Description
1928 FODEN D Type timber tractor STEAM WAGGON 'Perseverance'
Reg No. EU 3764
Works No. 14068
This impressive standard Foden D Type tractor was road tested at Sandbach on September 20th 1928 and despatched on September 30th to its first owner Mrs AL Watkins of Llangattock Wharf, Crickhowell and given the Brecon registration EU 3764. The Watkins family ran a haulage operation as well as lime quarrying and also operated a Foden C Type wagon. The new D Type was put to use on a contract hauling pipes for a local reservoir scheme. At the end of this contract the Foden was returned to the works at Sandbach where it was overhauled and subsequently sold on to Langley and Johnson, a firm of general hauliers in Slough.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, 'Perserverence' was requisitioned by the London County Council and attached to the War Debris Survey Commission and was used to pull down bomb damaged buildings in the city. After the war, in June 1946 the Foden was entered into a Ministry of Supply auction at Crystal Palace along with another Foden tractor named "Fairway" and registered WN 3344, which unfortunately did not make it into preservation. There followed a period when "Perserverence" also looked doomed and was passed for scrapping from Hardwicks to TT Boughton and then on to Jesse Vines yard in Gloucestershire. In 1952 it was bought for preservation by DE Pritchard of Leominster who kept it for a short while before selling it to Jack Shuttlewood of Great Leighs, Essex thus starting a half century residence in East Anglia, attending the Clubs first rally at Great Saling in 1955. After a spell in the ownership of a local character Tom Redburn of Enfield who would transport it on his chain driven Scammell low loader to rallies, the D Type was purchased by the well known early preservationist and Sentinel collector Edgar Shone who owned The Crown pub at Crickwood. It was then extensively rallied and maintained by ex BR engine driver Roy Swain and often helped by Peter Richardson.
In the many years of Peter's ownership, the Foden has enjoyed an on going rolling restoration and travelled extensively to rallies all over this country as well as trips to Europe. However in the early to mid 2000s, it had a comprehensive general rebuild including a new firebox by Israel Newton and later in 2019 a new boiler barrell and front tubeplate by Allison Engineering, as well as a full mechanical rebuild and repaint.
This superb engine is now in fine all round condition, has a comprehensive history file and comes with a current boiler certificate and hydraulic test until 2029
Estimate: £230, 000 - £250, 000
