I've done it again or the new life of a Foden steam Lorry

[andyhigham]

I have agreed to buy another project!!!!
Actually more of a runner than a project.
The paintwork isn't the best but "acceptable". It has a mechanical pump and hand pump, I will fit an injector. There are no brake drums and shoes fitted, just the band type handbrake.
3" Foden artic with trailer and an extra 4 wheel trailer. It has boiler paperwork from 2011, 3 road gears, 2 cylinder compound with simpling/starting valve.
It comes with commercial drawings, builders own drawings and casting patterns.
I pick it up next Saturday

foden 2 by Sigma Projects, on Flickr

[millman]

Looks good and nice to have all the drawings and casting patterns with it, bet you are looking forward to Saturday, paint looks ok in photo.

[Jim]

The Foden should give you a lot of pleasure, I know i had some great fun driving a friend's Foden when we visited our daughter a few years back now, when she was living in Otley and nursing in Leeds.

Jim

[andyhigham]

I was wondering why all Fodens appear to be left hand drive. Anyone shed some light?

[uuu]

Do you have two people driving, like a traction engine? The chap on the regulator would be the senior person, and go on the right, with the steersman on the left.

Here's a passage I found online - relating to showman's engines etc.:

On these vehicles there is, first of all, a driver. He is, in fact, an engineer. He is the man who is responsible for getting steam up, applying the brakes and generally looking after the firing and mechanical side of the engine. When the engine goes downhill the driver or engineer has to see that his fire is properly damped down, that he has not got too much steam up, and that his brakes are properly on. At the same time he is giving the necessary signals to the men behind on the different trailers. They can pull three enormous trailers and a watering cart, a train of five vehicles travelling along the road. The engineer blows a whistle and each man who is in charge of the different trailers behind has to apply the brakes at the proper time, or take them off, as the case may be. This Clause does not affect these men. The driver-engineer would continue to have a licence, but he is not the man who steers the vehicle. The man who steers the vehicle is a steersman. He is the man who actually turns the small wheel which directs the front wheels of the vehicle along its course on the road, and this Clause, if it goes through as it stands at present, will mean that the steersman will not need to have a licence. Anyone will be able to steer one of these big machines—a lunatic, or a half-wit, or even the fat lady in the show, if she is able to get into the small space available. On the other hand, of course, you might have the driver who goes round "The Walls of Death."

Wilf

[andyhigham]

Looking at the 3" Foden, the steering wheel, reverser, regulator, starting valve and handbrake are all on the left

[andyhigham]

Foden 3 by Sigma Projects, on Flickr

[uuu]

That puts my theory to bed then.

Wilf

[andyhigham]

This made a liar of me, not all Fodens are LHD
youtu.be/e9t51L63ySI