprint, most of which was first published by Thomas Derr in 1934, with this expanded edition being published by Floyd Clymer in 1943. Given the paucity of material on steam cars this is a welcome reprint and, whilst not highly technical, this book is a good read and a “must” for anyone interested in steam cars. Some of the photos are murky, but were the same on the original. 148 heavily illustrated pages. Paperback. Lindsay Publications Add to shopping basket

The Traction Engine Archive ed. Willcox • £15.00 • (A) The Road Locomotive Society has a very extensive collection of archive photographs showing road steam at work - this really cracking book contains a selection of 160 of these selected by Richard Willcox, many reproduced full page. 123 of the photographs are mixed andgrouped by make, one accompanies an article on the Lyonshall Engines of West Herefordshire, 15 are of traction engines in the Boer War and 20 form a Cavalcade of Showman’s Engines. If you are interested to know how traction engines, road rollers and steam wagons looked when they were earning a living, then look no further than this wonderful book. 160 landscape format pages. Hardbound. RLS. Add to shopping basket

The Traction Engine Archive Vol. 2 ed. Willcox • £24.00 • (A) Here are a further 169 archive photographs of traction engines, steam rollers, steam wagons and portables of all types, grouped by maker, and mostly caught during the first fifty years of the last century, with a few earlier. All the pictures are one to a page, and hence larger format, and frequently contain considerable detail, not always just of the engine photographed. Another lovely book from the RLS. 176 landscape format pages. Hardbound. Add to shopping basket

Traction Engine Design & Construction - Illustrated Supplement Gilbert • £ 19.50 • (B) Geoffrey Gilbert’s Traction Engine Design & Construction (now out of print) was deservedly a best seller in no mean terms. Despite the huge amount of information in it, Geoffrey realised that there were a number of omissions, which are covered in this second book. Text is largely restricted to the extended and informative captions to over 100 drawings and photos which mainly cover engines or parts not covered in the original book. If you have the main volume, you will want this supplement! 128 pages to the same standard as other Gilbert books. Hardbound. Published by the author. Add to shopping basket

A Celebration of Great Dorset Steam Appleton • £14.99 • (D) If you have never visited the Great Dorset Steam Fair (or ‘Stourpaine’ as it will always be to those of us of a certain age) you may wonder what all the annual fuss is about, but this nicely done book of mainly full page, all colour, photos will give you an idea - at least of the steam side of the show. And if you have been a regular visitor you are bound to find engines, or scenes her you will remember. See you near Blandford the weekend after August Bank Holiday? 80 landscape format pages. Around 85 photos in glorious colour. Hardbound. Ian Allen Add to shopping basket

‘Renown’ Steptoe • £ 5.00 • (G) Fowler R3 class showman’s engine No. 15653 ‘Renown’ was delivered to John Murphy of Co. Durham in 1920; told here is her story in showland use, and in preservation, up to the present day. Unusually ‘Renown’ has never been fitted with twisted brass and the like, John Murphy wanting an engine which was “Plain but powerful”. Equally unusually, she has had more than her fair share of rebuildings, the last in 2003, following very severe damage in a fire at the premises where she was stored. That ‘Renown’ emerged better than new in under two years is a tribute to the skills and hard work put in by her present owners. 36 high quality, and ridiculously cheap, pages. 60 photos, over half in glorious colour. Paperback. Jumper Books Add to shopping basket

The Story of St Nicholas Works Lane • £ 30.00 • (A) Back in print (but in limited quantity) this is Michael Lane’s monumental history of world famed traction engine builders Charles Burrell & Son Ltd. of Thetford. Need I say more, other than that this is your last chance if you missed out first time around! 320 pages. Over 300 b & w illustrations, including drawings. Hardbound. Published by the author Add to shopping basket

The Story of the Wellington Foundry Lane • SPECIAL PRICE • £ 21.00 • (A) This Company history from Michael Lane, telling the fascinating story of William Foster & Co. Ltd of Lincoln and their products, notably superbly built traction engines, and a very interesting section on their pioneering efforts producing the first tanks during WWI. 192 pages. 168 illustrations and extensive appendices. Hardbound. Quiller Press Add to shopping basket

