Steam Car Blog

​August 28, 2016

For those who are headed to Wisconsin for the Prairie Steamers Tour based in Prairie du Chien from September 11 through September 16:

Please let us know by email (sales@vintagesteamproducts.com) or phone (972-661-9672) if you need us to bring specific Vintage Steam Products with us. Fittings, packing, caulk, diplag, accessories, tools will be packed. If you need Fiberfrax, brake shields, vaporizer items, or other out of the ordinary items, please let us know by September 6.

We will have the Betty Anne (1925 SV) with us on this trip. We have advanced from chassis only (last year's New York tour) to a finished and painted body attached to the chassis. Don is out in the garage making sure it will run in three weeks.

If you can't make this tour, our next stop is the AACA Fall Meet in Hershey, PA. As in past years, we are at RWL 4 and 5 in the red field. Please stop by and say hello.

See you soon,

Carolyn and Donald Hoke
Vintage Steam Products LLC

(If you are not getting the periodic emails from the Virtual Steam Car Museum (www.virtualsteamcarmuseum.org) and would like to get them, please emaildonhoke@tx.rr.com to be added to the list)

(Remember - if you do not want to receive this occasional email from VSP, please let us know and we will remove from the mailing list)

8 Steam Cars were present at the Great Dorset Steam Fair 2016, most of which ran about the site during the week. Despite unsettled weather, a good time was had by all, with two of the cars going on pub runs in the evening. 

Four Whites and two Stanleys were present at the Cornish Steam and Country Fair at Stithians in Cornwall on August the 19th-21st. The cars took part in the arena parades twice a day, as well as running around the site throughout the day. The 1923 Stanley was taken on runs around the local area in the evening. 

Russell Yeomans has just informed us that he recently had a drive of the 1897 Soame steam cart, built in Marsham, Norfolk, where it still resides. It is pictured here at the Starting Handle Club Show in Marsham, Norfolk, on 14th August 2016.

Built by George Soame in 1897, and restored in the late 1950s, the Cart has a single cylinder engine, fed by steam from a coal fired boiler, with final belt drive. For some time there was doubt about the age of the Cart. Letters between the then owner, an enquirer, and the Veteran Car club in 1953, show that many reports of the first sighting of the car were received. The owner had a letter from a local person claiming they had seen it at a fete to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, the car blowing smuts all over the white table cloths! However, another claimed to have seen the Cart coming through St Faiths in 1883. One Kenneth Fielding remembered the Cart coming through St Faiths with a red flag when he was a boy, putting the date prior to 1896, and the passing of the Red Flag Act. Eventually, a date of 1897 was officially given to the Cart by the Veteran Car Club. Regardless, of the date, it is a running veteran steamer from the 19th century, seldom of which are seen about today. 

Photos courtesy of Russell Yeomans unless stated, video courtesy of Marilyn Oliver.

Jeff from America has taken a break from building his Stanley Model R to make a steam watch. He has sent in these photos of his fabulous steam driven watch and yes it works.

Russell Yeoman sent in these photos of Steam cars and Traction engines taking part in the Whitwell steam week end.  

Billy Barnes has sent in this video of his steam motorcycle, now ready to race.

 Some Stanley Steam Cars did there bit to raise funds for the upkeep of a life boat in England.
​Photos  taken by Russell Yeoman.

These videos have just arrived showing rides on some of the cars on the recent Cotswolds tour.