Odd diesel from Yeovil

Tim Hale

Western Thunderer
This emerged on a local Westlands History FB page, the South Somerset engineering company had direct rail access from the Yeovil-Taunton line in the background. This is the company’s shunter, it looks like a Fowler and was acquired sometime in the ‘30s.

Tim



DBE58073-7857-478E-ACBC-1401089015A0.jpeg
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
It was a Fowler - I haven't seen another photo of the thing, but it was named Ace and was Fowler works number 19425 of 1931, new to Petters in 1931 replacing a truly ancient Manning, Wardle (an 0-4-0ST of 1866 though it had been rebuilt twice by the time Petters laid hands on it). The loco apparently went to Brush at Loughborough when Westland took on the site in 1938. I've read somewhere that Petter installed one of their own engines in it (an ACE, appropriately enough). Westland replaced with a Howard (pretty unusual!) which lasted until the railway connection went.

I took this from the appropriate Industrial Railway Society handbook which I happen to have a copy of (reiterated here: A Quiet Country Town).

Adam

PS - if anyone has a photo of either the Manning Wardle or the Howard I'd love to see them.
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
Interesting. I thought I had seen the photo in the OP before, and I had. It was used in the Fowler '10 Years of Progress' catalogue, published in 1934.

Fowler Petter 1931.jpg
Spot the difference. I think Petters have reused the Fowler publicity photograph and have touched up the photo to replace the standard FOWLER name on the radiator with ACE. Fowler were happy to install whatever engine the purchaser wanted. Most of the early 30 to 45 horsepower locos were petrol or petrol-paraffin powered, along with some alcohol and some diesel. The larger 70hp locos were generally diesel powered. Was it really named ACE or is the assumption of the name based on the doctored photograph?
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Interesting. I thought I had seen the photo in the OP before, and I had. It was used in the Fowler '10 Years of Progress' catalogue, published in 1934.

View attachment 163710
Spot the difference. I think Petters have reused the Fowler publicity photograph and have touched up the photo to replace the standard FOWLER name on the radiator with ACE. Fowler were happy to install whatever engine the purchaser wanted. Most of the early 30 to 45 horsepower locos were petrol or petrol-paraffin powered, along with some alcohol and some diesel. The larger 70hp locos were generally diesel powered. Was it really named ACE or is the assumption of the name based on the doctored photograph?

That’s a valid question as I’ve seen both versions of the picture too. I don’t know for certain (the Indusrial Railway Society says that it was for what that’s worth). The location is certainly the Westland site, however (not that you’d know that now).

EDIT: If anyone has a copy of the Industrial Railway Record (is this the kind of thing you might have @Osgood?) for June 1976 there is an article there.

Adam
 
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