Mann’s Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Company Pease • £24.99 • (A) Whilst the side firing on a Mann’s Steam Cart, and expecially the fact that the throttle was above the driver’s left shoulder might suggest otherwise, this 1898 vehicle, and the firm’s steam lorry introduced the following year, were well thought out, and the very first load-carrying road vehicles. Twenty six years later Mann’s introduced their Express wagon, with shaft drive, high speed engine and fully enclosed cab, but this was not a commercial success and led to the company’s demise in 1929. Here you have the full history of the company, and especially its products, a very few of which have survived. 192 pages. Numerous B & W photos and drawings. Hardbound. Landmark Publishing Add to shopping basket

W. Tasker & Sons, Ltd. Catalogue of "Little Giant" Steam Tractors, "Little Giant" Steam Wagons, Light Traction Engines & Road Rollers c.1919 • £ 4.95 • (G) The Catalogue from which this reprint is taken is just post World War I. Photos cover the B2 Compounds in chain and gear driven road versions, showman, ploughing and colonial disguises, the Single Cylinder A2 ("our" engine - see below) builders view and thrashing, 2 rollers, 2 light traction engines and 7 wagons, including a side fired steam watering van. Plus drawings of "Hoare's Patent Spring Gear for Gear Driven Engines" and of "Springing, etc, of Hoare's Patent Chain-Drive Tractor”. Nice taste of history in 28 landscape format pages. Softcover. Camden. Add to shopping basket

Road Locomotive Society Reprints

The Yorkshire Steam Wagon Catalogue £ 5.00 (G) Add to shopping basket

Fodens Limited Catalogue £ 4.00 (G) Add to shopping basket

Fowler Road Making Machinery Catalogue £ 5.00 (F) Add to shopping basket

Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd. Traction Engines, Road Locomotives etc. Catalogue £ 4.00 (G) Add to shopping basket

Wallis & Stevens Ltd. Traction Engine Catalogue £ 4.00 (G) Add to shopping basket Lovely catalogue reprints from the Road Locomotive Society. The Yorkshire Catalogue is a small format 48 page one, detailing the firm's unique steam wagons, and their technical details. The Foden Catalogue mainly covers traction engines, thrashers, bailers and traction wagons in 35 pages, although there is a short section on (early) steam wagons.The 39 page Fowler Catalogue deals with steam rollers, scarifiers, living vans etc, but also includes motor road rollers. The Ransomes' one dates from the Edwardian era and contains beautiful engravings of assorted GPTEs and road locomotives, plus a traction wagon. The Wallis Catalogue dates from 1898 and includes engravings of GPTEs, road locomotives, traction waggons, a roller , thrashing drum, portable and semi-fixed engines. It also goes into detail of the workings of the Wallis patent expansion gear, extolling its virtues as well as including a separate price list. 24 & 28 pages respectively. None of the others are dated, but the Yorkshire one is probably early 20's. The Foden Catalogue is probably around 1910, and the Fowler one around the mid 1920s. All are superbly done and well worth having.

Porter Mfg.Co., 1884 Catalogue of Engines and Boilers SPECIAL PRICE! • £ 2.60 • (H) The Porter Company of Syracuse, N.Y. were leading manufacturers of portables, semi-portables, stationary engines, boilers, pumps, saw benches etc. All are in this high quality reprint. 44 pages, 21 very clear engravings, lots of technical info. Paperback. Lindsay Publications. Add to shopping basket

Garrett Traction & Ploughing Engines Whitehead • £ 18.50 • (B) Whilst best known for other steam products, Garrett’s produced a respectable number of traction engines, their last, a GPTE being delivered in 1931.This book looks at all the types: Strawburners, Ploughing Engines and New Zealand Tractions, Road Locomotives and Showman’s Engines, and Continental Traction Engines. Erudition and an easy writing style make this is an informative and enjoyable book. Some of the illustrations are a bit dark, probably due to their age; no padding with preservation era photos! 144 pages. 130 illustrations including previously unpublished drawings and photographs, and a full builder’s list. Hardbound. Published by the author Add to shopping basket

