Airbus employee restores 100 year old steam engine

Oct 13 2011 by Lois York, Chester Chronicle

AIRBUS employee Graham Arnold has applied his engineering skills to his lifelong hobby and renovated a 100-year-old steam engine.

Graham, from Broughton, and his friends Phil Steer, Rob Battersby and Jason Kukalowicz first set their sights on the 12-tonne, single cylinder Marshall traction engine in 1994.

Research revealed this was one of only two engines built to that particular design and the engine had once been exhibited at the 1906 Smithfield Show. The trio named the historic steam engine Pearl.

Graham said: “Pearl was in need of a lot of work and TLC when we found her. We sent the boiler away to be professionally restored and we did everything else ourselves. We overhauled the entire mechanical systems and repainted Pearl in her original colours.”

Graham inherited his interest in steam engines from his uncle, Jack Crompton, a railway fireman and more famously a Manchester United goalkeeper. His enthusiasm guided him into the driving seat of many famous railway trains such as the steam locomotive Blue Peter.

Graham now owns his own famous railway engine as well as three additional steam engines, two tractors, and one low-loader.

For the 42-year-old, engineering is not just a hobby, he also works in A350 tool design at Broughton-based Airbus. He said: “I thoroughly enjoy working at Airbus, and there is a similarity in the design and build process for all machines that do the job and stand the test of time. Pearl is 105 years old, and she still has 80% of her original parts.”

It took the team two years to renovate the steam engine and a further two years to learn how to drive it. When it eventually made its debut at the Astle Park Traction Engine Rally in Cheshire, there was no holding them back.

Graham set about obtaining his HGV class 1 license to drive the trailer, allowing the trio to showcase their prized possession around the country.

Since then, Pearl has become one of the most popular, and successful, traction engines in the region.

This year the steam engine won best in show at Duncombe Park rally, best agricultural at Driffield, and was overall winner at Kelsall.

“It’s a great hobby. You always get a cheery wave when you’re out with Pearl and it's something we all enjoy.”