Cape Vintage Engine & Machinery Society Newsletter
Paraffinalia No 16
May 2002
Hello All!
 
Southern Cross YD, restored Editor's Note: It's been a while since the last newsletter, the reason? I've been doing some real restoration, instead of just talking about it! This time, it's been a Southern Cross YD, (See right, and below, under Australian News, as found) which was the only one to have been imported into this country from Toowoomba, Qld, Australia, and they only made 60 of them. It was also only the fourth Southern Cross engine to be imported into South Africa. Rob Laurent, who's been encouraging me to complete the restoration to include a picture of it in his forthcoming book on Southern Cross Engines, can't find any of the remaining 59!  Well, she's running, and very sweetly, too.... so it's back to the keyboard! So some of the news might be a bit old. Another reason to hold Colesberg Southern Cross collection back was to include a report on the Great 400 Working, which I was unable to attend, as we were still in the middle of the apple harvest!

Great 400 Working: Wilf Mole and his team at Sandstone Estates need to be congratulated on not beating, but smashing the world record of old tractors working the ground in one place at one time. A 3km wide column of 874 vehicles must have been a sight to behold! A few of them were disqualified as they were Willy's Jeeps or Armoured Cars or graders, so the official tally stands at 730. More important perhaps, to us, was the turn-out of 138 Stationary Engines, which must be some kind of National Record in itself. Oom Flip Viljoen took lots of photo's showing the standard of restoration was high, and the variety incredible. Here is one with a trailer packed with products from Southern Cross only! The owner is Mr Voster from Colesberg. Arthur Wilding took his Voigt Voortrekker engine which started well by hand.
John McGregor's Wolseley
Wolseley Engines: In response to Philip Gray-Taylor's request for information on Wolseley engines in the last newsletter, I received a call followed by a detailed letter, from Udo Uhlmann from Greytown in KwaZulu Natal. He says that Wolseleys appeared in no less than six different guises in this country, apart from the 'genuine' Wolseley. They were marketed by the big agricultural Coops under three names, Boeresake, found mainly in the Western Cape; Vetsak, mostly in the Transvaal and Freestate; and Negwag in Natal and East Griqualand. In order to get around agency agreements, three further names were attached to them, Senator was made for Malcomess in the Eastern Cape, (Mr Malcomess was a Senator!) was painted Signal Red, and had a smooth water hopper. The Trojan was made for African Gate & Fence in Johannesburg (now Gauteng) and was painted white. He says that all five of these brands were made in England along with the 'genuine' Wolseleys, (See above right) and their serial numbers are intermingled. Udo has examples of all these models, including the air cooled engine. Parts of the Southern Cross,-Wolseley copy, however, were cast here in South Africa, the Southern Cross Wolseley Copy engines were assembled in Bloemfontein, and were painted mid green.(See Right) Rob Laurent, who's writing a book on Southern Cross engines has yet to find out whether these copies were made with or without permission from Wolseley. It was said that Southern Cross in Bloemfontein still had a stock of brand new engines, but without magnetos. This is the reverse of the truth, according to Gilbert Correia at Southern Cross. They have one engine left which is not for sale, but they do have a stock of 22 brand new Wipac magnetos (at a hefty price!) Gilbert is available at 0800 512 012. He said the following: The AC pattern paraffin engine was last sold seventeen years ago. It was made almost entirely in their factory apart from the magneto, from patterns that came from Australia. This comment prompted Rob Laurent to get in touch with Ian James, the ex-S.C. engineer now living back in Australia, who had worked in the Bloemfontein factory during the 1960s-1970s. Rob reports: He's very familiar with the Wolseley copies and said they were a completely South African venture, no connection at all with Australia. He said he's sure that Wolseley engines were used for patterns, with a couple of small modifications made to suit manufacturing processes. The castings were made by a firm called Light Castings from Boksburg, outside of Johannesburg. (A firm run by some Scottish brothers). The first of the engines were made before his time, he thinks somewhere between 1950-1955. Ian was the man who set up the S.C. Foundry and galvanising plant which started operating in 1968. They then took over all the work which had previously been done by Light Castings. They made many Wolseley engines during his time there, in batches of 40-50 at a time. Udo kindly included an Operating Instruction and Spare Parts book for Wolseley Engines and Pump Units, in his letter, for the archive! It's copied and sent to Paul Evans already, for inclusion on his website www.semidiesel.com Click on 'Online Manuals'.

