Traction Engines Are Their Hobby

Press, Volume C, Issue 29643, 13 October 1961, Page 17

Traction Engines Are Their Hobby

With its long history ot cropping it is no wonder the Ellesmere district has *0 many who remember with pride the days of the traction engine and mill. This was shown two yean ago at Lakeside when a threshing display with mill and engine attracted a crowd of thousands. . ; Traction engine enthusiasts in the district are at present making preparations to take part in another big display which will be held on November 11 at Yaldhtlrst. Thia is the Saturday following the Christchurch Show and the display will be part of Festival Week. 16 Engines— Already the owners of 1# engines in Canterbury have said they will take part and there is the hope ot getting another four as well and the organisers are hoping a Stanley steam car will also be there. Threshing and chaffcutting will be part of the display and a number of novelty events are being worked out for the drivers of the traction engines. Last Saturday a group of these enthusiasts were gathered in Mr Roy Batt’s engineering workshop at Doyleston when a reporter of “The Press” drove past the yard and noticed a traction engine and a steam roller there. Four of the men were members ot the Everest family which had a threshing contracting business ia the district from 1898 to 1954 and who all “guaranteed they had played as children in the coal bunker of a traction engine.” One of them, Mr George Everest, has restored a 1909 eight horsepower Robey of Lincoln compound engine. This engine was imported by Adam Werner of the Doyleston Engineering Works in

1900 tor Lemon Bros, of Kiliinchy at a cost of £B4O. It was sold to Bowmans. Ltd., i of Riccarton, in 1952 and Mr i Everest. bought the engine in i 1958 while driving back by ; car from the first traction en- [ gine rally at Southbrook. Mr Batt is the proprietor of the Doyleston Engineering Work*, and the history of the i works ia more encouragement t than excuse for his close ati taehment to steam engines. > Bia office files probably in- . elude as mueh traction engine f tore as anything else. The , big McLaren engine outside : the works may have Elles- ; mere County Council painted on its side, but its paintwork shines brighter when it is parked near the works. Another enthusiast at Doyleston on Saturday was I Mr Jack McMahon, who lives ■ in Christchurch but owns an I eight horse-power Fowler in I partnership with his brotheri m-law, Mr W. Johnson, who has a gtud farm in the dis- ■ trict where the engine is kept. This engine cost £750 and * was imported by G. W. R. Os- ' borne, of Doyleston, for Cur- ; ragh Bros., of Templeton. Mr ! McMahon '• drove the engine when it was new in 1911. and . Mr Johnson worked on it. I Australia—- ' Last year, Mr McMahon and ■ Mr Johnson went to the Yangan district in Queensland, ’ where they found 14 engines in varying stages of repair > They roused sufficient interest ; in the. engines to get an en- ’ thusiasts’ group started, and they helped begin some of the i reconditioning necessary. , Some of the engines were , capable of steaming, and Mr McMahon spent several happy 1 days driving. Next year Mr McMahon in- ' tends going back to Yangan, ; with the hope of promoting a ■ full-scale rally. Throughout ■ Australia, he says 84 engines ’ have been traced, and there • could be some great displays i organised.