by alan

Suffolk Mower Factory – Then and Now

July 20, 2016 in Machinery, Uncategorized


Suffolk Punch Advert

Suffolk Super Punch Advert

Archive videos are always fascinating. The engaging monochrome films of days gone by and the lives of the people involved in various trades are of immense importance.

I’ve found a film online and captured in black and white is the Suffolk mower factory in Stowmarket, a site which eventually produced a huge number of engines and parts each year and exported mowers all around the world. Fast forward a few decades and in to the 21st century and the mower works now operated by Bosch are producing the next hi-tec generation of battery powered lawn mowers. 

It’s an interesting film of how lawn mower technology is changing to meet the potential future demands of the grass cutting public, just like the demand for Suffolk mowers did all those years ago. Will this technology be a collectable horticultural item of the future? I bet they never though people would restore and exhibit Suffolk mowers. 

This is a great video to see how the Suffolk factory operated only a few decades ago and the brilliant technological advances that are produced there now for horticultural use.

Click the link to watch the video:  https://youtu.be/p8n6HLjD0XU

You can also find more information about the Suffolk Mower Works at the National Archives.


by alan

Mini Ride on Mowers

June 28, 2016 in Machinery, Uncategorized

Mowing the lawn can sometimes seem like a bit of a chore but a ride-on-mower can add a dash of fun and a bit of one-upmanship too. What better way then for the average suburban gardener of the 1960’s 70’s and 80’s to justify getting their hands on an affordable ride-on mower than to buy one of the many mini ride-ons that were available? However diminutive the lawn there was probably a ride-on that could fit the space even if a pedestrian mower may have been a better alternative. The sole purpose of all these machines listed below was for mowing duties and at a push a little bit of pulling a small cart or pushing a snow blade about perhaps, these machines have either mid-mounted or front-mounted engines as opposed to something like the Mountfield 25 rider with a rear mounted engine.

Here is a list of the makes of mini ride-on mowers we know about in the UK:

Mowett Mustangs on Show

Mowett Mustangs on Show

One of the best known is probably the Mowett Mustang dating from the 1970’s onwards (image right). These are quite popular in the UK and there are many about. This is a machine of US origin that was sold mostly via mail order (see advert). With either 5, 7 or 8hp Briggs and Stratton engines this mower was also rebadged by Deckson and also Continental  with their own decals and livery. This is certainly a small mower with a fixed-in-place 25″ single bladed mower deck, the mowing height could be altered by putting extra spacers on the drive shaft so the blade was closer to the grass. Mustangs have a single speed forward/reverse gearbox by Foote and have one feature missing – they have no brakes. 

Following in a similar design are the Huffy mowers (image below), these are fairly common and again feature a single bladed deck of about 24″ and with a standard 5hp Briggs and Stratton engine one could be yours for £169.00 plus £3 carriage. These machines have a simple gearbox setup but thankfully these feature brakes and have height adjustable mower decks too so a massive leap forward on the Mustang. 

Huffy Mower Tractor Advert

Huffy Mower Tractor Advert


Gutbrod mini ride-on-mower

Gutbrod mini ride-on-mower

All these machines follow the same design with a steel channel chassis with a mid-mounted mower deck (sometimes bolted in place) with an engine directly above to drive the blade.They are all low machines too with mostly small solid 8″ – 10″ wheels and basic steering linkage. It’s no surprise then that many manufacturers followed the same overall easy, cheap and basic design when creating their mini machines. Even manufacturers such as Gutbrod (image right) produced a small ride-on.

The pressed light steel small ride-on-mower market must have been fairly lucrative as Dennis the manufacturers of quality cylinder mowers produced their own 1971 mower called the RotoRider at £140.00 (Image left below). The very scarce Dennis machine has origins to another rare mower called the Pacemaker (Image right below).

Dennis Roto-Rider (Left) and Pacemaker (Right)

Dennis RotoRider (Left) and Pacemaker (Right)

As machines get slightly larger (and potentially more expensive) they start to differ from the basic Huffy and the Mustangs, they start to get pneumatic tyres and pivoting front axles and a little bit more comfort and usability too.

There are some machines of Australian origin. This includes the Bartrop/Greenfield mowers which made their way over to the UK (Bartrop (GM) Ltd, Swindon) (Images below). Although this is a slightly more sophisticated machine with the pneumatic tyres, pivoting front axle and a few more levers to aid the user, it still has a 5 or 8hp Briggs and Stratton engine and a 25″ mower deck as per basic machines.


Bartrop/Greenfield Ride-on-mowers

Bartrop/Greenfield Ride-on-mowers


In the UK Landmaster had their own small ride-on, this is getting into the area of being a larger machine, but is still primarily a mowing machine. It again has a pivoting front axle and pneumatic rear tyres whereas Mustang, Huffy, Gutbrod, Dennis and Pacemaker do not. Note that it has the same solid front tyres though.

