Steam tractor . . . .
Living here in rural East Anglia as we do, this pair of ploughing engines are a familiar scene at the many rallies we have round the area.
This is a genuine tragedy for the owners and operators, and I really do hope that they can get her back in order in the time-scale.
About twenty years ago the local owner of three traction engines - as the road locomotives are called - had to replace a pair of worn-out drive gears on his two-speed Garratt. Not only did they cost about the same as if they had been made of gold, it took eight months to get them, too.
We fitted them one weekend, fired her up - ‘Bluebell’ she is called [you can see her on Youtube] - and after running them for half and hour or so, promptly took them off. Pete, the owner, then took a file and hammer, and put a couple of dents and chips in them, so that they ‘tinkled’ like the old ones did. ‘I’ve bin listenin’ to ‘er tinkling as she idles since 1935, and it don’t sound right to me unless she does it now.’
When he died, his coffin was hauled on one of his old farm carts by ‘Bluebell’, to his rest in the local parish church. She sounded her whistle as he was laid in his grave, and we all cheered a well-loved old man.
tac
tac
That is really bad luck. Hope the haulage insurance will cover the cost.
Instant static display, really sad.
We were talking this weekend about this sad business with one of our railway society members, who just happens to build 1/3, 1/2 and full-size replica of his great-grandfather’s patented road locomotive, who tells me that repairs are being undertaken as I write this.
Doom and gloomers, please stay at home. 
Thanks.
tac
Fenland Light Railway [www.fenlandlightrailway.co.uk
What a shame to see such a beautiful and historic piece of equipment damaged like that! I’m glad they’re fixing it and hope they can get it back into tip-top shape.