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Design by Vicky Gray-Taylor. Newsletter of the Cape Vintage Engine and Machinery Society, South Africa. Number 23. December 2010.

Do you enjoy mowing the lawn? Asks the tired old-timers

voice in a radio commercial for Flymo lawnmowers, to which I always shout yes! I normally have about six running mowers to choose from at any one time so that keeps things interesting and anyway, what better way of using your old machines than to have them working. Have I mentioned the youngest was bought twenty five years ago? It is a Honda. How boring! perhaps, but just like the designer of the engine used in the early Southern Cross mowers said during a recent interview when asked what mower did he use

today, he replied, „a Honda, it always starts first time‟ I keep on going back to my Honda when the others become temperamental because „it starts first time, every time‟ its also quiet and efficient although lately I have to start it first, then pop inside for a while until the blue smoke dissipates and the engine has warmed up a bit otherwise the fumes become a bit too much. Chatting to the last importer of Villiers engines into South Africa a while ago he mentioned the same thing about Villiers, their ability to start and run even when badly worn. Other makes foul their plugs or such like when the compression starts dropping but engines like Honda and Villiers keep on going. Maybe that‟s why the Honda is copied by a lot of Chinese engine makers and the Villiers lives on in India as the Vijay Villiers. The 11th Classic Car & Bike Show takes place on the 22

nd and

23rd

January 2011 and I hope to see a good turn out by engine

owners. The motorcycle section of the „Cape Vintage Engine and Machinery Society‟ is planning on attending with a display called BSA-1967. Any BSA motorcycle owner in the club with one of the three fifty DOHC BSA Fury bikes that would like to display their bike, can give us a shout. Only one decent suggestion for a Christmas present this year that I can think of, and what a beaut! A clip on bicycle engine! Going for only R1600 on Gumtree.

Do you enjoy cycling? Not really but add a clip on and …………………….. You can add your own ending here to justify buying one. Philip.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Philip.

Thank you very much to the numerous people from around the world who have contributed to the newsletter and who have supported us throughout yet another year, especially to Ron

Wiley, who apart from his massive written contributions has also provided much needed moral support when needed and without whom the newsletter would be a lot thinner. Thanks too, to Jerry

Evans for „archiving‟ CVE on his website. We have some hopefully interesting articles in the pipeline for the New Year and please keep the articles coming!

All the best to everyone for the festive season and for the New Year! Gordon.

The river Murray enters Lake Alexandrina that in turn enters the sea at the southern end of the lake at Goolwa. About 40 km upstream from Goolwa is Milang and in the middle of the year I joined the Milang Vintage Machinery Club to help with their 2011 rally that will

be held on January 22 & 23. I am doing the program; so far we have 122 entries that comprise 64 engines, 58 vintage and classic cars, 32 tractors, light and heavy commercial vehicles, Machines and general entries etc. I would like to reiterate what Gordon said in the

last newsletter; can you please send use something about the part of the world you live in? As someone once said We cannot spell S_ccess without "U"!! Christmas is nearly upon us and I have a busy time ahead of me until the end of January.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ron Wiley.

From the Engine Shed.

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Phil Gray-Taylor (editor) ptaylor@worldonline.co.za Gordon Riley gkriley@mweb.co.za Our Man in Australia, Ron Wiley ronwiley@bigpond.com

When contacting us please let us know where you live (town and country).

Jerry Evans from „near Johannesburg‟ has kindly archived all our previous issues of Cape Vintage Engine as well as Parafinalia which was produced by Andy Selfe between August 2000 and early 2005. Jerry‟s link for the newsletter archive is: <http://www.oldengine.org/members/evans/paraffinalia/index.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Editorial. Page 1.

Apple Farming Page 2.

Villiersdorp Tractor Club Auction. Page 3.

Treble Tractors Page 4.

The Rover 75 Part Two. Page 5.

The Fleurieu Railfest 2010. Page 6.

A Country Tale. Page 7.

Workshop and Bits & Pieces. Page 8.

Greetings from Zambia (and Zanzibar). Page 9.

Bookshelf. Page 10.

Yesteryear, What was it, What is it? Page 11.

Inbox. Pages 12, 13 & 14.

For Sale, Wanted, Forthcoming Events. Page 15.

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Apple Farming.

Thank you very much for your treatise on Wheat Farming. Perhaps you would like to know about Apple Farming (from the point of view of a Tractor Mechanic who has been involved in that dubious occupation, part-time, for about 21 years.) With Apple Farming, the farmer finishes his harvest in late April or the beginning of May. He then sprays his trees with a concoction of things to put the trees to bed. He then has to prune them, which takes most of the winter. In spring-time he starts spraying them again, with ever more expensive products, firstly to make them wake up and make them flower, then again to make most of the fruit fall off. Then, on a weekly basis he

sprays them with various mixtures to protect the trees and fruit from mildew and fusi, codling moth and a host of other insects. He then has to hand-thin the fruit that didn't fall off chemically, which lasts until January some time. Soon after he has finished thinning, he starts to pick the fruit, which lasts from some time in January until, as I said, late April, beginning of May. But here's the rub.... remember, he has financed all the preceding operations so far...... he then gives the fruit to a packer / exporter, with these implicit instructions: "Please pack these for me. Let me know how much you want to pack them, and I'll pay you on the turn. Please let me know what the cartons and packing materials cost

and I'll settle that too. Please get them overseas for me (Oh yes, the shipping, too, just let me know!) and please sell them for me as best you can for as much as possible. Naturally, you'll want to be paid for this service, just let me know! Cold-storing? Sure, send me the bill! "Oh! And if there's anything left at the end, would you mind handing it over.... some time between now and this time next year? "Oh, and of course, I understand you have no influence over the exchange rate......." And you thought it was easy? I think I'll stick to my spanners! Andy Selfe, Elgin, Western Cape.

