RANSOMES, SIMS & JEFFERIES
Traction Engine No 26995. Reg. EW 2320. Built in Ipswich, 1916.

Built to Ransomes’ Production No. L466, this engine is one of a very large order of agricultural engines supplied to the Ministry of Munitions during the first World War.

The engine passed inspection on 28/10/1916 and was despatched to the War Dept (Forage Dept) on 17/11/1916. The engine was probably used for baling and transporting hay in support of the many thousands of horses used by the British Army during the Great War.

Records show that the speculator Edgar J Edgar, with offices in High Street, Kensington, acquired the engine in 1920 following a deal made in March with the Disposals Commission for ex Forage Dept equipment. Edgar was a ‘get rich quick’ entrepreneur and acquired scores of ex WD engines at a fixed price with 12½% down and the balance to be paid after one month. Not surprisingly he went bust, and many engines were repossessed by the Army to be sold on again to more reputable dealers. Records show the engine as being taken over at Colchester.

By 1921, the engine was with Stephen A Whittome, a large threshing contractor of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire, moving in 1922 to Benwick, Isle of Ely. The engine was first given the Huntingdon registration EW2322. Subsequently, in 1964, the engine was acquired Robert Baxter of Eye Green, Peterborough. In May 1971, the engine was noted for sale with dealer F C Lambe of Bromsgrove and by 1974 was with Des Penny of Binegar, Somerset, who regularly rallied the engine locally working a sawbench (including at the Great Dorset Steam Fair). After Des Penny’s death, the engine stayed locally (1989) with Mr A Talkowski. The engine came to Terry Swann at Heybridge Basin in Essex for boiler repairs and remained in Essex when Mr Talkowski also died.

The stripped-down engine was acquired by the present owner, Richard Hemington, at the end of 1996. In just 15 weeks, a small team of friends completed the reassembly including new inner firebox, tubeplate, tubes, smokebox and other repairs. The engine returned in steam to the public road on 30 April 1997. Two days later the engine embarked on the 4-day, 105 mile, ‘Three Counties Steam Tour’ from Thetford, Bressingham, Leiston, Ipswich and Colchester which it completed without problem (returning, in the process, to the latter two towns for the first time since 1916 and 1920 respectively).

More recently a new boiler barrel and front tube plate have been fitted, new back axle and tyres, cladding repaired and will soon be treated to a new set of gears to be manufactured by Percival Engineering.

Thanks to Ricard Hemington for taking a day off to show us his fantastic engine.
Thanks also to Percival Engineering for allowing us to use their equally fantastic premises. For large gear machining, traction or otherwise, or to view some of the gears they have made check out their Facebook page.