Now, just to complicate the issue, Derick Kleynhans from Heidelberg reports that he has a Boeresake with a smooth hopper, which was fitted from new. According to the history books, the last smooth hopper was on the WD1 range, but was abandoned in favour of the ribbed one for better cooling........ "Now isn't that something our climate would require? Very confusing to us enthusiasts!" asks Philip Gray-Taylor. Hendrik V d Berg in Douglas has been poring over old Farmers Weeklies, and has come across an advertisement for Wolseley engines, stating that in 1963, they were 'the most sold and most popular engine in the country' Prices at that time were R132.00 for the water cooled 3HP, and R148.00 for both the 5HP water and air cooled models! Interestingly enough, the advertisement was placed by Isando Industries, who called themselves the 'Sole Agents for the Free State and Transvaal'
South African News:

Udo also has a hint for Andrew Gush, with his porous cylinder head casting. He says that if the casting is left outside on a hot day for the pores of the iron to open up, and if the casting is covered with 'Flowers of Sulphur' and set on fire, that the cast iron will seal completely! He has used this method with success, including on frost damaged water jackets and hoppers. Dominik Buss has another hint which he has also tested. It is called Moroso Ceramic Engine Seal, and costs US$10.95 for a pint. It can be obtained on the web at http://store.summitracing.com their stock number MOR-35500. They say: "Stop cooling leaks with the best chemical sealer you can buy. This sealer works equally well in aluminum or cast iron blocks."
My Mitchell as found I see from Max Gregory's comments in the Australian The Old Machinery Magazine that Pieter Fourie's old stationary baler was made by the firm called John Buncle & Son, Engineers, Reckyn St, North Melbourne, Australia, not Bunell, as Pieter reported. Max writes that the firm John Buncle was founded in 1854 and was taken over in 1898 by Clement Davidson, who kept the name. We look forward to Pieter reporting how the baler works behind his very rare petrol-only Ferguson! I see from the same magazine that

Russell Beach of Bineguna, Victoria says that my Mitchell Hay Baler would have been powered by a Victor engine (possibly named after H.V. McKay) if it had been a pre-war model, after which it would have been driven by a Lister. Anybody out there know which Lister? 

Harvey Metcalf reports that he took my letter of thanks for the Timour Hall show to a comittee meeting of the Crankhandle Club and was asked to reply and convey their appreciation to all of us for adding another diverse and interesting feature to the show. They certainly hope we can repeat the event somtime.

Derick Kleynhans in Heidelberg called to say that he had a reply from his letter to Stationary Engine Magazine, that the person who had info on his B & L, thinks it is a copy of a 1920`s Fairbanks, Morse and produced until the 1940`s.

Johan Maree reports from Worcester that anybody who is in the vicinity of O'kiep in the Northern Cape must make a point of inspecting the 4000HP MAN engine which is in 'preservation' up there. It is a 3-cylinder and dates from the 1930's. The proprietor of the O'kiep Hotel has all the information on the engine, which is supposed to have first been used at the Copper Mine there, and then a diamond mine, where it now stands. (Sounds like a KZ 70/120 or a KZ 86 to me!)

