Hi all,

Thank you for accepting me. I thought I would just introduce myself and my new acquisition.

I have always wanted a steam car since going to steam rallies with my parents as a child. Im now 32 and am very lucky to own a STW 4.5" Foden and am just finishing a STW Likamobile, but still had an itch for a full size car.

Stanley's, Doble's, White's etc are all well out of my price range, but was lucky enough to stumble upon the Nelson Steam car when it was for sale last year.

I very quickly arranged a viewing with the then owner and after a wonderful day of learning about it, its history and how to steam it, I agreed to buy it.

Sadly due to covid I haven't had chance to do much with it yet, but I plan on changing a lot of the bodywork, suspension and chassis to make it more like a Stanley OR I might go down the Vanderbilt Cup Racer style...

Im sure many of you on here already know the car, I cant wait to get stuck in and take it to some shows! Must keep the next generation interested.

Last picture.

I dont know if this type of home built car would be allowed on the rallies, but I would love to attend some if it was.

Kindest Regards
Andrew



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 03/19/21 06:29AM by Skinnerpot.

Congratulations Andrew, on buying the Nelson. I am sure Les Nelson, its creator, would be pleased to hear that the car is in steam again, I will give him a call. The SCCGB caters for all types of steam cars & bikes, old and new, so I am sure you would be welcome on our events/tours, these are much more fun than rallies in my mind. Which part of the country are you from?
Don Cook

Hi Don,

Thank you for the message. Is Les still active on the forum?
The chap I bought the Nelson from I think is on here too. He has done an incredible amount of work on it, from re-tubing the boiler to totally rebuilding all the motion gear!

I've got a few issues at the moment with dirty fuel clogging the jets but other than that it's running very well.

I'm based in Gloucester/Cheltenham and have been eyeing up the unofficial meeting in June as it's so close.

Hi Andrew,

I have just spoken to Les and he is going to have a look on the forum. He doesn’t go on it very often as he sold his last steam car, the Morriss, in 2016, to me as it happens!

We all get trouble with carbon, that’s steam cars for you.

The Cotswolds tour is in July, not June mind. Contact Mark Drake if you would like to come, he is the man running it now, it used to be run by Les Nelson, but he has handed over the reins to Mark. See if he has room for one more, tell him what you have got. If not, certainly come along and make yourself known.

Don

I hope you have lots of fun with the steam car Nelson, you will find the nembers if the club are a grand lot and will help with all things steam car related, the Cotswold steam car tour has been arranged by me for the last 10 or so years and is a very laid back affair with free choices on most things, the runs are not arduous as we like to enjoy the cars not endure them, the Nelson in its present form is not as originally built, it had a Stanley style hood.
The tour is based at a farm on the b4450 out of Chipping Norton ox75up Mr Robin Woodcock my friend since we were children, I. Will not be attending due to family reasons but do wish all the best. For a great event.

Thank you Don, it would be great to be in touch. I stumbled upon the Steam Morriss while trying to research my Nelson. I love the look of your car, what are the specifications of it? Are you attending the July meet?

Hi Les, fantastic to meet you. I have huge admiration for all the cars you have built. I hope that I can be as good a custodian of the Nelson as the last owner has been. Mike who owned the car before me has done an incredible amount of work to the boiler and motion gear. She now runs incredibly well and I cant wait to use her. What sort of range did you get from her when out on the road?

In the photos the hood was down and the windscreen was removed (Now fitted back on) is that the hood you were on about?

I will email Mark Drake about the tour now. I have only just joined the club and would love to meet everyone and their cars.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 03/22/21 05:56AM by Skinnerpot.

Hi Andrew,

I am not quite sure what you want to know when you say, “the spec of the Morriss”? It is a similar layout to a Stanley, the main differences are the rear axle is chain driven from the engine, which is dry (no crank case). It is the only one left out of about four built.

We will be attending the Cotswolds tour, which we have done for the last 12 years, but not with the Morriss, with one of my Stanley’s, all being well. You will be made very welcome; it is a very laid-back tour.

If you calculate the capacity of your water tank in gallons, this will give you your range, as you should get a return of one mile to the gallon, if your engine is in good condition.

The hood that les refers to is the bonnet, Stanley’s called them a hood (American term). The fist hood les made was fully rounded at the front, like a Stanley.

Don