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If it’s homemade, it’s very good!
You need a set of wheel weights anda balnce weight now.

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More attractive lines (to my eye) than the later version!

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I grew Cara and Casablanca this year, which are supposed to be blight resistant, but they seem to have succumbed (they’re supposed to be a second early, but normally do quite well as a main crop in my soil). Slugs are always a problem on the clay soil in this part of hampshire

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I was thinking of doing the same with the big Auto Culto this week……

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The Autogardener has a throttle control, the Junior does not.
Engine oil is SAE30, gear box and chaincase are SAE140 (I use the Goldenfilm classic oils from Morris lubricants, as they are compatible with the bearing materials in these machines).
Lead replacement additive is probably not needed, as these engines are designed to run on low octane petrol. Ethanol in the petrol does tend to go off, and can cause problems with some fuelpipes.

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Image 14.jpg is an Allen and Simmonds (Auto Culto) Midgiculto, from the 1960’s – it should have a Villiers lightweight engine.
10.jpg and 11.jpg look to be an Auto Culto Model A – introduced in 1926, and made until the mid 30’s

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At the two small ralliesI’m involved with, we encourage horticultural machines to go into the parade ring. Due to the small number of machines, this is usually with the tractors, but it seems to be appreciated by both exhibitors and the public.
Unless you have a really good commentator, you need provide commentary detail, or interview the owner as they go past.

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I had a good week, despite the weather. Thanks to Chris for providing tea and shelter!
I took my 1936 Auto Culto EX, which only went back together the weekend before the show, so had more than its fair share of teething troubles, but was running reasonably well by Sunday.
Thanks to everyone else who took part, or who stopped to chat.

I’m also glad to report that the Gnome has gone to a deserving home this year!

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the main differences between the Junior and the gardener are:
1. the Junior engined is fully goverened – there is no throttle control
2. The Junior has a slightly narrower cut.

The Junior doesn’t have reverse, but then, neither do some models of the gardener.

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Just had another look, and the first picture shows Graham driving his petrol loco, double headed with his diesel Lister, being driven by his son Matthew, and it looks to be at Amberley

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The Lister in the first picture belongs to Graham Feldwick, and is based at Twyford waterworks, it is quite an early one, with a 600cc JAP petrol engine, There are also two later Listers at Twyford, with Lister diesel engines.
I have driven all three, and the petrol one is by far the most difficult, it is prone to running away on gentle downward gradients, as it is quite high geared, and very light – omly about 1 ton. You need to keep a hand on the brake wheel at all times, and be very careful when changing gear (they have two forward and two reverse gears). The diesels are considerably heavier, and much easier to drive – the newest (early 60s) even has the luxury of electric start!
Graham’s two Listers can sometimes be seen at Amberly for special events.
There are a number of other narrow gauge locos at Twyford, including 3 Motorail angines, a Ruston (new to the war office), and a special built by a brickworks for shunting brick waggons into kilns (it is battery powered, and was converted to radion control in its later life).
Some of the engines (the three Listers) make an appearance at most of our open days, but the Motorails and the Ruston are generally only seen at our special industrial railways day (next one is June 1st 2014)

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Suppose I’d better fit the snow ploughs to the Merry Tiller and the Allen Scythe then!

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There are a couple of Autogardener manuals on my webpage:

http://www.g1jbg.co.uk/autoculto/autodat.htm

You’ll also find a brochure (attachments don’t come up too often, but at leats you’ll know what to look for), and the manual for the Villiers Mk15 engine.

There are hints on gears and ratchet hub use in the handbook.

Jim.

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I have a Jalo one here, which I suspect doesn’t work very well either!

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I’ve used Basecamp several times in the past, for flameguns, garden syringes, spraeyrs and various other letaher washer needs. I’ve always found them to be very helpful.

Jim.

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