Imagine going back thirty years to 1993 (yes thirty whole years) and, quite randomly, you are allowed to put a small Briggs & Stratton engine on absolutely any machine of your choice. What would it be? Perhaps a lawnmower or tiller that requires an engine transplant, or maybe a machine in the style of something from ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ – there was a B&S engine on one of their machines the other day.
1983 – Apache Kart with 3 hp Briggs & stratton engine
But how about something more heart-stopping than a mower, how about something to terrify yourself and panic the neighbours enough so that they ring the authorities? In 1993, a tool and machinery retailer was advertising four ‘Fun Karts for off-road thrills’ (larger photos at the bottom of this page) – they look brilliant and include the Apache 300 with a 3 hp B&S engine and scrub brakes (Ā£579.99), the Chieftain 2-500 with a 5 hp B&S engine, band brakes, and optional rear spoiler and front fairing (Ā£719.99), and the largest machine being the Wildcat 900 with a 9 hp B&S electric start engine, disc brakes and a roll frame (Ā£1999.99).
1983 – Indy race car with 3 hp Briggs & Stratton engine
The most brilliant machine must be the Indy race car. ‘A superb looking Formula One style Indianapolis car’. It had a fibreglass body shell and a 3 hp B&S engine and cost Ā£949.99. I’ve looked all over the internet to find further information on this car but have found nothing: I wonder what the mechanicals looked like, how fast could it go…and how well it stopped?!
Earlier, in the mid-to-late 1960s, BlowKarts, Oldfield Works, Chesterfield were advertising (image, below) a Kart with an 80cc J.A.P. engine, heavy-duty pneumatic tyres, rear wheel braking, and manually operated belt-tensioner type clutch. It was available in either kit form or completely assembled, priced from Ā£65 in 1966. Examples were sold, but what happened to them all?
Villiers engines can be found in Buckler Karts made available by Buckler Cars, Crowthorne, Berkshire in the 1960s. There seem to be quite a few makes of vintage Karts from different manufacturers and with various small engines.
The point of this article is that it’s easy to forget that many small engines did not just get used on lawnmowers or garden machines. Small engines, whether B&S, Kohler, Jap, Villiers or one of many others were used (and still used) on a wide variety of applications. Two to have a look at are the 1920s Briggs & Stratton Flyer and the 1930s Atco Junior Training Car…
Battery-powered machinery has been hanging about in the horticultural machinery world for several decades. Probably the best-known machines with batteries as their means of power are lawn mowers, for instance, in the vintage arena are cylinder mower models such as from ATCO (in the 1960s and ’70s), also Qualcast (see the advert on the right for the 1967 Super Panther 12 volt battery electric), and the 2-speed battery mowers from Webb (1960s and ’70s). But in the eyes of the potential consumer who was looking to buy a new mower, these domestic battery models often straddled the gap between mains electric-powered and petrol-powered models, although in their lifetime the mowers did gain a limited (although enthusiastic) audience.
Battery models certainly have their merits: much quieter than petrol models, the convenience of not having to refuel with petrol (or a two-stroke mix), and no trailing cables or extension leads for electric models; simply plug the battery mower in for a hassle-free and relatively cheap recharge when finished.
Where battery power is really useful is with hand tools, these are mainly shrub and hedge trimmers, lawn edgers, and a few domestic lawn strimmers. Again, there have been models from different manufacturers over the decades but none have really captured the imagination of the public and the models have been reasonably short-lived (apart from the really useful Spintrim lawn edger). Machines have kept being designed, made and advertised over the years and, to name just a few, have included the aforementioned Spintrim lawn edger from Bob Andrews in the 1960s and ’70s; also in the 1960s and ’70s shrub trimmers from Wolf, Black & Decker and Wilkinson Sword (see the 1974 advert below), and Sandvic cordless grass trimmers in the 1980s, and battery trimmers from Flymo in the 1990s. As can be seen, the decades kept on giving cordless machines from many manufacturers.
1974 advert for Wilkinson Sword battery-powered trimmers for the garden
However, over the last twenty years or more there has been a development of 18 volt (and then increasing volts) garden machines with many strimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers and small lawn mowers – many being generic designs or badge-engineered and originating from overseas. DIY superstores have certainly stocked quite a lot and sold them to gardeners across the land to keep their gardens tidy with less effort.
At this point, I confess that I have had two battery-powered Qualcast hedge trimmers for the last five or more years, I purchased them new. The 18 volt machine is fine for light work such as small shrubs where the going isn’t tough. By comparison, the 36 volt hedge trimmer is almost on par with a popular brand of petrol hedge trimmer that I have. But sadly the batteries don’t last forever and the 36 volt hedge trimmer has done a lot of work and mechanically getting worn.
I have now upgraded to 56 volt handheld machines for the garden. I am hoping these will be revolutionary and make technological leaps (I admit the 56 volt power is great) – but will they replace petrol? Remember, the vintage machines also had the potential to become the machines of the future and were not just there to fill a gap in a brochure or look pretty in a showroom, but petrol and mains electric were the winners – maybe better battery power will be triumphant in the 2020s?
Left to Right: new 56 volt battery; 36 volt Qualcast battery; 18 volt Qualcast battery; 1974 Wilkinson Sword 7.2 volt shrub trimmer with integral battery in the handle (it’s a dinky little trimmer!)
