ONE of the best known steam traction engines in the UK will be going under the hammer in Suffolk later this month.

Auctioneers Cheffins have set a guide price of �110,000 to �130,000 for the Royal Chester, built in 1925 by Wm Allchin Ltd of Northampton, which has been the subject of thousands of steam models of various scales over the last 50 years.

The engine is the centrepiece of a collection of vintage and classic tractors and earth moving machinery owned by the late Peter Fordham, who died in January this year.

Bill King of Cheffins said: “This auction is likely to be regarded as one of the sales of the year for its eclectic mix of steam and diese.

He added: “It is guaranteed to attract collectors from across the UK and further afield.”

The sale also includes machines from other British manufacturers, such as Turner, Marshall and Fowler, and a range of Caterpillar vehicles.

There is also a rare David Brown DB4 crawler, thought to be one of only 10 in the UK built under licence from Caterpillar during the Second World War.

The sale takes place at Badwell Ash, near Bury St Edmunds on Saturday, September 17, starting at 10am. Catalogues are available from Cheffins by post at �7 or can be downloaded at www.cheffins.co.uk .