Traction engine reaches finish line in 8mph journey

A 94-year-old traction engine has completed a journey of more than 400 miles from Oban to the Peak District.

Chris Hutton has driven Vernon, the last traction engine made by Ransomes Sims & Jefferies of Ipswich, at about 8mph (12.8km/h), consuming four tonnes of coal across the whole journey, and 300 gallons of water every 30 miles.

He said he was looking forward to celebrating when he rolled into the Red Lion in Litton and the Anchor Inn in Tideswell, Derbyshire, having raised more than £5,000 for the RNLI and Give A Kidney through his journey.

"We're all tired, everyone really wants to get back. We'll make it one way or another," he said.

Hutton said he inherited his enthusiasm for steam engines from his parents, when his dad bought a classic steamroller when he was 12.

"It's just in your blood," he said. "It's the same as any hobby - you're influenced by your parents. Some kids like football, my parents liked steam engines, so here we are."

Hutton was accompanied on his journey, which ended on Saturday, by friend Dave Bosworth, who was riding a 1910 Garrett tractor.

He was also joined by Andrew Betney, who was on a 1916 Clayton & Shuttleworth tractor called Nelson, but it was too slow to keep up the pace and dropped out at Ardrossan on the North Ayrshire coast.

While travelling through Scotland from 18 May, Hutton said the journey had resulted in some queues for drivers.

"There's a lot of people around Scotland who know what the story is, so they've been really good - we've not had much trouble at all.

"If you get any more than nine ten mile an hour, Vernon shakes a bit and wobbles you about, so it's pretty uncomfortable.

"It's like trying to drive a mobile toaster or a mobile kettle. You're stood on something that's got a fire at your feet."

Hutton wanted to raise money for Give A Kidney as his friend's son is going through kidney dialysis and in need of a transplant.

Hutton is hoping to add to the fundraising total when they arrive at the Peak District pubs on Saturday afternoon.

The Anchor Inn in Tideswell is deemed a fitting finishing point, given that the pub claimed to have installed the world's first tractor parking bay in 2022.

Reaching the finish line just after 12:00 BST on Saturday, Hutton wanted to thank the huge amount of support he had received in making the journey.

“Emotional is not even the word. I cried a lot when we we're coming up that hill over there,” he said.

“All these lot are the bones of all this. We wouldn't have done any of it without all this team.”

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