Driving your engine on the road

Hi I have the chance to purchase a 4inch Burrell.

We have a decent size garden to drive round however I like the idea of taking it out on the road however I am concerned of how really safe this is with the volume of traffic on the road.

I would welcome opinions on this.

Thanks

I take our Agri out on the road quite often, but only on quiet 30mph residential roads, normally I'll also wear a clean bright hi-viz jacket.

You have to remember that visiting pubs while out and about is the law

Dont forget if you are going on the road then you'll need tax and insurance for road use. As for safety you make it as safe as you can, some folks put poles up with flashing lights on, others put flashing lights on their trailers etc.

Normally you'll find the traffic is going very slowly.................. because everyone is hanging out their windows taking photos

Pottering around the garden or rally field is one thing, taking an engine out on the road is another.
Depending how far you plan to venture and whether the road has any gradients will mean you will have to manage the boiler to maintain steam pressure and water level as well as driving the engine in traffic. Unless the roads around you are billiard table smooth you'll also be knocking seven bells out of the engine with rough stretches of tarmac and potholes.

Hi, You would be a braver man than I driving on the roads - unless they are verrry quiet country roads (if they still exist in England)! I am building an Agri and cannot wait to just drive it around our fields and garden, but mind you it would be absolutely impossible to register a model for use on the roads here in France!! I think the comments above contain underlying very sound advice - I read it as dont unless you have to!
Best of luck
Greg

Goliewogs wrote:Hi, You would be a braver man than I driving on the roads - unless they are verrry quiet country roads (if they still exist in England)!

Interestingly quiet country roads are the very ones I totally avoid where ever possible, blind bends, blind hills, narrow roads and traffic travelling often well in excess of 40mph are just nasty and dangerous to be trundling along at 4 to 5mph. Where as regular wide residential roads of the 30mph variety without to many parked cars I feel quiet safe on.
I often spend a very pleasant day out on the engine around our local area, cover around 5-7 miles at a sultry 4mph, sometimes I'm up on the pavement sometimes I'm on the road, most of the time though seems to be spent stopped chatting to folks

Very early days in build, my 4" Agri. But i have bought it totally with road driving in mind, pottering round the village, to the pub & back etc. Even get involved in the local carnival, its a great talking point & good to meet all sorts of people. Obviously i will take it to rallies but that is not the only time it will out & about. A friend is building a showmans engine about 25 miles away, we plan to meet at a pub in the middle in time

28crewchief wrote:Very early days in build, my 4" Agri. But i have bought it totally with road driving in mind, pottering round the village, to the pub & back etc. Even get involved in the local carnival, its a great talking point & good to meet all sorts of people. Obviously i will take it to rallies but that is not the only time it will out & about. A friend is building a showmans engine about 25 miles away, we plan to meet at a pub in the middle in time

Sounds like a perfect day out that!!