Wolseley Clearway Restoration

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi,
I’m restoring a Wolseley Clearway. It’s been stood in a shed at my fathers house for 20 years.
I’ve managed to track down and fit a new coil/points/condenser/air filter, and the engine now runs (10hp Briggs and Stratton). The hydrostatic transmission also works well. I’ve built a new deck, and bought new timkin bearings for the spindle. I would like to find out more about the machine, there is not much information on line. I have tracked down a spare parts booklet which is handy.

Attachments:

1. 

[vhgmcbuddy]

Some pictures of the deck build.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 

[dorigny]

Brilliant, really good to see a Clearway HS30 getting some restorative attention.

I used one up to 1995, it was a 1974 machine and would cut and discharge anything in its path. The hydrostat control meant you could instantly slow forward motion down to a crawl as the going got tough…and back out quickly too if needed. The deep deck meant it could clear what it cut. Had a few foibles…I understand the blade shaft was once broken…either an errant log left about or a stump… There was a Wolseley mod done early on in its career to the toothed belt tensioner pulley. It had had a new deck in its time and the height adjuster skid tube had had round bar inserted in and welded. It had done a huge amount of work but ended its days poorly in engine dept and we couldn’t justify spend on the engine, with another deck reqd and parts dwindling so it was replaced…or we tried to.!

I understand there was an earlier mechanical transmission version of Clearway, whilst I have seen photos of one, I haven’t actually set eyes on one.

By chance whilst talking to the Dori mower importer, can’t remember which one it was, think it must have been Hancox maybe, or IPU, when in the throws of organising a replacement machine I ended up talking to a guy who had previously worked at Wolseley Webb and had been involved with Clearway development..sadly it was a short chat as whichever Dori importer it was they had just learnt that they were no longer going to purvey their products.. He told me that the mudguards were added on HS30 to help in orchard work to ease passage past low branches…would have loved to chat further to him but it wasn’t to be…as I was a big Clearway supporter 🙂

C.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks to dorigny for your encouragement. I wondered why they fitted mudguards to some of them, I guess they prevented the branches from getting damaged by the wheels. It would have been interesting to hear more from the guy who’d worked on the Clearway development.
I used the machine in the eightees. As you said it was very good for rough grass, with the hydrostatic drive, and large wheels.
It had had a hard life before we got it, it belonged to a contractor, and was probably in constant use during the growing season.
After getting the engine running, I’ve not been able to get to the machine due to the lockdown. Fortunately I’d brought the old deck home, so I was able to order a laser cut steel disc etc, and get on with the deck fabrication.
I’ll post some more pictures when I get back to work on it.

[Author]

Posts