It was during the summer of 1997 that Rob Walker became keen to move forward his childhood ambition of owning a steam engine. He’d crewed on other engines for a number of years but felt that the time was right to make his dream come true. Purchasing the kit of bits that was once ex-Dingles Burrell 10 Ton roller No. 4012 of 1925 Ventongimps, in this first part, Rob describes much of the restoration work involved.

Initially, a friend and I decided to go halves on an engine and we set about trying to find one. We viewed Burrell SCC Roller No. 3411 of 1912 Lion at South Molton, Devon, but the condition of the engine for the price, and the far from easy extraction of it from the shed dissuaded us. The story of this engine’s extraction and relocation to the Dingles Steam Village is worthy of it’s own story and I’m happy to see progress being made on the restoration.

This is what Rob bought! The pieces of engine back at the farm where
restoration took place. The buckets contain all the loose nuts and bolts.
Photos: Rob Walker.

A passing comment to Richard Wilcox and Peter Smart at an RLS meeting led to a viewing of another Burrell Roller in the late summer of 1997. I contacted the owner, Joe Rowson of Snailbeach, Shropshire, to discuss the engine. Suitably excited by what I had heard, Richard and I travelled up for a viewing. The house nestled in the contour of a hill, with no obvious engine shed but a double garage.
On meeting Joe and opening the doors to the garage, we were confronted with the smokebox end of a boiler minus smokebox, tubeplate, tubes and crown stays. Wheels rested against the walls and gears, shafts, and numerous pieces lay scattered. The chimney was new but not finished, as was the ashpan and the tender. The front headstock casting was broken but had been properly repaired and the back axle boxes had been re-poured in white metal. The boiler was in good condition, as was the firebox except a small area that required building up.

A selection of restored components in the dining room-based workshop!
items include smokebox door, front spectacle plate, mudhole lids, blastpipe,
stripped down safety valve, regulator rods and valve, fittings and chimney base.
The large ring (left) fits between the boiler and the headstock casting.

All 18 crown stays had been removed to facilitate the removal of the three wasted rear stays, and it was obvious that some of the side stays would also need renewing. A few hours were spent discussing the work and the condition of the engine, before talk of money and selling conditions arose. Over a cup of tea in Joe’s kitchen, a deal was struck that would see Ventongimps relocated, and the end of social life, free time and expendable income!





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