Ruston, Proctor and Company was established in Lincoln in 1857, and were manufactures of steam tractors and engines. They later became Ruston & Hornsby & then Ruston (engines), following the split of the Excavator division to merge with Bucyrus-Erie from America to form the Ruston-Bucyrus Company in 1930.
Ruston Proctor engine no 33189 reg No.CT3949 at Wymswold Show 2008
Ruston Proctor engine no 33189 reg No.CT3949 at Wymswold Show 2008
History[]
General History[]
The firm started as Burton & Proctor, who were founded in Lincoln as millwrights and implement manufacturers in 1840. Robert Ruston became a partner in 1857, and the firm changed name to Ruston, Proctor & Co. and grew rapidly to become a major agricultural engineering firm.
They merged with the established firm of Richard Hornsby & Sons, from Grantham in 1918, to form Ruston Hornsby Ltd.
Rustons were primarily steam engineers. Portable, stationary and traction engines, boilers, and associated engineering products, such as winding gear, shafts and pulleys. Threshing machines, clover hullers, corn mills, maize shellers and pumps for steam power were also made. As well as engines for agriculture Rustons made railway locomotives and equipment for mining and industry. These interests led the firm to expand into electrical and diesel engineering (which the successor business of Ruston Gas Turbines grew from before being taken over).
They were one of the first to manufacture steam powered excavating machinery – in the 1880s producing the Dunbar & Ruston’s steam navvy Excavator. In 1930 after building machines under licence for several years the Excavator Division was Merged with Bucyrus-Erie in the UK to form Ruston-Bucyrus based in Lincoln.
The firm later became RB Lincoln in 1985 after Bucyrus-Eries UK operations were separated out to form Bucyrus Europe which became Bucyrus International in 1996 following restructuring. RB Lincoln became RB International that latter collapsed.
- See also: Ruston-Bucyrus
Ruston Proctor 1875-1918[]
- Agricultural machinery
- Traction Engines
- Portable Engines
- Excavators (steam navies)
Preserved machines[]
An early Ruston, Proctor steam Navy No. 306 was rescued from a gravel pit in the 1970s and restored by Ruston Bucyrus aprentices and is now in the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln. (but in a poor state of repair.) photo here when first restored.
- Ruston Proctor no.33189 traction engine reg no. CT 3949
Click Here to edit list.
| Engine No. | Name | Build Date | Type | Weight | Power nhp | Reg No. | Owner | Image | Other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruston Proctor no. 5187 | - | 18?? | Portable | - ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ? | 
|
|
| Ruston Proctor no. 9032 | - | 18?? | Portable | - ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ? | 
|
Believed to be a none UK resident machine |
| Ruston Proctor no. 10743 | Jack | 1884 | PE | ? ton | 10 nhp | NA | Museum of Lincolnshire Life |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 13602 | Name ? | c.1888 | PE | ? ton | 6 nhp | na | Owner ?, Willenhall |
|
Repatriated from Chile 2012 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 13606 | The Challenge | 1888 | PE | 5 ton | 8 nhp | NA | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 15033 | Name ? | date built | Portable | - | ? nhp | NA | In New South Wales, Australia | On commons [[1]] | Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 15154 | Name ? | date built | Portable | - | ? nhp | NA | In Finland | Here] | Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 16466 | Name ? | 188? | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | - | Owner ? |
|
Imported from Chile 2003 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 17589 | Name ? | 1893 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | NA | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 18188 | Name ? | 1894 | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | NA | Thinktank, Birmingham ( was at Museum of Science & Industry Birmingham) | 
|
Now on display at 'new' Thinktank Museum. |
| Ruston Proctor no. 19511 | Name ? | 1895 | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 22403 | Name ? | 1899 | PE | ? ton | 2 1/2 nhp | NA | Owner ?, Lutterworth |
|
Repatriated from Australia ? |
| Ruston Proctor no. 23477 | Name ? | date built | PE Vertical boiler | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?, Nottingham |
|
From South Africa 2002/Chile |
| Ruston Proctor no. 23710 | Name ? | 1898? | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | Reg no. ? | Owner ? Sweden |
|
Imported to Sweden from Russia |
| Ruston Proctor no. 26902 | Winscombe Beauty | 1903 | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | NA | Owner ?, Axminster |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 27775 | Name ? | 1903 | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?, Swindon |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 29011 | Name ? | 1904 | PE | 6 ton | 8 nhp | NA | Owner ?, Nottingham |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 30640 | - | R (2014) | Steam Tractor (Replica) | 3 ton | 3 nhp | VX14 HKB | Owner ?, Battle |