Back to mowers, and just having looked at Webb brochures, ‘The Space Age Mower’ was the futuristic (and perhaps optimistic) phrase that advertised the Webb 2-speed battery cylinder mowers in 1970. There were three models in the advert: a 12″ which could cut up to 800 square yards, 14″ that could do up to 1350 square yards, and a 14″ de-luxe that could cut up to 2200 square yards per charge (and work for a claimed 2.5 hours) – will all the battery mowers of today achieve that? Will any new mowers in the 2020s really be ‘The Space Age Mower’ that will be in all our gardens soon?
So, I wonder if the battery-powered machines on sale today will be a great stepping stone to a cordless-powered garden that, without fuss and endless recharging and swapping of batteries, will entirely replace petrol?
Year 2023 56 volt leaf blower shown with 2017 qualcast 18 volt hedge trimmer and 1974 Wilkinson Sword 7.2 volt shrub trimmer
Here are twelve questions for a short quiz. These questions relate to the names of tools, machines, brands or slogans; technical knowledge is not required, if in doubt just take a guess at the most obvious sounding answer! See how many you can get correct!
Below are the twelve questions. As always, the answers are at the bottom of the page.
Questions:
Q1: What slogan advertised the Groundhog cultivator?
1. In 1975 Westwood was advertising their Groundhog cultivators. Which inventive headline did they use to promote these machines which were ideal in the vegetable garden?
A: Cultivata-Potata! B: Veg-U-Like C: Remove toil and slog with a Groundhog!
Q2: What unusual name did AL-Ko give one of their mowers?
2. AL-KO produced a range of lawnmowers, they can be found in a yellow or red colour scheme and as push, electric or petrol powered. In the 1980s a small red electric rotary mower with a steel deck was made by AL-KO in Germany and retailed by AL-KO Britain. It was given a really unusual model name; what was that electric mower called?
A: Gerald 18 B: Sidney 21 C: Cuthbert 32
Q3: What Allen machine was advertised as famous for performance and reliability?
3. In 1973 an Allen outdoor power equipment price list detailed many machines. Which of their popular machine of which we see many and cost from Ā£199, was described as āWherever a man can walk, this rugged machine will cut, famous the world over for performance and reliabilityā?
A: Allen Motor Scythe B: Allen Challenger MK.V commercial mower C: Mayfield Tractor MK15 with optional 3 ft scythe unit.
Q4: What was Westwood’s hedge trimmer trolley called?
4. In the early 1970s Westwood Engineering were selling the Rockwell electric hedge trimmer. They were also selling a two-wheel trolley (shown in the grainy image) that could power and store the hedge trimmer. The trolley had space at the base for a 40w battery to run the electric hedge trimmer. The trolley handle was a long box shape that contained oil; the hedge trimmer could be stored there with the oil inhibiting rust. But what animal name did this trolley have?
A: The Frog B: The Hedgehog C: The Newt
Q5: What were the yellow-painted French garden tractors called?
5. In the 1980s in the UK, Hyett Adams LTD of Gloustershire were selling a range of yellow-painted 6 hp garden tractors that carried a French machinery companyās name, logo and decals. This French company also made engines that also carry the same French name. But what was the name of this French company? Was it:
A. Barrett B. Bobby C. Bernard
Q6: What did Yard-Man name some of their early tractors?
6. Yard-Man mowers and lawn tractors are often seen in a very distinct green and yellow colour scheme, but the 1960s models were painted red. The red colour was inherited when Yard-Man took over the George Garden Tools Company of Illinois in 1967. Apart from the colour, what name did the early Yard-Man tractors use from the George Garden Tools Company? Did they both call their lawn tractors theā¦
A. Lazy-Bird B. Lawn-Bird C. Easy-Eagle
Q7: what did Bob Andrews call their three-wheeled barrow?
7. Many companies have made trucks and barrows to help gardeners transport plants, tools and materials around the garden. In 1988 Bob Andrews LTD was busy marketing a three-wheeled barrow (pictured), more accurately, it had two wheels on a central axle and a third was a castor at the rear. It was lined with a polypropylene box that could be lifted out for emptying. Using a plant-derived name, what was this barrow called?
A. Willow B. Bizzie Lizzie C. Fuschia
Q8: What did Allen call a range of wheeled vacuums?
8. Allen Power Equipment Ltd in Didcot sold wheeled, walk-behind garden vacuums with large collecting bags at the rear supported from the handles, they were similar to the Billy Goat vacuums. In 1987 Allen had a new 21ā³ and a 27ā³ push model powered by 3.5 hp or 5 hp engines, the models could be converted from a vacuum sweeper to a blower in seconds. There was also a 30ā³ wide self-propelled model. But what did Allen call their range of wheeled vacuums?
A. Scavenger B. Grazer C. Sucker
Q9: Who helped to advertise the Wolseley-Webb mowers?
9. In the mid-1970s which TV personality gardener was helping to advertise the Wolseley-Webb hand, battery and motor mowers including the Wizard range of mowers?
A. Bayleaf the Gardener B. Geoff Hamilton C. Percy Thrower
Q10: “Grass Disappears Like Magic” with this Allen mower!
