Allchin traction engine Evedon Lad s/n 1499 of 1910 at the Holcot Steam Rally 2008
William Allchin was a manufacturer of steam engines, founded in 1847 based in Northampton, England.
History[]
William Allchin founded an engineering business at the 'Globe Works' by the River Nene in Northampton in 1847. By 1890 when the founder died, the firm had was well known for the manufacturer of steam engines and saw benches. The firm built its first steam engine in 1872.
The firm became William Allchin (& sons) Ltd in 1900 when the firm became a limited company and they then specialised in steam wagons and traction engine manufacture. They stopped building steam engines by 1925. Having only built about 220 over the past 50 years !
By 1930 the firm had closed down, but they were not part of the ill fated AGE combine that brought many firms down, just a victim of the depression of the 1920s, and its effect on the farming and related industries that were their customers.
The son[]
Frank Allchin set up on his own account at St James' Foundry, Weston Street, Northampton, as Allchin, Linnell & Co in the 1880s. This firm produced a wider range: there were some steam engines, but as important were engineering fittings, machine tools, and steam roundabouts and other fairground rides.
Model Range[]
.jpg "Built by Allchin in 1899 Reg No NH3416 Engine No 1131 (2).jpg (27 KB)")
(no Information yet, please add if you have any)
UK Preserved Machines[]
There are believed to be 20 preserved examples world wide with 17 recorded on The Traction Engine Register in the UK. A few are believed to exist in Australia.
| Engine No. | Name | Build Date | Type | weight | power | Reg No. | Owner | Image | Other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allchin no. 570 | Name ? | ? | TE | ? ton | ? nhp | - | Owner ?, | 
|
Just Boiler, wheels and Firebox repatriated from Australia.[1] |
| Allchin no. 669 | Bess | 1890 | TE | 7 ton | 7 nhp | AP 9081 | Steve Hubbock | 
|
Earliest preserved (complete) Allchin Machine (uk)[2] |
| Allchin no. 1080 | Blossom | 1899 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | BD 5594 | Owner ?, |
|
Ex Viv Kirk collection |
| Allchin no. 1105 | Ellen | 1899 | TE | 9 ton | 7 nhp | FP 1024 | L&I McConachie, East Sussex | 
|
At Tinkers Park Rally 2010 |
| Allchin no. 1131 | - | 1899 | RR | 10 ton | ? nhp | NH 3416 | Northampton Council c/o Northampton & Lamport Railway Preservation Society | 
|
Now restored after lying in bits for 12 years.[3] Part funded by a Lottery Grant[4] |
| Allchin no. 1173 | Aquarius | 1901 | TE | 9 tons | 6 nhp | KE 1984 | Dave Maidment, | 
|
At GDSF 2008 |
| Allchin no. 1187 | - | 1901 | RR | 10 ton | 6 nhp | NH 3417 | Owner ?, Bedford |
|
Ex Northampton Council |
| Allchin no. 1261 | William | 1903 | TE | size | 7 hp | AY 9878 | Arthur Henton, ? |
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1268 | - | 1903 | TE | 8 tons | 8 nhp | NK 864 | George Moore | 
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1311 | LENA | 1905 | TE (agricultural) | size | 8 nhp | HR 5059 | F. Jenkinson (RoI) | 
|
Featured in STE. Has been at GDSF in the past |
| Allchin no. 1342 | Lady Olivia (Our Liv) | 1907 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | Reg no.? | Mark Ellis, Thirsk, North Yorks | 
|
Seen at Duncombe Park Steam Rally 2017 (Repatriated from Australia). |
| Allchin no. 1373 | - | 1907 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | - | Owner ?, Petersfield Hants |
|
Repatriated from Australia in 1970's[5] |
| Allchin no. 1406 | AMY | 1907 | TE | 10 ton | 7 nhp | KE 1985 | Owner ? |
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1415 | The Havenstreet Queen | 1907 | TE | ? ton | 7 nhp | AP 9077 | Owner ?, Hull | 
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1458 | Jane | 1910 | TE | 9 ton | 6 nhp | DD 2006 | David Davenport | 
|
At Weeting in ? |
| Allchin no. 1499 | Evedon Lad | 1910 | TE | ? ton | 7 hp | AY 9494 | R. Poole, ? |
|
at Rushden & Holcot 2008 Stoke Goldington 2009 |
| Allchin no. 1527 | Felicity | 1911 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | CF 3650 | Owner ? |
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1544 | - | 1912 | Portable | size | 6 nhp | - | Colin Knight |
|
Misc info |
| Allchin no. 1546 | Rebel | 1912 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | AP 9079 | Owner Allan Eaton MBE collection, Northampton. | 
|
at Kettering Steam Rally 2008 |
| Allchin no. 1652 | Little Mo | 1914 | TE | 10 ton | 6 | EB 4938 | owner Robert Herring, Bicester | 
|
At GDSF 2008 & Bloxham 2009 |
| Allchin no. 2146 | Billy Allchin | 1922 (1st reg) | TE | 9 ton | 7 nhp | FP 1259 | Mary Sproxton, Northampton | 
|
Photo Taken May 2013 at Barrowden |
| Allchin no. 3251 | Royal Chester | 1925 | TE | ? | 7 nhp | NU 7483 | Owner ? | 
|
Ex Peter Fordham collection - sold sept 2011 by Cheffins |
| Allchin no. 3858 | Knapp | 1931 | Road loco | 10 ton | converted from a roller | NV 100 | Peter Craddock | 
|
was youngest Allchin Engine in preservation in UK.[6], Exported to France 2012 |
| Allchin no. ? |
|
||||||||
| Allchin no. ? | Name | date built | type | weight | power | Reg no. | Owner ? |
|
Misc info |
| 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 |
- Please add any known machines details to the above list.
References / sources[]
- MERL project
- Various Show Guides
- Steam Traction Engine Magazine sample issue
External links[]