Charles Burrell & Sons Limited Administrative History Joseph Burrell founded the business in the late 1770s, setting up originally as a general smith and repairer of agricultural tools in Thetford. He produced ploughs, harrows and rakes. Early in the 19 th century, with his brothers, James and William, he began designing his own patent agricultural machinery. In 1803 his 'improved drill for sowing crushed oat cake manure with wheat, turnips etc' won a silver cup at the Holkham sheep-shearing festival (a forerunner of the great agricultural shows). A small iron and brass foundry was started under James and continued at the St Nicholas foundry. One of James's sons, James junior, had a small shop and foundry, while the other son Charles inherited the family firm. Charles (grandson of the founder) was 20 when he took over in 1837, and was to see the name of Burrell become world-famous during his 69-year 'reign' to his death in 1906. Charles Burrell & Sons, steam and agricultural machinery manufacturers were the first to introduce a practical heavy duty traction engine for use on roads. The firm produced traction engines, steam rollers and ploughing engines. More than 4,000 engines left the works during the life of the firm and many were put in countries around the world. In 1848 Burrell's produced their own single cylinder (SC) portable in 1848 which they exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Show. The firm continued to manufacture other agricultural machinery, and produced the first combined threshing and finishing machine about this time. Burrell joined forces with engineer, James Boydell, to produce the first practical traction engine, a self-moving road engine for pulling loads. Boydell patented a system called the 'Endless Railway', which foreshadowed the track-laying vehicles of many years later. Demonstrations of the Burrell-Boydell traction engine at Croxton near Thetford and at Brackenborough near Louth were held in 1857 and made a very favourable impression. Several Burrell-made ploughs were drawn at a time behind the engine, which also showed its prowess in hauling loads over soft uneven ground. Burrell's reputation was now established. Orders for Burrell-Boydell engines came in from public and private sources at home and abroad - one was exported to Brazil in 1860. For a few years they enjoyed success, but the Endless Railway proved noisy and unable to stand up to the wear and tear of roadwork. Along with other firms, Burrell's looked around for new ideas, and produced the first chain-drive engine in 1862, later to be replaced by the geared engine. Thereafter a succession of improvements followed until the basic development of the traction engine was complete by the mid-1870s. Another type of engine, the road locomotive engine, was adapted for hauling large loads and travelling long distances. Its special features included a compound (two cylinder) engine, a 'belly tank' for carrying extra water, and a three-quarter length cab. Springs and solid rubber tyres were later additions. Charles Burrell took out a patent for rubber tyres protected by steel clips in 1871, the year of his first high-speed road engine. Other patents representing technical improvements over the years covered further wheel refinements, clutch gearing, and Burrell's famous single crank compound (SCC) system of 1889. Frederick, Robert and Charles junior were senior partners with their father, and each contributed his own particular talent. Charles junior (1847-1929) was to take over as Chairman in 1900 from his father, who died in 1906, and like him played a prominent part in the life of the town. He was Mayor several times and his own sons also entered the firm. Frederick was a designer and craftsman; Robert was an engineer and businessman, and travelled the world. The range of Burrell products besides traction engines was extensive. They included ploughs, straw elevators and saw-benches as well as portable corn mill, beetroot distiller and brushmaking equipment. Patents were also taken out for improvements to sashwindow catches, bacon slicers and ice-cream machines among others, though not all such Burrell inventions were actually manufactured. Following on from successful Burrell marine engines, steel launches were built for a short time from 1884, and tramway engines were also supplied. The first purpose-built Showman's Road Locomotive - the type of engine for which the firm of Burrell's is most remembered - was no.1451 Monarch, in 1889. Such engines were ordered for travelling 'amusement caterers', who operated roundabouts, dodgems and other fairground rides. In fact they served the highly practical dual purpose of hauling the dismantled rides in trucks from fair to fair, and generating electricity to light and drive the rides. Burrell's made 207 showman's engines, not counting the many conversions made from road