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WALSH's - END OF AN ERA

Athy

By Athy
in Gardner

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Athy Veteran II

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I learned today, while phoning Steve Bradley at Walsh's Engineering in Manchester to order some bits, that the firm is no longer supplying rebuilt

2LWs. They outshopped the last one early this year, blaming escalating costs and the increasingly poor state of base engines imported from S. Africa. So, if you were thinking of ordering one from them, in Northern parlance you're boogered. I don't know if anyone else is supplying such engines. He who hesitates is lost.

 

The good news is that if you already have your Gardner, Walsh's will continue to supply parts for it.

 

How many other forum members bought their engine from Walsh's? I know of at least one.

Edited by Athy
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LEO Influencer

LEODonate to Canal World

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I learned today, while phoning Steve Bradley at Walsh's Engineering in Manchester to order some bits, that the firm is no longer supplying rebuilt

2LWs. They outshopped the last one early this year, blaming escalating costs and the increasingly poor state of base engines imported from S. Africa. So, if you were thinking of ordering one from them, in Northern parlance you're boogered. I don't know if anyone else is supplying such engines. He who hesitates is lost.

 

The good news is that if you already have your Gardner, Walsh's will continue to supply parts for it.

 

How many other forum members bought their engine from Walsh's? I know of at least one.

 

Hi

I've got one, I had heard the engines sourced from South Africa had problems with castings. There is another restorer who operates from Ireland...but I am unable to comment on the quality of his work.

Now about those red air filters and the paintwork.!!!!

L.

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Athy Veteran II

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Carl Trigg, perhaps?

My air filter still has almost immaculate paintwork, but the rest of the engine did seem to have been under-prepared before painting, so after a couple of yours it started to fall off. A tin of Gardner Grey paint from Tony Redshaw has rectified the situation.

 

Of course I was forgetting, Redshaw's also restore Gardner engines, though I don't think they do very many.

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Carl Trigg, perhaps?

My air filter still has almost immaculate paintwork, but the rest of the engine did seem to have been under-prepared before painting, so after a couple of yours it started to fall off. A tin of Gardner Grey paint from Tony Redshaw has rectified the situation.

 

Of course I was forgetting, Redshaw's also restore Gardner engines, though I don't think they do very many.

 

Are Redshaws still there? When I cruised past the other day the place looked rather shut up and quiet, and most of the boats outside had gone, so I wondered if something was in the wind. It was a Saturday afternoon though.

 

MtB

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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Hi,

 

No it's a guy called Joe McCool.

 

 

L.

 

Gotcha - he trades as Tangent Engineering. In his stock list of engines for sale, he differentiates between "marine" and "proper marine"; how charmingly Irish.

 

Mike, his web site is alive and well. Perhaps the boats which normally park outside his works have gone up to Alvecote?

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Athy Veteran II

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Curiouser and curiouser. They announce themselves as being in Daventry on their web site, but they quote a Braunston address - I assumed that this was because Daventry was the nearest well known town.

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Maybe I should pull the 3LW out of my boat and put it in storage for 10 years it will be worth a fortune. Put a proper engine in it's place of cause what are these Kobota's like?.

 

Very slow revving and traditional. Just the job, you'll love it!

 

I'll look after your 3LW if you like....

 

 

MtB

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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I thought this thread was far more serious than it is after all....

 

I assumed Seamus Walsh was no longer supplying his "Walsh" aluminium windlasses......

 

Panic over - it's only about those Gardner things!.......

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Athy Veteran II

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The majority of Gardners in canal use were not truck/lorry engines, as they're 2LWs and too small to power a truck/lorry. Mine, in common with those fitted in numerous narrowboats, was a narrow gauge locomotive engine.

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Athy Veteran II

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I have the book about Gardner's, the unbiasedly-titled 'Legendary Engineering Excellence', which includes a photo of a luxury car fitted with a Gardner engine.

So did you take up the offer? I guess if it was owned by the family it would have been maintained in tip-top condition. What kind was it, and what was the age of the car?

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