Wood and Water Chloe and Jason Roweth (2007) The new original song "Wood and Water" kicks off this CD. The Millthorpe Museum asked us to come up with a song about their new addition - a fantastic Clayton and Shuttleworth traction engine and this song is the result. One song from each of our previous Chloe & Jason Roweth / Us Not Them CDs has been added to make a CD sampler of our work 1995 - 2007. CD TRACK LIST THE SONG - LYRICS In late 2006 Peter Whiley approached us from our local museum; the Golden Memories Museum here in Millthorpe. He was obviously excited by the museum’s latest acquisition of a steam traction engine in near original condition and thought a song might be in order. After seeing the machine and hearing the stories about the Henry family, Peter’s enthusiasm began to rub off - we realised that there was an astonishing wealth of yarns and detail here, more than we could use, and willingly set to work. At a cost of 500 pounds the engine was a serious investment and played a major role in John Henry’s business. Assuming as a proud new owner that Mr Henry would have enjoyed telling people about his machine, we chose to write from this angle, expressing an owner’s pride in this hefty piece of equipment and what it could do. Behind the power of the engine was an insatiable need for wood and water, the constants in a world of steam, and from this we drew our chorus. The museum has incorporated the song into a DVD display alongside the engine itself. We are quite thrilled to be involved - thanks Peter, for asking! THE ENGINE Clayton & Shuttleworth was established in England in 1842. They began by making iron pipes before branching out into steam powered farming machinery, tractors, the first British combine harvester, and then military equipment including howitzers and aircraft during WW1. By 1870 their workforce in Lincoln was 1,200, they had developed a thriving export trade and were highly regarded for their quality. Despite these successes the firm failed in the 1930’s depression years and was taken over by Marshalls of Gainsborough. Engine Number 44128 was manufactured in Lincoln in 1911, and exported to Australia where it was purchased by Frederic Rowlands of “Werribee” Waugoola, near Cowra in 1912. John Joseph Henry purchased the engine in 1928 entering into a contract for £500 to be paid in yearly installments of £50 (plus interest). The engine was driven across country from the lagoon on the Cowra side of Lyndhurst to Trunkey Creek in one day. They started out at 7am travelling from waterhole to waterhole and arrived at 10pm that night. The engine had only two gears, first gear could achieve 11⁄4 mph and second 5mph. All the moving parts on the engine had to be oiled, most parts having their own reservoir which had to be filled twice a day. The traction engine was used by the Henry family until the 1960s, at various times driving their saw mill, a number of their seven gold stamper batteries around Trunkey Creek, Junction Point, Blayney, Barry, Neville, even as far as Millthorpe and Forest Reefs areas and cutting chaff for about 5 months of the year. The weight of the engine caused some damage to the local roads and threatened bridges - John Henry apparently never allowed anyone else on the engine with him when he was crossing a bridge - just in case. TO THE MUSEUM An offer was made to Henry Bros in 2003 to purchase the engine and export it to England. When local councils in NSW declined to match the offer, the Millthorpe Golden Memories Museum rose to the challenge. The committee rounded up support and submitted a strong grant application to the National Heritage Fund. The submission was successful, and the engine was carefully transported to the Museum in December 2005. Thought to be one of less than a dozen in the world in basically original condition, the engine will be preserved in its current state, serving as a reference example of the Clayton & Shuttleworth traction engines. So the traction engine and the Trunkey Creek gold battery stamper - old working mates from 75 years ago - are now back together in the Museum grounds. Millthorpe & District Historical Society Golden Memories Museum Park St (PO Box 27) Millthorpe NSW 2798 Email: glenwood@colourcity.com

LISTEN TO AN EXCERPT FROM "WOOD AND WATER" IN THE LISTENING LOUNGE BUY THIS CD from the CD Catalogue Chloe & Jason Roweth (2007) Running Time: 45 Minutes “Wood and Water” was composed, arranged, performed and recorded by Chloe & Jason Roweth in January 2007. All rights reserved. Chloe Roweth: Vocals, mandolin, percussion. Jason Roweth: Guitar, bass, electric guitar, vocals. THANKS Thanks to the Golden Memories Museum for approaching us with this project, and also for providing the background information for the song and CD liner notes. Thanks to Sue Roweth for the cover photograph.

---

Track List

1. Wood and Water (C & J Roweth) 2007

2. Gentle Annie (Trad) - from the 2006 CD "Another Threshing Day"

3. Maryborough Miner (Trad) - from the 2005 CD "Spring Grove" (CD formerly known as "Daisy Hill")

4. The Riderless Horse (O'Brien / Kevans) - from the 2005 CD "Riderless Horse - An Australian Impression of WW1"

5. As Good as New (Lawson / C & J Roweth) - from the 2003 CD "As Good as New"

6. Salvation Jane (C & J Roweth) - from the 2001 CD "Live - One Man's Weeds, Another Man's Flowers"

7. The Wanderers (Hebblethwaite / C & J Roweth) - from the 2000 CD "Sleepers - Songs of Carrie Milliner"

8. Songs of the Bush (C & J Roweth) / Drover / Treeparter (Trad) - from the 1998 CD "Songs of the Bush and Beyond"

9. Let's Drink (C & J Roweth) - from the 1997 CD "Feet in the Dirt ... Head in the Clouds"

10. White Under Water (C & J Roweth) - from the 1995 CD "Wailing Bizarre"

11. Wood and Water - Instrumental Version (C & J Roweth) 2007

CD Catalogue

WOOD & WATER
Words and Music by Chloe & Jason Roweth

Step up and see my traction engine
She’s come all the way from Lincoln
And she’s worth the 500 pound I had to pay.
There’s nowhere I wouldn’t take her,
Just give us wood, and give us water.
We come from Lyndhurst down to Trunkey in a day.

She needs a steady heat - not red hot;
Stringybark or brittlejack – not box.
My keeps my boys out chopping when it rains.
Keep the oil up to her moving parts,
And she’ll finish every job she starts,
Seven horsepower – as good as any train.

Wood and water, firebox at your feet,
Wood and water, building up steam.

Just take those pins out of the axle,
She’ll raun a gold stamp or a timber mill.
Give me any tree – we’ll pull that timber down.
And for the lighter scrub you’re clearing,
It’s as simple, boys, as shearing,
Run a chain in to an anchor, circle round and knock ‘em down.

Wood and water, firebox at your feet,
Wood and water, building up steam, building up steam.

But cutting chaff’s the thing that really makes the business run;
20 Tonne of chaff a day – 15 bags to the tonne.
5 Months of the year with the stars bright overhead,
A tarp tied to the engine, and the chaff bags for my bed.

Lyndhurst Council are a battle
As their precious bridges rattle
Under 16 tonne of powerful machine.
As we chew up the road in top gear
I can almost hear them swear
Just like “the Governor” – they’re letting off steam!

Wood and water, firebox at your feet,
Wood and water, building up steam, building up steam.

Steering is a challenge looking 20 yards ahead,
But if those chains were tighter then you’d lose a thumb instead.
I don’t use the steam brakes much – reverse works down the slope.
She’s a long, long way from England, but the old girl seems to cope.

Wood and water, firebox at your feet,
Wood and water, building up steam, building up steam.