16 August 2018
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Wallis and Steevens
At just shy of £5,000 (including the buyers premium) this two inch scale model of a Wallis and Steevens General Purpose Traction Engine
At just shy of £5,000 (including the buyers premium) this two inch scale model of a Wallis and Steevens General Purpose Traction Engine - named 'Margaret Rose' - broke the house auction record for this scale of model at Sheffield Auction Gallery's Live Steam sale on the 28 June.
Built to the very highest standard, this traction engine attracted significant interest, ending in a bidding battle between two telephone lines.
Basingstoke based Wallis and Steevens was founded in 1856, and began producing a wide variety of agricultural equipment, including bench drills, corn drills, turnip drills, and four types of horse hoe.
The date of production for the company's first portable steam engine is not known although the earliest surviving drawing is dated 1866. The first traction engine, an 8 hp single, was built in 1877 from drawings by Arthur Herbert Wallis (son of the company founder) and this vehicle made its trial run on 21 June that year.
The 'Margaret Rose' was sold in very good condition, had twin cylinders with a Stephensons valve gear and pole reverser. Measuring 28 inch long and 19 inch high she was finished to the very highest standard and worthy of the fullest inspection.