Meet The Engines

Traction Engine Driving Days

Meet the Engines

The engines used on our traction engine driving days are more than just pieces of machinery. Both engines are long standing members of our family, being driven by four generations.

The Earl of Eldon

Built in 1910, this single cylinder general purpose traction engine was built by Garrett of Leiston in Suffolk. It is a combination of a 7 NHP cylinder block on a 8 NHP boiler, which the makers found to be very successful in some of their later models.

The engine worked from new on the Encombe estate near Corfe Castle in Dorset, being used for haulage, wood sawing, and threshing until the end of the WWII. It was then purchased by the owner's Grandfather, Seth Loader (pictured) in 1947 and driven home down a very steep hill by a young Roy Loader. They used it within the family firm before attending early steam rallies in the 50's.

The Garrett has been a familiar sight since then, at many rallies including the Great Dorset Steam Fair and Netley Marsh and other rallies in the Hampshire and Dorset area.

Gertrude Lucy

Gertrude Lucy is a 1922 Wallis and Steevens Oil bath steam roller. She was new to the Pitt rivers Estate in Rushmore Wiltshire and used for rolling, wood sawing and even haulage.

the engine was purchased by the owners grand father in 1952 and initially used to help in the road making business, including the construction of the road outside the owners house when he was a small child.

The roller attended some early steam rallies in the 1960,s and has been in preservation ever since and has attended many events. She can be spotted at the Great Dorset Steam Fair and other local rallies in the area.

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