This paperback reissue of a 1999 classic is a welcome move for all traction engine enthusiasts, with over 200 photos of surviving road tractors and locomotives. Between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries the steam-driven locomotive was used not only for general haulage, such as furniture removal or conveying coal between a mine and the local railway, but also for agricultural work. Some were converted and decorated to become showmen's engines to transport fairground equipment. The author starts his survey with fairground vehicles, by far the most striking in appearance with their coloured livery and characteristic twisted brasswork. Burrell's of Thetford produced the largest number, with Fowler's of Leeds and Foster's of Lincoln also market leaders. Aveling & Porter's model Samson was built in 1901 to an Admiralty commission for haulage in Chatham Dockyard. Later it was converted to a showman's specification with the legend "Charles Presland. Amusement Caterer" painted on the side, and finally in 1946 was sold for agricultural use in Suffolk. Numerous beautiful showmen's locomotives are pictured, with details of ownership and special features. During World War I the British army used huge numbers of engines and wagons in France and Belgium, most of which later ended up in private hands. From the mid-20th century, when the internal combustion engine had taken over most of the functions of steam, there was an increased drive to preserve these obsolete forms of transport, and many traction engines have been restored and can be seen at steam fairs or in museums. Road locomotives include the crane engines which were a Burrell's speciality, and the book concludes with the steam tractors often used for war work. 192pp, over 200 monochrome photos.
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