The Fire Drake Files No.1 - Lumbering engines

Occasionally, I get enthusiastic about a steam locomotive of some sort. Internal combustion Vintage Things are more my sort of thing as they are easier to take home with you and lightness enhances their performance but there is something fine about a steam engine. Steam engines, though, need weight to supply traction. As they are usually made of iron this not often a problem.

A friend of mine is Professor of Ferro-Equinology at the University of Andover and I accompanied him to the Great Dorset Steam Fair this year. Unfortunately, he is not quite as "locomotive" as he used to be due to a gammy leg so had to install himself in a cider tent for health reasons but he has first hand experience of operating steam engines.

Some steam engines have appeared as Vintage Things before now but that is because they represent 200 years (and counting) of Cornish motoring. I think it's time Engine Punk becomes a little Steam Engine Punk in its outlook occasionally so every once in a while there'll be a Fire Drake File on this blog. Internal combustion Vintage Things will still predominate but occasionally (and already) I'll make a diversion (take an excursion even) into the field of external combustion - that's the steam engine to you lot.

The reason I like steam engines is because you can see their engines. Their cranks and rods are exposed. They have fire in their bellies, too, and while their weight turns them into such lumbering great beasts, it's the weight that gives them their appeal. The great Terence Cuneo said that whenever he painted an engine he wanted to get across the sheer sense of weight and when that weight is moving at express speed it is truly awe inspiring.

To start things off, here is a proper job example of a lumbering engine. I don't know much about it, save that the prof put me onto it and if I've infringed anyone's copyright I'm sorry. I just really like this thing.

It's designed to run on tree trunks and looks like it might actually just carry on if it de-railed, which is usually a show-stopper for a conventional locomotive. Who Dynes were and where the pole road went is a mystery to me but apparently it was the first of its kind.

I have an interest in pole road engines because of the Blackman Brothers geared steam locomotive. This was built in 1881 and also ran on wooden "rails". The Dynes engine allegedly pips my possible brethren to the post when it comes to being first, though.

The whole geared steam loco site is really interesting and full of the geared and the weird. The man behind the geared loco site reckons I'm a relative of the Blackman Brothers and I'm quite happy to go along with this. Apparently, the Blackman Brothers were world famous in Snohomish County in the state of Washington but originally came from Maine.

I've heard of two origins for the surname. One is a derivation of Blacksmith. Considering our associations with metal working, that I can readily believe. The other one is that it's a German joke name and derives from "bleich mann" or bleached man. I read this in a library book once but can't remember the source of this nugget - I really like the idea of having a joke for a surname. I am quite pale myself but also have a tendency to become a bit grubby. Apparently, William Morris the arts and crafts bloke had the same trouble. The theory I've heard is that we naturally carry an electrical charge that is opposite to that associated with dirt. You takes yer money and you takes yer choice.

Of course, I'm now really curious to know more about lumbering engines whether built by Dynes, Blackmans or anyone else. Did they ever catch the track alight?