Garrett Steam Tractors & Rollers Whitehead • £ 18.50 • (B) The latest in Bob Whitehead’s series on the products of this Leiston builder, here covering their rollers and especially their steam tractors. These were a highly successful product and many remain in preservation, in various guises. It is all here, told in Bob’s inimitable style with a lot of technical and incidental (often entertaining) information. 144 pages. 149 photos and drawings. Hardbound. Published by the author Add to shopping basket

Garrett Wagons Part 1 Pioneers & Overtypes Whitehead • £ 18.00 • (B) The first of a series of three books covering Garrett's steam wagons and motor & electric vehicles. A lot of information, to put it mildly, in Bob Whitehead’s usual erudite and enjoyable way. 142 A4 format pages, with about 150 illustrations. Hardbound. Published by the author. Add to shopping basket

Garrett Wagons Part 2 - Undertypes Whitehead • £ 18.00 • (B) Another excellent book from Bob Whitehead. Covers Garrett’s undertypes -not as well known as Sentinels, but probably as sound and well liked by their drivers. 144 pages. 151 photos and drawings. Hardbound. Published by the author. Add to shopping basket

Garrett Wagons Part 3 - Electrics & Motors Whitehead • £ 18.50 • (B) Final book of this history looking at the electric and IC lorries produced by Garretts, plus their range of trolley buses. It may not be steam, but it is an interesting read, especially in the context of the problems faced by steam manufacturers in switching to other technology. 144 pages and around 150 photos and drawings. Hardbound. Published by the author Add to shopping basket

CD-ROM Garrett Portable and Fixed Engines Whitehead • £10.50 (U.K.) • £12.00 (Worldwide Airmail) In book form the contents of this CD would be the final volume in Bob Whitehead’s history of Garretts and their products. Almost certainly correctly, Bob felt that a 536 page book on this aspect of Garretts products was not commercially viable, so has made the book layouts available here on CD. What you have are a total of 13 chapters covering portables, hoists & winders, semi-stationaries, uniflow engines, straw-burning etc., etc., all fully illustrated, which can either be viewed on your computer, or printed out. Usual Whitehead quality of research and text, this really is a very cheap way to acquire a lot of information! (A web browser and “Adobe Reader” are required to view this CD, which otherwise will run on both PCs or ‘Macs’) Add to shopping basket

CD-ROM Garrett Threshers & Other Machines Whitehead • £10.50 (U.K.) • £12.00 (Worldwide Airmail) The CD above may have been the final one on Garrett’s powered vehicles, but on this one Bob Whitehead covers the firm’s Threshing Drums, Field Implements, Wagons, Carts & Trailers, the Decorticators and other products. 10 chapters in all, plus Appendices and Lists of Machines. Fully illustrated with b&w photos and drawings, and usual top quality this author always provides. (A web browser and “Adobe Reader” are required to view this CD, which otherwise will run on both PCs or ‘Macs’) Add to shopping basket

Glossops Kings of Tarspraying Whitehead • £ 11.50 • (C) For the first seventy years of this century roadmaking, and especially tarspraying, in the U-K was dominated by a handful of companies, of which the Halifax based firm of W & J Glossop was the largest. Given the trade it was inevitable that Glossops used steam vehicles and their tar sprayers were amongst the last commercial steam vehicles licensed. This book covers the firm’s development, and its large steam (and i.c.) fleet, but never looses sight of the human element. 80 A4 format pages. 70 photos and drawings. Hardbound. R.A. Whitehead & Partners Add to shopping basket