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Contacts

Contents.

Update on the shipwreck off the beach at Melkbos , Cape Town.

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Villiersdorp Tractor and Engine Club Auction. Philip Gray-Taylor.

On the 18

th Sept the Villiersdorp

Tractor and Engine Club held a family day to support local charities (who were manning the food stalls) and an auction. There were also a number of vintage cars, lorries and tractors on display and a few stationary engines were running, including the big Crossley in the museum building. At the auction, across the road

from the displays, many items were unsold and the prices to me were disappointingly low. Was this because of a lack of enthusiasm or enthusiasts? Bidding started before lunch at midday and ended around 2 pm. By now rather hungry, we walked back across the road to the food vendors only to find that they had all closed up shop, all except for the ladies selling pancakes, a

missed opportunity for the charities there I think. One last point, a recent study has revealed that a larger number of South Africans than ever before are obese, not surprising as there were no sugar free drinks available. Just take your own food and drink to the show, I hear you say, but what would that help if the whole point was to help generate funds for local charities?

Lot 62 Massey Ferguson 65 R32000. Lot 63 Case LA unsold. Lot 64 Grey Fergy unsold.

Lot 65 Allis Chalmers B unsold. Lot 66 Allis Chalmers unsold. Lot 67 Case VAC R6300.00.

Lot 68 Farmall M/Trojan road scraper Lot 79 Czechoslovakian made Lot 80 Lister D R340.00. unsold. Anderson bicycle R520.00

Lot 81 International LB 5hp unsold. Lot 82 Ruston PB R150.00. Lot 83 Lister A R450.00.

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TREBLE TRACTORS. Dr Graeme Quick in Queensland.

One of Roy Clarke‟s two treble tractors in action followed by a tandem outfit on the Clarke‟s farm near Goomalling, WA.

You‟ve doubtless heard of Tandem tractors – farmers and innovators have built up a number of tandems from two prime movers hitched together. They did that to get more tractive effort for paddock work at low cost, especially after WWII. In those days, repatriated soldiers were encouraged with Federal assistance to settle on blocks and open up new country. There were even a few commercial „tandem‟ tractors, England‟s Doe Triple D being perhaps the better known. But going the next step and making a triple or treble tractor out of three prime movers is rare.Rare or not, one thing is certain: it would take

big headland to make a turn. That means big paddocks – and that‟s something Western Australian farmers have aplenty. Grain farmer, Roy Clarke of Goomalling was the man. In the 1960‟s Roy hitched up three repowered WD-9 IH tractors into a one-man operator outfit and used this treble tractor rig for land preparation and seeding on his property. Each of the WD-9‟s (53 HP each originally) was fitted with a Perkins 6.354 diesel for a total grunt of almost 360HP. The tractors were hitched in line with the rear two tractors having their front axles replaced with a swivel arrangement to connect to an

extended drawbar on the tractor in front. The Treble pulled six 14-disc ploughs for land preparation. The rig could haul five 20-run drills for seeding. The Clarkes used tandem- and triple-hitched tractors for around 30 years. This was a way to rope in cheap tractor power. Each WD-9 conversion cost $3000, so the total outlay on the Treble was under $10,000. That was then. Nowadays the family operation uses large four-wheel drive tractors that cost a heap more to own and operate. But, a single 4WD is a lot more convenient – and not as strung out !

One of Roy‟s two treble tractors in action on the Clarke‟s farm near Goomalling in Western Australia. The six Shearer disc ploughs tracked along well despite the enormous length of the whole rig – 150 feet from nose to toe. (Drawn from a photo by Graeme Quick.)

Specifications of Roy Clarke‟s treble tractor: Length from front of lead tractor to rear of last plough was 150 feet, or just under 46 m. Working width 42 ft (12.8m). Area productivity when cultivating the farm‟s 3,800 acres was 22 acres an hour (8.8 ha/h). Operating speed around 5 to 5.5 mph. Total engine power : 360 HP. Safety features: Ropes are connected to each of the engine fuel pumps of the two rear tractors enabling them to be stopped instantly in an emergency. The clutches on the two rear tractors are hydraulically controlled from the driver‟s seat up in the lead tractor. Cost: Roy Clarke invested approximately $10,000 in the treble tractor rig, not counting the initial cost of the basic tractors..