10. Another question regarding Allen Power Equipment LTDā¦In 1989 Allen was advertising machinery in newspaper adverts. One product was a 19ā³ lawnmower that would mulch the grass clippings, it was powered by a 4 hp Briggs and Stratton engine. The advert headline said that with this mulching mower the āGrass Disappears Like Magicā, not surprisingly the mower was given the name of a magical person. What was the name of this mower?
A: Houdini B: Merlin C: Potter
Q11: What did VIA LTD name their range of mowers in the 1980s?
11. Lawnmowers have been given many different names to make them sell. In the 1980s a company called VIA LTD were selling several mower ranges in the UK. Below are three lists of names, but which one is a genuine list of VIA mower names?
12. In horticulture, Honda may be a name we can associate with making rotavators, mowers and associated items. Also, a vehicle they made was a small pickup and van in the 1970s, ideal for the gardener on their round or a smallholder going to market with their produce. Below is an advert for the Honda TN7 pickup which was advertised by Honda (UK) Ltd, Yardley, Birmingham. In 1977, including the VAT how much was the pick-up version advertised for?
A: Ā£799.99 B: Ā£1286.28 C: Ā£3110.08
Answers:
1: A: Westwood Engineering was using the headline āCultivata-Potata!ā in the mid-1970s to advertise their range of Grounhog cultivators. The advertised range included the G/3 (3hp Briggs & Stratton), G/4 (4 hp Aspera) and G/5 (5 hp Briggs and Stratton). They were priced from Ā£110+vat with adverts saying they were āa real investment [when considering that] an average family spend up to Ā£3 per week on vegetablesā.
2: C: Cuthbert 32. A strange name for a mower but it was Cuthbert with a cutting width of 32cm The model was manufactured by AL-KO Kober GmbH in West Germany and sold in the UK.
3: A: The Allen TS Motor Scythe was described as āWherever a man can walk, this rugged machine will cut, famous the world over for performance and reliabilityā. Although available decades earlier, by 1973 the Allen scythe prices started from Ā£199 with the TS fitted with a Villiers Mk 15 engine and standard cutting assembly. The Kohler K91T engine-powered Allen Scythe cost Ā£232. The 22-inch Allen Challenger Mk. V commercial mower cost Ā£139. The Mayfield Tractor with a Villiers F.15, 3 hp engine was Ā£149 with an optional 3 ft scythe unit at Ā£54.50.
4: B: Hedgehog. I don’t know why the Rockwell hedge trimmer holder was called the Hedgehog, any ideas? The 40 watt battery and a 1.5 amp charger that the Hedgehog could accommodate were optional extras. Three Westwood/Rockwell hedge trimmers were advertised alongside the Hedgehog, these were 13″, 18″ and 23″ and were double-edged which enabled left and right cutting at 1300 cuts per minute.
5: C: Bernard. Although the tractors had Bernard engines, the tractors were actually made in the USA and were a similar design to Dynamark and early ATCO ride-on lawn tractors.
6: B: Lawn-Bird. The early Yard-Man liveried tractors carried over the Lawn-Bird name and the red paintwork of the George Garden Tools Company Lawn-Bird tractors.
7: B: Bizzie Lizzie. In 1988 Bob Andrews Ltd was advertising the Bizzie Lizzie three-wheeled cart. It was said to be tough, versatile, capacious and outstandingly manoeuvrable. It could make heavy tasks possible and could be stored tidily on a wall peg. The internal box was available in either red or black and the whole apparatus was Ā£39,96 including VAT and delivery. Bargain!
8: A: Scavenger. Allen called their wheeled vacuums the Scavenger. They were designed and built in the UK. In 1987 the 21ā³ 3.5 hp model cost Ā£299+vat, the 27ā³ 5 hp model was Ā£399+vat.
9: C: Percy Thrower appeared in newspaper adverts for the Wolseley-Webb range of machines. Bayleaf the Gardener was a character from The Herbs which was a childrens stop-motion animation in 1968
10: B: Merlin. Allen called the mulching mower they were advertising the Merlin. Shown in newspaper adverts as a mail order, it was priced at Ā£299.95 including free delivery in 7-21 days. It was advertised as having superior quality, was precision made and had a specially designed cutting chamber that helped the mulching process.
11: A: Retailed by VIA LTD. were the mowers called Beaulieu, Blenheim, Hatfield, Arundel and Sandringham. Other models were Apollo, Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn. More than likely they were made by Concord Meccanica based in Varese, Italy. These mowers were standard pedestrian machines powered by either electricity or petrol. The petrol engines seem to be mostly Briggs and Stratton but the 53cm wide Saturn mower had a 4.4 hp BETA two-stroke engine and was priced in the UK at Ā£580 in 1985. Note: In answer option B, the listed model C-3PO was a robot character in Star Wars.
12: B: Ā£1286.28. Yes, an obscure question for horticulture but I managed to get in a gardening reference or two!
Landing on VHGMC subscribers doorsteps shortly will be the April issue of ‘The Cultivator’.
This issue contains articles about the Gravely 430 tractor from Marcus Stephens, the British Anzani Iron Horse from Bryan Garnham; Gutbrod tractors from Steven Little, and part four about the Villiers Engineering company from Ian Barnes. Plus the events diary, classified adverts, and more.Ā
Members who have paid their yearly subscriptions can log in and download a digital version from the Members Download tab at the top of the page.Ā
It is once again December and here are twelve horticultural questions we have gathered together to pass a few minutes.Ā The answers are at the bottom of the page.Ā
Q1: Jonsered make a range of machines, but nationality was the founder?
