Summary
Four wheel Phaeton, wooden bodied steam car by Herbert Thomson. Originally constructed in 1896-99 and exhibited in Victoria & New South Wales.
Thomson operated a business at 835 High Street, Armadale, Victoria making steam engines including the vertical tandem compound engine and water tube boiler fitted to this vehicle which was finished in about June 1898. Thomson and his cousin Edward Holmes completed a 794 km trip from Bathurst, New South Wales, to Melbourne in April 1900 in this car.
Thomson later sold imported cars and his own steam vehicles. This steam car was later exhibited as a historical curiosity by Vacuum Oil at the Victorian Motor Exhibition in 1912, the first Victorian motor trade show. It was then dismantled and restored in about 1960 before being donated to the Museum.
Physical Description
Original Specifications: Bore x Stroke: 1½" & 3" x 3" (single slide valve) Max Power: 5 h.p. @ 1,000 r.p.m. (3.75 kW) Rear Wheels: 44" x 2" (1120 mm x 51 mm) Front Wheels: 34" x 2" (865 mm x 51 mm) Weight: about 10½ cwt. (approx 535 kg) Boiler: 12" x 12" x 16" water tube type. Steam Pressure: 250 to 600 p.s.i. (1725 kPa - 4135 kPa) Top Speed: 25 m.p.h. (40 km/hr) - equivalent to an engine speed of 375 or 560 r.p.m. Range: 25 miles (40 km) with 4 gallon (18 litres) water tank Fuel Capacity: 1¼ tins of kerosene - sufficent for range of 150 miles (240 km) Turning Circle: 12 ft. (3.65 m)
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mrs O. Stening, 1960
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Patentee
Mr Herbert Thomson, Armadale, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 03 Jun 1899
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Designer
Mr Herbert Thomson, Armadale, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1896-1898
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Manufacturer of Component
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Restorer
Mr W. A. Buchanan - Veteran Car Club of Victoria, Northcote, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1958-1960
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Model Name or Number
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
271 cm (Length), 142 cm (Width), 178 cm (Height), 508 kg (Weight)
ORIGINAL WEIGHT AT TIME OF CONSTRUCTION. HEIGHT WITH STILLAGE - 181 CM. HEIGHT AT FRONT WITH LAMPS FITTED - 179 CM.
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Exhibition Collection Management
2702 mm (Length), 1419 mm (Width), 1779 mm (Height), 508 kg (Weight)
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References
The Argus (Melbourne), 27 Oct 1947, p.5, 'PIONEER AUSTRALIAN CAR BUILDER DIES', [Link 1]
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Keywords
Motor Vehicles, Royal Exhibition Building: History of Events, 1892-1917, Steam Cars, Steam Engineering, Innovation & Design