J.W. Hardwicks of West Ewell
Hardwick's yard in Cox Lane, West Ewell was perhaps the most famous of all UK scrap yards for road steam. Founded by Jack Senior, the business boomed after WW2 as he and his son Jack Junior bought up scrap engines from all over the south east of England. They also operated a crane hire business and heavy recovery business from their yard in West Ewell. Many famous engines passed through their hands and the best were saved for restoration (including 5 Burrell Special Scenic Showmans' engines. It was a fortunate twist of fate that they both loved vintage cars and steam engines and owned and rallied a number of engines from the 1950's onwards. Another lucky occurrence was the interest of a Mr Phillip Bradley in all things to do with the fairgrounds. In the 1950's he travelled the UK in his spare time photographing the fairground rides and the showman's steam engines and living vans. He made several visits to Hardwick's yard to photograph the engines before they were scrapped. His huge collection of photographs and his detailed diaries of visits to Hardwick's (listed engine numbers etc) have all been preserved by Surrey County Council Museum - see http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/archives-and-history-research-guides/the-philip-bradley-fairground-collection
Following photos are reproduced with the kind permission of Darren Clark, grandson of Jack Hardwick. Top row shows entry to the yard with one of their large mobile cranes which were available for hire. Middle photo appears to show a Showman's engine being cut up with a gas torch, right hand photo shows Foster Success beside Fowler Supreme (both engines still survive ). Next row shows Burrell Showmans, two traction engines arriving at the yard as scrap, and a publicity poster showing the Hardwick's low loader carrying a scrap agricultural engine. Third row shows traction engine on loader, Sentinel tar lorry and on right same lorry after time in yard. Fourth row: Foster Success, the famous pile of scrap in the centre of the yard and Foster Success. Fifth row shows Foden Gwennie, Jack Hardwick and Burrell Lord Lascelles in the Ewell Yard, Sixth row: Burrell Scenic Winston Churchill when owned by the Hardwicks (Jack Hardwick on left), Foden London Pride and Winston Churchill on right.
Read more here http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Hardwicks.html
R. Edwards of Swindon - Fairford 'gravel pit' engines
Pictures of the engines stored at Fairford gravel pits by R Edwards Photos R Day
In 1968, when I was about 12 years old, I was lucky enough to be taken to see the engines parked at the Fairford gravel pits. The gravel pits were used by Edwards to park engines for storage before scrapping. I was taken to the pits by Cecil Brown and Bill Fall (one of the Fall brothers who had been steam ploughing contractors before WW2). They had just purchased an Aveling & Porter 10997, a 10 ton single cylinder roller from the Lockinge Estate near Wantage. In the course of readying the roller for the drive back to Enbourne under her own steam (near Newbury, Berkshire) it was discovered that a washout door was missing. The washout door is a removable plug which is taken out when the boiler is cleaned out. With an old engine you can't just buy new parts off the shelf so it was necessary to find an old part or make a new part. Cecil and Bill knew there were a few old Avelings at Edwards pits so we drove to Fairford. What an amazing sight the engines made - several of them rusting away and many with trees and bushes growing through the tenders. It didn't take long to find the part needed and a deal was done with Edwards. I never got to visit the pits again but it was good to learn that most of the engines I saw that day were saved by enthusiasts and have since been restored to new condition.
Goodey's - Twyford, Berkshire
Harold Goodey and his brother ran a scrapyard near Reading.
Harold's grandson sent me the following memories of the yard and his grandfather.
I was just a kid when he died. My Mum and Dad would drop my brother and I off at his yard on a Saturday, while they went shopping in Reading.
Great memories of an amazing play ground!
There is a poem (which I have attached) that was written in the 30’s that pretty much sums up the place..
I’ ve also attached a few more pictures, one is of him when he was a young man. He was a showman, and on the stage with Grace Kelly, before the scrap metal business.
He also was involved with one of the circuses/fairgrounds? They would winterize the show at his yard. I would love to know more about that, I sort of remember the circus folk living in one of the train carriages he had there.
If you ever do come across anything, I would be most grateful if you could let me know.
Great memories of an amazing play ground!
There is a poem (which I have attached) that was written in the 30’s that pretty much sums up the place..
I’ ve also attached a few more pictures, one is of him when he was a young man. He was a showman, and on the stage with Grace Kelly, before the scrap metal business.
He also was involved with one of the circuses/fairgrounds? They would winterize the show at his yard. I would love to know more about that, I sort of remember the circus folk living in one of the train carriages he had there.
If you ever do come across anything, I would be most grateful if you could let me know.
AG Evans - Tring, Hertfordshire
Deuce's - Cambridge
Click here for image www.eates.org/gallery/album/picture/cambridgeshire-working-day-archive/424
TW Ward - Sheffield
Photo below taken around 1935 - photo © Na© National Railway Museum and SSPL
Click here for link www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Derby&objid=1997-7397_DY_14654
Click here for link www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Derby&objid=1997-7397_DY_14654
If you have photos of yards, derelicts or stories of road steam at scrap yards please send me an email (see top of screen) and I'll post them on the site.