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Breaking News: One of the Clarke Trebles has been rescued and is being restored at the Whiteman Park Tractor Museum near Perth, Western Australia. This piece is a section from a forthcoming book “Tall but true Tractor Tales”. This will be book number eleven. If any readers have a tractor yarn that they would like to have considered in this book, do let me know g.quick@bigpond.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

The Rover 75. (Recollections of a "Cyclops" in the family).

Part Two. Eric Brain.

I was allowed to get the car from the garage ready for my father if he was using it for the evening. We lived in a quiet lane and the only traffic was to a couple of bungalows farther along. I managed to learn to reverse it farther and farther along the lane to "get it straight” eventually so far that I could attempt a gear change - or even two! By the time I was legally able to drive however I had learnt to manoeuvre the lorries and turning the Rover became simple stuff. The day of my seventeenth birthday dawned, I had my provisional licence, the L plates were on the car all ready - and father went down with 'flu!! I do not recall being too frustrated but one of our drivers, Wilf Parsons, sensed that I must be disappointed and he approached my mother saying "The lad is dying to get on the road, is there anything you need from the post office down in the village as I am happy to ride in the car with him just to give him his first drive". From then on while 'learning,' I drove many hundreds of miles in the various Albion Chieftains eventually taking my test in Bristol in the Rover. I recall the examiner during the test enquiring "what is the cubic capacity of this vehicle" and "is your freewheel in the fixed or the free position?" Was he another Rover enthusiast I wonder? I had had plenty of driving experience in Bristol with the lorries and on shopping trips with my mother who always said she felt confident riding with me. After passing my test it soon became my duty to collect the spares for the lorries in Bristol or take the drivers to wherever the lorries were parked up for the night - possibly Avonmouth and on one such occasion I was allowed to use the Rover to go on to school. I parked

it in a side street near the girls‟ building and during the day overheard a master being told that "one of our sixth formers parked a large black car in the road, put on his cap and disappeared into school". I kept quiet and after school drove away smoothly before anyone saw me. Some years later on, a former school friend had embarked on a sandwich course and, having always admired GHR 501, as soon as he was able, bought a Cyclops fairly cheaply but a late 1952 model in an 'army' green. He ran it on a shoestring and I one day pointed out that the rear door locks were childproof, a feature not so common in those days. The lever was in the shut-face of the doors. Some months later the Rover was sold, a wedding was announced and he pointed out to me that “the rear of the car was not so childproof” as I had made out! My father used the Rover each week to go with friends to the football matches in Bristol and one Saturday I met them limping home with the side of the car very badly damaged. Luckily none of the five passengers were too shaken but the rear door and wing were mangled. Windmill and Lewis soon had it repaired however but the Ford Consul Mk 1 which had collided with it in a local lane was written off. It did duty on occasion as a wedding car for various cousins and, possibly as an inducement to get me to attend the ceremonies, I was commissioned as chauffeur, this was great fun - even cleaning the confetti out afterwards. I used to take the delivery or collection notes to a driver who kept his lorry at home and en route had to pass the house of a girl friend. This was fine as long as father did not need the car that

evening but in those early days of the mini-skirt, girls often complained that the leather seats were cold to the skin. By now I had purchased my first car, the ubiquitous Austin Seven box saloon of 1932. Eventually, the hydro-mechanical brakes on the Rover grew steadily worse despite many adjustments by Windmill and Lewis, the side-valve tappets sounded louder and louder and were impossible to quieten, and the car suffered from oil fumes which made my mother feel queasy. In about 1962 my father decided it‟s time had come. This decision was encouraged by me after a trip to Bristol, when a policeman on point duty saw me coming, pointed, then signalled me to stop, turning away as he did so. In normal circumstances from 30 mph there would have been no problem but by literally standing on the pedal I managed to come to rest with the "flying lady" underneath his outstretched arm. I returned home and said I would drive my Austin Seven in future, the brakes were better!! I must have made a good point because soon the Rover was sold and my father acquired a 1961 Rover 80 which had only had one owner from new. This had servo assisted disc brakes and they were totally superb after the hydro-mechanical system on the 75. I tried to keep the mascot but father insisted it was sold with the car. He kept the 80 until his death in 1976. Tailpiece *Earlier this year I changed my car – Who were the dealers?? Why amazingly “Holders of Congresbury” of course – but this time a SEAT, a product of Barcelona, not Solihull – and very much smoother and faster, no oil fumes… Time marches on. Eric Brain, Bristol, UK.

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The Fleurieu RailFest 2010. Ron Wiley.

