4 inch scale Burrell SCC traction engine

A 4 inch scale Burrell SCC agricultural engine, assembled from a Steam Traction World kit. The builder had previously completed several STW models, including their Foden, Burrell steam roller and DCC road locomotive. More interested in the workshop than the rally field, he only ever steamed the Foden.

First steamed in 2023 in the hands of a new owner, this one came to us described as in good mechanical order, fully certificated with a season's running behind it. Sounded ideal - a virtually new engine with a few outings under its wheels to sort out any teething problems.

If only things were that easy...

The first thing we noticed when it arrived was the lack of a gauge protector. Not a requirement - and indeed many of the engines that pass through our hands are not thus-equipped. But, on a boiler pressed to 180psi, let's just say we consider one a very reassuring presence.

Next thing - easy to spot, as there was no protector (see above) - was the cracked gauge glass. To his credit, the owner whipped the broken glass out and, after we'd cut him a new one, proceeded to fit it. Whereupon it broke too...

Having a closer look revealed that the top gauge fitting was a) out of line with the bottom fitting by nearly 3mm and, b) pointed in a different direction (and not in a way that it could be rotated to line up).

Whilst we can normally test an engine that comes in while its owner waits, we confess that this one defeated us (mainly because we'd run out of thick walled gauge glass). Sending him on his way, we said we'd report back as soon as we'd got it into some semblance of working order.

With the gauge pipework removed, annealed and reshaped so that the fittings aligned; a new glass fitted, and various other jobs attended to, we were finally able to steam the engine the following afternoon. The teething problems we'd assumed had been sorted remain, but they're things requiring some care and time in the workshop rather than significant expenditure.

Our workshop notes on this one read as follows:

• Water gauge fittings need stripping and servicing - neither seal and one leaks
• Simpling valve jams open when used, it needs a stronger spring. This is a critical fault as it causes the engine to run away unstoppably if operated
• Steam leak from injector union
• Pressure gauge reads 10psi high at working pressure - safety valves will need resetting once replaced
• Regulator stiff to operate, it has an "all or nothing" action. Needs stripping and, ideally, a soft start notch put into the port plate
• Steering chains need a more substantial joining link, the original is perilously close to coming apart
• Reverser has excessive play in the quadrant slots (there is a spare pair of blank quadrants included, it looks like somebody had already spotted this)
• Some play in big and small ends, the former needs adjusting, the latter replacing
• Crosshead hunts from side to side when running - remove connecting rod, check for straightness, reset if required

We've done an internal inspection on the boiler and taken thickness readings - unsurprisingly after one season's running it's in excellent condition - followed by a hydraulic test, with new certification issued. It will require work in order to pass a steam test, including servicing the gauge fittings, providing a gauge protector and replacing the pressure gauge.

The plain, unlined paintwork was done to a pedestrian standard when new - it has suffered heat damage on the boiler cladding under the motionwork, we would be tempted to strip it and repaint.

All that said, it's a fully assembled engine, in running order, which has had less than a year's use - current price of the kits is around £23,000 including the optional rubber tyres.