1. Jonsered are famous for chainsaws, but also make a huge range of mowers, tillers, cultivators and powered equipment. Jonsered is based in the Swedish town of Jonsered. It was founded in 1832, but what nationality was the gentleman that founded the company?
A: Scottish B: American C: Australian
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Q2: What does the Husqvarna logo represent?
2. We are all familiar with Husqvarna. Their current logo is a development of their original logo but what does it represent?
A: Cross section of their first engine crankcase B: Gun sight viewed from the end of the barrel C: Their family emblem from Huskvarna, Sweden.Ā
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Q3: What was the distinguishing feature of the Wheel Horse B145 tractor?
3. In 1975 in the UK Wheel Horse launched the model B145 tractor which was aimed at warehouse and factory use for moving goods about. But what was the distinguishing feature of this machine that meant it required more than one battery?
A: It had electric power steeringĀ B: It was powered by electric C: It had an electric fork-lift as standard
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Q4: AYP in Orangeburg produced products carrying which brand name?
4. American Yard Products, better known as AYP (and associated with Electrolux), is based in Orangeburg, South Carolina. They produce a huge range of badge-engineered machines. But which of the following names did they make branded products for which were sold in the UK?Ā
A: Victa B: Black & DeckerĀ C: Flymo
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Q5: Allen sold the Gutbrod HB46B mower with what feature?
5.Ā In the mid 1980’s, Allen Power Equipment were advertising the Gutbod HB46B lawn mower. This was a really basic pedestrian pushed mower with a pressed steel shell, 47cm width of cut, 3.5hp Briggs and Stratton engine with recoil start and a maximum 4″ cut height. It cost Ā£199.50 ex vat in the 1980’s. But what outstanding feature was it advertised as having?Ā
A: It had telescopic handles to suit all users across Europe B: It had the largest grass collecting box in Europe C: It had a flexible yet reinforced nylon cutting blade to withstand damage, an industry first in Europe.Ā
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Q6: The Gilson YT11E had an unusual feature, but what?
6. Also in the 1980’s, Ensign Distribution Ltd of Sedgefield were advertising the Gilson YT11E garden tractor, available with an 11hp Briggs and Stratton engine and either a five speed manual transmission (Ā£1675+vat) or hydrostatic drive (Ā£2083+vat). They were able to take mower decks, dozer blade, snow blower and a rear tiller. But what unusual feature did the tractors have that needed to be done in order to start the engine?Ā
A: A pin code needed to be typed in on a keypad B: A button on the steering wheel needed to be held in for five seconds C: The gear/hydro shift selector had to be in a specific position labelled ‘Stop and Start’
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Q7: Was it the Merry Tiller?
7. In the 1975 budget VAT was added to domestic use horticultural machines at the rate of 25%. The rate for commercial machines was 8%. At the time the definition of a commercial machine was (and I quote) “entirely subjective according to the manufacturers own estimation of his product” although there were guidelines. Regardless of it’s capabilities, which of these cultivators was classed as domestic in 1975?Ā
Q8: Do you remember the Guiness Book of World Records?
8. How many of us can remember getting the Guinness Book of World Records at Christmas? In 1989 a dieselĀ Iseki SG15 ride-on mower was in the Guinness Book of World Records because it had been driven between Harlow and Southend Pier, it’s a 40 mile distance between the two, but why did this feat enable it to be a record breaker?Ā
A: It was driven backwards the entire 40 mile distance in 5 hours and 51 minutes breaking the previous record by 34 minutes for a ride-on-mower in reverse covering that distance B: It was driven back and forth between the two places until it had racked up 3034 miles C: It achieved 34 mpg over an uninterupted 40 mile distance making it the most economical ride-on-mower on sale in the UK.
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Q9: Who was based in Sheffield and originally started in 1730?
9. Garden centres sell a range of hand tools from companies such as Wilkinson Sword, Draper and Fiskars, with some other names just used for branding tools and marketing purposes. But which name, that can be found on hand tools, was originally started in 1730 and based in Sheffield? Was it:Ā
Q10: Which company is associated with the Waterolla?
10. The 1970’s ‘Waterolla’ garden roller that could be filled with water or sand and now a much copied design was originally a product of which company?Ā
A: Poly-Gard Products B: Kirk-Dyson C: Gardena
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Q11: What AL-KO product from the three would be easiest to get into an Austin Metro car?
11. An easy question: In the 1980’s which of these bright yellow painted machines sold by AL-KO Britain LTD would be easiest to fold up and without scratching the paintwork get into the back of a desirable Austin Metro car of the time?Ā
Q12: Who made the M3, M30, Super and Monarch models?
12. A range of machines, produced from the 1960’s and later, with the advertised model numbers and names of M3, M30, Super and Monarch, were by which manufacturer
A: Mountfield – retailed under the Mountfield name B: Morrison – retailed under the Flymo name C: Murray – retailed under the Hayter name
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Answers:
1: A: Scottish. Jonsered was founded in 1832 by Scotsman William Gibson. The company moved into making chainsaws in the mid 20th century. Jonsered was sold to Electrolux in 1978.