A Short History of River and Rail transport. Part One. I live at Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Peninsula about 80 km south of Adelaide, in South Australia. 25km along the coast is Goolwa a river port where the River Murray enters the sea. The lack of an estuary means that shipping cannot enter the Murray from the sea except on rare occasions and in a drought the mouth can silt up due the river not flowing. Realizing the river would support a substantial commercial trade using shallow-draft paddle steamers; in 1852 the South Australian Governor offered a bonus of $8,000 for the first paddle steamer to reach Echuca. The first trips were made by two boats from South Australia on the spring flood of 1853. One vessel, Captain Francis Cadell's Lady Augusta reached Swan Hill while another, Captain William Randell‟s Mary Ann made it as far as Moama near Echuca. In 1855 a steamer carrying gold-mining supplies reached Albury but Echuca was the usual turn-around point, though small boats continued to link with up-river ports. The river boats took supplies to the sheep stations along the river and brought back the wool bales. Due to the fact the mouth of the river is not navigable most of the time; the first horse drawn public railway in Australia was built in 1853 from Goolwa to Port Eliot. The construction included a jetty and breakwater and a deep railway cutting to run the line onto Pt Elliot jetty. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that Port Elliot was a bad choice as a harbour. A lack of shelter for shipping and the shallow anchorage made conditions dangerous for even the smallest ships. Seven ships were wrecked between 1853 and 1864 and it was decided to relocate the port facilities to nearby Port Victor, the original name of Victor Harbor. This extension to Port Victor was opened for rail traffic in April 1864 and the Port Elliot facilities were abandoned following completion of the line. Horses

provided traction power until steam was introduced in 1884.

Turn table at Victor Harbor.

A causeway was built out to Granite Island and a jetty was built for the unloading & loading of clippers. The first steam train ran from Adelaide to Morgan in the mid 1880‟s about 100 miles upstream and Goolwa then started to decline as a river port. Wool was now shipped by steam train from Morgan to Port Adelaide and Port Victor also went into decline for shipping goods overseas.

The Present Day.

The only original paddle steamer left at Goolwa is the PS Oscar W along with the barge Dart. It is now owned by the Alexandrina Council and is maintained and operated by “The friends of the Oscar W” who are all volunteers. There are one hour Cruises and Day Charters that can be arranged with a maximum of 49 passengers The 'Oscar' as it is known, was built in Echuca, Victoria 1908 by Charles Wallin, and was named after his son, Oscar. It is 103ft, 5 inches in length, with a beam of 20ft 7 inches and a draft of 2ft 3 inches to 5ft 1 inch. She weighs 83 tons gross, 59 ton net. The paddle steamer was built from steel topsides and 3 inch Red Gum below, it has a 16hp wood-burning Marshall steam engine. The Steam Ranger Heritage Railway operates a number of different heritage steam and diesel engines. The Southern Encounter operates on the first and third Sundays from June until the end of November from Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills up over the crest of the southern Mt Lofty Ranges,

down to Strathalbyn and on through the coastal holiday towns of Goolwa and Port Elliot to the tourist resort town of Victor Harbor. At Goolwa, the train draws alongside the river wharf and passengers alighting here have over four hours to explore local attractions, have lunch on the riverside, visit the Steam Exchange Brewery in the old goods shed or take a short river cruise. From Goolwa the train meanders westwards to the picturesque holiday settlement of Port Elliot before cresting the cliffs where passengers can experience some of the most picturesque coastal scenery in the State, with nothing separating you from the beach below and a perfect view of the Southern Ocean - in winter the home of Southern Right Whale.

Looking back to Pt Elliot.

Trains operate up to 140 days a year and are manned by volunteers from the Australian Railways Historical Society, who are also responsible for maintenance of the rail line and the heritage locomotives and carriages. The steam locomotives are at present undergoing maintenance so at present the heritage railcars or diesel locomotives are being used for the Railfest. The broad gauge line continues on from Victor Harbor station over the causeway to Granite Island. The Victor Harbour Council now owns the Horse Trams and the people operating them are council employees. The Trams run every 40 minutes to the island 363 days a year and during the Christmas school holidays they run every 20 minutes. There has been a breeding program for the

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horses in recent years and the off-spring of some of the original horses now pull the trams.

The 2010 RailFest. The weekend of May 29 & 30

th

was cold and wet but it did not stop

people coming to ride on the trains and the horse trams. I was one of a group of brave souls who displayed engines at Goolwa on the Sunday. Due to the very windy conditions and low-river due to the drought the Oscar W did not sail on the Sunday.

Some of the visitors were disappointed that there were no steam trains; these engines are undergoing major rebuilds at this time. Brill and Redhen railcars were used along with a 930-class diesel. Ron.

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A Country Tale. Peter Noble. Myself and three of our friends and our wives used to meet regularly on Saturday evenings; we would gather at one or other of our homes for a couple of drinks and then move on to the local pub which had a restaurant and served good food, to have a meal. My friends were Llew who was a vet, two farmers and myself a farm manager. One of the farmers, Albert, is the centre of my tale. He was a big man with a boyish grin who could almost charm the birds down from the trees, so that you can imagine what effect he had on some ladies. He was very widely known and liked by everyone, but he had one fault – he had not outgrown his liking of practical jokes and would do almost anything if someone was first to bet him a pound that he would not do it. Margret and I were the hosts on this particular evening and we went to our local which had fairly recently changed hands. The young couple were very hard working, with the husband being the chef and his wife supervising the bar and restaurant. Since our last visit the landlady had blossomed and was obviously pregnant, so that there was a little conversation among us of concern

