[alan]

I was also thinking that the Western tiller was also another machine, but with different paintwork and decals.

The smaller Western Wizard ride-on mower is also available as a Landmaster and was made by MTD. The larger tractors, also made by MTD, were available in the UK as Wolseley. Was the tiller also an MTD product?

[alan]

Depends on whether it is a MK1 or MK2 model.

The first ATCOs were American imports from the late 1970s to 1986 and included several model numbers including 11/36 and 11/36E.

The later ATCOs are the dark green ones with a black front, made in the UK from 1986 until 1992. Again there was an 11/36 model.

If it’s the later model then any good value is dependant on both the cosmetic condition and the working condition of the machine. Age can make the dark green paintwork, plastic trim, seat and stitched steering wheel look very tatty.

[alan]

Having mulled this over, I have decided this is like one of those TV episodes of CSI (or whatever) where they get instant results by spurious methods.

My answer, based on no factual evidence whatsoever, is that Thomas certainly is in the photo. Based on TV crime-solving theory, Thomas is taking the photo. A nearby glasshouse has reflected his image and this can be seen reflected in the left eye of the donkey in the photo.

Do you think CSI or even Hetty Wainthropp will be calling me soon to offer me a job? Hetty Wainthropp…there’s a force to be reckoned with.

[alan]

Perhaps Noddy employed Eeyore to pull a mower around the lawns then? Which would’ve been a fantastic photo opportunity for Atco with all the celebrity endorsements that go on.

[alan]

I thought it was Noddy that was with Big Ears?

Does that mean Noddy had a mower and a gardening round? Suppose fame has to fade eventually and gardening is something to fall back on.

[alan]

I searched for some grips for the lift handles for a ride-on mower but couldn’t find what I wanted. I then discovered a couple of old bicycle pumps and the grips fitted perfectly – about 28mm size. They are the harder plastic.

[alan]

Roger

We have a Huffy Sheraton that’s restored. Unfortunately, I don’t have a manual for it.

Do you have the mowing deck for it? They have a convoluted set-up of a couple of belts, levers and springs sandwiched between the chassis and deck which is quite interesting!

Alan

Our Huffy: https://vhgmc.co.uk/huffy-sheraton-twscot2018/

[alan]

Is that along the lines of the trailer in this image:

Farmers Boy – IMGFarm001

[alan]

I’ve just had a look on the database on the backend of the website and see there are some wheeled hoes. I’ve put them on a page, it may (or may not!) be of some help. Link below.

https://vhgmc.co.uk/photo-galleries/hoes/

We don’t see that many hand tools on or push machines on the forum which is a shame as there’s some really interesting items out there.

[alan]

I’d agree with Charlie, it’s a Honda cultivator with a Honda engine. Not sure of the age or model number, but a lot seem to start with the F prefix such as Honda F501.

[alan]

It’s good to know that people are still using their trusty B&D drills and other stuff too.

I’ve scanned in the Black & Decker brochure (8 pages) and attached it to this thread. It’s pre-decimal, but I also see that when the first Argos catalogue was out in 1973 they were selling B&D stuff. The basic drill was a 3/8 chuck single-speed with a recommended price of £9.84 but Argos would sell it for £6.55 – an absolute bargain!

The B&D brochure also states on the back page that it has ‘After-sales-service second to none!’. They do ‘service while you wait’ at a service station of which there were several around the country. A full check over and lubricating service for only 12s 6d – presumably for the drill and not the owner.

Here’s the brochure which can be downloaded and saved:

https://vhgmc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/vintage-black-decker-drills.pdf

[alan]

Christina,

Excellent! Thank you for posting that you found one of the elusive Husqvarna mowers that I researched and wrote about. They really do seem to be quite rare.

Yours is the blue version which, as far as I am aware, doesn’t have the self-propelled mechanism and so it has to be pushed. This may be rarer than the red version which is in the Husqvarna museum.

It may be an idea to email Husqvarna and ask if they have one in their archive, there is a chance they may be interested.

Many thanks for taking the time to contact the VHGMC and post that you had a blue version of the mower. My search is over, the blue and red machines exist! Thank you!

Alan

This is the Husqvarna museum website:

https://husqvarnamuseum.se/en/

[alan]

Did Trusty have some sort of sales agreement with Vigzol oils? Was there any benefit to the machines using those oils rather than any competitors oils?

[alan]

I know someone who has one of those Hayters mowers with the Tecumseh engine but with electric start – it may be a slightly different model/spec but it’s similar. I have to say it’s not in as good condition as the image by the original poster.

As Charlie has mentioned; What is vintage? I’d also add that some of the lower-spec machines of any manufacturer can, but not always, be the rarest. I’ve often wondered how many mass-produced mowers, rotavators or tractors were made – was it in the hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands?

[alan]

Re: Membership

We’d always recommend just looking at the help pages for payment problems, the link is in the right side column. There’s the option to pay directly by paypal in there. Also worth trying the following link when logged into VHGMC:

Membership Registration

[Author]

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