Traction Engines and Road Locomotives

The term Traction Engine was normally used to describe the type of steam road locomotive that would be used for agricultural or short haulage work. Traction engines developed from portable engines. The traditional English traction engine was developed in the 1860's and remained basically unchanged until its demise in the 1930's. Traction engines consist of a locomotive type boiler (but of a stronger design that used in portable engines), axles at each end of the boiler with the steering axle below the smokebox. The rear axle is at the end of the firebox, in many engines this axle is sprung. Mounted at the end of the boiler is the coal bunker and water tank at its base. The space between the boiler and coal bunker forms the drivers area above the water tank.

There were two types of cylinder in normal use these were a "single cylinder" which uses the steam only once, this was the most popular type for agricultural use. A "compound cylinder" was the other type, this allowed the steam to be used twice, once in the high pressure cylinder and then for a second time on the low pressure cylinder (larger in size than the high pressure cylinder) before the steam is finally exhausted though the chimney. The flywheel would normally be of a spoked variety and would have a rim to allow the use of a belt for driving machinery.

Traction engines would normally only have two speeds and the gears could not be changed when the engine is moving. Traction engines work as well backwards as forwards as the gearing is the same in either direction. Refilling the water tank is necessary every 6 to eight miles. Traction engines changed little in general design over the years. Large numbers were scraped in the Second World War.

Road Locomotives

The term Road Locomotive is normally used to describe the larger size of traction engine, these were designed to haul large loads, over large distances at relatively high speeds. Engines would normally have six foot or greater rear wheels, motion work will be hidden behind plates so as not to frighten horses, canopies are normally fitted. Engines would normally be compound and would have three speeds and would be fully sprung so as to absorb road shocks. Extra water tanks would normally be fitted under the boiler to allow greater distances between water stops. Large loads were nearly always handled by Road Locomotives until the 1940's when larger motorised haulage vehicles became available. On very large loads two or three Road Locomotives could be used.

Fowler Single Cylinder Traction Engine

Marshall General Purpose TE
Illustration taken from Marshall Parts List.

Marshall General Purpose TE
Illustration Taken from Marshall Parts List Catalogue.

Burrell Traction Engine

Wm Foster Road Locomotive.

Wm Foster Motion Work Illustration taken from Road Locomotive Society Reprint.

Wm Foster springing and firebox Illustration

Garrett No. 7 Superheated Traction Engine, the device on the side of the smokebox is a steam lance for cleaning the superheater.

Showmans Road Locomotives

This form of Road Locomotive was used by showmen to haul their loads from fair to fair and to provide electricity for their rides by virtue of an dynamo mounted in front of the chimney. Some engines known as Scenic Showmans Road Locomotives have a second (exciter) dynamo fitted to allow the large start loads of "scenic fairground rides" to be catered for. Governors were fitted to ensure constant speed when driving the dynamo. These engines are normally fitted with full canopies and brass fittings. The finer engines were produced after 1910. Showmans engines had a hard life often travelling 100 miles with three trailers and then working for many hours generating electricity for the fair ride.

Wm Foster Showmans Road Locomotive.
Illustration Taken from 1920 Foster Catalogue.

Wm Foster Showmans Road Locomotive.
Illustration Taken from 1920 Foster Catalogue.

Burrell Showmans Road Locomotive

Steam Tractor

Aveling and Porter Tractor towing Portable Engine
Original illustration was sepia from an original catalogue.

Ploughing Engines

Ploughing Engines Ploughing Engines are specially adapted traction engines for use in operating cable ploughing equipment. The normal designs adopted were for a pair of engines (left and right) to be used to pull the ploughing implement between the engines. The engines would be located at either end of the field which was to be ploughed. The engines would then attach their wire ropes to the plough (the ropes are on the engine in a drum located under the boiler and are coiled by a mechanism so that the rope does not snag). One engine would then pull the plough from the second engine (whilst it allowed its rope to be pulled out freely) until it had travelled between the two engines. The pair of engines would the move forwards a little the operation is then repeated (engine two pulling this time). Thus allowing the field to be ploughed. Power to the drum is supplied by the engine via a clutch mechanism and vertical shafting with a pinion.

Fowler ZS Ploughing Engine

Fowler ZS Ploughing Engine
Line Drawing

Howards of Bedford Ploughing Engine of 1878
This engine was exhibited at the Paris Exposition Universelle of that year.