for her with the problems of pregnancy and then a young baby to care for in addition to her very busy life. Llew then said to Albert “do you think you should „bump‟ her to confirm the pregnancy”, adding the usual one pound challenge. The ladies almost universally said “Albert No!”, but he was away towards the bar. Some very experienced U.K. farmers and cattle men could confirm pregnancy in the later stages in cows externally. They would stand on the left side of the cow, past the rib cage and choose a spot in the middle of the abdomen and apply a little pressure with their fist. Then apply a little extra pressure and hold it for a few moments. The fetus would move away from the wall of the uterus and then gently return, which they were able to feel. This was called‟ bumping‟ (I tried to do it several times, but could never make it work). It did not cause the cow any distress as it was far less than the knocks that it would get from other cows when going through a gateway. The landlady was at the bar talking to a lady customer and we could see them from our table, but could not hear what was said. Albert immediately started talking

to them and presumably had to explain „bumping‟ to them and also his mission, all the while keeping his silly grin. We were all on tenter hooks, half expecting to be told to leave the premises after Albert had insulted the landlady. However, while still talking, he then laid the palm of his hand gently on her „bump‟ for a few seconds. Both ladies broke into peals of laughter and Albert came back to the table to collect his pound. Conversation was a little strained for a while and Albert was mildly reprimanded. When the landlady came by our table next, the ladies apologized to her for Albert‟s behavior, but she laughed it off and made light of it. She then said that another of her farmer customers had told her to ring him when her „time‟ came and he would come and bring his calving ropes and a bale of straw. When she asked him how a bale of straw would help her he replied that it was not for her, but for him to sit on during the delivery! I think that perhaps he thought that she was going to give birth in the car park (calving ropes are special nylon chords with a fixed loop at the end to enable you to attach them easily to the calf‟s front legs to assist the cow in the delivery.

Sadly, both Llew and Albert have long since gone to attend the cattle in a better place. P.N. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recently unearthed by a farmer digging for an irrigation system on his farm just outside Riversdale, this 1927 Marshall of 28hp was reputedly buried in the 1981 floods that devastated the town of Laingsburg. Now safely in the hands of Derick Kleynhans.

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In the process of starting to restore my Vaaljapie (Fergy) I have so far come across three 7/16” holes in various castings that had stripped threads. 7/16” is 11.11mm, but generally there is a bit of meat left that makes the hole

diameter a bit smaller. What I did was to tap the holes for a 12 mm bolt which would normally require a 10.2 mm hole, hence no need to drill for tapping. With the first two holes I could get access to the relevant flanges to drill a clearance hole in the

flange, but in the last case there was no way of drilling the hole bigger, so I had to tap through the flange and then undercut the bolt below the head so as the flange could be pulled up tight. Of course the trick is to get the tap properly aligned. Gordon.

Starting the tap (square). The undercut bolt. The ‘slinger’ bracket bolted to the housing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: The last remaining steam tug „Alwyn Vincent‟ berthed next to the „SAS Somerset‟ at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town Docks. It appears that the „Alwyn Vincent‟ has been saved from the scrap man. An arrangement has been reached with the Australian owner and the tug now belongs to the Villiersdorp Tractor and Engine Club. Their intention is to move the tug over land to Villiersdorp (which is very much inland) and resurrect it there on dry land. The superstructure and virtually everything above deck level will have to be removed to facilitate transport. Read the full story here; http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/commercial-transport/44-commercial-transport/1604-alwyn-vintcent-last-steam-tug-to-be-rescued#top

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Workshop

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Greetings from Zambia.

Thanks for the latest newsletter, it is a real inspiration to the few of us up here who enjoy collecting old machinery. My good friend Ginty emailed you the other day regarding some Lister engines I have purchased, I still have to collect a Bamford engine that is connected to a sludge pump and a Ruston connected to a small generating set. I will send some photos once I have collected them all. All these

items have come from the estate of the late Eddy Testi, who had a road construction company based in Zambia and had the most amazing assortment of old equipment. His daughter is now disposing of it all and already about 750 tons of equipment has been cut up and sold for scrap. I have identified some bits of equipment that I feel may have some value to collectors of earthmoving equipment and can be saved from the scrap man. I realize that it is all sitting in Zambia but there are hundreds of trucks

travelling to and from SA every day and many of them return empty. I believe Sandstone Estates somewhere in SA have a collection of heavy equipment , do you have contact with them . I am afraid time is not on our side and if buyers cannot be found then it will all be sold as scrap. I have attached some photos and can send more if required, I can also get more information on items if required. Andy Legg, Zambia.

This is just a small selection of photos that Andy Legg has sent. Sandstone Estates have been told of the Eddy Testi Estate. Phil.

A first for me. A rear engined roller? Can anyone identify it? G.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I have sent some pictures of a somewhat derelict road roller I spotted in a civil machinery repair yard on my recent trip to Zanzibar. Regrettably it is (or was) a diesel powered roller - but nobody seemed to know where the engine was so I don‟t know how they think they will ever repair it. Judging by the very, very few tarred roads in Zanzibar I would think that there would be limited call for such a machine. Mike Masterson, Fisherhaven, W. Cape.

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PUBLICATIONS BY AUTHOR, Dr GRAEME QUICK.

The Grain Harvesters. ASAE, 270 pages, 1978. Seventh Printing.

200 Years of Farm Machinery in Australia. 28 pp. NSWDA, 1988

Rodents and Rice. 134 pages. IRRI Philippines. 1990.

