Potato engine

[Compound2632]

Writing in 1916-17 of old locomotives stationed at York in the early 1880s, E.L. Ahrons said:

 

"Another quaint little specimen from the same railway [Y&NM] was No. 281, a small 2-4-0 double-framed engine which originated in 1846 at the works of Messrs. Shepherd and Todd of Leeds. No. 281, which had 5 ft coupled wheels and 14 in by 20 in cylinders, being but slightly larger than a potato engine, was considered too small even by the North Eastern locomotive department for regular passenger trains. It was therefore relegated to the break-down vans and stores trains."

 

[E.L. Ahrons, Locomotive and Train Working in the Latter Part of the Nineteenth Century Vol. 1 (Heffer, 1952, reprinted from The Railway Magazine, 1916-17) p. 54.]

 

Ahrons expects us to have a mental picture of a potato engine, to give us a sense of scale. I lack such a picture, so would be grateful for elucidation.

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Compound2632
typo: I'd be grateful, not gratful.

[doilum]

11 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Writing in 1916-17 of old locomotives stationed at York in the early 1880s, E.L. Ahrons said:

 

"Another quaint little specimen from the same railway [Y&NM] was No. 281, a small 2-4-0 double-framed engine which originated in 1846 at the works of Messrs. Shepherd and Todd of Leeds. No. 281, which had 5 ft coupled wheels and 14 in by 20 in cylinders, being but slightly larger than a potato engine, was considered too small even by the North Eastern locomotive department for regular passenger trains. It was therefore relegated to the break-down vans and stores trains."

 

[E.L. Ahrons, Locomotive and Train Working in the Latter Part of the Nineteenth Century Vol. 1 (Heffer, 1952, reprinted from The Railway Magazine, 1916-17) p. 54.]

 

Ahrons expects us to have a mental picture of a potato engine, to give us a sense of scale. I lack such a picture, so would be gratful for elucidation.

 

 

Was it the mobile stove used by nineteenth century street vendors to produce fast food jacket spuds?

[Nearholmer]

Yes, that’s what sprung to my mind too.

 

Close relations of tar boilers and gulashkanone field kitchens, the old ones all having tall chimbleys.

 

Wait a mo; here’s one https://asian-images.photoshelter.com/image/I0000GLpqHZ5z0xA

Edited July 9, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Compound2632]

I'd thought of potato railways, but I have the idea those were mostly after Ahrons was writing, being constructed using WD surplus.

[Nearholmer]

Potato railways go back a lot earlier than that, but with horse and man power in Britain mostly. In Germany/Poland they had locomotive hauled ones, probably France too, but a bit obscure for Ahrons readers, or even the man himself, I think.
 

Essential reading: “The potato railways of Lincolnshire” and “Feldbahnen in dienste der Landwirtschafte”.

Edited July 9, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Steamport Southport]

I have a feeling that the British ones were a bit more like a small traction engine.

 

Here's model kits of the German type. Seemingly popular with diorama makers.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-mm203-german-field-kitchen--103874

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35247-feldkueche--106491

 

 

 

Jason

[Nearholmer]

7 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

I have a feeling that the British ones were a bit more like a small traction engine.

They were, but I couldn’t find a picture of one. The modern ‘in the style of’ ones Have the characteristic round top, but lack the tall chimney and the firebox - presumably gas, rather than coal, fired.

 

Whoopee!

 

Found a really good one! https://www.alamy.com/baked-potato-seller-image262286548.html

Edited July 9, 2020 by Nearholmer

[Compound2632]

@Nearholmer, that does look sufficiently engine-like to fit the bill!