Not many people are able to live their life’s passion, but Jack Lemon Burton was a man who achieved that. An expert on classic Bugatti automobiles and a man with a passion for steam locomotives Jack Lemon Burton was able to build his own estate railway and two steam locomotives to run on it.
Fast Facts
- Jack Lemon Burton is probably most remembered as an expert in classic Bugatti automobiles.
- He was a core member of the Bugatti Owner’s Club and had his own workshop dedicated to repair and maintenance of classic Bugattis.
- Lemon Burton’s other passion was steam locomotives and on his private estate he constructed an approximately two mile railway with branch lines and sheds.
- For this railway Jack Lemon Burton personally built two steam locomotives; an 0-6-0 tender engine he named “Jack”, and a 2-6-2 tender locomotive.
- The locomotive named “Jack” is currently for sale by the Steam Workshop in the UK.
As a child in England during the 1950’s my childhood dream was to build my own fifteen inch railway, complete with steam locomotive and passenger carriages, and to enjoy driving that train around my dream country estate.
In my childhood dreams a car that would feature for me to drive around in when I was a “grownup” was a vintage Bugatti.
Neither of these dreams would come to fruition for me. But a man named Jack Lemon Burton would indeed live that dream – both steam train and classic Bugatti automobiles.
Jack Lemon Burton exhibited his passion for steam machinery, his motivation and skills while still at school, by building a steam engine, which he sold to his headmaster.
His lifelong passion for Bugatti automobiles was brought to fruition in 1927 when he was able to purchase a Bugatti Brescia.
Jack Lemon Burton would go on to join the Bugatti Owners Club two years later in 1929, and then purchased his second Bugatti, a Type 37, from none other than Malcolm Campbell, in 1930.
Lemon Burton set up his own workshop in Kilburn to repair Bugatti automobiles in 1934 and he raced Bugattis at the famed Brooklands track where he would have no doubt crossed paths with many of the most famous personalities of motorsport of the 1930’s.
Jack owned quite a variety of Bugatti automobiles: this even included two of the rare and fabled Bugatti Type 41 Royale over which a twenty-six year old Jean Bugatti had a strong influence over its design and creation.
Lemon Burton was passionate about steam trains just as he was passionate about Bugattis and he owned a country estate Paynesfield, at Aldbourne Green, in West Sussex.
On his estate Jack had constructed an approximately two mile fifteen inch gauge railway which included two balloon loops, a number of branch lines, a four road carriage shed with ten bogie coaches ensconced within, and a brick locomotive shed which housed his steam locomotives.
Jack Lemon Burton initially purchased a 1939 vintage R. H. Morse 0-4-0 steam locomotive to run on his estate railway but being a man of considerable engineering skill, and enthusiasm, he then went on to build two more steam locomotives himself. The first was an 0-6-0 which he named “Jack” which he completed in 1960, and the second was a 2-6-2 which he completed in 1967.
Jack Lemon Burton became a core member of the Bugatti Owners Club and was known for his willingness to help people with their Bugattis. He was indeed a quiet achiever.
He passed away at the age of 83 in 1994 having very much lived his dream.
The 0-6-0 tender locomotive he built is currently available for sale by Steam Workshop (www.steamworkshop.co.uk).
Steam Workshop describe this 0-6-0 as “a superbly engineered machine, the valve gear being particularly nicely machined and still in very tight condition with no appreciable wear and tear”.
The engine has spent some time on display in a museum and is believed to have had very little use.
In the past it made an appearance at the famous Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.
If you are interested in finding out more about this quite unique 15 inch gauge locomotive you will find the sale page if you click here.
You will also find a fascinating range of other live steam locomotives of various scales and gauges if you click here.
There is also a rather superb steam car called the “Likamobile” which looks like it would be a great source of steam powered fun which you’ll find if you click here.
Jack Lemon Burton certainly was blessed with fulfilling what I suspect was his childhood dream. Hopefully his 0-6-0 “Jack” steam locomotive will enable someone else to fulfill theirs.
Picture Credits: All pictures courtesy Steam Workshop.
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
