Engine Identification

Hi dan.. I think you have a Nelson jumbo, a very rare sighting in the u.k have a look at

looks a little smaller but you can tell by the large rims of the flywheels which is common to this engine..

Make sure you keep hold of that one.

Regards bob

I originally thought that it may have being a United, but after seeing the pics im pretty sure that it is infact a Nelson Jumbo.

This picture shows the more intresting side of the engine. It appears to have the same cylinder head as yours, as well as a very ornate rocker arm, similar to the one on your engine The only difference I can really pick out is the Websters Mag. It appears that yours could have originally being low tension but of a different style.

Hope this helps

Mike M

miley snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Hi Dan, What does it say on the small plate on the Hopper? I used to own a Fuller & Johnson that had a small plate fitted but it only gave the engine number. It seems that when a firm sold someone else's engine as their own they used to cut the top off the plate leaving only the number so you couldn't read the origional maker. When I identified my engine & bought a reproduction plate from the US you could see where they had cut the plate.

Dave, The 'plate' on the hopper above the push-rod is just a raised area where, I believe, the engine number was stamped, years of rusting have taken their toll and it is now illegible - it is bright because I tried polishing it to see if anything came up...

Regards Dan

Although then again it could well be a United.

appears almost identical to this one, but still very similar to a Nelson.

Did United simply rebadge Neslon engines, or perhaps United made engine under licencse from Nelson.

Mike M

miley snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

You could try staining it with wet tea bags gaffer taped in place then shining a torch obliquely across the surface.

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Diplomacy done, plates spun, fires fought, maidens eaten - well, three out of four ain't bad

Erm, would the shining of the torch take place with the teabags still in place- is it some sort of obscure Viking ritual :-))

Regards

Philip T-E

No, no - remove the teabags first. The tannin might throw any numbers into a sharper relief & is not a permanent stain.

Viking didn't drink tea............

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Diplomacy done, plates spun, fires fought, maidens eaten - well, three out of four ain't bad

They do I've seen you with a cup in your hand.

Mart> No, no - remove the teabags first. The tannin might throw any numbers

Naaa, coffee, Martin. Available from North Africa around the turn of the First Millennium.

You should really know better ............

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Diplomacy done, plates spun, fires fought, maidens eaten - well, three out of four ain't bad

Hi Dan, The engine is one I know and love well, as Nelson Bros are one of our specialist line of engines in our collection. The engine is a Nelson Bros C type, rated at 3hp. They made this engine in both hit and miss and throttle governed. This engine would originally have been ignitor fired with a Webster magneto. You can normally find the engine number stamped on the outside rim of the flywheel, however, by the look of the state of the flywheels, it'll be too far gone on yours. The little raised flat piece on the side of the water hopper was put there for stamping the serial number, but Nelson stopped doing this very shortly into the production, as they found they were getting too many water hopper breakages, when stamping the numbers. This is common to all of the Nelson Bro. range of engines in all sizes. We've had four or five over the years and still have three in our collection. I have a manual if you're interested in having a copy, email me OG and we'll scan one and email it to you. Regards, Mark