Robbie Weir rang in from Settlers near Warmbaths saying he'd been in the Cape recently and had had the pleasure of a tour of Oom Jannie duToit's International Tractor Museum in Agter Paarl. He said that they are starting a new club up there, as a result of the enthusiasm generated around the Great 400 Working in Ficksburg. He asked for the correct shade of blue/grey for the older Farmalls. He can be contacted on 014 73001 56.
International Harvester Ready-Power Genset
Two Bentall mills turned up on a farm near here and were donated 'for museum use', one is a CP 8, which I am tackling the restoration of, and an SCP 11 stone mill and sifter which Philip Gray-Taylor is going to tackle. His suggestion is to set up line-shafting with more than one mill at shows and demonstrate how factories were driven. On one of the feed-hoppers is a sheet of instructions for the Bentall No 8 to 11 mills. I made a copy as faithfully as I could, and would be pleased to forward it to anybody whois interested. 
On the same farm, I was able to purchase a complete International D6 close coupled Ready-Power genset, 15.6kVA, three phase. This uses the same engine as the American TD6 crawler and WD6 tractor with petrol start and diesel running. (See Right)

Arthur Wilding reports that he has been helping Jan Wicht with the assembly and setting up of his Crossley in his garden in the middle of Durbanville. This has included extending the concrete block to include the outrigger bearing. It will be interesting to see this engine running, with its chain-driven camshaft across the top of the engine, driving exposed rockers and valves. Arthur has been a great help to Jan, by lending him parts from his older Crossley, as patterns for parts to be made up.

Arthur and Philip Gray-Taylor put their heads together recently and got Arthur's rare/unique Voigt 'Voortrekker' engine running for the first time since restoration. This engine runs on the Brons or Hvid system of compression ignition, which is the subject of a forthcoming book by one of our Netherlands members, Jan Vegter. When the book it published, it will be reported in this newsletter.

Netherlands News:  Wouter van Gulik has made contact with Philip Gray-Taylor, in connection with a technical query on a Sachs engine. Wouter has hundreds of manuals in his posession, for which he charges £10 for copying and sending. Contact him on   wout.v.gulik@zonnet.nl

UK News:  Eric Brain sent a copy of our last newsletter on to Patrick Knight in Aldershot, who saw Philip Gray-Taylor's request for info on his Villiers Midget. He replied as follows: "I see that in the Wanted Section that Philip Gray-Taylor is seeking info on a Villiers Midget Mk 2. I have an original Operating Instruction & Spare Parts List for the Mk2 and Mk3 engines if he is interested. There is no charge, maybe he will have someting I am seeking in the future!! If he's interested can you let me have his postal address?" Philip has been scratching in his archives for anything Patrick might just not already have! 

Richard Lines reports that he was able to get his Turner Engine web site posted at:www.intonet.co.uk/~linesrg. "It is very much at the development stage and will be added to over the next few months. If you have any comments or become aware of any suitable content them I'll be delighted to receive it." Richard reports that he bought the Turner-powered genset which was advertised in several UK publications, and now has it at home. "It is in as good condition as the photo suggested and fired up first time once 24V of batteries were bolted on to it. It is rated at 5kVA and has been tested with a 3 kW kettle and a 2kW heater together and worked fine.The two original manuals are in excellent condition."

Donald Farrand is hoping to go in for his second hip operation any time now. We wish him a speedy recovery, and hope he'll be back in the ploughing seat this season!
Hitler's 4 Cyl Junkers and 400kVA generator
German News: Those of you who have had the opportunity to read the wonderful book Deutche Stationär Motoren, will have noticed that several of the engines featured in the book belong to Fritz Hochhut in Frankfurt am Main, who is a Hatz enthusiast. Cape Town member Dominik Buss hails from that part of the world, and has been to his museum, and knows Fritz's helpers, Michael Wolf, and 'Lay'. He says that although Fritz is over 80, he still cranks his own engines! In the museum containing all Fritz' engines is this Junkers 4 cylinder engine connected to a 400kVA generator, said to have come out of Hitler's Frankfurt bunker.(See right)

