Stationary engines on the telly

Don't recall any engines in films but there was an Open University program years ago that featured stationary engines. I still have it in my mind that it was a large open crank, lamp start Ruston Hornsby driving a generator but I have never seen it back on the tv...anyone else remember that one ??

Also remembered that the Secret Life of Machines did a great CH4 episode on internal combustion engines, featuring a large Campbell open crank, they were always quite good programmes !

regards David

There was an advertisment here on T.V , sometime last year (probabally ran in the U.K too ) ,But can't remember exactly what it was for , But it was set in an old barn , and one could see for a second a spoked flywheel , there was also a corn grinder in the backround .

I got quite a surprise when i seen it !

Ryans Daughter apparently had a big engine off-camera, mentioned by DWE in one of his earlier articles.

We had a number of industrial VW engines with props on for wind machines, and a bl**dy big single-row radial with about a 12ft two bladed prop for the really big stuff. That was when I worked in London at Samuelson Film service.

Peter

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

Ah, yes, I remember the film. The engine was one of Arnie Sayer's collection, and it was fascinating listening to him telling exactly how the filming was done. It had to be heated up with the starting lamp, which was then turned off, and the starting process recorded. Apparently the lamp made so much noise it drowned everything else, including any dialogue, out......

Regards

Philip T-E

Gentlemen,

In the early series of "Last of the Summer Wine" when Seymour the Head Master was the leader of the pack there always appeared to be a Petter two stroke perched on his garden wall.

Mart> Gents,

Philip, It's interesting how it was started, I spent xmas day at my uncle andy's that year and he mentioned how on camera the engine was started by simply turning the flywheels with no setting up at all, they must have edited out the best bits. I'll have to get hold of a copy of the film, I was only 13 when I last saw it last and it scared the cr#p out of me, thats probably why i remembered it.

Have you any ideas what make the engine was??

Cheers, Gary M

The VW powered fans where used on "the storm" about a year ago on Emmerdale. I don't know where they were hired from.

Just to show others what these beasts look like:

Thats right Gary. The engine had to be got ready to start, then the lamp was turned off, and before it had a chance to cool down again, the cameras rolled and it was cranked into life. I'll ask Arnie which engine it was when I see him next.

Regards

Philip T-E

Not quite telly but it's been shown often enough. In the film "Northwest Frontier" where a group of brits led had to escape across India by steam train, there was a machine that the bad guy tried to push the young prince into it's flywheel. It could have been an engine or a driven machine. It's been some time since I've seen it. Mind you, the film's so old, it was probably a current item back then.

John

There was a short film going around 25 years or so ago, which centred around a group of three or four men in what was probably a remote water pumping station. They turned up on their push bikes/cars /whatever, and proceeded to dismantle a Gardner diesel and reassemble it. IIRC it was a 3LW. At the end of the film they noted how long it took them, as it was evidently a regular event, then pedalled off into the night. AFAIR there was almost zero dialogue.

I've no idea what the film was called, ISTR asking about it here once before. Anyone know?

My vague recollection is that the Fuller brothers, sometime boatbuilders and canal contractors from Staffordshire, had some involvement in the making of the film.

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Steam engine driving a pump to fill the engine tanks with water.

They had to light the fire to get steam pressure up to get it working.

Peter

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

Not quite stationary (at least not intentionally so), but ISTR a TV play about a group of people rebuilding a narrow boat. Set in the Black Country, a phrase which sticks in my mind is "My yord is at yow disposal" (with apologies to anyone from that neck of the woods). In search of a suitable engine, one character announces he will repair the Bolinders which has apparently graced the yard for many years - dark mutterings and sideways looks from all. He is next seen reeling about, bottle in hand, surrounded by parts - clearly not the first to be driven to drink by this engine!

Ring any bells?

I bought a JAP 55 off eBay a month or two ago & when I went to fetch it, the vendor was a film SFX man. In his extensive shop in Battersea, he had hydraulic & mechanical Tyrannosaur bits, a VW powered fan & an ex-helicopter Alvis Leonides radial driving a twelve foot prop in a cage.

The latter came on its own road trailer & I thought it was a nice touch that it had a comprehensive sign saying what the engine was etc.

However, this is more engines IN the telly, innit? ;o))

Regards,

Kim Siddorn.

Actually Kim, I'm surprised that you didn't leave the JAP there and come away with the Leonides instead. After all, it IS aircooled......

Regards

Philip T-E

Get thee behind me & pass the salt ;o))

Regards,

Kim