Journeys on George Lewendon • £ 5.00 • (H) In 2006 Carters Steam Fair borrowed John Wharton’s Burrell Showman’s Road Locomotive No. 3489 King George V1 to haul part of their fair on its movements around the London area between April and late September, and provide power on the tober. For most of this epic the 97 year old veteran was driven by Mike Lewendon, and this interesting booklet is his diary of an interesting 6 months. It is also well illustrated with 44 photos, the vast majority in colour. 32 well produced pages. Softcover. Published by the author Add to shopping basket

Steaming Down the Ages Freeman • £ 5.90 • (G) Latest publication from the East Anglian Traction Engine Society, this is a very well produced album of over 90 B &W photos of road steam vehicles of all types, and most makes, at work commercially during road steam’s hey-day. Good picture quality, a fair few being full page, and tremendous value. 75 page paperback. Add to shopping basket

Contractor and Factor Freeman • £ 8.90 • (F) Another excellent book from the EATES, covering aspects of work done by early road making and steam plough contractors in East Anglia, specifically W.G. Smoothy of Rochford, Essex who ceased trading in 1946 and M. Bloomfield & sons Ltd. of Debenham, Suffolk who are still operating. Lots of steam, early 20th century life and anecdotes in a well produced 101 page paperback with around 100 photos (inc. some in colour). Add to shopping basket

The Heavy Gang Neville • £ 6.50 • (H) Written by the late Steve Neville, this is a "Memorial Edition" to him.The book tells the story of boilermakers J.Hickey and Sons of Richmond, Surrey and in particular the three Burrell Road Locomotives they owned, which were used to deliver their products, and also hired out to others as available. All three engines survive to this day, and I reckon this is the best book on steam heavy haulage to appear. 41 full page photos. 82 landscape format pages. Paperback. E.A.T.E.S. Add to shopping basket

4" scale Tasker LITTLE GIANT Steam Tractor Full drawings and castings are available for this medium sized, but extremely powerful, model steam tractor.
Based on the works drawings for the 'A2' class of tractor produced by Taskers of Andover, this is an authentic and accurate model - like the prototype it will steam effortlessly for long periods and haul prodigious loads. A simple and robust design, this steam tractor is a most attractive and rewarding project for the model engineer. And it can be carried in the back of a larger estate car - no trailer required......

Contact us, or see the "Drawings and Castings" Section

FILMS

Model Traction Engines on Parade App. 45 mins • DVD £ 6.95 Long ago, when I was but a callow youth, I organised, singly and jointly, many of the early Model Traction Engine Rallies, and International ‘Meets’, at the Guildford Model Engineering Society. In 1994 I decided to have another go, and organised a model traction engine rally at the Rode Bird Gardens, half a mile from Barrow Farm. This met with approval, especially from the exhibitors, and five more rallies were held at this location, until the Bird Gardens closed in the autumn of 2000. Shortly before the third Rally took place in 1997 I was contacted by a Welsh gentleman who wanted to make a film of the event, and he duly turned up with an assistant, and a lot of ‘heavy’ equipment (in every sense), to spend 6 hours filming on the Saturday. The weather was good, they went away happy and eventually an exceptionally good example of the film maker’s art arrived on my desk, and we sold the video for a while, until it disappeared. Now it has emerged on DVD, so those of you who visited the event can revel in the nostalgia of it all, and those of you who didn’t come can see a whole load of superb models, in glorious scenery, and sunshine. You can also see that the only organising I did was to get the entrants in - thereafter it was simpler to leave them to organise themselves, so anarchy reigns. The colour does appear to have faded from the original video, but this isn’t serious and, apart from an interview with some silly so-and-so with a pony-tail (mercifully short) this is a most enjoyable film - at a real BARGAIN price. Add to shopping basket

