FODEN
Born in Smallwood, Cheshire in 1841, Edwin Foden became an apprentice in 1856 at engineers Plant & Hancock situated by the new railway station at Sandbach. It is tempting to imagine that Hancock was related to the famous 1820s steam carriage maker in Stratford, Essex but this is probably wishful thinking though Plant & Hancock made fixed steam engines as well as agricultural equipment.
Foden became foreman and then a partner in the mid-1860s. His son William was born in 1869 followed by Edwin junior and all were recognised in the 1887 E Foden, Sons & Co Ltd occupying the old premises of Plant & Hancock that had recently been renamed Hancock & Foden.
Traction engines had been experimented with since 1880 and the sound design, good workmanship and high performance were noted on an 8hp compound engine machine at the 1887 Royal Agricultural Society Show. It operated at an unusually high 300psi and rode on Foden’s patent spring system. 6, 7 and 8hp versions were offered and 1898 marked the
