Full Steam Ahead!

Many of our most popular items among researchers come from our collection of over 100,000 engineering drawings of steam engines, road rollers and locomotives.

These records relate to British companies of international importance, such as Charles Burrell and Sons, John Fowler and Co, Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, and Wallis and Steevens.

Blowing off steam

Many of the people who consult these collections are steam engine enthusiasts. As they work on restoration projects and refurbish their engines, they use our engineering drawings to ensure the restoration matches the machine’s original specifications and purpose.

Many enthusiasts use the production records of the archives to find out the history of their steam engine. Who was the first owner? Where was it shipped to? When was the engine built?

The manufacturers in our archives exported their engines all over the world, including Europe, America, India, China, Chile, Australia and Ne  Zealand. So, we receive requests from all over the world in kind.

We are always thrilled to see the results of projects that our collections informed. Model maker George King used the archives to create a range of models including a Fowler Superva Plough engine.

A Researcher’s Story

Jeffrey Shackell has been visiting the museum to consult the collections while working on his own engine.

I have to say that my visits to The MERL have been extremely rewarding.

I was a little nervous at first sitting in the reading room with the very precious original Fowler books and documents to read through. The very kind staff helped me learn the ropes and I soon settled in.

I have really enjoyed my visits. They have been something to look forward to. I am making a particular study of Fowler agricultural traction engines and what better place to study than at The MERL with the original build specification books in front of me.

I have also found it very interesting to study some of the works’ photographs. One engine is particularly worthy of note. This is Fowler A8 traction engine, No.11484, which (as luck would have it) is a survivor today.

One of my first childhood books on traction engines was a small book written by Harold Bonnett and in this little book he writes about three friends who are undertaking a mammoth restoration of a Fowler traction engine. The very engine he writes about is No.11484 and so it was fantastic all these years later to be able to see the engine as it looked when new at the Steam Plough Works in Leeds.

I am also particularly interested in the photographs of Eric Guy and once again, at The MERL, one is able to see these wonderful images of his. A crossover exists in that Eric captured Fowler R class traction engine No.7953 at work on the Berkshire Downs in around 1936. I was provided with this photograph and it is now framed on my wall as something quite special to look at every day.

I hope to be able to continue my visits to The MERL for many years to come and am most grateful that the facility exists.

2024 update: blueprint products now available

We’re thrilled to feature beautiful details and highlights from our engineering drawings in a range of shop products.

Order online, with delivery to anywhere in the world.

Expanding Access

We are always trying to improve access to archives held at The MERL.

Currently we are undertaking two projects relating to the agricultural manufacturing archives.

Our Paper Conservator, Victoria Stevens, is completing a conservation survey to assess the John Fowler Archive and the Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies Archive for items that require conservation care.

Sharon Maxwell, Archivist and Emma Hunt, Archives Assistant, are working with Beaulieu Motor Museum to digitise the 16mm reel-to-reel publicity films of Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies. The films will then be catalogued and available to view in the reading room.

We are grateful for the support and expertise we have received from The Road Locomotive Society, Steam Plough Club and the National Traction Engine Trust, who have supported us in sharing access to these incredible archives for many years.

More information about the archives can be found throughout our website:

• Charles Burrell & Sons Limited
• John Fowler & Co (Leeds) Ltd. Archive. You can find out more in our an online exhibition Fowler: National and International Steam Power
• Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Ltd.
• Marshall, Sons & Co Ltd – The MERL (reading.ac.uk)
• Wallis & Steevens Ltd Archive

Find out more about exploring our archives on our Visiting the Archive and Library page.