Internal Fire Museum of Power

Afternoon people! It would appear that I have done a deal for a little Stuart engine, which on going to view it, provides a bit of a conundrum... Looks a little bit like a P3, but the only lettering on the crankcase side is "Stuart" with the numbers "950" below. Has an odd exhaust arrangement, with a pipe to a cast expansion pot below. EIC magneto on an aluminium timing case, governor assembly also on timing case. There will be pics to follow when I have collected it in the daylight! What do we reckon? No number plate, so I will look for numbers when I get it home... Matt G

Hello,

there is some odd stuarts out there:



Has it got a flat head or one like pictured? bellow is a Advert for the C 300W set.



Always fancied a early Stuart 2 Stroke, they always alluded me! Look forwards to the Pictures.

Cheers Steve

Morning Steve, the cylinder head doesn't look like either of those pictured, it looks like a P3 cylinder head, and the base mounting looks like the P3 three bolt base... The exhaust is what intrigues me most, it is an angled boss on the bottom curve of the water jacket, with a pipe down to an expansion box, not the traditional Stuart cast iron pot on the side of the barrel. Pics should be up on Saturday... Matt G

Hi Matt,

The top one is a Normal P3 head, just a different magneto/carb/exhaust set up, stuart seem to have made a few special requirement engines, AFAIK pre war (WW1) engines had the flat cylinder head, they started production of the P3 after the war.


Im a bit of a stuart fan, had most of the common engines, as well as a flattie, the P3 (as well as the K1 and Diesel) keep eluding me, so interested to see anything stuart turner.

Cheers Steve

Evening all, thanks for your patience whilst I got the little beastie collected. Herewith attached some photos of it, sorry for the poor quality, but I hope good enough to identify it... I am now leaning towards it being a P3, but I cannot find any numbers to identify it absolutely. I've had a look round the edge of the head and barrel, any ideas where else it might be? Assuming it is a P3, what size/type of dynamo would have been supplied with it? All help gratefully received.......

Hello,

Now that is a interesting thing, I have seen a engine with similar castings, which belongs to Smenkhare, not sure if he is on here but is on other forums.





I have dropped him a PM with a Link to this thread, might be able to help each other.

I have to say im a tad jealous!

Cheers Steve

BTW Steve
Superb tribute to your Grandad.

cheers
Roland

Thanks! Im glad not only I enjoyed it, most the hard work was undertaken by Eric.

Cheers Steve

Evening Steve, just a quick note to say the engine in your pictures isn't just similar castings, it is damn near identical!! Matt

Its a Stuart type W2. A friend has one, see below. I believe most were supplied in kit form, hence variations.

Ah I must have the W2 confused with something else, I thought this was the W2



note to self: read more.....

Cheers Steve

Well, that answers quite a few questions in one go! The engine is mounted in a nice steel angle frame, on a steel bedplate, which all show signs of being model engineer built, frame is riveted and whitworth bolts. The timing case is bolted on where the magneto would normally be fitted, and the governor is driven off the same drive. The magneto has been mounted on a bracket bolted to the cast base, and this shows definite model engineer parentage, being BA bolts for fitting! It also has a nice little homemade fuel tank, and a real work of art in the form of a multitube brass and copper radiator! I have been told that this engine came from a house in Harting, where it was part of a lighting set. If it was supplied as castings, that would explain the lack of serial numbers... Any ideas when the castings were available from/to?

Steve, That engine is the 1/2hp. Dont think it ever had a type designation.



All sounds lovely. Will make an interesting exhibit. Is that Harting in Sussex? As for dates PK's A-Z states introduced around 1936.

HTH

Mark

Yes, that's the one, Harting, between Chichester and Petersfield... Looks like the plan of keeping it "as found" is the best one, will be looking for a suitable dynamo in the near future... Matt G

Don't let the BA fool you. Many old engines used BA. For example the Petter M mag studs and the gear set-screw. A member of the Petter family was high up in the B.E.A. (British Engineering Association) sucessor to the B.A.

cheers
Roland