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UK Steam Shovel
UK Steam Shovel
6 steam excavator
nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/science-and-technology/ruston-excavator/
Date
1926
Made in
Lincoln, England
Made by
Dimensions
Weight
25 tonnes
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Museum reference
T.1984.25
Even Donald Duck has had a go at operating a steam shovel - here he is involved in a
steam shovel fight in the 1949 Christmas comic book story 'Letter to Santa'.
Steam excavators were invented in 1839 by the American inventor William Otis. They
became extremely popular among Public Works, contractors, drainage commissioners,
quarry and mine owners throughout the world during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries.
Above: Erie 'B' steam shovel. Photo courtesy Robert Charlton, Stayner, Ontario, Canada.
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a navvy (as pictured above) has a more rigid shovel mechanism, which works on a
hinged lever system and cuts the ground away from itself.
Either version of the No.6 excavator could be fitted with the option of railroad wheels,
road wheels, or caterpillar tracks. It was a universal machine that could be quickly
converted for various civil engineering jobs, functioning as a grabbing crane, pile driver,
dragline, or a shovel. Its main appeal however, was its ability to excavate below its own
level, whilst other rival models struggled or simply failed to manage this.
Approximately 350 No.6 Excavators were produced between 1914 and 1932, and were
bought by companies from all around the world, from Australia to Russia. These were all
produced by the Lincoln engineering firm Ruston & Hornsby, who became renowned for
their manufacture of excavators amongst other types of industrial machinery. They prided
themselves on the quality of the machinery they made, and accordingly used particular
production methods to ensure high standards. This included a purpose built excavator
testing ground, where every finished excavator was test driven before it was handed over
to the customer.
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Above: Advertisement for the Ruston No.6, circa 1920s.
Above: View of the Ruston excavator test ground. Image courtesy of Lincolnshire
Archives.
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Above: Detail of the No.6 excavator.
Built in 1926, the No.6 was purchased by the Civil Engineering contractors Murdoch
MacKenzie Ltd of Motherwell, to work on the Glasgow to Edinburgh road (the A8). It was
used until 1958 and then remained at the Company’s depot near Carluke. This was due
to the goodwill of the owner, who had a personal appreciation for industrial history and
intended to renovate the No.6. However the No.6 sat unattended at the depot until 1984,
when it was acquired by the National Museum of Scotland.
Due to the large size of the excavator it was necessary to have it dismantled for transit,
and then reassembled at the other end. Large cranes and haulage trucks were used to
carry out this work.
Once positioned in its new home, conservation work began. After years of disuse and
exposure to the elements, the excavator was extremely dirty and had a major rust
problem.
To remedy this, a process known as Waxoyling was used. This technique is often used to
restore classic cars. Waxoyling requires the existing rust to be removed first, followed by
an application of a rust-preventative fluid known as Waxoyl. This works by excluding
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water and air from bare metal and by slowing the progress of existing surface rust using
phosphoric acid rust inhibitors.
Unfortunately complete restoration of the excavator was not possible. The roof canopy
was missing when the N0.6 was acquired. Originally it would have had a cab with doors
and a corrugated iron roof.
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Above: The Ruston excavator in the National Museums Collection Centre.
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Above: Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton. Image © Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.
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