2: B: The Husqvarna logo is based on the image of a gun sight. The company was originally founded as the Jonkoping Rifle Factory in the 1600’s producing about 1500 musket pipes per year. Later, the company name changed to the Husqvarna Rifle Factory.
3: B: The Wheel Horse B145 was a battery powered tractor sold in the UK as a warehouse tug. It was based on an equivalent battery-powered garden tractor model by Elec-Trak, a company which Wheel Horse had purchased from General Electric.Ā
4: C: Flymo. American Yard Products (AYP) of Orangeburg, South Carolina, produced silver painted ride-on-mowers badge engineered as Flymo from the 1980’s. AYP had company associations with Electrolux and as such produced machines under many of the Electrolux brand names including Flymo, Poulan, Bernard and Sovereign to name a few.Ā
5: B: The Gutbrod HB46B had the largest grassbox in Europe at the time. How well-balanced and easy to push the machine was as the grassbox filled up, particularly with wet UK grass, was perhaps open to scrutiny.Ā Ā
6: A: Pin code on a keypad. The Gilson YT11EĀ tractor in the 1980’s featured the ECAM 2000 Computer Monitoring and Testing setup. This required the user to type in a pin number on a keypad to start the tractor rather than using a key. ECAM 2000 also told the user when to change the oil, check the tractor or battery, alerted the driver when they were in reverse gear and whenever an implement such as mower or tiller was engaged.
7:Ā B: Merry Tiller cultivators were classed as domestic machines and subject to 25% VAT from 1975. Surprisingly, most cultivators were classed as domestic although this did change over time. Initially in 1975 only the Howard Gems, Wolseley Twin-Six cultivator, Iseki K1000 30 and Honda F80K were deemed to be commercial machines and had 8% VAT.Ā
8: B: The Iseki SG15 with hydrostatic drive was driven back and forth for a total of 3034 miles between Harlow and Southend Pier in 1989. This made it the longest lawnmower drive at that date and why it entered the record books.Ā
9: C: Burgon & Ball which still exists in Sheffield has it’s company origins starting in 1730, their name can be found on garden tools being sold in garden centres and online today. By the mid-1800’s Charles Burgon and James Ball are listed as sheep shear manufacturers in Sheffield. Later they are listed as manufacturers of sheep shears, sickles, scythes, knives and garden shears. They registered their invention for “Improvement in the manufacture of sheep shears” in 1869, selling their patent sheep shears worldwide and exhibiting at the Sydney Exhibition in 1880. By 1900 it was an international company, but by the 1920’s the production of garden equipment had outstripped that of sheep shears.
10: B: Kirk-Dyson. In the 1970’s, the Waterolla garden roller which could be filled with water was being sold by Kirk-Dyson. One partner better known as James Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame. There was also the plastic bodied Ballbarrow which has a round football-type wheel and was a design by James Dyson.
11. B: In the early 1980’s the advertised AL-KO Corvet City was a small foldable electric lawnmower that took up little space. The Alkotrac was a lawn tractor and the Farmer scythe was a reasonably sized, pedestrian machine, petrol powered with an out-front scythe attachment. It’s a reasonable assumption that more AL-KO machines have survived than Austin Metros.
12: A: Mountfield made the M3 (mower), M30 (rider mower) and the Super and Monarch cultivators. The Australian company Morrison had associated with Flymo, and also Hayter with Murray.Ā
Whatever you are collecting the machine may be out there!
We are possibly all guilty of wasting time looking through classified adverts in the tractor or vintage magazines or browsing online auctions, this is usually done under the guise of āresearch purposesā even if we sometimes just accidentally end up purchasing the item. The purchase can then be further justified as saving another piece of history and the item joins the ever expanding collection without any sin being committed.
These are my personal thoughts on collecting all things horticultural. Easy and from the comfort of one’s own home, one of the best places to find things is online. But I find online auctions can sometimes be a complete muddle of contradictory statements. For instance a heap of rust for sale doesnāt correlate with its dubious glowing description of a machine needing nothing more than a bit of TLC, or the fact that the engine is scattered between several Tupperware boxes doesnāt necessarily constitute an āeasy DIY repairā. Other adverts can bring a smile to the face of the people who know the seller is trying to big up their merchandise like a street trader hustling items from a suitcase, making it sound like itās a once in a life-time opportunity, which it rarely is. Conversely, some rare or unusual machines have passed under the radar, sadly their sales description letting down the unknowing seller from getting a better price or a potential buyer missing out on finding that desired machine.
My favourite online auction machinery description to justify the potential that a machine is still in working order is: āWas working when last usedā. Quite frankly, I hope it was working when last used! I often wonder if the rest of the selling statement could be ā…but not working nowā or possibly ā…but we cannot get it to start/run/move since itās been sitting in the shed for thirty yearsā, which rather puts a damper on the auction.
There’s a huge range of machines out there – but will they run and work as intended once they’ve been brought home?
In this Northern household we take the view that anything with a petrol engine isnāt going to run when purchased, accordingly āWas working when last usedā is taken with a pinch of salt. If it does run then itās a complete bonus and we celebrate by taking the whippet for a pint downāt pub.
