Traction Engines & Recollections Fowlers of Leeds

The firm, John Fowler & Co, are synonymous with steam ploughing, their mighty ploughing engines dominated this form of mechanised agriculture throughout the latter part of the 19th century, and well into the first couple of decades of the 20th century, before as with most steam tractors took over. The founder, John Fowler, was a mechanical engineer specialising in agriculture, especially at first, land drainage. In 1857 he invented his first self-moving ploughing engine, built by Clayton & Shuttleworth. The firm also diversified into the building of stationary engines, railway locomotives, colliery equipment, electricity generators and machinery for local authorities. Fowlers managed the downturn in steam products better than most after the First World War, due in part to a loyal customer base and diversification into other forms of heavy engineering, and their last steam engine, a road roller was sold in 1937. Taken over in 1947 by TW Ward Group, Fowlers as an individual brand was no more.