No 4040
This Engine was supplied new to Thomas Turner of Bradworthy, Devon. The promised delivery date was to be the 1st of March 1926 at Holsworthy Station, but is believed to have been delivered on the 8th of April 1926. It was built to the special order of Thomas Turner, incorporating some unusual features for a Burrell Roller such as: a balanced crank; differential, winding drum and fairleads; differential lock; swing fire door; extension bunker; boiler filling plug below the cylinder; and a hand hole in the side of the boiler barrel. Along with many other less noticeable features it makes this the only Burrell Roller ever built like it.
Thomas Turner owned the Roller from 1926 until 1953. He is thought to have worked on it predominately in the Bradworthy area. Its driver was Mr George Ley. Thomas Turner didn’t have a yard, and maintenance on the Roller was carried out in a lay-by in North Road, Bradworthy.
In 1953 it was sold to R Dingle and Sons Ltd. The Roller is known to have worked in the St Austell and Truro areas whilst in their ownership. Even today I get plenty of people come up to me and say they remember it at work. It is affectionately known as “Forty, Forty” in the local area. As far as I am aware its last commercial job was rolling the access road to Four Lanes TV mast. In 1962 the Roller entered the preservation era. It was purchased by Adrian & Amanda Menear in December 2005 and travels to most events under its own steam.
The black and white pictures are taken in and around St Austell in Dingles ownership. There is one picture that shows the late George Ley (driver for Thomas Turner) standing on the foot board.
Thomas Turner owned the Roller from 1926 until 1953. He is thought to have worked on it predominately in the Bradworthy area. Its driver was Mr George Ley. Thomas Turner didn’t have a yard, and maintenance on the Roller was carried out in a lay-by in North Road, Bradworthy.
In 1953 it was sold to R Dingle and Sons Ltd. The Roller is known to have worked in the St Austell and Truro areas whilst in their ownership. Even today I get plenty of people come up to me and say they remember it at work. It is affectionately known as “Forty, Forty” in the local area. As far as I am aware its last commercial job was rolling the access road to Four Lanes TV mast. In 1962 the Roller entered the preservation era. It was purchased by Adrian & Amanda Menear in December 2005 and travels to most events under its own steam.
The black and white pictures are taken in and around St Austell in Dingles ownership. There is one picture that shows the late George Ley (driver for Thomas Turner) standing on the foot board.
No 2804
No. 2804. Reg. DH 2542. “The White Rose of York”. Built 1906. 8nhp. 20.5 tons. Showman’s Road Locomotive. New to Alf Payne of York in 1906 and sold in 1923, together with Burrell 3833 “Queen Mary” and the gallopers to Anderton & Rowlands and driven down to the West Country. They could not get over the problem of rubbering the wheels, due to a lack of clearance for the low gear and sold it a year later to Heals of Glastonbury who rubbered only 3/4 of the wheel. The engine carries the dynamo with the Heal emblem engraved on it. In 1947 the engine moved to the Midlands and was used by Pat Collins and renamed “Griffin” after Hunts Iron Foundry who looked after Collins’ engines and owned by Hunts and rallied extensively in the early days. Parked up in 1964, moving to Dingles Steam Village in 2000 and bought last year by John Atkinson of Launceston. Since then it has been rebored with new pistons, had a new boiler barrel and tube plate fitted at Dingles. John has fitted a new set of rubbers, which Bill Hunt had in stock for 40 years and addressed the clearance problem by thinning down the tyre. It is now back in the West Country in steam after 40 years and renamed “The White Rose of York”. It may well be the only one left in its working paintwork and further work is planned. Owned by: John Atkinson, South Petherwin, Launceston.
No 3999
No. 3999. Reg. RL 74. “Ernie”. Built 1924. 5nhp. 12 tons. Class ‘A’ Single Cylinder Steam Roller, supplied new to Messers. R. Dingle & Sons Ltd. Stoke Climsland and worked mainly in the Penryn area for much of its life. Purchased for preservation in the 1960’s by a Devon owner, it later came to Cornwall, being acquired by the present owner in a partly dismantled condition and thereafter completely rebuilt. Owned by: Brian & Mark Sanders, Penryn.
