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Astle Park Rally

Went up this morning, took a couple of hours to do the trip up, but only 1-1/2 hours back as the traffic was very light, possibly because of the footie on the TV.

Met up with the regular group guys, plus Arnie Fero from the USA was there on his now regular annual visit. Had a group photo at the beer tent, Dan, Arthur, PTFE, Dave Croft, Kim, Arnie and Jim/Helen French, missed Kenny and David McC though, Geoff Challinor made a very welcome addition to the photo-call.

Engines were a bit cramped for photography purposes, but most rallies seem to be that way these days, so can't complain.

Plenty of interesting engines on show, plus a few that I haven't seen there before. There were the usual mixture of Lister D's and stuff but also a lot of others that made it an interesting walk-round.

Stalls were up to scratch and well worth a visit, I managed to pick up some Russell-Newbury, JAP, Villiers and Meadows originals manuals and Rita and my sister brought back things that they deemed suitable :-))

Lots of pictures, I'll sort them out later and put them up on the website.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes
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Glad you enjoyed yourself Martin, sorry I didn't make it, but after showing solidarity at Helen's RSPCA event yesterday (she cleared £260 on the cuddly toy tombola!) I opted for popping over to my parents to help dad unload after a week of Scotting round Wales with the Sunbeam club (sounds odd, but unlike than the Vintage Motorcycle Club with its 25 year eligibility rule, the beamers still organise events suited to 'proper' vintage machines). Not that he needed much help, the Three Speed Super is such a light and handy little 'bike that, lifting it on to the rear stand with one hand, he commented "I can see me enjoying this into old age - not like that b****y Vincent" - he's already into his 70's - there's hope for us all!

Reply to
Nick H

"Sorry Martin forgot to ask you did you and John Rogers enjoy the better rally aka Banbury steam rally" thanks for asking yes we did, didn't we John. :-))

Martin P

Reply to
campingstoveman

Yes we did Martin. It was even better having a relatively(ish) well behaved engine over the weekend as well. The down side.....not getting home fast enough to be fully offloaded before the rain came down :-(

JohnR

camp> "Sorry Martin forgot to ask you did you and John Rogers enjoy the better

Reply to
JohnR

Absoluteley brilliant rally, I managed to come home with an extra engine, a nice 4 1/2hp Ruston PR which I bought of the club stand.

Mike M

miley snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Reply to
miley_bob

Peter,

I went Sunday, my first visit to this rally. An impressive display of engines, and I didn't realise it had tractors, military, motorbikes as well as loads of stands. I was particularly on the lookout for an OEC Cub - but didn't spot one there. I was interested to see the size of it. I saw an Enfield flat twin diesel at the steam fair down near Malpas a few years ago, and the owner was kind enough to crank it up. I didn't spot one of these either at the rally, so plenty more species to add in order to swell the numbers to 1000.

Maybe these engines are not old enough, or rare enough, to warrant the attention of the restorers yet, though I believe Peter you have a Cub or two up your sleeve.

Steve

Reply to
oldnoccer

Yes, we have a few...:-))

I think there are 6 all together, two are part of gensets and the others are spares we have bought over the years.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

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Reply to
Prepair Ltd

Six ! Good grief ! You must rather like them. I see them listed in the original oil engine manual of 1939 as Victor Oil Engines (Coventry) ltd, which shows one with a 4 speed vehicle gearbox and electric start, and another on a genny set (quite a big generator by the looks of it). I read they did a lightweight one with ally cases, maybe that was for the vehicle.

They seem to have become O.E.C. after the war. Do you have any idea if these were ever fitted in a production road vehicle, and when they were produced, from and to ?

Steve

Reply to
oldnoccer

The engine was produced by 3 or 4 companies. Oil Engines Coventry was part of a larger grouping 'ABOE' Associated British Oil Engines, which included other makers like (this may not be entirely correct) Petters, Fowlers, McLaren, Brush.

They were produced in Scotland (Wishaw) as well as the other locations and there were sub-contract manufactured units as well.

Most popular applications were Air Ministry 5.6kVA generators and boat engines.

The engine was offered in the Bradford/Jowett car IIRC and there were probably others at the time, although with 11bhp it wasn't that quick!

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

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Reply to
Prepair Ltd

I assume that the war was in part responsible for them being made all over the shop. After all, Coventry did get a lot of attention.

I look forward to seeing one of yours at the Astle Park rally one year !

Steve

Reply to
oldnoccer

There is a long and winding queue before we get to those units...:-))

I might have a bash at a feature on them on the website when I get a moment though.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

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Reply to
Prepair Ltd

I came across a couple of photocopied pages yesterday, showing the engine in a 'Victor' car chassis. Look to have come out of a book of some size, possibly 'The Modern Motor Engineer'.

The roller in the Astle Park pictures looks to have a similar radiator to the car chassis.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

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