Sold March 2019 Back to Archive

A finely made, well-proportioned vertical single cylinder engine fitted with Stephenson reversing gear and crankshaft mounted governor.

A builder's plate, shown in old photographs belonging to the previous owner although lost at some point over the years, reads "A.Wood, maker, 1922 Manchester" - the engine hasn't left that area in the last 100 years.

I suspect Mr Wood had a working relationship with the full-size engine - possibly as a fitter, given the high level of detail and excellent standard of workmanship.

One of those engines where, the longer you look, the more detail you see: a cast oil trough beneath the eccentric straps; bearing caps and eccentric straps fitted with thin locking nuts and nicely formed stud ends; finely turned oil cups fitted throughout; prototypical regulator valve with spoked handwheel and acme thread; cylinder drain cocks with spring-loaded relief valves; flanged and bolted pipe unions.

Overall the engine is in good condition, paintwork looks to be original, with a patina acquired over the last hundred years. The engine, as you would expect, turns over smoothly and runs on air.

The only work we would suggest is making and fitting a replica builder's plate (the size and shape known accurately from its outline in the paintwork and brass mounting screws, still fitted), along with a flywheel bar, used for turning the full-size engine over dead centre when starting - there are a pair of brackets on the base of the engine to store it when not in use.