|
New build replica |
| Ruston Proctor no. 30656 | Big John | 1906 | Portable class PSG | 8 ton | 12 nhp | - | Hollycombe Steam Collection | 
|
At Hollycombe Steam Festival |
| Ruston Proctor no. 32222 | Name ? | 1907 | TE | ? ton | ? nhp | Reg no. ? | Preston Services |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 33189 | n/a | 1907 | TE type SH | 9 1/2 ton | 7 hp | CT 3949 | David Palmer, ? |
|
At Lymswold Vintage Rally, Belvoir, Holcot and Lincoln Steam Rally in 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 33471 | n/a | 1907 | TE | 9 ton | 7 nhp | EW 2691 | Mike Thexton, Swindon | 
|
At Bloxham Steam Rally 2009 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 33499(T45) | Name ? | c. 1907 | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?, ex Preston services |
|
Had been reported as Ruston Hornsby 55499 in past editions of TER |
| Ruston Proctor no. 33681 | Name ? | 1907 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | - | Owner ?, Burton on Trent |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 34389 | - | - | PE | - | - | - | - |
|
Makers plate fitted on Ruston Proctor no. 38982 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 34756(T74) | - | 1908 | TE | ? ton | 10 nhp | Reg no. ? | Preston Services, Kent |
|
Imported from Argentina, 2003 (T74) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 34818 | - | 1908 | PE | 3.5 ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?,Bromsgrove |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 34926 | - | 1906 | Portable | ? ton | 4 nhp | - | David Collier |
|
At Banbury Steam Rally 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 34987 | Rusty | 1908 | TE | 9 ton | 7 nhp | AH 5654 | G.P. Wyeld & Sons, Oxfordshire | 
|
At Holcot Steam Rally 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 35499 | - | 1908 | TE | ? ton | 10 nhp | n/r | N. Helme, Herfordshire | to add
|
Incomplete in 2007 At Preston Rally (was sold in August 2012 now being rebuilt) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 35501 | The Muddler | 1908 | TE | 10 ton | 8 nhp | BE 7428 | Owner ?, Market Rassen | To add
|
At Lincoln Steam Rally 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 36441 | No.7 | 1909 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | - | Owner ?, Willenhall |
|
Repatriated from Chile, 2012 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 36545 | - | 1909 | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?, Carmathenshire |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 36828 | Florence | 1909 | TE | 8.5 ton | 5 nhp | KE 4991 | Owner ?, Bedford |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 36895 | - | 1909 | TE | ? ton | 10 nhp | Reg no.? | Owner ?, Preston Kent |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 37316 | - | 1909 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | - | Owner ?, Colchester |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38548 | - | 1910 | Port | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Gl. Estrup, Landbrugsmuseum |
|
- |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38587 | Name ? | 1910 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | - | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38591 | Midnight | 1910 | RR | 6 ton | 3 nhp | PB 9976 | Owner ?, Andover | To add ?
|
seen at ? Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38982 | 1910 | PE | 4.5 ton | 6 nhp | - | Owner ?, Southampton |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) | |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38994 | The Champion | 1910 | TE type SH | 9 ton | 8 nhp | AH 7938 | Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum | 
|
In Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 39487 | - | 1910 | PE | 4 ton | 5 nhp | - | Owner ?, Andover |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 39664 | - | 1910 | PE | ? ton | 6 nhp | - | Owner ?, St. Austell |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 38678 | - | 1910 | RR | 10 ton | 9 nhp | FE 4058 | Owner ?, Boston |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 39872 | - | 1910 | TE type SH | 9 ton | 7 nhp | RT 1487 | Thursford Steam Museum | 
|
In Thursford Steam Museum 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 40909 | Maybe Jill! Sister for Jack 49804(see below). | 1911 | S.C.Overhead inclined slide valves.Double crank, compound. | not sure heavy! | 8 N.H.P | Unregisterd for road use in Western Australia. | Owner: Jill Brookes. Dardanup Heritage Park, Western Australia. | 
|
Now undergoing full restoration at Dardanup. |
| Ruston Proctor no. 42560(T19) | 1911 | PE | ? ton | 3 nhp | - | Owner ?, Aberystwyth |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) | |
| Ruston Proctor no. 43680 | 1912 | RR | 10 ton | 6 nhp | NO 3952 | Owner ?, Stamford |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) | |
| Ruston Proctor no. 44180 | Titus | 1912 | TE type SHA | ? ton | 7 nhp | n/r | Owner ? |