Landmaster Ride-on-mower

Landmaster Ride-on-mower.


There may be other makes of basic ride-on-mowers like the Mustangs that we have missed from the above list, do you know of any? 


by alan

Norlett’s changing logo

May 29, 2016 in Uncategorized

Norlett 8hp Tractor

Norlett 8hp Tractor

I’m sure that most machinery enthusiasts are familiar with Norlett the well known brand of machinery sold in the UK. Perhaps mostly associated with the gold painted, re-badged Wheel Horse garden tractors of the 1970’s, the Norlett name is also connected to a range of tillers, lawnmowers, snowblowers and potentially other machines which are yet to surface. Do you have any other Norlett badged machinery in the shed? 

Norlett was a busy company being associated with various importers for a range of petrol and electric powered garden machines. They either had a very good marketing division, or the logo changed as the company moved premises (there’s two or more different addresses for them) or they altered the logo for a new machine or new business deal (Flymo etc) or there was more than one part to Norlett is unknown. Let us know if you can enlighten us any further!

However at least someone was kept very busy in a back room developing a Norlett logo which appears in many different forms over a few short years – more than any other manufacturer I have come across. This isn’t a difinitive guide more of an observation really on a well known name that we all associate with one company and as for the date order perhaps someone may have an answer! It’s surprising how many manufacturers have altered or tweaked their logos through the decades and we, the consumers, never noticed. 

So out of curiosity here are the Norlett logos on file displayed all in one place.

There does seem to be quite a few old Norlett badged lawnmowers lurking about, working, rusty or otherwise and the logo seems to have a blade symbol above the name which is pretty self-explanatory for a lawnmower logo.

Norlett Lawnmower Logo

Norlett Lawnmower Logo


Moving on in production, tillers and other machines sported a similar logo but without the blade symbol. Some of these logos appeared with white text on a blue or black or transparent background. Some having black text on a white background too. 

Norlett Tiller Logo

Norlett Tiller Logo with blue background


Norlett Logo with White text on a black background

Norlett Logo with white text on a black background


However, Norlett’s logo for the professional range of commercial lawnmowers featured the image without the blade symbol. Have a better look at their full professional advert. The triangular Professional Range logo also appears on the machines too so wasn’t just for advert purposes.

Norlett Professional Range Advert

Norlett Professional range advert

Somewhere along the line Norlett decided to have a re-think of the logo, opting for a more modern simple font with a now capital letter N yet still keeping the two letter T’s joined together as in the early logos. These logos are mostly printed on a clear background with white text. 

Norlett's modern logo

Norlett’s modern logo


There’s a slight deviation when the logo-designer treated the logo to a curved effect for the petrol powered Beaver Powaspade.

Norlett Powaspade logo

Norlett Powaspade curved logo


And again with the Electric Beaver Powaspade logo.

Norlett Electric Beaver Powaspade logo

Norlett Electric Beaver Powaspade logo


Some of the Norlett tractors (re-badged Wheel Horses) had the logo in all capital letters. White text on black, red or gold to suit the individual tractor.

Norlett tractor logo

Norlett tractor logo

The tillers also had a more modern logo in the end with all capital letters.

Norlett tiller logo

Norlett tiller logo

Let us know if you can add further to this or can correct anything. 




by alan

Interesting Gallery Images

May 2, 2016 in Uncategorized

Walkie Stalkie Weeding Tool

Walkie Stalkie Weeding Tool


Whilst sorting through the thousands of pictures in the gallery I’ve found some interesting images.

Sometimes images are the normal everyday adverts that would be expected in a gardening magazine, others though are more ingenious in their advertising or in the name chosen or the item itself is questionable and would probably fall foul of the Health & Safety boundaries of today. Take the Killer Kane weeding tool, a name to frighten any dandelion into submission, although the name at the bottom of the advert is a little more friendly calling it The Walkie-Stalkie Lawn-Weed Killer. Apparently it is ‘beautifully made’ from plastic so it’s hinting at being a modern tool, a price of 22/6 for the kane and 4/6 for refills and patent applied for means they probably thought they had a winner on their hands, but has anybody got one? 

Still in the pest control area is the Slayer Sprayer or Slayer Continuous Action Sprayer for it’s full name. Again it’s patent applied for. I can however see this one being a more widely accepted tool for the gardener. 

Slayer Sprayer

Slayer Sprayer


Technology and the next must-have gadget is something entrepreneurs and advertisers are keen to exploit. Let’s introduce the Remploy Mow-Master – a mower tied to a length of wire that circles a mechanical moving device as it ratchets it’s way down a straight length of lawn. A perfect solution for a rectangular lawn but I do wonder what happens when it gets to the end? Or hits a bump and scoots off into the dahlias? Or what happens when the grass-box is full? Actually I think it’d take more time to set up the device than to mow the lawn normally. However, full marks and a bottle of home brew for inginuity and for one of the first steps towards the robot lawn mower. Somewhere though there is an image of a remote controlled mower in the 1960s….

