Online Catalogue last updated 13th of February 2013
Written by R. Butrims and B.C. Roberts.
This book is a history of steam cable ploughing in Australia. Normally this is the use of two large traction engines with winch drums under the boiler to pull the plough or cultivator back and forth from one end of a field to the other. The system originated in the 19th century well before the advent of lighter internal combustion engine tractors, but still persisted in some specialist applications up until the 1950's where larger power was needed or soft ground prohibited direct ploughing with tractors.
The start of the book gives a basic over view of cable ploughing and it's use in Australia. It then moves onto the development of the Melbourne Metropoliton Board of Works sewage farm at Werribee, and its special need for cable ploughing engines. The history of the two sets of engines that were used on the farm are chronicled.
The later chapters describes the restoration (or demise) of some of the ploughing engines in Australia.
Code No. 001597, 60 pages, ISBN 0958789002, $13.20