David and I purchased Marshall 73870 in June 2008. Jonathan Wheeler phoned us and said ' I've found just what you want' and he was right ! The intention is to use her to steam our increasing stationary steam engine collection.

 Watch a short clip of her in steam.....

This is her currently and her story is below. 

 

  20 hp Marshall semi - portable 73870 was supplied new to Messrs. Anderson on 13th December 1920. I understand that she was used at their factory at Stokenchurch, High Wycombe, Bucks until about 1960 when she stopped work.

In 1970 she was scrapped and purchased by Ned Passeys scrap merchants from Benson, Oxfordshire but moved quickly on into preservation to the late Mr Roy Pratt of Garnsgate, Lincolnshire.

She was rallied by him and his 'team' and I know attended the Ryhall Grange show in 1973; Bawburgh in 1976 (below 26/8/76) and Weeting in 1977 amoung others. She then lay in Roys' yard eventually the shed being built up over her.

When we first saw her.

All loaded up and ready for the journey to her new home.

 Here she is in the field where we could take a good look at what we needed to do to get her back in steam again. 

 

 Davids' boys - Sam and Harry hopefully give you some idea of how big she is.

  

David taking a look inside.

 

 The tubes were in desperate need of removal.

 

 David got going with the gas.

The box was in good shape. However there will be some stays to be replaced. 

 Harry was able to get in easily through the manhole door.

 The top works.

 We moved her nearer the workshop still on the trailer that she was originally rallied on.

 The plan was to remove the smokbox, spacer ring and tubeplate and clean her out before putting her in her permanent position.

 A good moment !

 

David needle gunning.

 Tubeplate.

 Sam and David removing motion.

 

 

 

 

The plan was then to position her in the new engine shed before we put the roof on. Here is David pulling her round into position .

 

Sam took over to drive her into the shed onto her final resting spot on the new concrete slab.

Thomas was here making sure David and Sam cleared the steelwork !

 

 

All we had to do now was to get her off the trailer.

The day of the lift.

 

 

 

Her original cast plinth was positioned. 

David, James and Paul. Thanks to Richard our crane driver too.

Now she is in the building in the dry we can get on with the work of getting her back in steam. She will be fantastic!

generally the boiler is in good condition however some boiler work is required. Here is David removing all the throatplate stays.

 

There were a few stays in other places that required replacement too.

Here is the tubeplate in place prior to bolting up.

Now all rivetted up David and I fitted the tubes. All 55 of them ! luckily Sam turned up since I ran out of steam  . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the bits and pieces now need to be refurbished.

 

 

 

 

The repair to the original chimney base with the old piece beside.

 

 

 

 

 

Work progresses . . .  .

 

 

 

 

The first 'boiling up' !

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the new chimney partially installed.

 

 

David plumbing his weir pump. This was the first steam engine he bought many years ago.

 

 

A sense of scale - with David standing there !

 

 

 

In steam. Thank you to our friends who came over to 'put wood on the fire!'.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be adding photo as the work progresses - please keep having a look. If you have any photos of semi-portables in their working days I'd be very keen to see them. Please drop us a line.