Vernon Collection Sale (2nd - 3rd June, 2023)

This is one of a series of pages which I have uploaded to illustrate facets of steam rallies we have attended in the UK. Such events occur all over the country in the summer months, they are easily found by using your favourite search engine and may have anything between a handful of steam engines and hundreds (as at the Great Dorset Steam Fair which could probably be fairly described as having an excess of riches). Click here for the overall index for 2023.

The late Richard Vernon is perhaps best known for his restoration of the sole surviving Howard ploughing engine and a set of equipment for roundabout ploughing which I saw demonstrated at Crockey Hill in 2016. He also owned other engines and, of these, four Fowler engines were to be sold at auction by Cheffins together with a number of rare old tractors and assorted bits and pieces associated with ploughing. I attended the viewing day at his farm near Lutterworth. While it was a fine sunny day, as often happens, the engines were placed too close together for effective photography.

A Gang of Four Fowlers

Ploughing Engines

		Maker	Number	Registration	Notes
		Fowler	4223/1884	AC 9061	"Aethelflaed" Hollowell Steam Rally 2015 Picture  This engine has a second vertical winding drum on the side of the boiler which appeared to be driven in a similar manner to the conventional ploughimg drum below the boiler.
		Fowler	15170/1918	NR 78	"Princess Caroline"
		Fowler	15171/1918	NR 79	"Princess Jayne"

General Engine

		Maker	Number	Registration	Notes
		Fowler	11717/1915		Repatriated from Australia Hollowell Steam Rally 2017 Picture

 Ploughing Equipment

		Maker	Number		Notes
		Fowler	14091/1921		4 furrow anti balance plough
		Fowler	ca 1920		Reversible steam disc harrows with Fowler steam furrow press 5 ring
		Howard			Reversible steam harrows
		Fowler	ca 1880		Reversible steam harrows