No 3257
No. 3257. Reg. AH 5317. “Clinker”. Built 1911. 7nhp 15 tons. Double Crank Compound three speed Road Locomotive. Supplied new to the Wingham Agricultural Implement Co. Ltd. Wingham, Kent for road haulage work. Used by Wingham’s for a comparatively short period before it passed into the ownership of Mornement & Ray of East Harling, Norfolk and in its later years was used on Fen drainage work. The engine received a complete overhaul in the early 1990’s including a new boiler barrel and firebox. “Clinker” was maintained and rallied under its own steam for over thirty years by it previous owner Mike Ward of Nottingham from whom the engine was purchased late in 2004 by the present owners. Owned by: Rob & Karen Wing,Truro.
No 3919
No. 3919. Reg. BW 6030. “Susie”. Built 1922. 6nhp. 12 tons. Single Crank Compound Traction Engine. New to F. Nixey (farmers), Cuxham. It was then acquired by Bob Castle (timber contractor), and spent her working life in Berkshire and the Cotswolds. She was acquired by Peter Young, Cirencester in the early 1950's and sold to Dave Plant in 1979 who did a lot of work on her but sold her in a dismantled condition to David and Judith Walker. They finished the work and rallied the engine for several years bringing her to Cornwall when they moved down from Shropshire. Over the winter of 1995/6 they fitted a new firebox and front tube-plate and carried out general repairs to the boiler. The engine was purchased from them in 1997 by their daughter and son-in-law (the present owners). Owned by: Charlie & Nicky Daniel, Bodmin.
No 3816
No. 3816. Reg. AF 3518. “Cornish Maid”. Built 1919. 5nhp. 11.5 tons. Compound Agricultural Engine. Ordered and purchased by Mr. C. H. Parsons, Contractors of St. Columb Major, Cornwall, the engine has an extra long boiler and connecting rods, a solid disc flywheel, 3 speed gears and is fully sprung. During the summer the engine was used to haul the fairground equipment to the towns it visited, as well as doing some very heavy haulage work hauling large Cornish mine boilers and during the rest of the year threshing and wood sawing. One of her drivers has said that she worked 364 out of 365 days a year. Mark Syms purchased the engine in 1970 and extensive restoration work has been carried out by him and his son Steve and some very helpful friends and completed in 1992. New rubber tyres were fitted in 1997. During 2004 "Cornish Maid” has received more essential restoration work with the fitting of new gears, a new back axle and balance weights being added to the crank shaft. The Engineer who fitted the gears said that he had never seen such a hard worked engine as she had worked as many miles backwards as forwards (threshing and sawing are carried out with the flywheel in reverse). A new chimney, chimney base and baffle plate have also been fitted. Still owned by the Syms Family the engine is based only a mile from the original owner's yard in St. Columb Major, Cornwall. Owned by: Steven Syms & Family, St. Columb Major.
No 4060
No. 4060. Reg. RL 5549. “Pride of Newquay”. Built 1927. 4nhp. 10 tons. Class ‘A’ Single Cylinder Steam Roller which was new to R. Dingle & Sons Ltd. of Stoke Climsland working in and around the Liskeard / Lostwithiel area. Purchased in 1965 by Hedley James it carried on working on and off for the next five years. When acquired the second shaft was broken and the tubes were out. The price was £100, with a set of tubes and a second shaft. Laid up in the early 1970’s a complete rebuild took place during 1996-1998, followed by repainting to the manufacturer’s specifications. Owned by: Tyrone James & Sons, Newquay.
