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Ransomes Portable Engine 20539

Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies sn 20539 portable engine at Bromyard Show 2008

Ransomes Portable sn 20539 (back)

Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies sn 20539 portable engine at Bromyard Shoe 2008 from the back

Ransomes Sybil 18504

Ramsomes, Sims and Jefferies sn 18504 of 1906 "Sybil" NO6925 at Belvoir Castle Rally 2008

Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries Engineers of Ipswich, England were a major British agricultural machinery maker. Their most famous products were traction engines, ploughs and other tilling equipment.

History[]

The company was founded, as Ransomes, in 1789 by Robert Ransome, an Ironfounder in Norwich before moving to Ipswich. He received patents for improvements to ploughs.

In 1869 four engineers, J.A. Ransome, R.J. Ransome, R.C. Rapier and A.A. Bennett, left the company (At that time called Ransomes, Sims & Head) by agreement, to establish a new company, Ransomes & Rapier, on a site on the River Orwell, to continue the business of railway equipment and other heavy works.

Main article: Ransomes & Rapier

Time Line[]

  • 1785 - Ransomes & Co. formed by Robert Ransome.
  • 1789 - Robert Ransome moves company to St. Margaret's Ditches, Ipswich.
  • 1809 - Firm becomes Ransomes & Son.
  • 1818 - Firm becomes Ramsomes & Sons.
  • 1825 - Becomes J & R Ransome
  • 1830 - changes to J.R. & A Ransome, following Robert Ransome's death.
  • 1841 - Move to new works at Orwell begins
  • 1846 - Becomes Ramsomes & May
  • 1849 - Move to new works completed
  • 1850 - Ransomes & Sims, open London Office
  • 1851 - Charles May leaves & Later starts Brown and May in Devizes.
  • 1869 - Ransomes Sims & Head, (Also Ransomes & Rapier formed by agreement by 4 of firms engineers, takes over the rail components business)
  • 1881 - Ransomes, Head & Jefferies. following John Jeferies being appointed a partner (after Marrying John Allens daughter).
  • 1884 - Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies.
  • 1901 - Granted the companies First Royal warrant.
  • 1902 - Built First petrol engined Lawn mower.
  • 1911 - Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd formed.
  • 1949 - New foundry opened at Nacton
  • 1966 - Move to Nacton completed.
  • 1968 - Orwell works sold
  • 1987 - Farm machinery division sold to Electrolux & trades as Agrolux.
  • 1998 - Ransomes Plc sold to Textron and becomes "Textron Turf Care & Speciality Products", Registered as Ransomes & Jacobson Ltd. in the UK
  • 2001 - Trading name changed to "Textron Golf, Turf and Speciality Products"

In the First World War, they manufactured aeroplanes: - 350 "Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2" fighters.


(Bit of history missing here ! ! ! )


In 1989 the whole of the agricultural implement business was sold to Electrolux and merged with their subsidiary Overum.

This left Ransomes solely as a manufacturer of lawn mowers, with the Westwood and Mountfield mower brands. The company accepted a take-over offer from Textron Inc, USA, and their independent existence ended early in 1998.

The history of company is the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk and they are also represented in Ipswich Transport Museum.

Product Range[]

Main article: List of Ransomes model range

The company has over the years produced a vast range of products and models for both the home market in the UK and for export markets with the models built to suit local operation conditions and technology with some products being very basic and having hand powered options for 'third world' countries in Africa for example.

Steam Machinery[]

  • Portable Steam engines for driving threshers and grinding machinery.
  • Traction engines

Stationary Engines[]

For a short period Ransomes built a small range of oil Engines, often used by farmers in the early 20th century to power machinery like Pumps and Corn mills as the portable steam engines died out and before the diesel engines and electric motors took over.

Harvesting Machinery[]

Main article: Ransomes Harvesting Machinery
Ransomes thresher instructional model - at Woolpit 09 - IMG 1403

A sectioned working model of a Ransomes Threshing machine, to illustrate the working parts

Ransomes were one of the earliest buiders of harvesting machinery in the UK on a large scale, with examples of their Threshing machines still in existence and being demonstrated at Steam fairs and other events such as working days at museums and farm centres like Acton Scot.