The Rice Harvester‟s Reference, 36 pages. RIRDC Canberra. 1999.

Amazing Agricultural Machines, Four-Part Two DVD set. SLVP, CA. 2006.

Australian Tractors. Third Edition. 176 Pages. Rosenberg. 2006.

The Compact Tractor Bible, MBI Minnesota. 160 pages. 2006.

Remarkable Australian Farm Machines, 160 pages. Rosenberg. 2007.

International Harvester Tractors and Equipment in Australia and New Zealand, Hardbound, 184 pages. Over 400 colour images. Rosenberg 2009.

Plus book chapters in The Wiley Book Series on Corn, Rice etc. Add to that many technical documents, numerous articles, extension bulletins & patents.

The following books make excellent Gifts:

*The Compact Tractor Bible RRP $A29.95 >>> On tractors up to 75HP and their attachments.

<<< The Grain Harvesters,

270 pages. Published by ASAE in 1978. Now into seventh printing.

40,000 copies sold and still selling steadily overseas. (POA) $$$ Four part Two-DVD Amazing Agricultural Machines. Produced by SLVP California - Horribly expensive but well worth seeing ! Four x 22 minutes of live action audiovisual.

*Australian Tractors. Remarkable Australian Farm Machines. 160 pages. RRP 192 pages. RRP $A29.95. Plus Postage. $A29.95. Plus Postage.

*International Harvester Tractors and Equipment in Australia and New Zealand. 2009. * These three books available from 184 pages, RRP $A49.95, Hard bound with Jacket. Rosenberg Publishing, PO Box 6125, Dural Delivery Centre, NSW 2168. Phone: 02 9654 1502 . rosenbergpub@smartchat.net.au Or, Autographed copies may be obtained from the author at a discount: Dr Graeme Quick, 83 Morrisons Road, Peachester, Queensland, 4519. g.quick@bigpond.com Phone: (07) 54 94 9920

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Bookshelf.

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From Pat Agnew, one of the children in the ‘Yesteryear’ photo in the last newsletter and who is now in her 80‟s You must remember there was no national road in those days. I think it was a gravel road so one couldn‟t travel quickly. We were driving down a slope and there was a river at the bottom. I suddenly saw one of the cars wheels rolling past us and we came to a halt. We were towed to a grassy patch where we set up camp. There was a farm nearby where we could buy milk and vegetables.

The car was a Lincoln Tourer, no side windows just side screens were put up if it rained. We got lots of fresh air and always wrapped up in rugs. The car belonged to the Minister of Transport when Dad bought it. One thing I remember about the car, it was said to have an aeroplane engine. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ I have this picture, taken on a bus trip between Cape

Town and Knysna, I think on the Tradouws Pass sometime in the 1950‟s? The registration is MT 6043. Would that be „Motor Transport‟ I‟m not sure what make the bus is. Phil. The guy standing amongst all the women, wearing the white coat and the big smile on his face would be the driver. I travelled on one of these buses in about 1956, from Johannesburg to Mont-Aux-Sources in the Drakensberg They were the South African Railways „Luxury Buses‟, known as Lux Buses to those people who travelled on them regularly. Can‟t recall the make, but I am sure someone out there can tell us more. I am also sure there is at least one surviving in a motor/transport museum in, I think, Johannesburg? G.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- The "What is it?" from Andy Selfe appears to be a load

binder. The type that works by cam action. It could be for holding the lid of a box closed or maybe to hold a spare tire on an auto/truck. In the second picture you would grab the projection aimed to the upper right corner and move it to the left (in the picture) and it would cam over and tighten the straps, which would be attachedat each end (the right side one via a buckle like a belt).

Lesley K Spivey. Florida, USA. I think you have it! We forgot to mention that the item was found in a flour mill and I think with your explanation that it was perhaps to clamp the flour bags to a chute for filling. Phil. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------

Found in my favourite antique/junk shop, CORDENT engine cord, endless super combination, outlasts general standard Engine Cords, will not slip – minimum stretch. Made for J & S Davis – London. And on the end of the box 10‟ 6”. Phil.

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A Touch of Yesteryear

What was it?

What Is It (used for)?

12

Many thanks for yet another interesting newsletter!

Douw's US Motor radiator comes from a Stationary Engine of that name; I have one. It's actually a Hercules engine like Derick's set up as a mobile plant. Mine drove a

welder on a farm here locally in Elgin. I still need to sort out the mechanical seal on the water-pump seen dismantled on top of the engine. I think Pieter's diesel is an AVA. Patrick Knight says the AV was first introduced in 1948 with the water-cooled AV with indirect injection. It wasn't popular as it started so badly. I was lucky to get one of these at oom Flip's auction. It also would work well on its own as a concrete vibrator! Patrick continues by saying the AVA (for air cooled) Series 1 followed in 1950.

Douw.... go for it! Andy Selfe, Elgin, Western Cape.

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Re page 14 - Douw de Lange's radiator. I wonder if it is not from a Stationary engine. I have a small genset (Briggs & Stratton Model B engine) made by U.S.Motor Corp . I do not know if they made bigger sets or even vehicles. There is some info on my website:<http://www.oldengine.org/members/evans/usmc/index.htm Jerry Evans, somewhere near Johannesburg.

