John Fowler & Co.

John Fowler & Co Engineers of Leathley Road, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England produced traction engines and ploughing implements and equipment, as well as railway equipment. Fowler also produced the Track Marshall tractor which was a tracked version of the Field Marshall. British Railways Engineering Department locomotives ED1 to ED7 were built by Fowler

History

John Fowler was an agricultural engineer and inventor who was born in Wiltshire in 1826. He worked on the mechanisation of agriculture and was based in Leeds.[1] He is credited with the invention of steam-driven ploughing engines. He died 4 December 1864, following a hunting accident. After his death, John Fowler & Co., was then continued by Robert Fowler and Robert Eddison. David Greig handled the day-to-day management.[2] In 1886 the limited company of John Fowler & Co., (Leeds) Ltd., was formed. It merged with Marshall, Sons & Co., Ltd., of Gainsborough in 1947 to form Marshall-Fowler Ltd.

Preservation

Around 700 Fowler engines have survived into preservation.[10] These include 3 of the 4 Super Lions series of Showman's engines built in the 1930s.[11]

Railway locomotives

Some locations of preserved Fowler railway locomotives include:

Australia
Bennett Brook Railway, a tourist railway in Perth, Western Australia
Leeds Fowler 11277: restored in Bundaberg, Australia
Leeds Fowler, 0-6-0T, "Faugh-a Ballagh", preserved at Port Douglas, Australia.[12]

Brazil
Railway Museum in Jundiaí, SP (Brazil). Builder plates #1531 from 1870, she's a 4-4-0 for gauge. Built for Companhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro where she spent all of her active life and as CP's first locomotive she was numbered #1.

Germany
Open Air Museum "Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg", near Hamburg, Germany

New Zealand
Canterbury Steam Preservation Society, Christchurch, New Zealand
Silver Stream Railway, Wellington, New Zealand
Tokomaru Steam Museum, Tokomaru, New Zealand

India
National Railway Museum, Delhi, India

Pakistan
Changa Manga Forest Railway, Pakistan[13]

United Kingdom
Amberley Museum Railway
Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway
East Kent Railway (heritage)
Middleton Railway – Two Fowler locomotives
Midland Railway Butterley
Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
Ribble Steam Railway & Museum - diesel shunter no. 4160001
Statfold Barn Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum Collection - Not currently on public display
Swanage Railway- Diesel Shunter 'May'- Under restoration
Yorkshire Wolds Railway - diesel 0-6-0 Shunter no. 4240017 Patricia - Under restoration

Traction engines

The Iron Maiden, a Fowler & Co.-built Showman's engine which was featured in the film, The Iron Maiden, is exhibited as part of the Scarborough Fair Collection of Fairground organs and machinery at events such as the Great Dorset Steam Fair.
The Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, a volunteer organisation dealing with the preservation of Australia's mechanical heritage, has several Fowler traction engines and steam rollers in preservation, some privately owned by members, and some owned by the club. Most are in restored, operating condition and are demonstrated to the public regularly. Club engines include one of a pair of Z7 ploughing engines.
John Fowler 7nhp Steam Road Locomotive, Serial No 13037, in, New South Wales, Australia.[14]

type	Limited company
industry	Engineering and manufacturing
founded	1886 in Leeds, England
founder	John Fowler
defunct	1947
fate	Merged
successor	Marshall-Fowler Ltd
hq location city	Leeds
hq location country	England
products	Agricultural equipment Tractors Railway locomotives

History

Construction equipment

Preservation

Railway locomotives

Traction engines

External links

References