A Chance Find...

I was trawling the internet a while ago, looking for some ideas for a model I'm building of an engineering works. The above photo turned up and immediately grabbed my attention because of the very early traction engines in the shot. There's an Aveling roller with some interesting adaptation from the cylinder block, and what looks like it might be a Marshall traction engine. In the background is possibly a Ransomes thresher and above, sitting bizarrely on the balconies, are chaff cutters and other bits of cast iron wonderment.

I kept the photo in my "curiosity" folder, not really expecting anything to turn up, as there was no label on the photo that gave any clues. So, imagine my delight, when searching for something else, this photo turned up, with a link back to a site.

The engineering works is, in fact, the premises of  John Archibald Stephens and Son, East Back, Pembroke. They seem to have been kept very busy with manufacturing and hiring out of equipment and were a very successful concern. I guess that this was the business to be in for that period, when technology was only just one remove from the blacksmith stage and machinery repairs were a matter of clever extemporisation.

There is much more information and a wealth of fascinating photographs at the "Pembroke Story" site- the Stephens page is here, and well worth a look.