Above: Derelict traction engines- photo J Stanley
For most traction engines and rollers the end of the road was a scrap yard
This site charts the fate of the steam traction engine and its many variants: the showman's engine, steam tractor, road roller, steam waggon, steam ploughing engine and portables. By the 1940's many engines had given their owners 30 to 50 years of useful life. Engines were being replaced by the new petrol engine tractors. During the Second World War the drive for scrap metal resulted in thousands of old engines being cut up as part of the war effort. Remarkably a few engines survived the war years by virtue of their simplicity and sturdiness. Many steam rollers were used to help create and maintain the new airstrips around the country. Ploughing engines were brought out of retirement to plough up additional acres for arable crops. Showman's engines were pressed into service pulling down damaged buildings in blitzed cities while many traction engines were busy threshing the harvest. Once the war ended these engines were once again redundant and most were sent for scrap. Luckily a few owners and drivers were determined to retain their faithful servants. By the 1950's the traction engine rally had been invented by a Berkshire farmer, Arthur Napper and many engine men rescued the old engines and restored them back to as new conditon. Steam rollers worked until well into the 1960's - I can remember them rolling our road in Newbury, Berkshire and the wonderful smell of oil and coal - often we young boys hung around at the end of the working day to sneak up on the footplate when the driver had gone home - something that would be highly frowned on today!
There is nothing as evocative as a scrap yard full of rusting steam engines. While railwaymen had the famous Barry scrap yard to evoke the glory days of steam on the rails, road steam scrapyards were few and far between. Perhaps the most famous was the Hardwick's yard in West Ewell where such legendary engines as the last Fowler showmans Supreme and the Burrell Scenic Winston Churchill were sent as scrap - fortunately both were saved. Luckily I was able to visit the Edwards gravel pits near Fairford in the 1960's. The photos by R Day show the engines in the state when I was there around 1968. These engines had been purchased by the Edwards family who were travelling showmen. In the winter months they worked as scrap men recycling worn out machinery. Luckily many of the traction engines survived as they worked on other scrap first. If you are interested in learning more about traction engines join the Traction-Talk Forum at http://www.tractiontalkforum.com
If you have any photos of derelict engines you would like to share with other enthusiasts or can identify any of the engines and locations, please contact me via the email at the top of this page. Many thanks.
Please note the copyright to the photos shown are not owned by the author of the website. The photos have been credited to the person believed to be the copyright owner. This site is not for profit and is intended only as a resource of enthusiasts.
Above photos J Stanley