Road Engines

There are wide variety of steam powered road engines at Hollycombe. These fall into four categories; Showman's Engines, Traction Engines, Agricultural Engines and Road Rollers. All of the engines listed here are operational unless otherwise stated and used regularly for the enjoyment of the public at Hollycombe.

You can experience a ride behind one of traction engines on a 10 minute ride from the Narrow Gauge Station, along a woodland track, past the steam farm and back to the station. This ride is normally hauled by "Sunset No2", but other engines often also lend a hand.

The other engines are utilised around the collection. See the sections below for more details. 

Showman's Engines

Showman's engines were the power source of the traveling fairgrounds of the early 1900s. They were often the pride of the showmen who turned them out in immaculate condition with much ornate decoration and polished brass. The engines were used to haul the rides between locations, assist with setting up the rides and then to generate electricity to power the lights.

There are two showmans engines at Hollycombe - Emperor and Leiston Town.

	Emperor is the oldest surviving showman's engine in the world and the only single crank compound.  She was built by Burrell in 1895 as works No 1876.  Emperor is now usually to be found in the centre of the fairground generating electricity for the fairground lights. For details of Emperor's history and specifications, click here.
	Leiston Town is a Garrett type 4CD, No 33348 of 1918. She was used in docks at Belfast for hauling ships from basin to basin before being brought to Hollycombe in 1966 in a derelict state.  She has since been restored to full operational order, given a dynamo and showman's fittings and is  now employed in the Bioscope where she generates electricity for the juvenile rides.

Traction Engines

Traction engines were employed on the roads to move goods from place to place. All types of loads were carried from light goods to heavy haulage. Usually goods would be loaded onto one or more 4 wheeled trailers which would be attached behind the engine. For particularly heavy loads, two or more engines would be connected behind each other to provide additional power.

The traction engines currently residing at Hollycombe pictured and described below.

	Sunset No 2 - A Burrell Gold Medal Tractor, used regularly at Hollycombe to haul the woodland ride.  This engine was the first engine to arrive at Hollycombe when bought for preservation by Mr John Baldock in 1951.  The engine is now owned by Mr David Baldock. For details of Sunset's history and specifications, click here.
	The Mann Steam Tractor is a 4nhp agricultural tractor built in 1917 by the Mann Patent Steam Cart & Wagon Co, works No 1260 and came to Hollycombe in 1990.  It was built as a light tractor in an attempt to compete with the early motor farm tractors, but the quick starting and lighter weight petrol tractors soon took over. Currently out of service for major overhaul.
	Topper is another Burrell Gold Medal tractor, No 3545. She is owned by one of our volunteers - Arthur Mills.
	Jasper is an Aveling & Porter Traction Engine.  She is owned by the Hooker family.

Agricultural Engines

Agricultural engines were designed for use on farms, but as they were too expensive for every farm to buy, they often travelled around from farm to farm, performing duties such as threshing, and then moving on to the next farm. The drivers would live in their living vans which they hauled behind the engine. At Hollycombe, we also have two examples of a derivitive of the agriculural engine known as ploughing engines. These large engines have a winch drum underneath the boiler. Two engines would work together from opposite sides of a field. The first engine would use the winch to haul the plough across the field, then the second engine would haul it back. The engines would then move along the side of the field and repeat the process on the next part of the field. This style of operation was necessary as the ploughing engines were too heavy to drive across the ploughed field, they would easily get stuck in the newly turned earth.

The agricultural engines at Hollycombe are:-

	Aveling & Porter agricultural engine, Jo-Ann is usually to be seen driving a threshing drum at the farm.  This photograph shows her on one of her occasional outings to the carpark.  Jo-Ann was built in 1912 as works No 8653. This engine is owned by own of our members, Janet Rowland. For details of Jo-Ann's history and specifications, click here.
	John Allen & Sons (Oxford) Ltd. Ploughing engine No. 67 of 1913.  12nhp compound engine and the only survivor of this make.  Allen's were originally agents for Fowler's but later modified Fowler engines and built a few of their own.  This engine is owned by Mr Allen.
	Fowler type BB 16nhp ploughing engine, Prince.  Works No 14383.  Prince is now used at Hollycombe paired with the Allen, above, to carry out demonstrations of steam cultivating.

Road Rollers

Steam powered Road Rollers were used by road making crews to flatten the road bed and the top surface in much the same way as diesel rollers are used now. Crews would live in their living vans which they would tow behind the engine between tasks.

The Road Rollers at Hollycombe are:-