Vandestegen's Fowler

This photo is most likely to be of Fowler No.4819, 6nhp new in August 1884,
to Vandestegen, which was an early ‘A’ Type. It later went to R.J & H
Wilder, Wallingford at an unknown date.

Douglas Vandestegen was located at Cane End, Oxfordshire. He owned 33
engines at various times but only two Fowler traction engines – No.4819, and
No.8100, a 6nhp A4 type engine new in 1898, named “VULCAN” Reg No BH 7401.
Purchased by Vandestegen in 1921 from F.J. Scott Murray, Hambledon, Bucks.
By August 1942 it was with Parker Brothers, Shinfield, Berks.

It is most likely the photo is the first engine No.4819: The engine looks an
early type of Fowler engine, and it has no registration number visible. The
men in the photo look to have c1890 dress, and the Threshing drum looks to
be an early type. Also, Fowler 8100 was regisitered BH 7401 and was not
purchased until 1921 by Vandestegen, which means it had to carry a Reg
number due to licensing authuortiy regulations, making it more likely to be
no. 4819.

Many thanks to Trevor Smallbone for the information and Alan Duke’s RLS
records.