Steam on Lakeland Passes 64 mins • DVD £14.99 • One of the most enjoyable films I have seen in ages, this professionally produced video follows Stuart Harrison and his Fowler road locomotive No. 12899 of 1912, "Western Star" in October 2002, as they tackle a round Lakeland trip which included 6 major climbs, and descents. The trip finished with the Wrynose and Hard Knott Passes, the last with 1 in 3 gradients and ferocious hairpins. As anyone who has driven these in a car will appreciate, they are the best free "white knuckle" rides in the U.K.! Also climbed were Birker Moor, and Whinlatter, Newlands and Honister Passes, names which may not mean much if you don't know Cumbria, but they are steep in a car, let alone on an 80 year old traction engine. During the trip, visits were made to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, and the Threlkeld Mining Museum, and "Western Star" is also seen driving a stone crusher and hauling timber, jobs she undertook in her commerical life. For at least part of the trip, a 1932 Sentinel DG4 steam lorry is seen acting as back up vehicle. But the real stars are "Western Star" and her crew as they accomplish this hair-raising challenge, and the spectacular Lake District scenery. Humorous, spectacular, highly enjoyable and highly recommended! Add to shopping basket

Richard Trevithick’s Road & Rail Locos 1801 - 1804 • 60 mins • DVD £16.95 The above is a summary of the title of the new production from Roger Newbery who films the events the 'big boys' seem to ignore - and comes up with interesting results. In fact, this is the second film Roger has done on the engines built by Richard Trevithick, and the first 8 or so minutes are edited highlights from the first film, on the run of the Trevithick ' car' replica up Camborne Hill on Christmas Eve 2001. The remainder of this film shows the replica 1803 rail locomotive at Ironbridge Museum, the replica 1803 London Steam Carriage in operation at Quorn Station on the GCR in 1996 and the replica 1804 Pen-y-darren locomotive working at Railfest at the National Railway Museum in June 2004. Additionally, at the celebratory Transport Festival at Merthyr Tydfil you see the actual 1875 Grenville Steam Carriage, and the replica 1883 Hancock Steam Carriage in action, as well as steam cars, traction engines and other classic vehicles. And if that isn't enough to make your day, there is Rolf Harris, who somehow became involved with the proceedings, and Pete Waterman naming an EWS locomotive "Richard Trevithick". In reality, this is a high quality amateur video, rather than a professional one, but it is well done, and includes a whole host of entertaining and interesting sequences showing wonderous machines in action. Add to shopping basket

NTET 50 Years 1954-2004 88 mins • DVD £17.95 • The National Traction Engine Trust celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2004 and this film follows three of the celebratory events, firstly President Giles Romanes uses his Wallis & Stevens tractor to recreate an event 100 years ago when an engine crossed Tower Bridge in London, resulting in a hefty fine. Then there is a visit to the celebrations at the Great Dorset Steam Fair, before most of the film follows many of over 100 engines in the Road Run over hilly and picturesque routes in Northamptonshire. This is just a nice enjoyable film! Add to shopping basket

Burrell Gold Centenary 1907 – 2007 80 mins. • DVD £16.95 In 1907 the RAC held a nationwide trial to test modern commercial road transport; Chas. Burrell & Son won the Class H (steam) division with their steam tractors, henceforth and for evermore known as 'Gold Medal' tractors. One hundred years later 18 of these tractors gathered at Woodcote in Oxfordshire to celebrate the victory, and this nice film follows them on the roads to Woodcote, and the jollifications there on, and off, the road. Also included is library footage of three further tractors, which couldn't make the event. Add to shopping basket

West Country Steam Car Tour 110 mins • DVD £17.95 Shot in May 2007, this nice film follows The Steam Car Club of Great Britain on their annual peregrination, this time round a series of routes based on Tiverton in Devon. The weather was good, so you get lovely scenery, as well as wonderful steam cars going up and down steep hills, through narrow lane, across lonely moors and stopping in ‘postcard pretty’ villages. The majority of the cars are Stanleys, but in a wide range of shapes, sizes and ages, plus a few Whites. Very pleasant! Add to shopping basket

Mull Steam App 50 mins • DVD £10.00 Fully described in the "Miniature Railways" section, this film also includes many shots of the traction engine rally held at Torosay Castle on the Isle of Mull a couple of years ago, giving a good opportunity to see some Scottish based engines. Add to shopping basket