Wessex SEC crank up

And a good time was had by all when the rain stopped. I turned up with 3 engines, first out was my Canadian Chore Horse charger which was rapidly trumped by Kim who brought a much older Johnson version with a top tank and a proper carburetter. I have a feeling that it is a rather rare example of what is generally regarded as a common engine. My Petter refused to start, looks like a timing issue, but at least the Douglas could be relied upon to make its usual noise.

Star of the show was definitely an enormous trailer mounted Ruston Hornsby which ran faultlessly are VERY quietly.

We were indoors when it really tipped down for about 20 minutes, just a continuous torrent! Then it cleared away and we have had blustery sunshine and

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

wrote (snip)

As chance would have it, I spent today dodging the showers to 'commission' this recent ebay purchase:-

Kim is quite evangelical about these engines - were Johnson still making them he'd be a good salesman!

Nick H

I got up at 7.30 & it was cold, wet & miserable. I dug out the Ferrous Nag (I just love that!) and shoved it in the car with my spare 12 volt battery. Off to Nunney Catch transport cafe some 20 miles away over flooded roads and through rising wind.

The Usual WSEC Suspects were present, about 20 of us all told. Breakfast first & magically the sky cleared. I simply opened the boot of the BM estate & started the engine where it was. As expected, after eight months in the shed, it spluttered into life on the button and ran all morning - not sexy but reliable. Chris Newport had another IH sans steel wire frame. but to make up for it had dragged a Douglas SV45 & a Petter A1 along. As the weather improved, he pulled them out and fired 'em up, thus almost doubling the number of engines running!

John Brooks brought me a couple of wooden cased electrical gauges that I bought & had another which I suspect was to do with gas supply, but I eschewed it. Alan Rogers brought a new toy, a silent Tiny Tim, sans plug lead! His Saluki was not impressed with the weather.

Also present were a number of Lister D's. A nicely restored example driving both clippers AND vacuum pump, an early shaft drive mag D & another in its working clothes that had cost Paul Chant just £20.00 - it sounded great! The new owner of Arfur's Ruston shoved the flywheel to good effect & the petrol can man turned up too, but after fighting the wind following a resounding CLANG! he packed up & went home.

All in all, it was a good morning. As the rest sloped off to a noon lunch, the weather closed in and I ran it dry, closed the lid & went home. Just in time - chucked it down after.

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