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WALSH's - END OF AN ERA

Athy

By Athy
in Gardner

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The Pipe Rising Star

The Pipe

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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.

Many have come from cranes as well, mines out of a Smiths crane.

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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Did it lift packets of crisps or bundles of newspapers?

Many were also fitted in sea-going boats, but I guess those would often be too big for n/b use unless they were from small fishing boats.

 

Seriously, who were the Smith's who ran (or built) these cranes?

Edited by Athy
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Split Pin Collaborator

Split Pin

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Smiths Cranes were based in Rodley (Yorks) , a bit of history http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_Smith_and_Sons

 

Also pics in the 'Legendary Engineering Excellence',book pages 127and 166

 

My 3LW supplied to Smiths in 1952 was Gardner engine No 11 according to the plate from the crane.

 

Re Walsh's and the last 2lw, I was told at least a year ago that Walsh's would not be importing any more container loads of engines from S Africa due to the poor condition and amount of missing parts.

 

Also that if any one wanted one they would ship them in one at a time at pallet rate in a container, Obviously this has now come to an end as well.

 

By the time the last container load came back from S.A they were being rounded up from wherever they could be found without regard for condition , many probably sidelined as being uneconomical to repair

 

Steve

 

Edited to correct county

Edited by Split Pin
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steamraiser2 Proficient

steamraiser2

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All the 2LWs coming into Europe from South Africa are imported through the Republic of Ireland. This source of supply has pretty much ended now. It is where Walsh's got them from. We still stock both 2 and 3 LWs and have a supply that does not originate from Africa as well.

 

Having had a lot of South African engines in recent years we have never found one that is unrepairable and have been quietly impressed at some of the local engineering used to keep them going under UN sanctions.

 

Of all the engine types we restore the 2LWs seem to be the least fashionable at the moment. We sell twice as many Lister JPs and 3LWs as we do 2LWs and a lot of Kromhouts too.

 

Never had any casting problems with any of them but have had some very very tired engines come in from the gold mines.

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

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Andy, that must be a rare bird - when I went to their workshops I'm sure they had only 2LWs in stock, that was in 2005 or 2006.

Steamraiser, good info, thanks. I'm sure that Walsh's told me that they had imported the engines directly from S. Africa. So where do yours come from?

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steamraiser2 Proficient

steamraiser2

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The guy in Ireland ( not Joe) is the sole commercial importer from South Africa and it was he who told us that Walsh's bought their engines through him.

 

We buy our engines from all over the world including Hong Kong and Australia. Wherever we had empire there were Gardners and Listers. Many are still there if you know who to ask. sleep.png

 

As to "rare" 3LWs we do have a access to a warehouse with loads of them lined up inside. We don't think that there are many lying around in the UK though.

Edited by steamraiser2
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by'eck Veteran

by'eck

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Redshaws lease was not renewed, I understand that they have a unit in Daventry but I am not sure where.

 

They have moved to Royal Oak Industrial Estate just to the north west of Daventry town centre. The lease was up at Braunston and new rent too high apparently.

 

New address:

 

Tony Redshaw Vintage Diesels

13 Riley Close

Daventry NN11 8QT

 

01327-700219

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steamraiser2 Proficient

steamraiser2

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We buy our engines from all over the world including Hong Kong and Australia. Wherever we had empire there were Gardners and Listers. Many are still there if you know who to ask. sleep.png

 

On the subject of stuff still being "out there" look what the local pallet delivery guy dumped on the drive this morning. 1930 3L2 marine all original and it runs. Went first turn which isn't bad as its been out of use for years. Enquiries engraved into a gold bar welcome! laugh.png

 

gardner_3L2_engine_001.jpg

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mark99 Veteran II

mark99

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I met a chap this year with 3L2. He had no idea it was actually worth something and he was going to swap it over for a ............ hydbrid electrical set up and was expecting grief disposing of it. After a long conversation he was a very happy bloke and I think it should go for sale eventually via Gardner Enthusiast.

Edited by mark99
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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

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Yee-hah!

 

Isn't the problem with the L2s that Gardner no longer stock their spares - unlike the LWs for instance?

 

Oddly, they don't support the slightly more recent LKs either.

 

 

Gardners stopped supporting the LK many, many years ago, late 1960s I think.

The L2 does have some common parts with the LW (Pistons and exhaust valves being the most important).

Things like cylinder heads were still available until ~ 20 years ago, because they were the same as for the 1L2 which was used extensively by Trinity House.

 

Tim

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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They have moved to Royal Oak Industrial Estate just to the north west of Daventry town centre. The lease was up at Braunston and new rent too high apparently.

 

New address:

 

Tony Redshaw Vintage Diesels

13 Riley Close

Daventry NN11 8QT

 

01327-700219

 

 

It's not that reassuring that their web-site still shows something quite different on the "contact us" page, though!

 

Contact Tony Redshaw Vintage Diesels

We work 9am-6pm Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm Saturday

Address

Morrisflex Works

London Road

Braunston

Northants

NN11 7HX

 

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mark99 Veteran II

mark99

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It's not that reassuring that their web-site still shows something quite different on the "contact us" page, though!

 

 

I've contacted them a few times recently (incl. yesterday) and they always return communications.

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