Hi Chaps,
Just got back from the Aldham (Essex) rally. A very nice day out although a touch hot! The chaps on the PA system were insistent on keeping us in touch with the football results which, interestingly seemed to annoy more than one might expect!
A couple of interesting items (at least I thought so):
A Ransomes Wizard. Although Ransomes are a local firm, I've not seen a Wizard before. The signboard said (and yes it actually had one!):
"Ransomes No. 4 Wizard Paraffin engine. Built by Ransomes Sims and Jefferies Ltd. of Ipswich in October 1923. 4HP and 7HP Wizards were produced 1921 - 29 with a patented fuel injection system (patent no. 179075 of May 1921). Technical summary - This is 4 HP water-cooled. Two Stroke compression-ignition engine running on paraffin injected through the overhead valve. It starts without applying heat & has no electric system!"
It seems that these engines employed the 'Brons system' (Dutch) of fuel injection.
It was running beautifully and when Webshots wakes up or I get my web site built, I'll post some pictures.
I saw a Tom Senior small power engine on one of the stalls, very sweet, tiny and nicely made but with a bent crank but at £750 I passed! Anyone know anything about these - do they really demand that sort of money?
I did manage to add a nice original and running Norman T300 Mk 2 generating set in full olive drab to my Norman collection for a reasonable price so was quite pleased.
There was an unnatural quantity of Lister D's there but a couple of more unusual engines (Ruston 2XHR and nice AP, a very nice Amanco air cooled Johnny Boy, a Butler etc.) as well as some hot fog and many tractors, cars and bikes made it a thoroughly pleasant day.
As I say, if Webshots wakes up, I'll get some pictures up.
Mark