Author Topic: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879  (Read 7391 times)

Offline Vixen

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Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« on: August 10, 2017, 06:49:36 PM »
Traction engines have suddenly become very popular on MEM. So here are some images of my 2" (1/6 scale) single cylinder, two speed 16 HP Fowler Ploughing Engine of circa 1879

I started building this engine more years ago than I care to remember, it was my first foray into model engineering. The cylinder used to sit on my office desk at work, there was a pretty young lady engineer who used to sneak into the office, when there was nobody around, to fondle it; and we all know what that lead to.

I sold the engine on to another guy who completed and painted the engine. It was a long haul, nearly 30 years from start to running on it's own steam.















It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Online Jo

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2017, 06:57:40 PM »
I started building this engine more years ago than I care to remember, it was my first foray into model engineering. The cylinder used to sit on my office desk at work, there was a pretty young lady engineer who used to sneak into the office, when there was nobody around, to fondle it; and we all know what that lead to.

 :-X
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline scc

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2017, 07:07:37 PM »
lovely model :LickLips:     Terry

Offline Vixen

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2017, 07:24:40 PM »
Jo

Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone.

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Perry

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2017, 07:40:40 PM »
Jawdropper  :NotWorthy:  :ThumbsUp:

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2017, 07:47:45 PM »
 Outstanding....and beautiful.

Thomas
Thomas

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2017, 07:52:38 PM »
Lots of beautiful traction engines lately as you said. Thanks for adding this beauty to the list!!

Bill

Offline Vixen

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2017, 01:08:40 PM »
I found this photo of my 16Hp Fowler PE with it's 6 furrow anti-balance plough





Steam ploughing in England and parts of the continent, during the nineteenth centuary, was usually undertaken by a pair of engines, each with a large winch mounted under the boiler. The engines would be positioned beside the hedgerow on either side of the field, with their cables attached to the plough. The engines would take it in turns to draw the plough across the field. The whistle would signal to the other engine when to engage it's winch and start the return pull. The plough also needed to be tipped so that the opposite set of plough shares were brought into play. After completing it's pull the engine would move forward a few yards to be ready for it's next pull or bout. A single rider sat on a wooden plank on the plough, his job was to steer and control the furrow separation.

The last time I saw a pair of Fowler PE's actually working and earning a wage, was back in the 1980's. A pair of Fowler BB's, although converted to diesel engine, were dredging a lake for a nature reserve on Hayling Island in the UK. That's over a hundred years after they were built and they were still capable of doing a hard days work. Luckily, there are still some steam museums which can also give ploughing engine demonstrations of this bygone age.

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2017, 02:29:41 PM »

Really nice looking display.

Thomas
Thomas

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2017, 03:41:14 PM »
That is an interesting cylinder block, i suppose the circular covers make for easier machine and fitting of the faces ? !!

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2017, 04:15:01 PM »
Mike I did not know you were a traction engine man having only known you since you entered the dark side with IC engines.

Willy the original engines used Church balanced slide valves which were circular and the valve ports were also curved. The model just hides a regular slide valve under the circular cover.

Offline Vixen

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2017, 04:30:07 PM »
Jason

I started with steam then discovered the dark side as you call it. Actually, the dark side is very much cleaner, no coal, no smoke, not soot, no steam oil, no ingrained grime.

As you say, the big Fowler singles often used the slide valve patented by WC Church. The slide valve and the ports were both circular allowing much larger port areas than the more common square slides. Just what was needed for the big singles. They say that when one of the Fowler big singles was working hard, you could here it's bark from the next county.

You can find the original WC Church patent with a Google search

Mike
« Last Edit: August 13, 2017, 06:05:10 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Fowellbox

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2017, 06:29:06 PM »
There are a pair of BB1s due at the Steam Plough Club Hands On Weekend at Uppingham in  Rutland (England) on August 19-20 2017
The Fowler PE pictured above is awesome!
Brian

Online Jo

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2017, 07:35:24 PM »
Mike I did not know you were a traction engine man

A Steam Plough is not just a Traction Engine :facepalm: :ShakeHead:

It is a totally different type of engine  :Love: :embarassed:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Vixen

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Re: Fowler 16 HP Ploughing Engine circa 1879
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2017, 07:37:14 PM »
Why does it always happen that way? Our summer is so short that many events happen at different places on the same weekend.

The Steam Plough Club Weekend sounds like a great meeting but unfortunately it coincides with the Bristol Model Engineering Show at Thornbury. That's next weekend. I will be displaying some of my engines on the I/C Engine Builders stand. The 'dark side' as Jason calls it.

More Fowler BB1's have survived than any other PE type. They are still big engines but smaller than the massive 16HP singles.

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

 

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