Ploughs & Implements[]

Main article: Ransomes Ploughs
DSC00690

A Ransomes TSR 200 Bought and restored by Gary Burns

Ploughs and cultivators, moving from horse drawn implements to modern linkage mounted versions.

Ransomes TSR 200-4-S

The Ransomes TSR 200 plough is a four furrow auto reset plough with hydraulic front furrow width adjustment, that was produced from the 1960s to the early 70s.

Mowers[]

Ransomes Junior Mk I of 1964 at Stoke Goldington 09 - IMG 9748

A compact Ransomes Junior Mk I of 1964 fitted with a Norton Villers engine. Shown at Stoke Goldington Steam Rally 2009

Main article: Ransomes Mowers

Ransomes produced a range of Lawn Mowers from the 1900 on-wards. These were hand push types then larger engine propelled types from the 1920s. By the 1960s they included 'Industrial' ride on mowers for the sports industry, such as Golf courses and Football fields etc.

Sprayers[]

Main article: Ransomes Sprayers

The company marketed a range of crop sprayers for a period from the 1940s, with the initial machines a design built under license from Plant Protection Ltd and designed in conjunction with ICI research engineering department.[1]

Electric vehicles[]

As steam vehicles went out of favour in the early 20th century Ransomes built a number of Electric trams (Trolley Buses) and these were exported all over the world in the 1920s and 1930s. Ransomes built a range of electric works tugs that had developed from machines built for use in the factories.

Forklift Trucks[]

Main article: Ransomes Forklifts

The building of Forklifts started with electric powered lifting tables foir use in the works in the early 1900s, as a modified platform truck. These evloved into small electric works cranes basaed on a truck. Later Forks were added to a platform truck for lifting stillages and tooling in factories and this evolved into electric forklift trucks in the post war years. Over a thousand electric works trucks were built during the war period.

In 1959 a marketing agrrement was signed with the American Hyster company for them to sell the Ransomes electric trucks world wide and Ransomes to market Hyster Petrol and electric Forklifts in the UK. This agreement lasted till 1973.

Ransomes Brand[]

Main article: Ransomes Tractors

Ransomes initially built a prototype internal combustion engined tractor in the 1920 but the idea did not take-off.

The firm later moved on to producing a range of tracked garden tractors from the mid 1930s.

In the 1950s they added producing combine harvesters to the list of machinery manufactured. This was a natural progression from their existing threshing machine business, as the industry moved to the new 'self-propelled' technology. The initial trailed model was built under license from Swedish manufacturer.

Preservation[]

Please add any known Steam machine details to the table below.
Click Here to edit list.

Preserved machines built by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd (TER list 180 + in UK)
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Engine No. Name Build Date Type Weight Power nhp Reg No. Owner Image Other info
Ransomes, Sims & Heads no. 1776 - 1869 PE weight ? 6 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Head no. 2442 - 1872 PE weight ? ? nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Head & Jefferies no. 5137 Lizzie McKenna 1882 Traction engine 7 ton 6 nhp Z 1 Museum of East Anglian Life 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


lowest sn surviving RSH engine in the TER 2008 list[2]
Ransomes, Head & Jefferies no. 5141 George 1882 PE weight ? ? nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Head & Jefferies no. 5263 - 1883 TE weight ? ? nhp Reg no. ? Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 6818 Little Ben 1886 Portable engine - 8 nhp na Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


lowest sn surviving RSJ engine in the TER 2008 list[3]
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 8613 Island of Mor 1891 Portable engine - 3 nhp na The Bicknell Family, Hampshire 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 10753 Lily 1897 PE weight 8 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 11412 Lily 1897 TE - 7 nhp FI 1407 Owner ?, Carlow ROI 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 12622 Poppy 1894 PE weight ? 2 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


