Name/TitleModel Burrell "Princess"

About this objectOne of a pair (STMEA:2010-77) of Burrell Ploughing Engines, one-tenth scale with double ended plough (STMEA:2010-78). It has wheels at the front and back and a chimney on top. The models are live steam engines based on "Markie" kits supplied by Tony Pearce of Fareham, made by the donor. They were awarded a "very highly commended" at the 1988 "model engineer" exhibition.

Richard Hall, Research Volunteer:
The steam ploughing engines are a pair and have been named ‘Prince’ and ‘Princess’. Both ploughing steam engines are replicas of steam ploughs manufactured by C Burrell and Sons of Thetford, Norfolk. The full-sized engines in the Museum Collection are named ‘Countess’ and ‘The Earl’.

Steam Ploughing requires two Steam Engines at either side of a field, which between them drag a plough backwards and forwards as they work their way along the field. It is claimed that the original inventor for this type of ploughing process was the Agricultural Engineer, John Fowler. Fowler was a prolific inventor who, after witnessing the Irish Potato famine in 1849, made it his mission to develop more productive farming methods.

After experimenting with drainage ploughs, Fowler saw the possibility of fitting a steam driven winch to the underside of a steam engines boiler, thereby creating a mechanism with which to drag agricultural implements across a field.

Fowler commissioned the first modified engine from Ransomes of Ipswich. It was tested in 1856, ploughing one acre (0.4 Hectares) of land in an hour. However, this version, using a single engine proved too time consuming and Fowler hit upon the idea – which he patented in 1856 – of using two steam engines to drag the plough backwards and forwards across the field. The first double engine system was demonstrated in 1863.

It soon became clear that a double engine system, although making inroads into ploughing productivity, was too expensive for most farmers to buy, for such limited use. Therefore, most double engine steam ploughing was undertaken ‘by contract’, that is to say, by contractors who specialised in use of the system and hired out their equipment and labour from farm to farm.

Joseph Burrell was a Master Blacksmith, who set up a small forge in Thetford in Norfolk in 1770 . By the early 19th Century, the firm, which now included other members of his family, were advertising ‘Threshing Machines’ for sale and had moved to the St Nicholas Works in Thetford – now a Grade II Listed Building.

Their first portable steam engine was built in 1848, production on these continued until the early 20th Century, by which time, 670 had been sold. Amongst other things, the company moved into the production of ploughing engines, in 1860, under licence from John Fowler and Company. Burrell’s went on to manufacture nearly 150 of these engines, including ‘Countess and ‘The Earl’ in the Museum collection, up until 1914.

Inscription and MarksAt front, offside has plate with "Princess".

Near side of boiler has makers plate with number:
C. BURRELL & SONS
1879
ST. NICHOLAS WORKS
No 776
THETFORD NORFOLK

MeasurementsLength: 600 millimetres
Width: 250 millimetres (back wheels)
Height: 375 millimetres (chimney stack top)

Back wheels: diameter, 175 millimetres
Front wheels: diameter, 110 millimetres

Object numberSTMEA:2010-76

Copyright LicenceAttribution - Non-commercial (cc)