Iāve also been dismayed when clicking on a garden tractor advert thatās still at its 99p starting bid only to find that the seller is actually selling the machine for spares. Acting like Arthur Daley of the mower world the seller cunningly announces one is bidding āfor a wheel nut onlyā. Iām always tempted to ask to buy all the wheel nuts, thus hopefully leaving the buyer with a wheel-less and immovable machine in the middle of his garage floor that he can fall over for the foreseeable future.
Having a machine that is moveable is pretty important. It reminds me of a trip one spring to somewhere south of a great metropolis to collect a non-running garden tractor that turned out to also have a couple of flat tyres. Google Street View did a tragically poor job of warning us of the front-garden-cum-municipal-tip-devastation we had to extract the tractor from. We knew we were in trouble when even the owner went out for the day and left us to sort it out for ourselves. A challenge wading through a sea of pizza boxes, beer cans and half a scrap yard, including the ubiquitous car up on bricks and a safe with the door jemmied open, and all at the front of a semi-detached house. Iām told itās called character building but Iād call it unfortunate; yet we did rescue a tractor and that means itās another guilt-free purchase. Ā
The tractor we rescued had one additional label, it was that of an auction. Over the years we have had a few machines that have obviously been bought for tuppence at a local sale and then put online in the hope of bagging a magnificent profit. Iām all for enterprise and if people can find a bargain then sell it on for a profit then good for them and I wish them every success. Itās possible that many machines that are now in collectors hands may have been sourced from agricultural sales, house clearances or free-ads before filtering down through online auctions. I wonder how many machines and tools have been saved from the scrap man because they ended up on online auctions, their last chance of rescue before being dismembered or going to the crusher?
Perhaps collecting hand tools would be an easier option?
But this collecting lark is not without perils. If you are into collecting hand tools with no moving parts then you are very sensible and on to a winner, probably spotting all the bargains I blindly overlook. The most problematic that simple hand tools can get is rust, broken welds or woodworm. However, if any collectable has an engine, gearbox or anything of mechanical importance to the machine actually working as intended, then the money can start flowing and all hopes of saving up for that holiday in the Maldives vanishes. Who needs a foreign holiday anyway? Hours wasted whilst sat idly at an airport when instead one could be back at home trying to source no-longer-available parts for a knackered Tecumseh engine!
Of course the machines we collect are getting older and for some the original spares are getting rarer and some aftermarket reproduction parts can be a potential gamble. Sometimes this can mean turning to the lucky dip put forth by the internet and sticking our oily hands into the digital bran barrel of parts that may or may not fit. Iāve found that cross-referencing part numbers between different machines and manufacturers is a skill, itās almost an art form; Iām getting good at it.
Once parts have been identified and ordered itās at this point that doubt could set in, especially if the confirmation email says that the parts arenāt located in the UK after all, the website plainly lied. Imagine if Google Street View comes up trumps this time and, with glee, informs the buyer that indeed the heavy crankshaft for the twin cylinder engine isnāt coming from a seller in a picturesque Cotswold village, instead itās coming from a bedsit in a backstreet in China that looks scary even in daylight. Will the purchase turn up? Estimated delivery time: Eventually. Plus the frightening thought of import duty and VAT. But thatās a story for another day.
Sometimes it’s necessary to change the engine on a machine, usually this is because the existing one, often the original, has come to the end of it’s life and parts are no longer available or it’s just not cost effective. A new replacement engine is the obvious choice and there’s many brands to choose from including the ‘knock-off’ copies of many. Also as important is if the machine in question; a garden tractor, ride-on mower, lawnmower, tiller, etc is required to still look the part and have an age-related engine rather than new in which case a second-hand engine is an option.
From 1985 I have a useful brochure detailing a replacement engine guide from the Engine Division of ‘Autocar Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd’ at the time based in Barking Essex.
This guide, which is actually a piece of marketing, details both vertical and horizontal engines between 2hp and 11hp from Briggs & Stratton which can be used in place of Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler, Robin, Suzuki, Aspera, Tecumseh, Villiers, Mag and Kubota.
It is interesting to see across the board how different engine specs relate between differing manufacturers.
I’m sure there will many other engine replacement guides available.
For research purposes, this guide can be downloaded or opened on your computer as an A4 or A3 PDF, you can use the PDF controls to zoom in, often in the bottom right of the PDF screen, on the data.
An Atco mower at the Hereford Bowling Club in 1929. The bowling green still exists.
Successful advertising can make all the difference to a brand. Displaying a product to the public can aspire them to owning one as well as convincing them they deserve something better than bog standard. Just think how cunningĀ the newspapers, magazines, TV or internet adverts are at convincing us to upgrade our ideas and our spending power, too.Ā Joe Bloggs may only have a patch of grass big enough for a 12″ push mower but advertising will do it’s hardest to convince him that a 14″ model would make more sense, no, perhaps a 16″, or even 18″ would be better and have (unneeded) added features too, how about petrol instead of electric, and self propelled would be an advantage. Eventually that Ā£49.99 purchase becomes Ā£349.99 and the newly acquired mower spends several weeks being hidden in the shed, hiding from the family, like the guilty secret it is.Ā
The better the advert then potentially the better the merchandise will be presented to the public. That’s the theory, anyway. Paying an advertising company to create convincing sales material to sell ones horticultural machinery should be a wise move. A good advert is easy to spot, advertising boffins have obviously spent time, considered how a range of adverts look and been compiled and the resulting consistency makes the public feel reassured.Ā
A new fleet of Atco liveried Morris vans outside the Morris premises at Foundry Lane, Soho, Birmingham, in 1932.