(T96) ex UP103
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 13865 Rosalee 1901 TE weight ? 7 nhp IP 727 Owner ? in Tralee, ROI 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 14385 Marie 1902 Portable - 2 nhp - Brian Dando, Bristol 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


listed at Kemble 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 15012 The Countryman 1903 TE 10.5 ton 7 nhp NO 4034 Owner ?, Coventry 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 15127 Winifred 1903 TE 8.5 ton 6 nhp TA 1935 Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 15278 The Chieftain 1903 TE ? ton 7 nhp NO 2009 S. Haylock, Cambs Ansomes, Sims and Jerreries sn 15278 Chieftain of 1903 reg NO 2009 at Stoke Goldington 09 - IMG 9698 At Stoke Goldington Steam Rally Old Warden 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 15609 Lady Diana 1904 TE 9 ton 6 nhp CJ 4220 Allan Prout, Ledbury Ransomes Sims & Jefferies no. 15609 - TE - Lady Diana - CJ 4220 at Welland 2010 - IMG 8743 At Welland 2010 & Shrewsbury Steam Rally 2011
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 15740 Dolly May 1904 TE ? ? J 14457
(Jersey reg no.)
Pallot Steam Museum The original 1912 RSJ Dolly May Steam Engine fully restored on display in Jersey UK In the collection of the Pallot Steam Museum on Jersey
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 18407 No. 8 1906 PE weight 6 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies No. 18504 Sybil 1904 TE - ? nhp NO 6925 ? Ransomes Sybil 18504 At Belvoir Castle Steam Festival 2008
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies No. 20539 - 19 ? Portable - ? nhp N/A Ransomes Portable Engine 20539 Bromyard Gala 2008
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 20737 - 1908 Portable engine 5 ton 6 nhp NA R. Hinch Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 20737 Portable at Little Casterton 09 - IMG 1677 At Little Casterton 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 20760 Jubilee 1908 TE 9 ton 6 nhp 2891 UR A. Frost, of ? to add At Old Warden 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 22683 - 1910 PE weight power - R. Scourfield, Pembs To add100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


At South Cerney 2013
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 23803 William Fletcher 1911 TE 10 ton 7 nhp NO 3291 A. Roan, Wiltshire to add 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


at South Cerney 2013
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 24585 Northern Star 1911 TE 9 1/2 ton 6 nhp J 6719 D Cuthbertson, Co Durham to add Masham Steam Rally 2010
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27268 Little Lucy 1917 portable - 4 nhp - Owner ? to add Beaulieu Steam Revival 2010
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27277 The Leprechaun 1918 TE 10 ton 7 nhp DS 7473 (ex AT 1253) J. Garrod, of Harlton, Cambridge to add At Old Warden 2011
ex ROI
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27461 Paddy 1918 Traction engine 9 ton 6 nhp FI 1176 Owner ? Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27461 -Te - Paddy - FI 1176 at Onslow Park 09 - IMG 6501 at Onslow Park Steam Rally 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27524 Jesse 1918 Traction engine 10 ton 7 nhp E 5123 K&G Jones, Forest of Dean ? Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27524 - TE - Jesse - E 5123 at BCLM 2010 - IMG 1219 At Black Country Steam Weekend 2010
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27548 - 1919 TE 10 ton 7 nhp NL 2563 Owner ? in Ireland ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


In Cheffins July sale 2007
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27596 Lady Mary VC
ex. Old Peculiar
1919 TE 10 ton 7 nhp WR 6553 J. Carr, Sheffield Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 27596 TE - WR 6553 at Harewood 08 - IMG 0423 at HarewoodLincoln 2008
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 30004 - 1919 TE ? ton nhp R 6968 Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Haddenham Steam Rally 2005
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 31066 Hooky 1920 Crane Engine ? ton 6 nhp PV 4943 B. Bicknell, Hants Ransomes Sims and Jeffereies no. 31066 Hooky of 1920 reg PV 4943 at Lister Tyndale 09 - IMG 4086 at Lister Tyndale Steam Rally & Old Warden 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 31143 Name 1920 Portable - 9 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Museum of Country Life - Sandy Bay
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 31136 - 1920 TE ? ? DM 3048 Cardiff Industrial & Maritime Museum 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies No. 31298 Garioch Queen 1919 TE 9 ton 6 nhp SA 4253 B. Peacock Ransomes Sims & Jefferies no. 31298 Ag TE Garioch Queen at Kettering 08 - IMG 1837 Holcot Kettering & Lincoln 2008 (Worked in Scotland)
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 34270 Matilda 1927 wagon 5 ton 7 nhp SV 9177 M. Savage, Hampshire Ransomes sims and jefferies no. 34270 - Matilda - SV 9177 at Bill targett rally 2011 - IMG 5181 At Bill Targett Steam Rally 2011
One of only 3 surviving RSJ wagons worldwide
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 34323 - 192? type ? ? ? - owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


