A Ride On-Board 1927 Super Sentinel Steam Tipper Waggon "Vectis Knight"

[@heatherroseisrflyer]

Sentence never uttered by the driver, "I wish the boss would get the heater fixed in this thing."

[@fishsponge]

well, I don't quite know how to drive one properly yet, and have never driven it on the road myself, but Melvyn (the owner) has spent most of his life on a farm (I believe) and the other two people that drive it are both farmers/lorry drivers, but have also helped out on steam engines in the past, so a bit of both, really! Regarding where to learn how to drive one, each engine is unique, but the NTET training course will train you officially for steam engines in general!

[@mattseymour8637]

Good video and good wagon, love the old steam wagons

[@flyingscrapyard]

Must be a wonderful thing to have over there. It would be a killer here in Australia during summer - if you could find the water to feed it with.

[@thegreat_I_am]

It might seem like fun now, but imagine spending your working days in that thing!

[@fishsponge]

@flyingscrapyard I assume "a killer" means something other than "an item that kills people" in this instance... :-) They are fantastic vehicles too, they need topping up with water and coal putting in very often though - the head of steam is remarkably small and it uses so much water you wouldn't believe, but so much fun!

beutiful old lorry that one i didn't knew they had steam lorries in the UK

[@SteamboatWilley]

Where does one learn to drive one of these beasts? Did you start on diesel trucks, or did you learn on traction engines first?

[@GDTractor]

This is absolutely an amazing video .. thanks so much !! Gary's Old Tractors on Facebook .

[@fishsponge]

@bethanyhuntx fantastic! Glad ya like it! I trust you'll all be at Thurlow in 2 weeks?

[@fishsponge]

No idea what the top speed is i'm afraid! It all depends how well it's steaming on the day, how much head wind there is(!) and how steep up or down the hill is! I guess a good cruising speed would be 15mph or so, with it perhaps peaking at 30mph down a good hill? I'm no expert unfortunately and it doesn't have a speedo, of course, so i really am just guessing!

[@fishsponge]

the legal limit is 12mph (I think) because it's on solid rubber tyres...

[@bradcollins5033]

Do steam lorries have conventional gears as in a transmission and shift? or are they simply throttle?

[@sidecrank]

Interesting but it is hard to believe how backward we were . Thank goodness for Dr Diesel.

[@inkyscrolls5193]

Two questions: Firstly, can a steam lorry be driven by a single person? And secondly, are they allowed on motorways? Cheers!

[@adjustablehammer3749]

Inky Scrolls they can be driven by one person but if you are going onto the road and your working it you need a second person stoking the fire and injecting water into the boiler

[@adjustablehammer3749]

And yes you can traction engines can't as they are seen as agricultural equipment

[@mspenrice]

Next time you're on a run, get your GPS out and see what she'll do. Can't be too careful what with the 20 zones and all. You might surprised, what with my dad's tales of old steam wagons that could hit 70 on the sly with a titanium-balled driver and a following wind... They only have trouble with hills because of the weight they have to shift after all (all that water in the boiler for a start!)... In fact, with the aid of streetview and google earth's measurement tools, you could probably work out the pace at some points on the trip, especially if you still have the original source videos around.

[@lendoggtheking]

does it take a driver and fireman? I assume its running on coal?

[@GregDucati]

i'll have to start saving i think!!!

[@bethanyhuntx]

i love this video cuz im in it(well part of it) Gd job fishsponge :) Brings back memories and dad likes it cuz hes in it and the gd dog ;) Love the writing bout the pubs :) All in alll A REALLY GD VIDEO !!

[@fishsponge]

it is running on coal - a driver could look after it by himself, but it'd be rather hard work, so having a fireman is also very, very useful!

[@samanli-tw3id]

does this thing run on unleaded coal:))

[@huntsbychainsaw5986]

Is it just me or is it my imagination. Because it seems every time there is a video posted of a super sentinel steam wagon the poor thing is struggling to even just get it self up a hill?

[@ProblemProductionsLD]

A Sentinel waggon will get up a hill just fine (depending on what type it is) so long as it's been restored properly. As an example, Hercules the Tarmac waggon (the DG8 one, 4 axles) owned by Richard Straughan really struggled with performance in its first few years after restoration. Now it runs beautifully and will storm up hills no problem.

[@huntsbychainsaw5986]

@@ProblemProductionsLD Oh ok, I guess that's a fair point. I'm completely unfamiliar with steam engines but I could assume like any engine the type or quality of a restoration would have an effect on vehicle performance amongst other things. It was a bit hard to believe that a machine designed to move heavy loads long distances should barely be able to get out of its own way going up hill empty. That being said I know a few modern trucks which when poorly specd' couldn't pull a sick *individual* off a chamber pot much less get out of its own way.

[@fishsponge]

I, personally, don't know I'm afraid... sorry!

[@bethanyhuntx]

yeah i will n at thurlow :)

[@TahreyUK]

I'd guess somewhere below 25, officially, given the orange beacon and lack of speedo :)

[@adjustablehammer3749]

TahreyUK I've hit 40 down hill but you have to have balls of steal to go any faster

[@adjustablehammer3749]

The guy at 3:43 was going at the high end of being practical

[@bethanyhuntx]

@fishsponge yes i dont like it i -3 it and of i will thurlow is the best plus it means more getting dirty on vectis & tiny which i love :)

[@bethanyhuntx]

Nw :) and of course i will cuz dads the saftey officer :) and Thurlow meand more getting dirty on vectis and tiny :D c u then :)

[@heatherroseisrflyer]

Look at all those poeple driving on the wrong side of the road ;-D