As an example, in 1967 Mountfield hired the services of Robinson, Scotland and Partners to create consistent adverts for their Mountfield and Wheel Horse machinery. Additionally, manufacturers did provide copy (text), images, incentives and assist franchised dealerships with advertising. I even have a set of Flymo printing plates for dealerships to use.Ā
Atco was another manufacturer who, from the following adverts, hired professionals to carefully craft adverts. From around the country they used photographs of well known landmarks, pristine properties and testimonials to create the ambiance that their mowers were far superior to any other make.Ā Have a look at the six adverts below from the likes of The Crystal Palace and the Italian garden of Lord Birkenhead and see if the adverts convince you that their machines are the very best.Ā
1930 Atco advert. Trent Bridge, Nottingham, scene of the first test match beginning June 13th. Also the Oval, Brisbane, Australia. Both maintained by Atco lawnmowers.
Atco lawnmower used at the Crystal Palace, London, since 1924. As shown in this 1930 advert.
Battle Abbey, Sussex, had been using Atco lawnmowers since 1922.Ā Advert from 1930.
An Atco lawnmower was used by Sir Algernon Guiness at his home in Henfield. The property still exists but the pristine lawn does not.
Atco mowers were used at Hawarden Castle, Flint since 1926.
Lord Birkenhead used (or rather his gardener did) an Atco mower at the Italian gardens of his residence at Charlton, Banbury.
Pickfords transporting a locomotive to the Festival of Britain
On the 4th May 1951 the Festival of Britain opened to the public. Newspaper reports say that the idea first began to mark the centenary of the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The main 1951 Festival was located on a 27 acre site on the South Bank, London, and promoted industry, arts and science and inspired a vision of Britain in the future. Other locations included Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Canterbury etc. and events took place in numerous cities, towns and villages bringing the country together.
A vast array of exhibitors, events, crafts and craftsmen took part. The picture shows Pickfords negotiating the streets of St. Albans as they transported a locomotive from Lancashire to London as an exhibit for the Festival.Ā
Find out more about the Festival on Wikipedia: Wikipedia Link
The Council of Industrial Design compiled a list of items for display at the Festival of Britain, these included furniture with a preoccupation of plywood and brightly coloured fabrics. Household items, artwork, science, agriculture, industry and machinery right up to locomotives as we have seen. But I cannot find if any of the well known manufacturers of horticultural, grounds or garden machinery took part. Does anyone know?Ā
Allen Scythe Saw Bench
However I have report from the same year of 1951 for the National Association of Groundsmans Exhibition in October 1951. This was held at the Hurlingham Club, London; on, it would seem, perfectly manicured lawns. Fifty-two companies took part showing their products.
We can see that in 1951 a large number of interesting items were being displayed. These included the latest attachment for the Allen Scythe. It was a saw bench with a 16″ diameter blade capable of cutting to 6″, it has an adjustable guard. Other equipment were a power sprayer, electric generator and a front-mounted rotary brush which can be seen in the image behind the saw bench.Ā
Ransomes-Sisis Aero Main
Items from Sisis also appear. The advertised “Ransomes-Sisis Aero Main” with attached turf aerator could work at a claimed 4mph and put 250,000 holes into two acres per hour. Rakes, rollers and brushes were available as attachments. Available from Hargreaves Ltd, Sisis Works, Cheadle, and Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies Ltd, Ipswich.Ā
1hp Dorman Sprayer
The Dorman Sprayer Co. from Cambridge had a power-driven sprayer suitable for fields, orchards or gardens. It had a 15 gallons tank, treated against corrosion and a 1hp engine. Are there any of these sprayers still in existence?Ā
Gravely Estate Power Unit
Another machine that looks mighty interesting was the Estate Power Unit from Gravely Overseas Ltd, Buckfastleigh, Devon. This two-wheeled unit had a 2.5hp four stroke engine with forward and reverse gears and a speed of up to 3mph. It could be fitted with a 42″ cutter bar mower, a 24″ cylinder mower, hedge trimmer, pump, generator, compressor, 8″ plough, cultivating tool frame and a cart. Is this Estate Power Unit another machine that has vanished or has someone got an example in their shed?Ā
Two intriguing photographs to finish. The first is the plant protection stand at the Groundsmans Exhibition. It was housed in a caravan which was described as ‘gleaming in chromium plate and perspex’ which sums up the modern and bright future that may lay ahead. The second photograph is a general view, showing the stands of T. Parker & Sons and John Allen & Sons. I wonder what all the machinery on display was? Can you name the tractor on the right-hand side?Ā
If anyone knows any machinery that was at the Festival of Britain in 1951 then we’d be pleased to hear.Ā
The Plant Protection stand at the Groundsmans Exhibition. A caravan in chromium plate and perspex.
