Essex Steam Wallis & Steevens

A Steam Trip for your birthday?
You can learn about steam on this roller

Go to backstory of the engine

12th November 2022
Continuing progress. Part 9 - Fit long stays and prepare fire door ring.

Long stays

Fire door ring

November 2022
Continuing progress. Part 9 - Fit tubeplate.

Front tubeplate close up

Tube plate

October 2022
Continuing progress. Part 8 - Firebox prepare.

Start of firebox

October 2022
Continuing progress. Part 7 - Block onto barrel.

Barrel and block reunited

September 2022
Continuing progress. Part 6 - Firehole door spacer.

Ring for firehole

September 2022
Continuing progress. Part 5 - New Firebox beginning.

New firebox ends

March 2022
Continuing progress. Part 4 - Firebox prepare.

Wrapper

November 2020
Continuing progress. Part 3 - more strip down.

Smokebox off, ready to draw tubeplate

Tubeplate out

Tubes out, stays cut

Foundation ring coming out

Foundation ring out

Firebox coming out

Firebox on the floor

Empty outer wrapper

October 2020
It has been a long summer but we now have pictures of some progress. Part 2 - strip down.

At Daves and ready to begin work

Coal bunkers and roof removed

Front roll and fork removed

Rear rolls off

Engine motion assembly complete

February 2020
After a long struggle we have found a boiler repairer up to the task of producing and fitting a new firebox (and possibly quite a bit more!). Part 1 - leaving home.

Ready to move down the drive

Off we go

Out onto the road

Clear the decks

Winch wire on

Up we go

... and into the truck

Well strapped down

Shut that door

Bye for now

October 2011
The boiler is due for its 10 year inspection and hydraulic test, so she will be out of action for a couple of months at least. Here are the first pictures of the action.

Cladding off

Near side of barrel

Gauge glass

Gauge stubs

Strip gauge glass

Injector

Wooden plug for side tank

Changeover valve

Safety valve assembly

Regulator chamber

Regulator block

Pressure gauge and siphon tube

Regulator shaft removed

Side tank removed

December 29th, 2006
We have finally managed to get back to the roller to finish off the tube replacement. Wallis & Steevens fitted ferrules into the firebox end of the tubes and, on advice of the boiler inspector, we decided to repeat the exercise

You can see the pictures in the Picture Gallery under Wallis 8 Ton option

September 14th, 2006
Well we made it to Barleylands safely, despite losing a boiler tube a couple of weeks ago. Preparing for a nice quiet steam trip for Ian and Sylvia B we heard the dreaded hissing from the firebox, and a quick visual check showed that nasty black patch in the fire and water running down the throatplate. Due to the build of the engine we could only get the tubes out by removing the yoke and front roller. By removing the pivot pin while suspending the smokebox from a gantry we were able to block up the front of the boiler and roll the front roller and yoke out as one piece. That gives good access to the smokebox to remove the old tubes. We got the boiler inspector in to have a look at the tube plates and shell while they were exposed. Everything was in order, but we took the opportunity to do a little 'make-good' on on or two rivet heads on the front tube plate. Our helpful tube suppliers were able to get a set of tubes for us quite quickly and we got them fitted and tested just in time for the Essex steam show at Barleylands.

History of the engine

Wallis & Steevens Advance 8 Ton Number 7788 built 1924 This Wallis and Steevens Advance Steam Roller Number 7788 was the second 8 Ton to come off the production line. It was supplied new to Romsey Rural District Council on 3rd June 1924. After a long service with them, it was transferred on 12th December 1952 to Hampshire County Council Winchester. (County road and Bridge Department)

On the 14th January 1959 it was sold to Mr Derek Marder a road contractor of Andover. All used it for road repairs. Early in the 1960s Mr Marder part exchanged it back to Wallis and Steevens for a new diesel roller. By then the roller was all but worn out, so Wallis and Steevens rebuilt it and put it into their Museum. It was taxed by them on the 6th January 1967 and showed by them until 1988 when they stopped trading. A Mr Davey bought the roller and the Registration Document was dated 28th January 1991.

It came into current ownership on 25th January 2001 and it was put back into Steam with a new boiler Test on the 6th March 2001. It has been to several local rallies, and is a frequent visitor to Langford Museum of Power.