Miscellaneous

       Home       NEW Updates      About Us       Feedback      Historic Sites       Consultants          Contact Us       Terms/Conditions

 

MEMORIES OF MY EARLY STEAM DAYS

By Clem Clemesha

First printed in the Australian Model Engineering publication March-April 2000

Whilst I was looking through a family photo album, I was reminded of my excitement at seeing and riding on the strange traction engine which is shown in the photos. I thought that other AME readers might be interested in a description of this monster.


 

STEAM TRACTION ENGINE AFTER RESTORATION  NEXT T0 THE SHIRE COUNCIL OFFICES              #

 

This engine is one of two steam engines bought from the West Australian Government in about 1916 by my father Mr Chapman Clemesha, Mr Douglas Banks and Mr Sam Stone of Kebarringup (sic) and Borden districts in Western Australia. The engine was used for clearing their properties of timber by knocking it down and rolling it ready for burning. One of these engines is standing in a public area in the main street of Gnowangerup WA (the nearest town to our farm) at present but missing lots of parts I might add, including the pedrails.

 

.
 FOWLER STEAM TRACTION ENGINE No.5872 AT AYLMORE'S PROPERTY                #

 

FOWLER STEAM TRACTION ENGINE No.5873 AT BINDI BINDI                 #

 

The main difference between this engine and any other traction engine is the unique way in which it lays a track for itself. The two large rear wheels which are over 7ft in diameter lay tracks which are prefabricated structures of steel about five foot long with several cleats across the face of each to prevent slipping.
These structures are known as pedrails and there are six pedrails on each wheel being divided by a heavy piece of steel encircling the wheel. This means that as the engine moves along, it is laying two tracks for each wheel. Each pedrail in turn falls to the ground allowing the wheels to move over them, then pulling them back on to the wheel by means of wire ropes.
This procedure is very suitable for moving over fallen timber. The Pedrails can be clearly seen in photo 3

STEAM TRACTION ENGINE FITTED WITH BOTRILL PEDRAIL WHEELS           #

 
 

On the front of the engine are two brackets and steel rings just below the funnel holding a wooden pole about the size of a telegraph pole but about twelve foot long. The purpose of this is to clear a path for the engine by knocking down everything in front of it.
Behind the traction engine, drawn by means of long wire ropes, is a girder. A contraption with four large wheels, two front ones being as large as the rear tractor wheels and the rear wheels of the girder are much smaller. The girder is made up of a large twenty-two foot pole supported on four triangle shaped structures of very solid timber embodying the four wheels. The girder being nearly twice as long as the pole in front of the engine makes it quite a proposition for clearing timber.
The draught from the draw bar of the engine is through wire ropes, fastened to near each end of the top pole of the girder and the other drawing near the axle of each front wheel.
Behind the girder is a twenty-two foot by four foot steel roller attached by wire ropes.
The purpose of the girder is to drag the timber down and the roller to flatten it ready for burning. The girder being so high would drag quite big trees down but sometimes a tree being too large would have to be nicked with an axe. One day my father moved back from the engine to nick a tree in front of the girder but before he could get out of the half fallen timber his partner started the engine almost pulling my father down with the timber. The driver had a glass eye and couldn’t see properly. I was sitting on the tractor but was very young and too dumfounded to call a warning. The driver eventually saw my father’s plight and stopped just in time.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A photo from the Western Mail 3rd May 1913 illustrating the thick growth of Moort in the GnowangerupDistrict. Early explorers were forced to turn back upon encountering the impenetrable moort thickets. The use of the steam traction engine and attached rollers proved effective in clearing this type of vegetation as the moort snapped off at the base. Mallee proved more difficult to clear due to its flexibility.


 

 
 

 STEAM TRACTION ENGINE           #
WATER BEING DELIVERED TO THE ENGINE BY HORSE AND CART.
DOUGLAS BANKS ON THE CART AND CHAPMAN CLEMESHA ON THE ENGINE 1920s
 

There is room in the cab for a couple of men as well as a stack of timber for the fire box. As you can see in photo 4, the water for the engine was delivered in a couple of tanks by a horse and dray.
Thanks to Phil Wyndham for passing this article along to readers of the Gnowangerup District Historian. Phil has spent many years researching the two steam ploughing engines which are so closely associated in our district. Phil is currently working towards publication of a book

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

 

References:                 Article:        
                                                   

                                  Image:      

 


Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2024