Antiques Roadshow

Did anyone see the episode at the weekend? I only caught a little of it but they featured a steam ploughing engine. The value was put at £40,000 Is that about right for those engines. I have always wondered.

John

Reply to
John Manders
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"John Manders" wrote > Did anyone see the episode at the weekend?

I understand that is about right, but a Fowler ploughing locomotive will fetch more.

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Reply to
J K Siddorn

Hi all,

I think the engine on AR was a fairly rare one, a Fowell, IIRC. I'd never heard of that maker. I thought it was just a traction engine rather than a ploughing engine.

Watching Fred Dibnah last night, I thought he mentioned that a Showman's Engine was worth £330,000, gulp.

Someone please tell me that either I'm deaf or that Fred was referring to a particularly special Showman's engine. If this is a general value, then the army need to mount security patrols at the Great Dorset.

Have you got your ears on Chris?

Regards, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin

Yep, got me ears on Arthur!

All down to opinions of course on engine prices, but here are my thoughts.

The engine on the antiques roadshow was a Fowell, it was what is termed a general purpose traction engine. I have never seen a Fowell sold, but generally speaking, prices don?t differ much between makes. I would have thought that 40k was a bit on the low side myself, 50k would be a bit nearer the mark IMHO.

Fowlers and Burrells appear to make a little more than most makes, but everyone has their favourites. Rollers are the cheapest (cheap not quite the right word though!) about 30k for a reasonable one. Then come general purpose at around 50k, thewn ploughing engines at 70k+, then road locos which vary from 80k upwards depending on make/size, to finally the showman's at the top end, with prices here reflecting the individuality of the engine in question.

You did here Fred right, Burrell scenic showman's No1 sold for over

300k at cheffins. Here is a photo of the showmans in question: (11th photo down)

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I can personally vouch for Fred too when he says that you will pay 20k for a clapped out roller!! Prices have shot up in the past year for steam engines in all areas of the market. The Burrell scenic is the top end of the market, only 16 in the world and magnificent engines, but I have seen steam rollers go for 37k at the other end?.

Regards

Chris Bedo

Reply to
Chris Bedo

Flippin' 'eck! I wish I'd bought a few engines twenty years ago :-).

Regards, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin & Jeni Stanton

Hindsight is unfortunately the only exact science ;-)

Dan

Reply to
Dan Howden

Gentlemen, I only live down the road from where AR was filmed and I have never seen that engine at shows locally to me, maybe walking around with eyes shut.

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

You can still pick up engines quite cheaply in countries like Argentina. Over there, the story is very much like here in the 1950's. The trouble is, the engines tend be basket cases and then you have all the trouble with importing them. Preston Services in Kent seam to be dominating the market here, importing and then selling on. Preston engines do tend to be a bit dear though! For those who have ever been to an open day, you will know that the variety of engines is fantastic.

My own roller was recently imported from Belgium where the steam scene is not the same as here. Another Belgium roller has just been imported and will be in OG next month. The chances of anything turning up in the UK is very slim now, so importing is really the only option left.

I reckon the same thing will happen with the more rare stationary engines.

Regards

Chris Bedo

Reply to
Chris Bedo

Chris,

approximately how much would I have to pay for my favourite steamer, a Foden Steam Wagon (full size), like the model, Pride of Penrhyn that is featured every issue in OG?

I'm guessing that your answer will mean that I can happily carry on frittering my coppers away rather than save up for it.

£330k for a showman's !!! I'm still recovering from that revelation.

Regards, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin & Jeni Stanton

Arthur, Buying the engine is the easy bit its the bottomless pit keeping it going once youve got it that is the problem. You have to be able to just throw money at it for ever :-))

By the way is not time that we met somewhere again for another photo opurtunity :-))

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

By the way is it not time that we met somewhere again for another photo opurtunity :-))

It would be nice, but so little happens this time of year, and the days are so short, that I'm not sure when it could be. Later in the year perhaps some of the group might like to meet up at Internal Fire? I'd love to go to the Easter Rally there, but we're right in the middle of lambing then, and unattended sheep like to die....

I do hope to make a fleeting visit to IF in the next few weeks as I've got to go down to South Wales to pick up a rare breed turkey stag for Jeni, but it will be mid-week and I'll probably only get an hour or so there. I'll try to get some photos for Webshots.

Regards, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin

Arthur,

Not sure exactly, but would guess 60-80k

Regards

Chris

Reply to
Chris Bedo

Foden Steam Wagon ?

Thank you Chris, suddenly lots of my spends look trifling and relatively minor.

Slumps down in chair, has a sudden urge for alcohol.

Gulp, I could get a nice parcel of land for that, or several lifetimes worth of SEs.

Starts lottery win type, fantasy shopping list...

Hornsby Akroyd, that nice Hornsby in SEM classifieds, better trailer, early National Gas Engine, big shed, Crossley KK, Standard Cream Separator, big Petter S with curved spoke flywheels, and still have change for a night out!

Returns to harsh reality of Monday morning at the office. Oh well, I'm going to Internal fire tomorrow, for a few quid I can fantasise that I own some of Paul's gear for an hour or two.

Happy Monday everyone, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin

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