T. Parker & Sons and John Allen & Sons stands, 1951.
Note: Images/media are used for research/illustration purposes for non-profit only with copyright held by respective publishers where and as applicable.Ā
There are plans for many machines, including this petrol-powered shredder in 1966
I’ve found many references in various online archives referring to home made garden machinery. Interestingly there’s many plans for garden tractors including both the two and four wheel variety. I suppose this should be no surprise as with a bit of inginuity, some workshop skills and a pile of parts, namely an engine, gearbox, wheels, and some means of steering or control, then anything is possible.Ā
I’ve also found a book from 1951 which looks like it could be of use….
….But before getting excited about sticking mechanical parts together in some sort of over sized Meccano kit experiment, letsĀ scrutinize carefully the advice given decades ago about concocting a tractor from bits…
1: The 1951 book advises thatĀ the parts required may actually be a greater cost than buying a second hand machine, it quotes that a home made four wheel machine should cost no more than Ā£25.0.0 and a two wheel machine about Ā£5.0.0. Considering that at the time a new two wheel Farmers Boy started around Ā£58 and a Gunsmith about Ā£178, a considerable saving could be made.Ā
2: Spare parts may not be available in the future for the parts that the home made machine is compiled from. It was advised that it would be prudent to keep a stash of spares for when (not if) the home made machine breaks down. A spare engine and gearbox was suggested.
3: The home made machine may not (probably not) have the equipment and devices to keep the operator safe, like guards and easily accessible controls. This is referred to nowadays as an accident waiting to happen.Ā
Having satisfied ourselves that the project may be possible, we next need to have a suitable workshop. I’m reminded of a family story where a young person in the 60’s decided to overhaul his motorbike. Having nowhere suitable he decided the spare bedroom would be a solution. Revving the engine and attempting to drive upstairs was not a happy outcome when, in cartoon fashion, the stair carpet was ripped from it’s mountings whilst the motorbike remained at the foot of the stairs. The calamities did not end there as the eventually bedroom’ed motorbike was treated to a through clean, the result being spilled oil and petrol seeping through to the ceiling below.Ā Outdoor space is therefore advised, plenty of room being a must for the intended project, unlike a long ago neighbour who had to remove the end of his garage in order to extract the trailer he had made.
Just like a cookery book, the 1951 book gives a list of ingredients but in mechanical form, yet doesn’t divulge any way of attaching one to another.
But if we want to jump in at the deep end and proceed with our 1951 book and muddle a machine together in an ad-hoc manner then it recommends the following parts for a four-wheel tractor, but no instructions:
An engine (7hp), gearbox, clutch, radiator, steering (modified), front axle (inverted), and a shortened chassis (4′ 8″) all from an Austin 7. A rear axle and differential from a Wolseley Hornet, 19″ rear wheels from a Trojan, and two 8″ wheel barrow wheels for the front. This would create a 6′ 5″ long tractor.Ā
A two-wheel tractor would again require scavenging parts from an Austin 7, these would be the engine, gearbox and clutch. The chassis would be home-made from angle-iron. The wheels would be 19″. This would give an 8′ long by 3′ wide machine.Ā
Without plans this may turn out to be a big challenge, but help is at hand to help us achieve a home-made machine, at least in the USA anyway….
1944 Shaw tractor advert
….Through the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond In the USA many adverts appear ( try Popular Mechanics magazines) providing plans and diagrams to build a garden tractor, these would be a great idea as, presumably, many others have followed the plans with great success.Ā
The Shaw MFG. Co. of Kansas (image on the right) were offering plans for their tractors at $1 in 1944. This was due to the war limiting production of their own machines and therefore you could follow their plans and build your own using old car parts, and powered by a 3hp Briggs and Stratton engine. A two wheel garden tractor that was powered by a 1/2hp to 3hp engine could also be made. Apparently a machine could be constructed in a few hours, that is if the parts were readily available.Ā
Build your own battery lawnmower in 1947
Or how about creating something futuristic from 1947 and building a battery powered lawnmower? Advertised as an ultra-modern rotary mower it could be made from inexpensive parts and an old motor, it looks interesting, and at just 35c I may enquire.Ā
We could also make something even more amazing likeĀ the tracked Mini-Dozer or Mini-Beep lawn tractor in the style of a Jeep from Struck in the USA in the 1960’s. I know I’ve caught several peoples attention with the Mini-Beep pictured in the advert, below!
The Mini-Beep was a 4/5 scale, DIY kit of a WWII Willy’s Jeep. It was made out of plywood and had a mechanical 2wd or 4wd system. More impressive is that the Mini-Beep plans are still available to buy from the company today and the Mini-Dozer is available in kit form, too. The Mini-Beep would be a great project to undertake, especially as it can be fitted with a dozer blade or have a trailed mower for cutting the paddocks. Without a doubt, for me, I’dĀ end up with a superior result rather than hacking an old Austin 7 to pieces!
Note: Images/media are used for research/illustration purposes for non-profit only with copyright held by respective publishers where and as applicable.Ā Ā
Landing on VHGMC subscribers doorsteps shortly will be the April issue of ‘The Cultivator’.
Sometimes it’s necessary to change the engine on a machine, usually this is because the existing one, often the original, has come to the end of it’s life and parts are no longer available or it’s just not cost effective. A new replacement engine is the obvious choice and there’s many brands to choose from including the ‘knock-off’ copies of many. Also as important is if the machine in question; a garden tractor, ride-on mower, lawnmower, tiller, etc is required to still look the part and have an age-related engine rather than new in which case a second-hand engine is an option. 