locomotives and steam tractors, which was far more than any other firm. In 1911 Burrell's built their first steam wagons, curious hybrids of lorry and traction engine which enjoyed success for a time. During the Great War the machine shop and turnery at St. Nicholas Works produced shells for the war effort, while the boiler shop made Admiralty gun mountings. The post-war slump brought a last-ditch amalgamation of traction engine manufacturers including Burrell's. Agricultural and General Engineers Limited was formed in 1920, but the idea of a central administration from London proved a total failure. Those firms - Burrell's among them - which could not adapt to the internal combustion engine were doomed. From 1928 the firm was wound down and finally closed completely in 1930, when the plant and equipment at St. Nicholas Works were auctioned. The last engine to be finished at Thetford was no.4088, a 7 nominal horse power single compound traction engine. Spares and unfinished orders were transferred to Richard Garrett & Sons of Leiston in Suffolk, where the last Burrell of all, the 8 nominal horse power. SC traction engine no.4094, was completed in 1932. The records were deposited by the RLS on a long-term loan in December 2006. Scope and content The vast majority of the Burrell drawings are found in the numerical and alphabetical series catalogues. Where a drawing number was not listed but a print number was displayed, these drawings have been brought together in a print number catalogue. The Z series were drawings retraced from old copies and have been listed in a separate catalogue. The miscellaneous catalogue contains unnumbered drawings by Burrell and those starting with drawing numbers starting 870, 881 and 72. It also lists some drawings from other firms. There is a separate catalogue of other firms’ drawings and their corresponding blueprints. The other firms included Savages Ltd. and Powerhouse. The drawings are mainly of carts and the original drawing numbers are listed within the descriptions. Within this collection, there are a considerable number of blueprint copies of drawings. Catalogues have been created of blueprints in cases where they are the only copies available with a particular drawing number. Copies have also been kept where they are unique, for example there are no other (paper or tracing) drawings of the same content. Within the blueprint catalogues and the numerical series catalogue, the description also lists when a ‘modified’ blueprint is available. These modified blueprints contain notes, often in red pencil, about important measurement changes or part alterations. They would have been marked on the copies when they were used in the workshop. Sometimes the annotations also refer to parts made for particular engines. Where possible, information on the type of alteration has been given. This information will be useful to steam enthusiasts and model makers using these drawings to commission replica parts. Where possible, each catalogue lists the order number or engine number. In some cases, the customer is also listed, either in inverted commas or in brackets at the end of the description. Dates 1881-1930 Index Record types TR/BUR/AD1/1-13 Boiler testing certificates TR/BUR/DO1/17-7736 Engineering drawings (Numerical series) TR/BUR/DO1/Z1-Z1529 Engineering drawings (Z series) TR/BUR/DO1/PN10-PN6982 Engineering drawings (Print number series, where a drawing number is not listed) TR/BUR/DO1/BF3-X146 Engineering drawings (Alphabetical series) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/295-6971 Engineering drawings (Numerical series - blueprints) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/Z499-Z1499 Engineering drawings (Z series – blueprints) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/PN291-6299 Engineering drawings (Print number series - blueprints) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/CBS1-TD1893 Engineering drawings (Alphabetical series – blueprints) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/MISC/1/1-9/28 Engineering drawings (Miscellaneous drawings – blueprints) TR/BUR/DO1/MISC/1/2-9/10 Engineering drawings (Miscellaneous drawings) TR/BUR/DO1/A/1-69 Engineering drawings (Other firms’ drawings) TR/BUR/DO1/BP/A/5-12 Engineering drawings (Other firms’ drawings – blueprints) Charles Burrell and Sons Ltd Boiler testing certificates Reference Description Register Dates Album number Number TR/BUR/AD1/1 DX1560 3 3255 – 3381 25 Mar 1903 – 12 May 1904 TR/BUR/AD1/2 DX1560 2 3128 – 3254 17 Feb 1902 – 23 Mar 1903 TR/BUR/AD1/3 DX1560 8 3785 – 3911 16 Apr 1909 – 12 Aug 1910 TR/BUR/AD1/4 DX1560 1 3001 – 3127 2 Jan 1901 – 14 Feb 1902 TR/BUR/AD1/5 DX1560 13 4653 – 4783 21 Aug 1922 – 1930 TR/BUR/AD1/6 DX1560 6 3634 – 3784 5 Aug 1907 – 14 Apr 1909 TR/BUR/AD1/7 DX1560 4 3382 – 3507 14 May 1904 – 11 Apr 1906 TR/BUR/AD1/8 DX1560 7 3912 – 4062 15 Aug 1910 -18 Oct