| Tom Varley | |
| Known For: | Preserving steam wagons |
| Occupation: | Caravan park operator |
| Spouse: | Susan |
| Children: | David, Terence, Catherine |
Tom Varley was a collector, restorer and preserver of steam-powered road vehicles, known for the Tom Varley Collection, a steam museum mostly of steam wagons, "a lasting legacy of which [British steam road enthusiasts] can be proud".[1]
His business was in running Todber Caravan Park at Gisburn, in the high Pennines of Lancashire.[2] The steam museum was housed in a barn alongside the caravans.[3] The collection was best known from its frequent appearances at steam rallies through the 1970s and '80s. Varley's wagons were recognisable from their fine paintwork and signwriting, each named and prefixed Pendle ....
Six of his rarer, and often unique survivors, were re-imported from Australia before restoration.[4]
Tom Varley died December 12, 1990. His contribution to the preservation of steam vehicles in the UK has been widely recognised.[1]
These vehicles have at one point formed part of the Tom Varley collection. Since his death, some have now been sold on to other owners, and may have been renamed.
| Name | Maker | Type | Year | Works Nº | Registration | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Pendle Lady | Sentinel | S4 steam waggon | 1934 | 9003 | VE9963 | ||
| 2 Pendle Queen | Yorkshire | 3 ton steam wagon | 1917 | 940 | U4245 | Tom's second steam wagon, rebuilt in 1970. Now owned by Tom's son, David Varley, repainted red and exhibited under his name.[5] | |
| 3 Pendle Prince | steam wagon | 1931 | 19708 | UB8660 | The last known surviving Fowler steam wagon. Rebuilt from remains found in scrap pile in Leeds.[6] [7] Now owned by Tom's son Terry Varley and run by his grandson Jason Varley.[8] | ||
| 5 Pendle King | Sentinel | DG6P steam waggon | 1931 | 8562 | FD6603 | 11 ton Sentinel DG6P. | |
| 7 Pendle Maid | Yorkshire | 2 ton steam wagon | 1905 | 117 | CA170 | Rebuilt in 1973 by Tom Varley.[9] Restored from bare chassis recovered in Wales. Now owned by John Ward and renamed as Denby Maiden. | |
| 8 Pendle Laddie | Yorkshire | WG Tractor | 1927 | 2118 | UA1163 | Yorkshire WG flexible six wheeler, 'Pendle Laddie'. Rebuilt by Tom Varley from parts recovered by Walter Fearnley. This vehicle was supplied to the Leeds Corporation Electricity Department as a cable carrier.[10] | |
| 9 Pendle Knight | Robey & Co. | 'Express' steam tractor | 1929 | 43388 | VL983 | Later fitted with pneumatic front wheels.[11] Now renamed as Kernow Knight.[12] | |
| 12 Her Majesty | "Colonial Type" 6ton steam wagon | 1918 | 72 | CK209 | The last known survivor of the more than 500 Atkinson steam wagons built, it is powered by a uniflow engine and has chain-drive transmission. Following its completion as a new vehicle, it was exported to Western Australia, where it was operated by a Perth brewery and later a number of other operators, including a Wiluna gold mine. It was retired during World War II, and then lay derelict until 1971, when the Shire of Wiluna collected its remains for display in a local museum. However, the Shire later decided not to restore it.[13] [14] [15] [16] In 1975, Varley first heard of the remains, and after protracted negotiations they were delivered to him in Gisburn in January 1976.[17] Varley and some fellow enthusiasts then fully restored the vehicle, including by having replica single-ram 3-way tipping-gear made for it with assistance from Bromilow & Edwards, who had made the original gear. Upon completion of the restoration in March 1977, the vehicle was named Her Majesty, in recognition of the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Later sold to Preston Steam Services in Kent. | ||
| 18 Yorkshire Lad / Queen Anne | Yorkshire | WG steam wagon | 1927 | 2128 | UA1788 | Shaft-drive Yorkshire wagon.[18] [19] Originally a chain-drive WG model, this was restored by Walter Fearnley using the shaft-drive gearbox from a later WJ model before being purchased by Tom Varley. The original gearbox and drive was then used for WG 2118. Now owned by M.G. Wines of Somerset as 'Yorkshire Lad'[20] | |
| His Lordship | 1913 | 3444 | CK3403 | Sold in 1996 to J. G. Atkinson of the Scarborough Fair Collection.[21] | |||
| Colonial steam wagon | 1913 | 4086 | M4848 | 5 ton "Colonial" steam wagon.[22] Sold new to C H Curtis, Manly, Australia, then to "Glenreagh " Lake Cargelligo. Recovered and restored by Tom Varley in the 1970s.[23] Sold later to Germany, then returned to Mike Plumb, Norfolk.[24] | |||
| FGPA steam wagon | 1922 | 9282 | D3777 | FGPA steam wagon built by Garrett at Leiston. Exported to Australia and recovered by Tom Varley in 1978. Later sold to Peter Rigg of Todmorden.[25] [26] | |||
| Pendle Princess | 4CD showmans tractor | 1919 | 33705 | BJ4788 | New to Stone Court Brick and Tile Works, Pembury, Kent as tractor. Converted to showmans tractor in preservation before being bought by Tom Varley. Now in Japan at the Bandai Museum. | ||
| Lady Betty | 1902 | 9381 | WR6770 | Originally supplied to John Smith's Brewery at Tadcaster with short wheelbase, and converted in working life to showman's engine. Converted back to road locomotive and used for agricultural purposes before being re-converted in preservation. | |||
| Pendle Witch | Aveling & Porter | Class BTD Road Roller | 1916 | 8727 | TC2173 | Exhibited at the 1916 RASE Show, New To Morecambe UDC, later John Ball of Forton, Isaac Ball of Wharles and then to Walton Le Dale UDC. Purchased from them by Tom Varley in 1969 for use building the roadways around his Caravan park. later passed on to Alwyn Rogers, Alan Mountfield and Currently owned by Graham Townsend of Southport. | |
| 24 | two-speed traction engine | 1872 | 201 | Re-imported from Australia in 1980[27] [28] [29] Sold, along with the Aveling & Porter, to Peter Rigg of Todmorden.[30] | |||
| Foster | 5 ton steam wagon | 1921 | 14470 | SV5506 | The last surviving Foster wagon. Re-imported from Australia by Tom Varley in 1983.[31] Now named William Tritton | ||
| Sentinel | Super steam waggon | 1924 | 5260 | RS5540 | Supplied new to Aberdeen Coal & Shipping Co, and operated until the 1960's. Originally preserved in Aberdeen, later owned by Tom Varley.[32] |