Engine Memorandum Ledgers

Engine memorandum ledger books exist for the years 1887 through 1893. Nichols-Shepard entered the serial number, date of build, and other information related to each engine that went out the door. Presumably, ledgers for other years were also produced, but no others are known by this author.

Of all the serial numbers entered, less than a handful had out of order dates — and even then by only a day. One can only assume an engine was thought to be done and something delayed it until the following day. In all these years, one serial number, #2786, is missing, and in fact was declared as “lost”. Perhaps the serial badge plate was damaged, misplaced, or whoever was making the plate started the day by skipping the number.

Engine Size and Type Statistics

Various statistics can be gathered from this data, including a full summary of engines built over these years as summarized in the following table.

A cell in this table is blank if the ledger implied the particular size was not offered in that year. The terminology used in the ledger for engine types includes Plain for portable (non-traction) engines, Straw Burner for return flue engines, and Self-Guiding (the default in the table) for engines with traction drive and steering wheels. Nichols-Shepard catalogs in this era also referred to ordinary Traction engines, which would have a drive train without steering, but no engines in this time frame were built that way.

Engine Data

Until permission from the Bentley Library is obtained to publish the full journal, here is a summary of basic data of all the engines in the books. Perhaps boiler and firebox information could enhance this table. The remaining information are casting numbers used for each particular engine, though there are so many castings in an engine that the list per engine must be related to the most common (or variable) parts.