150th Anniversary

[jake_crew]

This year marks 150 years since the formation of the firm of L. Gardner and Sons. The Etruria Industrial Museum, Stoke on Trent, is pleased to announce that they will be celebrating the anniversary by hosting the Gardner Engine biannual rally over the weekend of Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of September. Numbers have yet to be confirmed; but there are likely to be 20 Gardner engined canal boats on the Caldon Canal beside the Museum, Gardner engined commercial vehicles on the Museum's car park and perhaps 20 Gardner stationary engines on display on the Museum's field. This is in addition to the excellent Etruria Stationary Engine Rally ably organised by Maurice Barks (contact address:- Hillcrest, Dovedale Road, Kingsley, Cheadle, Staffordshire, ST10 2AD, tel; 01538 755844) on Saturday 15th and the Classic Vehicle Rally organised by the Museum on Sunday 16th. There will be a wide variety of exhibits to interest the enthusiast and the general public alike. It promises to be a memorable weekend.

[Chris-B]

In the diary

c

 

[matty40s]

oooh, might coincide with a holiday.....didnt fancy the week in Magaluf

[Athy]

What a pity that this proud company is no longer in existence to mark the occasion - a stub of it continues as Gardner Parts but they're not even in Manchester any more. The company faded away rather than abruptly closing down; does anyone know when they built their last engine? I think it was a 2LW outshopped in about 1999 or 2000.

[Stilllearning]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

What a pity that this proud company is no longer in existence to mark the occasion - a stub of it continues as Gardner Parts but they're not even in Manchester any more. The company faded away rather than abruptly closing down; does anyone know when they built their last engine? I think it was a 2LW outshopped in about 1999 or 2000.

“Outshopped” ??

You weren’t a teacher of English in a past life, by any chance?

[Athy]

17 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

“Outshopped” ??

You weren’t a teacher of English in a past life, by any chance?

A teacher yes, but principally of French, with side orders of English, History and one or two other bits - it's like that in prep schools. I chose "outshopped" to avoid the repetition of "built" which I had used only a few words previously. Do you not like the word?

[Dartagnan]

I have a Gardner 3L2 in the boat that I purchased.  ‘Markinaboat’ from whom I bought the boat kindly gave me a present which was a book detailing the history of Gardner.  The book itself had by coincidence been recommended to me previously by ‘Athy’   It’s a fascinating read and each time I look at the engine I’m reminded of its origins and the quality of both the materials and workmanship.

To illustrate my dire knowledge of mechanics etc I never realised that it was a gentleman named Diesel who in fact invented the engine named after him.  I always thought it was because they used diesel fuel duuuuuur.  Just one little fact gleaned from the book above.

[system 4-50]

shipped out?

[Athy]

1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:

shipped out?

Wot?

[GRLMK38]

We will be setting off this weekend.  How many boats are registered?

[Split Pin]

30 minutes ago, GRLMK38 said:

We will be setting off this weekend.  How many boats are registered?

20 If they all make it

10 Stationary Engines

9 Commercial Vehicles

[Jrtm]

I've got in-laws that have a spade and do gardening does this count?

[GRLMK38]

14 hours ago, Split Pin said:

20 If they all make it

10 Stationary Engines

9 Commercial Vehicles

Looking forward to it ....

[Boredrider]

4 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

Looking forward to it ....

Us too......

[Athy]

I'd love to go and visit the event but I'm working in Norwich that weekend, which rules out a trip to Stokie. However, when in the Golden Star pub in the evening I'll raise a glass to the company and to the continuing health of my 2LW (any excuse, eh?)

[MtB]

On 09/02/2018 at 18:34, jake_crew said:

This year marks 150 years since the formation of the firm of L. Gardner and Sons.

 

I'm curious now. Given diesels have only been around for about 120 years, what were Gardner doing for the first 30 years? Steam engines?

[jake_crew]

see here Mike.

 

https://www.gardnermarine.com/the-early-history-of-l-gardner-sons/