My Bike rides

[IAN FINN 804]

The name does not sound familiar just thought does Dalgliesh sound familiar?

[philmayfield 6,110]

Not to me no sorry.

[plantfit 7,569]

I first learned to weld using carbide acetylene gas and oxygen and I remember having to drain the grey slurry from the water tank every so often

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,569]

Carbide bike lamp stripped, cleaned and reassembled, looks good on the 1937 Hercules gents model T

 

 

Rog

[Beekay 5,133]

I'll bet brother Plantfit doesn't see many cyclists like this on his travels...

[IAN FINN 804]

Do you Beekay? she is getting her leg over.

[Beekay 5,133]

Heyup Ian, I reckon it's a bloke. Certainly knows how to mount a gents bike.

Rog will probably throttle me.  

[plantfit 7,569]

Ah you now know the real reason I took up cycling as a hobby Barrie, by the way I've still got that jacket although it's a bit tight on me now 

 

Rog

[siddha 825]

Fixed wheel bike I think, not a quick release arrangement to be seen. 

[Alpha 176]

It was Dalgleish Brothers, Bobbers Mill, a building on the left, down a yard just above Albert Avenue.

 

 

[Beekay 5,133]

Just for you Rog. I found it fascinating....

 

 

[IAN FINN 804]

Thats it Alpha my memory is getting foggy but it was way back in the 50s thankyou.

[plantfit 7,569]

Well the new/old carbide cycle lamp works well, only half a tank of carbide in it and it's been running over an hour so far, and I didn't manage to blow myself or the shed up

 

 

 

Rog

[philmayfield 6,110]

You’re done a cracking restoration there Rog. I’ve been looking for a project and suddenly realised I’ve got one. My 1952 grey Fergie tractor is looking a bit sorry for itself having stood outside for over three years. It wants washing to remove the moss and lichen, and then an oil change before I crank it over. I’ll see if the battery will hold a charge. I did fully restore it some 30 years ago when I bought it from a man with the unfortunate name of Mr. Willy and it’s known as Willy Fergie. It used to pull the mower at Melton Mowbray CC at one time. I’ll get a cover to protect it from the elements. All parts are readily available from the Old Twenty Parts Co. at Sawley who specialise in vintage tractors.

[Willow wilson 894]

Sounds and looks good Rog. Have you used one in the dark? It seems quite bright. My dad had a lamp-oil bike lamp with a dish reflector behind the wick, a clear lens for ahead and a small clear lens each side of the body, I don't know the purpose of these side lenses except perhaps awareness. The whole unit was suspended on a sprung parallelogram arrangement which fitted the standard lamp bracket. I never saw it used in the dark but I remember domestic oil lamps were quite bright so it must have been a  useful light when concentrated with a reflector and fat lens. In the late 50s I acqired a bottle dynamo plus an elegant chrome teardrop-shaped front lamp plus a large multi facetted red jewel rear lamp. In the dark autumn evenings 3 or 4 of us would occasionally ride out to Thrumpton or Gotham or various localities where there were no street lamps just to enjoy riding in the dark with decent bike lighting. Not much in the way of scenery but it was different following the tunnel of a few good bike lamps. I had a sort of obsessive fascination with lights in those days. My 3rd-hand bike and a wind-up Rotary watch were my worldly treasures in those days.

[plantfit 7,569]

The grey Fergie sounds a great project for you Phil and it's the right time of the year to start as well with the warmer weather and light nights on the way,is yours a petrol or diesel Fergie, I have done some work on both in the past, great little tractors to work on as everything is within easy reach, I look forward to seeing some photo's of it if thats possible

Willow Wilson, this light too has the parallelogram arrangement to keep the lamp level when it's on the bike, it also has the two green facetted lenses either side of the main lamp, the main lens is four inch diameter and is magnified, I polished the reflector best I could going from brass wire brush through wire wool then T cut and finally Brasso, it throws out a good light, the actual burner head is "V" shaped with angled holes facing each other and when the gas is lit the flames come together in a bright light, the half tank of carbide I put in it to try it out lasted just over three hours.

