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Steam and Commercial Vehicles

  • Thread starter Thread starter BernardR
  • Start date Start date
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BernardR

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I have just come across this site and thought it might be of interest to folk on here.

My father had a Reliant three wheeler van and I was interested to read that the original design belonged to Raleigh and all parts had the letter 'R' so there was born the Reliant name.
 
A couple of films showing that Steam Lorries are not slow lumbering monsters - The Sentinel S model was capable of 60 MPH, a feat few 1930s petrol lorries could equal.
I remember seeing one, a very decrepit Sentinel, on Hagley Road when I was young - a few were returned to the road during the Suez crisis in 1957.
[ame="https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6tINCUY3Vjs"]YouTube - Sunday Steam-up[/ame]
[ame="https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XnML41wy8OI"]YouTube - Sentinal Steam Lorry[/ame]
 
There were two steam cars in steam at the Black Country museum last week as well as a road roller and a traction engine. Non of them moving but steam upready to go.
 
Nice one Bernie I remember a Sentinal used to deliver Coal down Newtown Row:)
 
I used to have 2 reliants a Supervan 111 and a Regal salloon i used to drive it on my motorbike licence and i taught myself to drive in them, no lessens and passed first time
 
Hardings Bakery by The Swan, Yardley had their flour delivered by steam powered lorries, while they waited to offload there flour they would park in Charles Edward Rd were i lived we kids would get under a lorry and warm our hands on the firebox, when the drivers came back they told us off if they did`nt see us they might run us over, this was circa 1934 the make of lorry i do not know, the flour was Spillers?, at the bottom of our road was the Midland Rolling & Haulage Co and they repaired Road Rollers, Fairground Wagons etc,the owner Mr. Snowden donated a Steam Van to the old Science Museum, long gone and replaced by the Millenium Joke Museum.
 
in St Vincent St Ladywood was a flour mill alongside the canal and in the 30,s they were using steam lorries
 
lencops,
Was it Charles Henry Road that the Midland Red 173 to Acocks Green used to turn round in before they altered the Swan junction with the underpass? I used to work the 173 and that name sounds familiar.

Did anyone ever come across a home built steam van in the early 1960's. It had a vertical marine boiler mounted on the cutaway front of a Jowett Bradford van and often used to go along Church Road, Sheldon. I saw it parked in the Sheldon Crane Hire yard there sometimes.
 
motorman-mike, I don`t know of a Charles Henry Rd by The Swan Island and i can`t remember a 173 Midland Red route from Acocks Green to the Swan, there is a Henry Rd off the Coventry Rd, on the right hand side towards Hay Mills, but its a cul-de-sac, i am sorry i can`t help, if you get any more info let me know.
 
It used to appear at the Newhall St steam rally most years, but I haven't seen it for ages. Reg no was MOA1 (or 1 MOA!)
 
lencops said:
motorman-mike, I don`t know of a Charles Henry Rd by The Swan Island and i can`t remember a 173 Midland Red route from Acocks Green to the Swan, there is a Henry Rd off the Coventry Rd, on the right hand side towards Hay Mills, but its a cul-de-sac, i am sorry i can`t help, if you get any more info let me know.
Click to expand...


Thanks lencops, I reckon it was Charles Edward Road. I've treated meself to a technicolour A-Z book and sussed it out . We used to turn left by a pub before the Swan then right into Emily Road and right again into Charles Edward to face the Cov Road for the return journey.
 
motorman-mike, The pub where you turned left would have been The New Inn you would then be in Gladstone Rd, turn right into Emily Rd, turn right into Charles Edward Rd, left onto Coventry Rd, there where 3 roads in the shape of an "E" the long side is Emily Rd, the bottom short is Warwell Lane, middle is Gladstone Rd, top is Charles Edward Rd, bit of useless info my Dad said that Charles Edward Lane who built the houses wanted to name it C.E.Lane but the council would not let him, Emily was his daughter, he built some Alms Houses at Hall Green named after him on Fox Hollies Rd, which are still there
 
lioyd i used to live in newhall st i wonder if you could help me i rember seeing the
steam rally when i was a kid in the 1950s i was very young but can t find any info
or any pics to do with it . would be greatfull for any info .thanks mary
 
Mary, the steam rally was held during the 70’s in Newhall St outside the Science Museum on a Sunday once a year. I loved to go and see it and would be looking forward to it for weeks. There was a procession of most of the engines driving around the local area returning to Newhall St afterwards, what a wonderful sight! I always remember the massive “steam crane” belonging to Leonard crane of Wolverhampton, a massive beast, it had a fog horn off a boat attached to it! You could hear the thing for miles. If anyone has any photos of event, please share, I would love to see such a magnificent sight again, shame it ended, it was much better than some of the events held in Birmingham now.
 
Brilliant photo I love them. I followed one down the A5 on a low loader last Friday from Tamworth to Cannock it was beautifully painted.:)
 
Lloyd said:
A couple of films showing that Steam Lorries are not slow lumbering monsters - The Sentinel S model was capable of 60 MPH, a feat few 1930s petrol lorries could equal.
I remember seeing one, a very decrepit Sentinel, on Hagley Road when I was young - a few were returned to the road during the Suez crisis in 1957.
YouTube - Sunday Steam-up
YouTube - Sentinal Steam Lorry
Click to expand...

Here's a 1933 Sentinel 'S' type,seen regularly at a steam rally at Malpas,Shropshire.............................Mal
 
And here's another shot of the Sentinel, and for good measure, a picture of a Foden steamer.............does anybody know any details of the Foden ?...............Mal.
 
Funny little detail I remember about the Foden 'S' type is the sign on the rear of the vehicle--'WARNING-STEAM BRAKES'....................mAL.
 
What wonderful photo's Mary I love steam engines of any type, I think it was my Dad's influence as a child. I bet he went to town when these were there. Thanks for posting the photo's.:)
 
I have a few photos I took of the Newhall Street Steam Rally but since tidying up I have misplaced them - will post them if I rediscover them.
 
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