Remploy Mow-Master

Remploy Mow-Master

 

Deparkmental Stores Vintage Advert. Parker & Sons

Deparkmental Stores Vintage Advert. Parker & Sons

Arsenical powder and Arsenate of lead were on the comprehensive list of items provided by T.Parker and Sons of Surrey. Their advert is titled Deparkmental Stores with a simple drawing of a yokel doorman I guess. 

Parkers Items ranged from big to little and included President tractors, Ransomes mowers, rollers, trailers, Allen Scythes. Smaller items included grass seed and fertilisers – they certainly stocked a full range of products! 

I’ve found that it’s not uncommon for a manufacturer or supplier to offer a range of products that overlap their current offerings but mostly they extend their range with additional related items. Ransomes, best known for grass care equipment, advertised a range of golf accessories titled ‘The final touch of pride on a fine course‘. 

It makes sense that Ransomes would provide golf related items such as flags, greens markers and signs but I never knew until I saw the advert! 

I know there are other adverts such as the Slasher Hedge Trimmer whose name already explains all. There are no doubt many others, or machines we have seen advertised that have never appeared in the tinwork, if you have seen any other interesting adverts then let us know!

Ransomes Golf Accessories Vintage Advert

Ransomes Golf Accessories Vintage Advert

 

New Item for Club Shop

October 26, 2015 in Club News

As hinted at in the forum, there will be a new addition to the club shop’s stock ready for the Newark Show. In a complete departure from the normal stock of clothing with the club’s badge embroidered on, this new item is a “must” for any Trusty owner.

If you have a Trusty that will not disengage drive on tick over, the chances are that your clutch springs are either broken or stretched and if you continue to use it you run the risk of ruining your steering dog clutches or worse, having an accident. Now, you can buy new, replacement clutch springs to transform the performance of your Trusty.

Use the email link on the “Club Merchandise” tab at the top of the page to send our shopkeeper an email to order a pair.

by charlie

Website database cleanse

October 12, 2015 in Club News

It is now 2 years since the new website went live and time for a clean up of the website membership database. Any user id’s that have not been used for a year or more will be deactivated. If you are having problems accessing the forum please use the ‘contact’ link to inform the admin team.

Club Shop Now Online

April 9, 2015 in Club News

SnipMugsThe ideal accessories for your show exhibit. Fly the flag and show that you are part of the only club that caters for all things vintage and horticultural. Whether it’s just an enamel badge, windscreen sticker  or a weatherproof jacket there is something to suit everyone; if there is something that you would like that you can’t see, why not drop Shopkeeper a line and ask him if he can do it?
You can pay by cheque, postal order or PayPal (he even takes cash!). Distance is no object either- he has just sent a club banner to a member in Australia- so let’s see everyone sporting club clothing around the shows this year.
TShirtSnip

Stop Press- Club shop now has hats for Christmas!

November 30, 2014 in Club News

Warm hat club logo Warm hat mini GnomeNEW ITEM IN THE VHGMC CLUB SHOP.

Keep your head warm this winter!

From 1st December Fleece Hats are available from the club shop.

One size fits all with turn-up band to reveal VHGMC logo. Colour: Indigo Black with embroidered logo in green. Priced at £6.00 each + £3.00 postage. Multiple postage discounts.

Ideal stocking filler for Christmas. 

Contact Shopkeeper: Steve Woollas, 9 Ermine Drive, Navenby, Lincoln, LN5 0HB. 01522 811067. 07973 250661. stevewoollas@yahoo.co.uk 

New Ploughing Section

July 7, 2014 in Club News

Ploughing National 2009 037Ploughing National 2009 038We are currently building a new ploughing section which will eventually become a complete reference section for all things to do with men, mud and machinery. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned ploughman, there will be something here for all. From a Beginner’s Guide to a list of eligible machinery, something will be of interest.
So, once you’ve read the beginner’s guide you can go along to spectate at a local ploughing match to pick up a few tips, then buy your first ploughing tractor to compete with. You can always come along to one of the “Shine up” days in early Autumn to have a play without any pressure. Everyone that tries it seems to enjoy it!

Machinery Registers Now Live

April 11, 2014 in Club News

The first of the machinery registers is now live and more will be added very shortly when time permits. At present it is heavily biased towards Trusty because that’s the register that I compile, but as more people express an interest in publishing their own brand register then it should grow to be quite a useful archive for the club.
To view the registers section, simply click on the “Survivors” tab at the top of the page, then you will see various links at the bottom of the next page that will enable you to navigate to the register that is of interest to you.
Why didn’t I call the tab, “Machinery Registers”? I hear you ask. It’s all about space- if I had used a long name then it would shunt the other tabs off the other end, so a short name is what’s called for.
If any members would like their registers published in this section then please drop me a line via the “Contacts” section.
Thank you for your patience.
Geoff Ravenhall