Australian News: We have had some feedback in connection with Peter Ogborne's mystery engine, from Patrick Knight, sent on by Roland Craven in Devon. Patrick thinks the engine might be a very early Kynoch, and in his excellent set of books, The A-Z of British Stationary Engines (which can be obtained via Stationary Engine Magazine), he mentions that many Kynochs were exported to Australia. On the subject of Kynoch, I found this reference to the name in the website of the Historical Firearms Society of South Africa:The society claimed another feather for its cap when funds were raised from members and a number of sponsors to restore the grave of George Kynoch in Johannesburg which was in a state of disrepair. Chris Baragwanath has other interests, too :-)
Theo Lötter's Southern Cross YD Before
Robert Laurent  keeps stumbling on new information in his quest for a full story on the history of Southern Cross engines, which were made in Toowoomba, Qld, near Highfields where he lives. He reports: "My Southern Cross material collection has suddenly multiplied today. I found an old SC employee who had masses of old Company books and papers. He said he'd been thinking about dumping them as he didn't know of anyone who could use them and was sick of the stuff cluttering up his garage. I've been on cloud nine going through it all - amazing stuff: reports on experimental engines; catalogues; manuals galore; advertising brochures... Wow." Rob has also been asked to convey thanks to Folker Streitberger as follows: "The fellows at the Highfields Pioneer Park were surprised to hear their big Deutz engine is on the world stage, (See Paraffinalia No 15) and asked me to send their thanks to Folker for all his efforts. There's a Government programme here called "Work for the Dole" which gets people who've been on welfare benefits for a long time to do some sort of part-time Community work. Ray Ashford (who runs the Pioneer Park) told me he's getting a couple of these workers and is planning to put them to work on the big Deutz. I assume they'll be doing cleaning and painting type of work. Everybody's looking forward to the day the old girl is back together and fires up again." Rob has been pressuring me to get on with the restoration of Theo Lötter's Southern Cross YD.  (See right, as found)

Brian Arton travelled from Moree NSW to Melbourne to visit the Steam Festival there on 9th March, and enjoyed himself there. His particular interest there was the Fowler Z7 Ploughing Engine, similar to one of the pair his grandfather, Sir Thomas Smartt brought in to South Africa for use on his large estates in the Northern Cape, near Britstown. Brian managed to talk his way on to the footplate of the engine, and took some impressive shots of what it looks like to drive a machine of that size. He kindly sent a CD of the photo's he took at the show.
Gordon Hayes' Gardner, Class 1!
New Zealand News: Gordon Hayes, the secretary of the Christchurch Historic Machinery Club kindly sent us copies of their newsletter, called IGNITOR NEWS. One of the most interesting aspects of their preservation movement that I noticed was the amount of exposure the general public has to preserved equipment, or the other way around, depending on how you look at it! Gordon writes about already having had three shows in January, and that February offered five, and March, six! Gordon also includes a special offer: If you have two inoperative Wico EK magnetos, send them to him. He will rebuild them with all new parts, and return one. No charge! Gordon also sent photo's of some of his toys, which give a new definition to the expression Class 1! (See Right!)
 
Stutterheim S/Engine Museum, with M&W
USA News: In Paraffinalia No13 I sent out a request for information on Mietz & Weiss engines, as a result of a request from Dusty M Erickson in Arizona. At that time he knew of 47 engines worldwide. Dusty has the archives of this make and runs the register. Simon Morris from Queenstown in the Eastern Cape contacted me to say that they had one at the Stutterheim Stationary Engine Museum, and sent wonderful photo's of the Museum, including this one on the right. Dusty is delighted to recognise the black engine at the right as a Mietz & Weiss, and would like to know its serial number and flywheel size. From that he can tell its horsepower, and other details. Simon has since reported that they have a second M&W there as well! Dusty reports that he has been told that there is another one at Sandstone Estates, but does not have any details. Can anybody help? I was hoping that one of our members visiting for the Great 400 Working would have been able to see the engine, but sadly security had to be very tight for the duration of the show. Dusty can be contacted on dusty@gameguns.com

