Reduction of BC's engines, mowers and rotovators

[BC]

I have decided it is time to downsize and get rid of some engines, rotovators and mowers since I will never get around to restoring or showing them all and well better sell on so someone else can use and or restore them instead of taking them to the scrap man.

 

First a Petter A1 engine which belonged to my late father...its been in may garage for 26 years and heavens knows how longer he had it....not rare and we never tried to get it running ...so time to go under the auctioneer's hammer at the Mearns vintage rally sale at Edzell on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BC]

I had to move this Shanks of Arbroath Firefly mower but it is original and still runs and goes like a train so I plan to keep this one for now.

 

 

 

Next my first restoration when I was around 11 or 12 this early crank start Howard Gem...I last used it to break in my garden when I moved into a new house in Drumoak 26 years ago....again I don't have the heart to get rid of this one just yet.

 

 

The start of a scrap heap but not the Steelyard weights

 

[BC]

Next a light weight Tarpen engine I got from dad ...again I have never got around to trying to start it and stationary engines don't really float my boat...I would be bored to tears at a rally just sitting and watching an engine make noise  

 

 

 

 

 

[BC]

Next a Mountfield mower which must be nearly 30 years old and on its third engine or refurbished 1st engine and replacement second engine... the last time I used it must have been 10 years ago and well the neighbours must have though I was using a flame gun given the amount of smoke. Mind you a more substantially built mower than the currently built Mountfield's...but that's another story  

 

 

Next a Landmaster Rotovator which I was told to collect from the chap I bought my 1948 MG2 crawler from since if I didn't he would scrap it....I did not want it but I did not want to see it scrapped since I once helped the chap as a teenager to get it running. Again I have not had the time to get it going or restore it so time to put to sale so someone else can use and or restore it.

 

 

 

 

 

[BC]

Finally a couple of "mucking out" wheel barrows made by my uncle Jim and my late granddad.....both these barrows must be fairly old and mum told me grand dad Cruickshank died 55 years ago. Again I do not have the room to keep them so they must go under the hammer.

 

 

[super6]

I like the wheel barrows Bill, have they rubber tyres or metal wheels? 

[Stabliofarmer]

Bill you remind me of some of the people who my dad met when working on the fair and rallying tractors except one thing, they all had yards and huge sheds filled with their items/junk/vintage collectables whatever you want to call it, were as you have it all crammed into one house and garden

[BC]

I like the wheel barrows Bill, have they rubber tyres or metal wheels? 

 

Rubber wheels...the one at the rear was made by my grandfather and he died more than 55 years ago. The one at my fromt was my uncle Jim's he said tehy needed a day to make a barrow from scrath to finish using moulds of course. He said they made and sold many of these to farmers for byre mucking and also to Ben Reid market gardeners ( before garden centers) to sell to their customers

 

Bill you remind me of some of the people who my dad met when working on the fair and rallying tractors except one thing, they all had yards and huge sheds filled with their items/junk/vintage collectables whatever you want to call it, were as you have it all crammed into one house and garden

 

Yes James but over the past 9 months I have realised I now need to downsize since I will nver ever restore all of the things I have and well I might as well dispose of and give others the opprotunity to do so.

[BC]

All loaded up last night and ready to roll for the sale tomorrow once they have been secured.

 

 

 

 

[BC]

 

 

[powerrabbit]

Good luck Bill at the auction, you want to get rid so you've probably not put any reserves on, hope they make good prices for you and now we're in the thick of the season they could do very well. A friend of mine a few years ago put a front tractor wheel with nearly new 3 rib tyre on it in a vintage auction sale, after the entry fee and auctioneers commission, sellers premium and VAT, he had a cheque for his wheel and tyre to the value of 26p. He's not put anything in an auction since.

[BC]

All sold Tim some better than others and the barrow went to the home of a real collector of threshing mills and tractor Bill Orr of Finavon and I'm pleased they have gone to a home where preserved. The lot which surprised me was the Tarpen engine which sold for £ 65. They take 10% commission so I should have a nice cheque in the post next month especially when none of the five items cost me a penny. I think dad paid £ 2 for the  Petter A1 some 40 years ago but only made £ 5 but then they are common and it was just taking up space and of little interest to me.

[powerrabbit]

I was thinking that the Tarpen would be the one that would be the most value Bill, they are quite thin on the ground and a bit rare, I'm not sure but being a very light engine they were used on man-held hedge trimmers, like on big garden hedges of stately homes. Seems like you had a good day.

[BC]

I did wonder if Tarpen had a connection to hedge trimming since I have an old electric Tarpen hedge trimmer. I'm wonder how such a small engine powered a hedge trimmer...some kinda of drive similar to that used on sheep shearing devices perhaps  

[BC]

At the roup yesterday I was speaking to Bill Orr from Finavon who is the new vice chairman of the Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club and he was saying for their 40th show next year they were arranging a display of Shanks of Arbroath engines etc since he had quite a few and also some others in the area. I said I had what I believed was a 1930's Shanks Firefly lawnmower so yes he wants me to bring it along. Plenty of time to get it running again and give it a bit of a clean up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[powerrabbit]

This will give you some idea Bill how the engine driven Tarpen trimmer looked.

 

 

[BC]

Thanks for the photo Tim.

 

I found this on You Tube

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F16Yumw0hDc

[BC]

I forgot to say the chap who bought the Tarpen had it running but the float was sticking. I said I also had a younger electric Tarpen hedge tripper that didn't work any more ...brushes done I recall and I said he could have it if he wanted it otherwise I would just be scrapping it. He said he would take it so I'll drop it off for him at one of his mates who lives a few miles away from me.