In Tasmania.[4]
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 35247 Old Faithful 1924 TE ? tton 6 nhp PU 4391 Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies No. 36020 - 1924 TE Colonial type 7 nhp BS 9010 J.J. Forshaw Ransomes no. 36020 TE reg BS 9010 at Woodcote 09 - IMG 8329 Holcot 2008 & Woodcote Rally + Old Warden 2009 (repatriated from Mozambique)
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 36030 - 1925 Portable - 8 nhp ? - Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum Ransomes no. 36030 portable 4 hp at Strumpshaw Museum 09 - IMG 0313 In the Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum in Norfolk
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 36220 - 1920 ST 5 ton 4 nhp UE 2496 J. Holman, of ? Ransomes Sims & Jefferies no. 36220 ST UE 2496 at Old Warden - 09 - IMG 0885 At Old Warden 2009
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 39127 General Wolfe 1928 traction engine 7 1/2 ton 4 nhp PN 1903 B. Biddlecombe, Southampton Ransome sims and jefferies no. 39127 - General Wolfe - PN1903 at Bill target rally 2011 - IMG 4549 Seen at Bill Targett Steam Rally 2011
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 42032 Velfry Queen 1931 TE 10 ton 6 nhp IH 2816 Owner ? Ransomes Sims & Jefferies no. 42032 - TE - IH 2816 - Velfrey Queen at Astwodbank 2011 - IMG 8980 at Astwood Bank Vintage Gathering 2011]]
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 42035 Alica Rose 1932 TE 12 ton 6 nhp ANG 194 Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies No. 42036 Langham Belle 1932 TE 10 ton 7 nhp TL 2366 W.K. Kirby & Family Ransomes Sims & Jefferies no. 42036 TE Langham Belle TL 2366 at Holcot 08 - IMG 0263 Holcot Steam Rally 2008
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 43030 Harvest Time 1935 Portable 4.5 ton 5 nhp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 42126 Winifred 1943 portable 6 1/2 ton 10 hp - Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Youngest listed RSJ engine in the TER 2008 list
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 1234 Name date built type weight power Reg no. ? Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 59336 n/a date built AM54 Thresher weight - N/A Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Threshing Drum
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. E409 - 1930 Portable - ? - Brighton Engineerium Museum 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Late model (steam) engine
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. ? Name ? date built type weight power Reg no. ? Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies no. 1234 Name date built type weight power Reg no. ? Owner ? 100px Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki:Requested images


Machine types Key: References / sources
SW = Steam Wagon, PE = Portable, Plg = Ploughing Engine, RR = Road Roller, SM = Showmans, TE = Traction Engine
  1. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies - Agricultural Engineers, by Brian Bell
  2. The Traction Engine Register 2008, page 63
  3. The Traction Engine Register 2008, page 63
  4. Traction talk post by Marshall8hp

 

The Jersey based The Pallot Steam Museum at Sion near Trinity has a 1904 RSJ Ransomes Sims & Jefferies Steam Engine nicknamed Dolly May still running well even after more than a century of opperating, and was the first ever machine equipment that the museum acquired. She was bought new and spent most of her long life helping the many Jersey farmers at the time and even in both World Wars as a haulage road tractor and worked heavily ever since, and she was also honoured with being named after Samuel Pallots late wife who was named Dorothy Pallot. The original Dolly May is occasionally still driven regularly in Jersey every Summer for the locally known Battle Of Flowers and shipped to England for the famous Devon Steam Rally Meeting held every year, among with many other original and classic original vehicles.

RJS Dolly May infoplate

The 1912 RJS Traction Engine aka Dolly May infoplate

1904 RSJ Steam Engine Dolly May

The original 1912 RSJ Steam Engine Dolly May in fully restored on display in Jersey, UK

References[]

  • Wikipedia for base article
  • Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, A history of their products, by Brian Bell - Book on company history
  • Old Glory Magazine for surviving engines
  • Steam Scenes for surviving engines
  • TER for engine nos and names


External links[]

Smallwikipedialogo This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia

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