As it stands, there’s now nothing anywhere that explains what the free trial is.

The cultivator was advertised from the late 1950s for about ten years. Adverts say it fitted a Stanley ‘Neonic’ drill.

They also made a lawnmower that fitted a drill, but this later had a fixed motor and called the Lawnmaster. A hedgetrimmer called the…[Read more]

The measurement may not be exact either, a 30″ blade may measure 29.5″ or just be converted from centimeters to the nearest inch for putting on a brochure.

W6 – 6hp – 28″ deck
W8 – 8hp – 28″ deck
W11 – 11hp – 36″ deck

Then from 1984-86 the:

S600 – 6hp – 30″ deck
S800 – 8hp – 30″ deck
S1100 – 11hp – 32″ deck
T800 – 8hp – 36″ deck
T1100 – 11hp – 36″ deck

All had Briggs & Stratton engines – all electric start apart from the basic W6 and the basic S600.

The Westwood is usually an easy machine to work on and get replacement bits like belts etc.

I take it that it is a twin-blade mower deck? And 36″?

The mower deck is the earlier version with the angular sides, rather than the later rounded deck. That indicates it might be a later W11 model with the black front nose. This would be late…[Read more]

Number 422 was sent to the agricultural dealership F. C. Adamson, Swanland, East Yorkshire, and is dated 13/04/1965. It was sent out fitted with grassland tyres.

On the same date, the preceding Steed 421 with standard motor car tyres was also sent to F. C. Adamson.…[Read more]

There is the Lea-Francis Owners Club, which mentions the Uni-Horse, but the club generally seems more geared towards the cars that were made.

https://lfoc.org/index.php/unihorse-tractor

I hope you manage to find a tractor and a plough to continue your ploughing.

If any members want to correct the following information, then please do so! Info is a bit scarce and hard to search for.

Indeed, the USA company Troy-Bilt uses the Bronco model name – although, as far as I can tell, there’s no connection between them and your machine. It really muddled things when I were doing…[Read more]

There seems to be very little information on the internet. However, from what I have seen, I assume that the tiller is the Bronco brand, possibly with an address in Villareal, Italy?

Do you have any further details which may narrow down the search?

I see that there is an ID plate on the engine. What are the details on…[Read more]

I couldn’t find anything in online archives for your machine; it’s a bit of a mystery at present.

Parts of the machine match other Shay products; these include the handles and wheels.

I’m unsure if Shay manufactured products for any other manufacturer, potentially the machine may be listed under a different…[Read more]

I cannot see anything similar. Shay did produce the Countryman, approximately a 1960s machine, photo attached.

Do you have any further information that may narrow it down, such as the width of the cut, the size of the rear wheels,…[Read more]

I do not know models, but trucks were manufactured from the 1950s to the 1970s. Addresses were advertised as Geest Industries Limited (Truck Division) Spalding, Lincolnshire, and Marsh Lane Truck Factory, Boston, Lincolnshire

Brian Bell’s book ’70 Years of…[Read more]

Until I looked, I hadn’t realised that the Lawngroomer Mark1 was such a short-lived attachment – just 1983 to 1986.

Westwood used to have instructions on their website for the range of tractors but not implements. Anyway, the company is now defunct, and the website is no longer available.

The Lawn Groomer is early 1980s. In the…[Read more]

The club has someone who replies to all the emails, and there are quite a few each day. However, I have reviewed the email log and cannot find a recent email from you in the database. It may have got lost or not saved. If it’s not too much trouble, could I ask for you to resend your query?

Many thanks

The very early machines had rope-start Villiers engines, which were superseded by Kohler engines.

I see that your machine has a mesh panel at the front above the original grille – has your bonnet been lifted and a replacement engine fitted at some time?

I wonder if the carts and invalid cars used much the same (or interchangeable) wiring, motor and battery systems?

There…[Read more]

I have a Tecnamotor service manual, attached as a PDF. There is a list of 2-stroke engine specifications at the end of section F.The models mentioned are AH47 AV47, AH58, AH81, V51-TA, H51-TH, VA-VH,…[Read more]

Also, a 1987 Tecumseh advert and a 1978 Aspera advert. Both are from UK magazines.

Indeed, there is a Whirlpool link to Aspera. I have now found the Whirlpool history in a business publication. It lists that in 1985/6 that Whirlpool bought “A majority interest in Aspera s.r.l., an Italian compressor manufacturer”. Aspera produced…[Read more]

There’s some useful info on the Mountfield cultivators in the attached brochure PDF.

I have dragged myself around the internet and company documents, but can anyone add to what I have…[Read more]

The Ordnance Survey maps show a building appeared at Stirling Corner in 1938 – Opperman started there in 1938/39. This building no longer…[Read more]

There are references to different addresses for Opperman. A new factory was built in 1939 at Sterling Corner, Borehamwood. This no longer exists and, from anecdotal evidence, I think…[Read more]

I recall the mower deck would have been 24″ wide. It would have been side-discharge by the front right wheel.

The steel seat, steering wheel,…[Read more]

Bean

Thank you for the comments.

Firstly we haven’t altered the website layout – honestly, it wasn’t us! But it appears that one of the numerous automatic software updates has upset the sidebar that runs down the right of every page.

Things like ‘Recent Replies’ and ‘Recent Topics’ should show in the right column when logged in.…[Read more]

It could certainly be from a tree or nursery stock.

A few years ago when working I found many tags from fruit trees and plants that had fallen to the ground and been buried for decades. I still have quite a few in different shapes and sizes. One unusual one is for Narcissus Masterpiece – this cast plant label measures 62mm x 18mm x…[Read more]

I doubt that it has been fixed on a machine. I would have thought that if it came with a machine, it would have the maker mark such as Ransomes or Greens. Also, it appears to have no other fixing than the ability to take a length of wire or…[Read more]

I’ve done some research and the evidence points to it being called a Shandy Barrow. I cannot find any reference to Shardy Barrow – but, as you mentioned, that may be a regional name.

Archive newspaper articles and adverts in the late 1800s and through the 1900s show the use of the name ‘shandy barrow’ across the country and…[Read more]

This reminded me about Wankel rotary engines used on a few mower brands including Wolf.

Indeed, Drayton engines. And also Blackburne.

There’s a TV show called ‘Would I lie to you?’, and on that theme there could be some interesting ideas as to what this mushroom shaped copper item is… so could it be for catching earwigs much like putting an upside down plant pot full of straw at the top of a cane. Here though, a small pot of straw would be put in…[Read more]

I have some 1980s adverts for Italian mowers by Concord-Mechanica with Beta engines, although they also had B&S and Tecumseh. John Harston and also Central Spares Ltd imported them. In 1985 the Saturn 21″ had a 4.4hp Beta…[Read more]

I also see some mowers sold in the UK in the 1980s were fitted with Italian-made 2-stroke Beta engines – I haven’t looked to see if there were any 4-stroke.

Thanks to everyone’s input, here’s an updated list with the additions…[Read more]

I’ve just ordered a new mower from my local dealer with a Loncin engine, it’s a leap of faith on my part and time will tell how it does, but it was recommended over some established…[Read more]

Some engines are probably just rebranded, based on other engine models, or made on license. And some are specific to their use such as chainsaws, brush cutters and hedge…[Read more]