Found it on Tony's website, its the Mark II, flat top headstock. Apparently the Mark II is the more desireable between the Earlier MK I. Can't find diddly on the web about them. Picked one up today, damn nice machines, well engineered. Those English did a great job engineering it. If I didn't already have my LeBlond, I'd keep this one! Its a 13"x36" machine.
Just wondering if anyone out there has one. Marty
Marty,
Had one for many years - mine was 1971 - known as the 'flat head' here to distinguish from the earier MK1 round head. There are several variants of it - a straight bed and gap bed choice, at least two type of saddle one with tee slots the other without, and (I think) each came with the long feed wheel on either the left or right of the saddle, then all these varieties could be Imperial, Metric or Dual - the later having nifty gear mechanism built into the feed handle that pulled in or out to change units. The feed gear box was optional (but couldn't be retro fitted as the castings differ). The later version had a knock off feed mechanism so you could run into a bed or cross stop for repeatable shoulders.
Well thought out machines and were extensively supplied to schools and training establishments in the UK - I did my first lathe work on one when at school in the mid 1960's. I had the one above and a 1954 Mk1 at home but traded them both in a couple of years ago for a Colchester Master 2500.
I still have a turret tail stock for a MK1 / Mk2 if you fancy paying the air freight
Andrew Mawson Bromley, Kent, UK
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