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I enjoy seeing your Cape Vintage Newsletter. Keep up the good work. You will see from the attachment (Bookshelf) that I've written ten books and readers are invited to send me any unusual Tractor Tales for consideration in my latest book, number eleven: Tall but true Tractor Tales. Dr Graeme R Quick, CPE. Fellow ASABE, Fellow IEAust. 83 Morrisons Road, Peachester, Queensland, 4519, AUSTRALIA. Phone ++ 61 7 54 94 9920. g.quick@bigpond.com

Graeme has kindly contributed the Treble Tractor article in this issue which is from a section in his latest book. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------

Report on the Cape Western Vintage Railway open day, November 2010.

I went to the steam railway meeting at the Epping Market. Not very exciting. The loco was flashed up but unfortunately not moving but we did get to blow the whistle and the hooter thing. Very exciting for the kids I suppose. The stationary engines were also not too spectacular, although full marks to the chaps that were there. There were 2 Briggs and Strattons, what looked like a Norton/Villiers lawnmower and a Fairbanks Morse „ZD‟ engine as well as a display of hand operated drilling machines. As I said, caps off to the chaps representing the stationeries. Neville Kehl, Cape Town.

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Herewith, a picture of my Norman T300 and the Maytag. Neville Kehl, Cape Town.

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Many thanks for the latest newsletter, very professional and much enjoyed. I had forgotten the Rover Cyclops saga. Only an hour before and with nothing of any great interest on TV, I had put all the previous ones into a separate file in the PC for future reference. Then that one popped up and I thought it was one I had missed. We were obviously thinking along the same lines at that moment. Keep up the good work. Eric Brain, Bristol, UK. --------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inbox

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Like your newsletter, it covers many interesting aspects; please put me on your mailing list. Tony Hoyland, Editor Tractor Magazine, Mortons Media, Horncastle, Lincs, UK. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------

I enjoy your newsletter a great deal and got onto it thanks to emailing with Ron Wiley regarding my Atco Boatimpeller outboard. Ron's a fountain of knowledge on the Villiers engines that Atco used on their outboards and mowers. Vintage and antique outboard motors are my main interest, though I also like classic/antique cars, tractors,

airplanes... okay, anything that uses gas, oil, steam, electricity, etc...!

I enjoyed seeing a mention of the OLD OUTBOARD BOOK in the newsletter before last. The author Peter Hunn, is a super nice guy and has published a number of excellent books on outboards, boats and small engines. (And you can see my visage running a Flambeau on p.156 of the OOB!)

Also the readers of your newsletter should know that the Antique Outboard Motor Club (AOMCI) is a worldwide organization for people interested in antique/vintage outboards. It's about 3,000 member strong and has a great quarterly magazine and bi-monthly newsletter. Arthur Sesselberg, somewhere in the USA.

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I wonder if you can help me in any way or point me in the right direction.

I have just recently acquired a 1953 Ford Consul, and have started to restore the "old lady".

Do you know where I might be able to source a gasket set (in SA hopefully) and any other parts I may need. The engine is in very good nick, but I am stripping her down and making sure all is well

within. Perhaps there is some business somewhere in SA that might be able to help me. I'd be very grateful if you could pass on to me any contact you may have. Tim Payne, Riebeek West.

Phil‟s reply:

1953 Will make it a Mk 1 Consul, one of the Five Star Cars! I had one of the Three Graces, a 1959 Zodiac, black just like the police used. I‟ve

haven‟t come across a more solid car. I was able to source most of the service items, like filters, from Tonnesons Motor Spares. I remember sourcing an electric centrifugal switch for the overdrive

from Classic Restorations in Hermanus. Luckily I didn‟t need much more than that, it had a low mileage when I bought it and I didn‟t put too many more thousand on it before selling it on.

Spotted on a farm the other day; A somewhat later model Consul. Needs a little work. G.

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Heard a ding this morning while typing and found my copy of the newsletter had arrived, another great edition. I found Phil‟s comment “Methinks we need something like a combined engine, tractor, car, motorbike and lorry show”. As you know I am a member of FARMS and I

am now a member of the Milang Vintage Machinery Club rally committee. I have been trying to raise sponsorship with limited success and produce a program for the rally in late January 2011. Entries are now coming in and we have been promised engines, tractors, cars, motorcycles, trucks, military vehicles that include the

“Nine Mile Shooters” who will fire their 25 pounder, hopefully with blanks. We are also going to do a demonstration tractor pull and show the 12 fire engines we now have, so it will be a mixed and varied show on the Milang oval. Ron Wiley, Victor Harbor, South Australia.

Update!

Lake Alexandrina has been short of water due to drought for last 2 to 3 years, the good winter rains means we now have a navigable lake again. This means the Oscar W can now sail to Milang and tie up at the jetty. It has now

been decided that the Oscar will bring visitors to the rally from Goolwa, it will mean running a bus service to the Oval from the jetty. Not many places you can do that. One of club members has entered a 1995 Royal Enfield in the

rally; he also has a Ural with side car and a very understanding wife. They are building a new house in Victor and his 18 meter shed has already been erected, that is getting your priorities right. Ron.