New Members:  (Remember, being a member only involves opening and reading this newsletter, we're a no subs, no rules Society!) Udo Uhlmann is mentioned above, Patrick Knight needs no introduction! Daniel Burger from Villiersdorp near here is young and keen. He has taken on the project of the restoration of an International Harvester LB from Oom Flip Viljoen. Chris Baragwanath from Gauteng (Johannesburg) wrote in recently to David Edgington at Stationary Engine Magazine, with details of his Lister, John Menasce, also from Jo'burg has a Lister D, or parts from several, which Philip Gray-Taylor is helping him make into a complete engine, John Hobbs (no relation to the one who writes for Old Glory Magazine!) called in from Plettenberg Bay. He has a Sachs, an IH LB (pig), and two air-cooled Rustons. He was referred to us by Kobus Groenewald in Stilbaai.  Peter Ogborne in Perth WA has asked me to add these people's names to our circulation, most are members of the Machinery Preservation Society of WA Inc. David Ashfold, Peter Dymond, Ron Glassby, Steve Green, Lindsay Hill, Peter John Mack, Thomas Mackay, Ralph Thomas, Bert Tyler, Jack Watson, Ross Morton, and his big buddy from Marthasville, Mo, in the States, Eugene Lapointe. Terence Taylour contacted me from Ireland in connection with the Ruston story that appeared in Stationary Engine Magazine. He used to live in these parts, and still has his collection of engines from here, including a Witte which spent its working life at Fairfield Estate in Bredasdorp. (We'll have to talk to him about exporting our heritage! :-) ) Frans van Zyl runs a workshop on a large farm near here, and has been bitten..... At a recent engine show at his Church fête inDouglas, Hendrik v d Berg signed up young Johannes Engelbrecht. Another one bitten! Last but not least, Bill and Sheila Claydon from Hartebeesfontein have made an enormous contribution to the Stationary Engine Preservation Movement....More details next issue!

Tractor & Engine Club  All is on stream for the big 10th Anniversary Show at Kleinplasie scheduled for 8th, 9th and 10th August 2002. We have been allocated a very pleasant place under trees near the stadium.

Restored Engine CD. Hendrik v d Berg is keen to make a CD with pictures of members' restored engines. Please send your favourites to him at the address below, or if you have photo's, send to me at P O Box 41 Elgin 7180 South Africa. He asks for pictures of about 30k size.

For Sale / Available: Johan Maree invites serious offers for his 1928 Chev Lorry, which we saw at the Villiersdorp show in 2000. Contact him on 023 342 1092 (Worcester) after 7 in the evening.

Hendrik v d Berg in Douglas has a Farmall Super A there that’s available if there's somebody eager to restore one. He got her together with his AV, and as a stationary engine lover he dosn't know when her turn will come to get restored. Contact me, or him on hfvdberg@douglas.co.za

Harvey Metcalf  knows somebody who's looking for someone who would like a Wolseley (tank cooled) engine either to use for spares or to rebuild. harveym@adsme.co.za or phone 021 787 3398.

As mentioned above, I have made a copy of the instructions for the E H Bentall No 8 to No 11 mills. Contact me if you want a copy, either electronically, or hardcopy.

Wanted: Hendrik also reports that his Bernard WO engine is quite eager to run. "She started very easily after a bit of cleaning. She arrived here without the side and top cover/fuel tank. Please put a request in the next newsletter."
Bernard casing

Hendrik is also working on his 6½ hp Ruston Hornsby. One of the older models that uses the Wico EK magneto. Serial No 168458. "I need an "Air Baffle" and "Oil Filler Body with Cap" for her. Oh and she is also short of an exhaust muffler. I don't know how it is with my Ruston Hornsby engines, they're always short of exhaust mufflers."  

What's On:  Please check with the organisers before travelling to these events!
4th Annual Winter Warm-up at Arthur's place in Groot Drakenstein is scheduled for Saturday 29th June 2002. The idea is to have a low-key event open to anybody on the circulation of this newsletter and their friends. Bring something to make a noise with, and something to put on a fire. We do not wish this informal gathering to get out of hand like it threatened to do last year!
 
8th, 9th & 10th August, 2002. Tenth annual show of the Tractor & Engine Club of the Westen Cape, at Kleinplasie Museum, Worcester.

Please remember your name-tags, even if you are just coming along as a spectator!  (I have made a lot, but it looks from the list above that I'll have to make a whole lot more! So turn up and claim it!)

Andy Selfe, Sec. (021)8592430 (home & manual fax) e-mail aselfe@mweb.co.za