Remembering Leeds - The day a shop was demolished by a steam traction engine

Leeds Mercury reported in July 1911 how a nine-ton steam traction engine ran out of control and crashed into the shop of JJ Wilkinson, sadler, at 118 Woodhouse Lane, wrecking the shop and damaging the shop front of a confectioner's next door.

The engine belonged to Messrs Arnold & Sons of Doncaster, and was on its' way to Knostrop Sewage Works, with driver Albert Johnson and William Starkless steering, when a clutch pin came out, causing the engine to speed rapidly downhill and break the steering chain.

Both wheels came off in the accident, as seen in the photograph. A policeman can be seen on the left viewing the wreckage.

This photo is one of the 'most talked' photos on photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. They also run heritage blog The Secret Library Leeds, which provides a behind the scenes look at the Central Library and highlights from its special collections, including rare books hidden away in the stacks.

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