Traction engine

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A traction engine is a wheeled steam engine used to move heavy loads, plow ground or to provide power at chosen location. They are also known as "Road locomotives" to distinguish them from steam locomotives ie railway engines that run on tracks. These machines were cumbersome and ill-suited to crossing heavy ground so their agricultural use was either "in the belt" - powering farm implements by means of a long leather belt driven by the flywheel or in pairs dragging a plough on a cable from one side of a field to another.

The earliest mobile steam engine is thought to have been invented by Nicolas Cugnot who demonstrated an engine for hauling artillery at the Paris arsenal on October 23, 1769. Unfortunately the idea was discredited when a similar engine ran into a brick wall during a demonstration in Paris.

Traction engines tend to be large, extremely heavy, slow, and poorly manoeuvrable. They typically have two large powered wheels at the back and two smaller wheels for steering at the front. They became popular in industrialised countries from around 1840, when the farm machinery company Ransomes of Ipswich developed a traction engine for agricultural use.

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Usage

Traction engines saw use in a variety of roles between 1840 and 1940. They can be divided according their use.

  • Agricultural general purpose engines

The most common form in the countryside. They were used for hauling and as a stationary power source. Even when farmers did not own such a machine they would rely upon it form time to time. Many farms would use draft horses throughout the year, but during the harvest Threshing contractors would travel from farm to farm hauling the threshing machine which would be set up in the field and powered from the engine — a good example of the moveable stationary engine.

Image:SteamrollerFowler.jpg A smaller load hauler, popular in timber trades in the UK.

  • Road locomotives

Used for haulage of heavy loads on public highways. A particular form was the Showman's vehicle. These were operated by travelling showmen both to tow fairground equipment and to power it when set up; either directly or by running a generator. These could be highly decorated and formed part of the spectacle of the fair.

A specialist form of the locomotive with a heavy roller replacing the front wheels.

Road haulage traction engines were generally replaced by steam lorries, eg those of the Sentinel Waggon Works which had pneumatic tyres. All other traction engines have been superseded by internal combustion engine powered equivalents.

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Modern use

Although no longer used for production, traction engines of all types continue to be maintained and preserved by enthusiastic individuals and are frequently exhibited at agricultural shows in Europe (particularly the UK), Canada and the United States. They are often a main attraction in a live steam festival.

There also has been a traction engine featured in the Rev.W.Awdry's The Railway Series. His name is Trevor the Traction Engine, and was saved from scrap by The Vicar of Wellsworth with the help of Edward the Blue Engine.

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Manufacturers

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UK

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Yorkshire

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East Anglia

Image:Dampfmaschine steam tractor.jpg

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Kent

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Lincolnshire

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North America

  • Advance-Rumely,
  • Woods Brothers,
  • Baker,
  • Peerless,
  • Frick,
  • Aultman-Taylor,
  • Geiser,
  • Minneapolis,
  • Gaar-Scott,
  • J.I. Case.
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External links

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See also

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Festivals and museums

ja:トラクションエンジン

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