1916 Robey 6hp traction engine heading for refresh

Posted by Chris Graham on 22nd December 2023

We report on Eddie Fox’s plans to refresh his 1916 Robey 6hp traction engine ahead of the 2024 rally season.

In steam, ready for Eddie to drive after the engine recently arrived in the UK from the Republic of Ireland. (Pic: Mark H Hughes)

Newly arrived in the UK in early autumn is 1916 Robey 6hp traction engine No. 33348 Z200 that was new to the Sally family of Enniskerry, County Wicklow. They sold it on after just a few months of ownership to Henry J Fox, who used the engine until the 1950s, when it was replaced by a Field Marshall Series 2.

Left-to-right: Chris Rose, James Allison, Eddie Fox and Brian Allison with Robey No. 33348, which is to have a refresh for the 2024 season. (Pic: Mark H Hughes)

The engine was one of the first to be rallied in the Republic of Ireland during the 1960s, still in the Fox family’s ownership. It was then sold to Dave Davis who rallied it for 20 years from his base at Tavistock, in Devon, before Eddie Fox brought the engine back to his family ownership and has rallied it in the Republic for a number of years now.

Eddie and James take the engine out for the final time before it comes off the road. (Pic: Mark H Hughes)

The Robey is due its 10-year hydraulic test and a re-tube, repaint and a regulator valve modification which is to be carried out at Allison Engineering.

This story comes from a recent issue of Old Glory, and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE