1200 Cincinnati Street Lafayette, Indiana
In the IRON-MEN ALBUM of March and April, 1958, page 22, is a
pix of an engine that I sent to you to see if any one could
identify for me. Since this issue came out I have received a letter
from a gentleman by the name of G. Watkins, who lives in England,
with the following information. I will appreciate it very much if
is talking about. He is a subscriber of the ALBUM.
Dear Mr. Cox:
I recognized your engine at once, although I had only seen an
illustration of one. It is a ‘Motor wolf’, type M. F. 6
made by R. Wolf, Magdeburg-Buckan, Germany. It was a special high
economy portable introduced by them about 1925-6, and gained the
Silver Medal in the New Implement Class at the ‘D. L. C.’
exposition in Breslau, Germany, 1926.
Working pressure, 225 PSIC; Normal load, 26 hp.; Highest normal
load 35 BHP; Peak, 50 BHP; Consumption steam, 14.3B. HP hr.; Coal,
2 lbs, weight about 2 tons 500 RPM; Flywheel 2’6′ diameter.
x 77/8‘ wide; Grate area 6 sq. ft. 36
inclined cross water tubes, large multiple coal super heater in
smoke box. Two Sellers balance safety valve (yours still has them
on it). Steam raised in 20 minutes, oval or flat side-circular
ended firebox stayed at sides. Bolted joint on shell at firebox and
top to allow shell to be taken off. Steam (lance?) for tube
sweeping exhaust to chimney for draft. Feed pump and injector. The
engine was a simple piston valve (4 rings on valve) crankshaft
governor, varying cut off, reversible by shifting the eccentric
when stopped, probably by bolt and flange. Enclosed splash
lubricator.
I only got one leaflet on it, and little else was heard of it
here. I looked up German made directory last night (IRON-MEN ALBUM
came yester day) and the phone is not in there for 1956. Maybe it
is in Russian zone. I don’t know the limits of that. But
anyhow, that’s a bit for you. I don’t think it was shown
here much at all. Will try to find out in Journals but it’s a
long job to do that. Anyway, that’s a start. There is no doubt
that it is. Have you seen one at all? Wolf firm was early in
developing the well known Loco mobile.
I am glad the notes about Wolf came OK to you. I have not found
any more about it so far but there maybe reference list in a
Journal about 1927 or 8. Did you own or see one of them? They were
a special job turned out to beat the oil engines for farms, by
using wood or anything for fuel, hence the oval firebox to get a
big grate. I have often wondered how they got the economy off the
single cylinder piston valve engines, but the high super heat did
help a lot and varying cut off.
I have had the IRON-MEN ALBUM for years now, but I wish I could
get some early issues to complete my set for binding and I
don’t like a lot of loose copies about. I’ve picked up a
few but it is not easy to get them. Do you take Tom Smith’s
Engineers and Engines at all? I have all the issues although dollar
balance makes it all too costly, otherwise I’d have had Steam
Engines as well, the California one.
I am a boiler attendant, now on a set of low pressure coal fired
boilers (underfeed stokers). I can’t ride on trains due to
sickness and envy the folks who can look out of the windows. I
can’t. Get sick in no time. I’ve written to Elmer a couple
of times, but he is too busy. I doubt that he can ever reply to
half his letters, so I’d rather send these notes to you about
the Wolf, else you would never see them, I am sure. If you do come
on anyone who has any old early IRON-MEN ALBUMS for disposal
I’d be glad to know please, but: I have to be away for about
six weeks in June and July. If you are keenly interested in the
Wolf, let me know and I’ll try to find something for you,
although it is very doubtful now. I’ve spent all my time
hunting and recording steam engines and catalogs too, and now have
over a hundred catalogs bound into volumes. They make a nice set,
mainly stationary engines, though.
Reply: I get about $35.00 a week, and work 60 hours, but tax and
insurance take $5.00 or more out of it. But we manage along just
the same, and I’ve got a motorcycle. The only thing I can ride
as I go so far and stop for a rest and then on again. This is
second time I wrote this. First time was at boiler house when it
was warm and I had boiler shut down, and I posted it with only your
name (no address) on it so it came back to me. Anyway, I’ll try
about the Wolf, to get more, but it’s queer you got a line on
it and I did wonder how? All the best.
G. WATKINS 79 Bishop St. S. V. Paulis Bristol 2, England
