Garage Raid to the Horsnell's (September 2008)
Words by S. J. Perry
Pictures by H. Ruffell
Recently Club Committee members drew a blank when it came time to organise an event for the regular first Monday of the month Club Night.
Luckily, Alan Horsnell came to the rescue by agreeing to stage a 'Garage Raid' at his place where he 'threatened' to attempt to start a long dormant MOGUL engine. Now many club members reckon themselves to be 'Petrol Heads' at heart but the name 'Mogul' probably drew a blank with most of them. As it turned out a Mogul engine is a relatively compact but VERY heavy cast iron single cylinder, twin flywheel, stationary engine of the type in common use on farms in the 1910-20 era powering water pumps and shearing plants and the like.
Alan's example, a 2-1/2 HP unit, was made around 1914 and is in fact constructed out of 3 donor engines which came to him in various stages of major disrepair (this example had a hole through the crank case, others had seized pistons other other major broken components).
Alan (with a little assistance from the gathered 'Brains Trust') worked magic and managed to start the Mogul engine which had sat, gathering dust, under his workshop bench for around 10 years. Then to cap things off, he then brought out a small-scale stationary steam engine which he started using compressed air.
To finish off the evening, Alan's wife, Gaylene, put on a lovely and much appreciated supper. A BIG thank you to Alan and Gaylene for coming to the rescue......
