Bill Briggs Sale

It is not everyday that four superbly restored steam engines are offered for sale by auction and even more unusual that they belong to a single owner. Bill Briggs had purchased his first engine, the 6nhp single crank compound Charles Burrell traction engine ‘Diamond Queen’, in 1962 which was followed by the ex Starkey Knight and Ford Foden wagon and later the Barrows and of course the oldest serviving Wallis Traction Engine the 1883 T Class ‘Mayrnagh’.

Top price was for the faultless Foden Steam Wagon which was eventually knocked down for £165,000 to a well known enthusiast and collector. The resplendent Burrell quickly followed which made an impressive £130,000. Perhaps it was fate but the Wallis & Steevens which Bill had restored over a period of 16 years and was the closest you could come to a virtually new steam engine, lived up to it’s name of Mayrnagh, (meaning survivor in Manx) and survived the auctioneers gavel. Bill in reflective mood is delighted to be bringing the back the engine to the Isle of Man where it was discovered on the slopes of Snaefell. Volunteers were lining up after the sale to assist Bill once it is delivered back to it’s original home.

The Barrows did not disappoint and this stunning little engine fetched £20,000 and is destined for the same home as the Foden.

There was much pre-sale speculation regarding the rare Stenner & Gunn traction wagon and spirited bidding saw it eventually sold for £17,000.

A good selection of steam spares were snapped up by an expectant crowd. Top price in this section was £2,300 for a Foden 5 ton wagon injector by Whites. Other notable prices included a set of Eli Griffiths spring mounted lamps at £1,250, £360 for a Foden injector repair kit and £480 for a Wallis & Steevens pressure gauge. Four Pemberthy injectors fetched between £300 and £540.

A wonderful day, the result of which will see Bill keep the Wallis and it is perhaps fitting that this should be the case after all the restoration and research into the history of the engine that Bill undertook.

Our next sale of steam is on Saturday 24th April at the Cambridge Vintage Sale at Sutton, Nr Ely, Cambs.