|
For Sale at Cheffins in 2008 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 44836 | Tulip Queen | 1912 | TE | 10 ton | 8 nhp | BE 7421 | Owner ?, Nantwich |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 44858 | - | 1912 | PE | ? ton | 8 nhp | na | Owner ?, East Mersea |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 46596 | Silvie | 1913 | TE | 8.5 ton | 5 nhp | SFE 519L | The Museum of Lincolnshire Life |
|
Repatriated from France in 1972 (Hence reg no.) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 47319 | - | 1913 | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | In store at Beamish Open Air Museum |
|
Imported from Chile ? |
| Ruston Proctor no. 48359 | Pride of Barum | 1913 | RR | 11 ton | 6 nhp | TA 2894 | Owner ?, Cambourne |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 49804 | Jack | 1914 | TE type SH | 12 ton | 8 nhp | EB 3554 | Owner ? |
|
At Prestons Rally in 2007 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 50278 | Success | 1914 | TE type SHS | 10 ton | 7 nhp | CE 7949 | R. Pumfrey & Sons, Saffron Waldon | 
|
Lincoln 2008 & Weeting Rally 2009 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 50735 | Elizabeth | 1915 | RR | 11 ton | 6 nhp | BE 9143 | Owner ?,Notts |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 50869 | - | year ? | PE | ? ton | 5 nhp | na | Owner ?, ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 51421 | - | 1916 | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | na | Owner ?, Bristol |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 51457 | Portly Polly | 1916 | PE | ? ton | 12 nhp | na | Owner ?, Cumnock |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 51737 | Queenie | 1917 | TE | 6 ton | 5 nhp | EB 8164 | Owner ? |
|
|
| Ruston Proctor no. 51981 | - | 1917 | Portable | ? ton | 5 nhp | n/r | Owner ? |
|
At GDSF in 2004 |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52074 | - | 1908 | Portable type PSG | 6 ton | 8 nhp | - | Claymills Pumping Station | 
|
On fixed display (boiler rotten), running from Main Pumping engine boilers. Originally on the Works farm then in the Lime sheds. |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52173 | - | 1918 | PE | 7.5 ton | 12 nhp | na | Owner ?, Lincoln |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52266 | Corn Maiden | 1918 | TE | 8 ton | 5 nhp | CJ 4178 | Owner ?, Exeter |
|
? |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52279 | 1918 | PE | 3.5 ton | 4 nhp | na | Owner ?, Chatham |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) | |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52329 | Sweet Charity/ Oliver | 1918 | Tractor type SCD | 5 ton | 4 nhp | CT 5554 | Owner ? |
|
Last Known RP engine on the TER 2008 register. |
| Ruston Proctor no. 52453 | The Lincoln Imp | 1918 | Tractor | 5 ton | 4 nhp | OR 8501 | D. Marder, Andover | 
|
At Netley Marsh Steam Rally 2011 The Lincoln Imp Blog |
| Ruston Proctor no.52607 | The Lincoln Imp | 1918 | Tractor | 5 ton | 4 nhp | HP 2201 | A. Semple, Bishops Castle | To add | At Shrewsbury Steam Rally 2011 |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP53 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP62 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP66 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP85 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP86(T17) | - | - | PE | ? ton | ? nhp | na | - |
|
Now identified as a Blackstone |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP92 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | 7 nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP93 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | 10 nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP94 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | 7 nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP105 | Tiny | date built | PE | ? ton | 2 nhp | na | Owner ?, (Ex Preston Services) |
|
Repatriated from Chile 2004, Boiler + 3 Wheels, no motion |
| Ruston Proctor no. UP109 | - | date built | PE | ? ton | 7 nhp | na | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Ruston Proctor no. Unknown portable | - | date built ? | Portable | ? ton | 4 nhp | - | Owner ? |
|
Australia / New Zealand ? |
| Ruston Proctor no. Unknown | Name | date built ? | TE | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ? |
|
Australia / New Zealand |
| Add | More | by | copying | block | below | ||||
| Ruston Proctor no. ? | Name ? | date built | type | ? ton | ? nhp | Reg no. ? | Owner ? |
|
Misc info (were seen, photo taken, special features etc) |
| Machine types Key: | References / sources |
|---|---|
| PE = Portable Engine, Plg = Ploughing Engine, RR = Road Roller, SM = Showman's engine, ST = Steam tractor, SW = Steam wagon, TE = Traction Engine, RL = Road Locomotive |
See also[]
- Ruston
- Ruston-Bucyrus
- Ruston & Hornsby
- Ruston (engine builder)
- List of Steam Machinery Manufacturers
- List of Construction Plant Manufacturers
References[]
External links[]
Template:Ruston group
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