In the glory days of steam, the UK led the way when it came to producing some of the most famous trains and engines the world has ever seen.
The Doncaster Works was producing iconic trains such as Mallard and the Flying Scotsman which made long distance rail travel a reality. While the country was leading the way on the railways the roads were dominated by traction engines. These vehicles were designed to carry or pull heavy loads along the nation's highways. They became the machine of choice for industrialised countries from as early as the 1850s and were always held in high regard in the UK.
Some of the road locomotives, as they were called to avoid confusion with the railway locomotives, were absolute behemoths of the road and were much more efficient alternative to draught horses. However, like with many things of that era the traction engines fell out of favour with the dawn of the 20th century. Tractors powered by internal combustion engines became the order of the day and the traction engines sadly became a thing of the past.
Despite falling out of favour traction engines have had somewhat of a renaissance in model form and Mamod has a great selection of traction engines available to purchase. Here are a select few.
1313S Samson – £278
The Samson is truly the king of the traction engines and is an absolute must for any steam collector. This limited edition model features Mamod's highly successful double acting slide valve engine and comes complete with a slip eccentric. It works by using a gas propane burner and boasts a re-heating coil and 60psi pressure.
Mamod prides itself on models such as this and the Samson is a highly sought after product and would no doubt take pride of place in any collection. It is aesthetically pleasing with a slick black and gold colour and limited edition number and Samson name plaque. When purchasing this product buyers will receive a certificate of authenticity personally signed by the Mamod engineer that built it.
This king of the traction engines is the pinnacle of any steam collection.
1313C Centurion – £236.70
The Centurion was the inspiration behind the creation of the Samson and is a highly impressive model in its own right. It features a much more classic look compared to its limited edition counterpart with a green, red and black paint scheme. It features a double acting slide valve engine with slip eccentric. One of the key selling points to this model is the fact that it can be converted to run on gas, which is far more powerful and can be possible thanks to the silver soldered construction.
Mamod stated that this popular model has been attracting the attention of a number collectors looking for something slightly more up-market from what they currently own.
1313 Traction Engine – £159.70 (mobile)/£124.50 (kit)
The 1313 Traction Engine is the standard model in this range but has that added option of buying in kit form which could provide an ideal project for a collector. It features Mamod's oscillating cylinder arrangement but is not suitable for gas conversion as it could potentially melt under those circumstances.
This is one of Mamod's most popular products as it is easy to maintain and run. The lower price also appeals to those just getting into steam collecting and is an ideal present for the younger generation. It has stood the test of time as Mamod has been producing it for over 50 years and it still remains a huge hit with customers.