Clayton and shuttleworth 2” traction engine

Hi to you all.

I have just acquired a Clayton and Shuttleworth traction engine and am in the process of evaluating and assessing this weighty engine.

Does anyone know what is the operating pressure of the boiler. I have been told that it is 50 psi, as pressure gauge is 0 to 80 psi.
Discussions at my model engineering club suggest that this may be on the low side

I understand that this model is rather a rare beast, and to date I cannot find any info. Whatsoever on 2” only on 4”

Any help/info would be appreciated

TonyC

I'm not sure if there was a published design for a 2" . If there was not it may just have been scaled down from the larger size and will depend on what the builder did when designing the boiler. I assume it's copper but is it silver soldered or an older rivited and caulked construction?

The boiler is copper tube and silver soldered. Judging by the wear in the wheel bearings the old girl has had a lot of use in the past, but the pressure gauge is of indeterminate age and patina is commensurate with the rest of engine.
I am lead to believe that 2” scale Clayton underslung lorries run at 100 psi?

TonyC

The 2" Clayton undertype is 80psi but has absolutely nothing to do with the traction engine you have other than the word "Clayton" and that it's steam-powered!

S

Hi Tony, Station road steam had a 2 inch Clayton and shuttle worth engine for sale, was it this one you bought? I am sure that was among the auction lots last year, painted brown if I remember rightly?I'll check back.regards Vic

At risk of asking the obvious;

I am assuming the engine came with no boiler history, previous test certificates or the like?

Despite the patina of the gauge is there any sign on the face of a red line, discolouration or shadow where a line may have been? Any filed nick in the bezel that looks deliberate and aligns with a pressure between 50 and 80 psi? If none of these that suggests either it has not been tested in quite some years or the tester was quite lax on applying the “rules”.

If you can’t find a drawing or evidence of previous test it might be quite difficult to get a certificate on it these days that would allow you to run it in public.

Paul.

Thanks for all the replies. No previous certification came with the engine, nor is there a number stamped on the boiler to indicate there was ever a certified test. Regarding pressure gauge, no “witness” marks whatsoever to aid.
I appreciate that the Clayton lorry boiler pressure has no connection to traction engine other than name, I just threw that in as a possible design commonality as both at 2” scale. 80psi info thanks.

My club is willing to conduct pressure testing and certification but it will be a bare boiler ( cladding removed) . I am quite prepared to do this as I am not familiar with EOD and don’t really want the adrenaline rush at my age with this little bomb.

It was indeed the Stationroad Steam model and same auction lot. But no paperwork existed for it. A pressure test at 100psi (2x assumed working pressure) was carried out by Stationroad - no cert issued. My assessment of engine is that no pressure problems exist with boiler as there are no leakage signs, no evidence of a soldered repair.
my reason for question re boiler pressure is for my own and grandkids safety. I had not planned to run engine in public. I realise the consequences to the whole steam model world by not being responsible

Tony C

Hi Tony, yes I have checked the Les Burford auction catalogue and think it was the Dreweattes Transport sale auction where it first appeared for sale ; they might have records of the seller , who you could contact, but most likely there is no current cert or history... as Paul correctly explains above. Certainly,a rarely modelled engine! So the original builder did his own research and most likely did a good job.

Fingers crossed for you on the test.

regards

vic