Object number
79/67
Description
This is a portable oil engine, a single cylinder, horizontal oil engine on 4 wheel trolley. This example was manufactured by Powell Brothers Ltd. of Wrexham 1925-6.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Portable Oil Engine // Wright, The Old Dairy, Sonning, Berks // Description: Single cylinder, horizontal oil engine on 4 wheel trolley. Warer cooled. Manufactured by Powell Brothers Ltd. of Wrexham 1925-26. Plate on water hopper 'Powell the dependable oil engine'. Engine no.19331. 3H.P. Ball type gvernors. Striker Magneto. Two flywheels, one pulley wheel. Galvanized fuel tank at front of trolley. Original colour green. // Associated information: Purchased by donor's father, George John Wright, at the R.A.S.E. Reading show in 1926. Used in the Dairy, Sonning for grinding cattle feed crushing oats and sowing timber. Dairy business acquired by donor's grandfather, John Wright, from his father in law, Thomas Lacy in 1854. Room for 14 cows at the sonning Dairy, with the use of meadows leading down to the river at the rear. Dairy business closed 1940/41. Powell Brothers based at Cambrian Iron Works, Wrexham. Until 1914 firm known as Powell Brothers at Whitaker. After WW1, Powells stopped manufactre of horse gearing to concentrate on oil engines to power their range of barn machinery. New version of the engine appeared in 1925.'
Production place
Wrexham
Object name
Associated subject