14

With regards to my Whales & Wheels exhibit - you will be familiar with the 2 x JAP engines but for your readers information they are a 1941 model 34 - 2 stroke of 34cc capacity for which (despite your generous donation of a similar engine as a spares source) I am in need of an original fuel tank & a complete JAP carb. & air filter / housing. The other JAP engine is a 1943 model 2A - 4 stroke side valve of 98cc capacity. This engine was originally built for the British Army (witness the khaki paint I found under the light green) & I suspect that a Jo'berg company purchased a quantity of these as war time surplus. For this engine I am in need of the carb, operating linkages & a points opening cam, so if anybody can help

please contact me through the editor. The Villiers engine model 15HS caught my eye because it was fitted with a kick start - so the princely sum of R27 changed hands & I have saved this engine from the scrap dealers clutches. According to 3 members of the public who kindly volunteered information as to its use, age, etc. this engine was most commonly used to drive domestic washing machines in many areas of the Karoo where electricity was not available & were supplied new with the new washing machine complete with a suitable v-belt drive! Consensus of opinion is that this engine dates from somewhere around 1940 or 1950. For this engine I am looking for a fuel tank with cap & a carb, air filter & housing. It has been suggested

that I find an original washing machine & couple everything up as original. I hope to have at least 2 of the engines up & running by next year‟s Whales & Wheels - so hopefully somebody out there will hear my plea for the above spare parts. A nice surprise also came my way as a direct result of the pictures of my engines in the latest magazine issue & that was a phone call from Daryl whom I used to work with at Gabriel Shock Absorbers some 20 or more years ago & he informed me that he was a founder member of this club! Now I have not heard from Daryl in all that time so perhaps we can rekindle our friendship. Thank you for a very interesting magazine - keep up the good work as long as you are able, Mike Masterson.

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The water pump on my 1941 Massey Harris tractor suddenly decided to start leaking badly (again) and not having easy access to parts, I finally decided to let someone else have a go at repairing it, but on asking around, there seemed to be a dearth of vintage tractor water pump repairers. In the midst of making numerous unsuccessful

phone calls I received a call from Jan Venter in Paarl and I mentioned my problem. He immediately suggested a pump guy in Cape Town who had repaired his MH pump. Shortly thereafter I visited Cape Used Tractor Spares and the same person was recommended by Simon de Jong. I duly took the pump down the road to the

pump expert and shortly thereafter received my pump back and it hasn‟t leaked a drop since. The contact details? Hannes and his business is Cape Auto Pump & Tractor. Phones 021 988 2837 and 083 324 9525. His business is located at the end of the street that CUTS is in in Kraaifontein Industria (Cape Town).

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A few days back I had an email from a Richard Stanford about a Villiers type 4/44 engine, he said that I could see photos of this unit on his website www.rstanford.com.au > Restorations > Fire Pump. It is

very interesting website and well worth looking at. It shows what he calls a Johnson genset but it is in fact Pioneer Gen-E-Motor model number is BD-12-A 15vdc/230vac 250 watt, No1 (American) (1A). I was told a

long time ago they were used in Catalina flying boats to power a high frequency radio while they sat on the water. A generator on one of the aircraft engines powered the radio in flight. Ron Wiley.

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During a recent visit to Lamberts Bay we called to see Pieter Steenkamp at the Steenvas factory. They have introduced a small almost pocket sized handy pack of Steenvas. The pack consists of two tubs of goo along with two mixing sticks. G.

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15

Thanks to all contributors & assemblers of `CVE‟. Brilliant yet again. Always several items of interest & well executed ingenious `Make-A-Plan‟ methods of fixing a totally unavailable part. Much enjoyed.

Tony Beckett, Kotzeshoop. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------

Peter Noble has a 6v Autolite generator from his Massey Harris 30 that he wants to dispose of.

Contact Peter in Cape Town at 021 790 6452 or contact Gordon at gkriley@mweb.co.za --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------

Peter Noble is looking for a book entitled ‘The Groundnut Affair’ by Allan Wood, published in 1950 or any

other book or information relating to the Groundnut Scheme in East Africa in the 1940‟s.

Contact Peter in Cape Town at 021 790 6452 or contact Gordon at gkriley@mweb.co.za ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

Does anyone have some 10mm

Sparkplugs of these makes & type numbers? AC M8 / AC 104 / AC M104 / Champ UY6 / Champ UY4 / Champ Y4A / Autolite 3136 / Autolite P6 or P6B / Autolite PR4 / United N

o 7 /

These are all 10mm

x ¼” thread with 5/8th Hex types. I need in groups of six for a 1942 Chevrolet G-7127 4x4

SWB Truck. Tony @ Kotzeshoop. E-Mail: vradio@mweb.co.za Ph 027-7618920. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

2011. January 22

nd & 23

rd. Classic Car & Bike Show at Timour Hall Villa in Plumstead.

Please contact Philip regarding information for this show. We have committed ourselves to a good turnout.

Clubs and Individuals - Please let us know about any

forthcoming events!!!

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For Sale

Wanted

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