[philmayfield 6,110]

The Fergie is a 1952 TED 20. That’s the petrol/paraffin model. For those who aren’t familiar it has two fuel tanks, petrol and paraffin ( the paraffin is actually TVO, tractor vaporising oil, which is a bit of a witches brew but consists primarily of paraffin) The procedure was to start it on petrol and when up to temperature it was switched over to the cheaper, duty free paraffin. I’ve just given it a wipe over with a damp rag and removed the lichen and I’ve put the battery on charge. The oil looks clean but the top hose has perished. I used to bring it out for our village ‘open gardens’ where it sat in our meadow by the gate whilst my wife chatted to people about the flora and fauna. The kids liked  sitting on it and some of the grown ups reminisced about the old days in farming. I’ve got so much work on now that the weather has improved. Five acres takes some management now that I’m even older and greyer than the Fergie. You can come and have a play with it Rog when it’s in a more presentable state. I’ve been working on engines for 60+ years but you will have had more hands on experience.

[plantfit 7,569]

Sounds like a plan Phil

 

Rog

 

 

[LizzieM 9,505]

There’s a thread titled ‘Anyone Interested in Tractors’, I think started by Plantfit in March 2019.  At that time I posted a few photos, including one of our 1947 Grey Fergie.  The restoration of the tractor kept my son and husband quiet for several months!  
AND ……. in case you tractor fans missed it, there’s just been “Beyond The Yorkshire Farm” on Channel 5 tonight, a lot of vintage tractors to see.  

[IAN FINN 804]

My dad had an old Chaseside front end loader it used TVO after it had warmed enough no hydraulics just pulleys and cables.

[letsavagoo 960]

I’ve had a ‘bit of a thing’ for paraffin burning items ever since I acquired a blow lamp from a church jumble sale when I was about 10. My neighbour, Mr Mayfield (no relation to Phil I suspect) saw me playing with it and showed me how to prime and use it. Since then I had numerous Optimus camp stoves. I still have a Svea camp stove but that’s petrol burning. I have several oil lamps and a couple can be seen in this photo I took at Christmas.  The one lit on the table and one on the window sill which has a matching one just out of shot, are are all twin wick types. I also have a pair of ‘Aladdin’ (that’s the maker) lamps which are a clever design which vaporise the paraffin to a blue flame hot enough to illuminate an incandescent gauze which lights brilliant white. They’re very bright. 
All the lamps are fully working and do get used occasionally. I prefer the vaporising things that roar. The wick burners are a bit tame.

Incidentally I one had a summer job years ago as a Mr Whippy ice cream seller. They had a small motor for the freezing kit in the back of the van that started on petrol but when warmed up switched to a sort of cheap paraffin like fuel. 

 

 

[plantfit 7,569]

Lizzie, I remember that topic, I think Nonna started it, I posted quite a few pictures on it though, I remember you posting pictures of your Grey Fergie and was there a small Kabota tractor or similar,

 

Ian Finn, just for you, this old Chaseside is slowly turning into a rust pile at the end of our village so I took some pictures before it eventually disappears,

 

Letsavagoo, I think the softer light given off by oil/paraffin/carbide gives for a much more atmospheric feeling, what a lovely picture

 

Rog

[Cliff Ton 10,451]

10 hours ago, LizzieM said:

There’s a thread titled ‘Anyone Interested in Tractors’, I think started by Plantfit in March 2019.  At that time I posted a few photos, including one of our 1947 Grey Fergie. 

 

4 minutes ago, plantfit said:

Lizzie, I remember that topic, I think Nonna started it, I posted quite a few pictures on it though, I remember you posting pictures of your Grey Fergie and was there a small Kabota tractor or similar,

 

 

It's still here.

 

https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/18020-anyone-interested-in-tractors/?tab=comments#comment-601707

 

[letsavagoo 960]

17 hours ago, philmayfield said:

The Fergie is a 1952 TED 20. That’s the petrol/paraffin model. For those who aren’t familiar it has two fuel tanks, petrol and paraffin ( the paraffin is actually TVO, tractor vaporising oil, which is a bit of a witches brew but consists primarily of paraffin)

 Can you get TVO okay Phil. I bought some paraffin for my lamps recently from the Handy centre and was shocked at the cost. More expensive than petrol. 4 ltrs over £10

[philmayfield 6,110]

I think TVO goes back to the post war days when they put duty on petrol and paraffin was duty free and much cheaper. It’s primarily a mixture of U/L petrol and 28sec. heating oil. The ratio depends on the octane rating you’re looking for depending whether the work is light (mowing) or heavy (ploughing). I’ve never used it and I doubt if anyone else does nowadays. I think there are some ‘secret’ recipes with other additives.