No 2351
No: 2351. Reg: AL 9309. “Ephraim”. Built 1901. 8nhp. 18/19 tons. Double Crank Compound Showmans Engine. Built for F. & J. Cox, Codnor, Derbyshire and delivered on the 27th February 1901. Painted midland railway colour, at F. & J. Cox’s request making “Ephraim’s” colour scheme pleasantly different. It is the only 8nhp. Showmans engine built by Burrell with this colour. Purchased for preservation from Bob Bramley’s family at Loughborough, Leicester in May 1991, he used the engine for driving a saw bench, as he was a wood carver for F. & J. Coxs’ fairground. “Ephraim” has had one of the most extensive restorations possible, taking 16 years and over 22,000 man hours. The restoration included a new boiler, smoke box, chimney, tender, belly tanks, new bearings throughout, wheel’s re-rimmed, new tyres and canopy and every nut bolt and rivet throughout. June 2007 was the first time steamed in 50 years. Owned by:- Graham Vincent, Par.
No 3937
No 3937. Reg: SU 1212. “Janet”. Built 1922. 6nhp. 14.5 tons. Single Crank Compound Road Locomotive. New to G. Birss, Craythes, Kincardine, Scotland and spent most of its’ working life running portable stone crushing plant. Purchased derelict near Aberdeen and restored by Hubert Nixon, Richmond, Northumberland and acquired from him by the present Owners in 1983, since when a great deal of mechanical restoration has taken place. Owned by: Robin & Sue Daniel & Family, Upton Cross, Liskeard.
No 3798
No: 3798. Reg: TA 369. “Redgauntlet”. Built 1919. 6nhp. 10 tons
12 cwt. Double Crank Compound Agricultural Engine. This engine was purchased new by Mr. G. H. Kingdon of Umberleigh, Devon who owned it all of its’ working life. It was then purchased for preservation around 1954 by Mr. Cyril Nicholls of Gloucester who rallied it under the name of “Nora”. It then had a number of Owners (during which time the name was changed to “Red Gauntlet”) before being purchased by Mr Alastair Mitchell of Hampshire. Shortly after purchase it was found that major boiler repairs were needed so Mr Mitchell dismantled the engine. Mr Mitchell then became very ill and was unable to continue the restoration. It lay in a dismantled state for several years until being purchased by David Hicks of Ponsanooth in 1993. Over the next three years David made a start on the restoration work but decided to sell the engine in 1996. It was then purchased by the present Owner who continued the work. For various reasons over the last few years the engine hasn’t been touched but it is hoped to get on now and finish the restoration so that in the near future “Red Gauntlet” can return to the rally fields. Owned by: Glenn Carter, Blackwater, Truro.
12 cwt. Double Crank Compound Agricultural Engine. This engine was purchased new by Mr. G. H. Kingdon of Umberleigh, Devon who owned it all of its’ working life. It was then purchased for preservation around 1954 by Mr. Cyril Nicholls of Gloucester who rallied it under the name of “Nora”. It then had a number of Owners (during which time the name was changed to “Red Gauntlet”) before being purchased by Mr Alastair Mitchell of Hampshire. Shortly after purchase it was found that major boiler repairs were needed so Mr Mitchell dismantled the engine. Mr Mitchell then became very ill and was unable to continue the restoration. It lay in a dismantled state for several years until being purchased by David Hicks of Ponsanooth in 1993. Over the next three years David made a start on the restoration work but decided to sell the engine in 1996. It was then purchased by the present Owner who continued the work. For various reasons over the last few years the engine hasn’t been touched but it is hoped to get on now and finish the restoration so that in the near future “Red Gauntlet” can return to the rally fields. Owned by: Glenn Carter, Blackwater, Truro.
No 3159
No: 3159. Reg: CO 3823 "The Gladiator". Built 1909. 7nhp. 17 tons. Compound Showman’s Road Locomotive. Supplied new to Anderton & Rowland the well-known Amusement Caterers and worked with their Gondola Ride. Sold in 1932 to T. Whitelegg & Sons Ltd., Exeter and acquired for preservation in 1953 by the Gladiator Club of Redruth who restored and rallied her until 1984. Then in need of heavy repairs she was acquired the following year by her present owner who, with a dedicated band of helpers, has completely rebuilt her. Rallied for two years in road loco form the showman’s accessories were refitted in 1992. Owned by: David Goodwin, St. Columb Major.
No 3676
No 3676. 1915 Burrell 'Devonshire'. Owned by Michael Pearse, Liskeard.
