Stutterheim Engine Museum

16/03/2024

26/06/2023

1980 Crossley HD3

This large, single cylinder 4 stroke diesel engine has a bore of 5¾ inches and a stroke of 11 inches. It delivers 10 bhp at 475 r.p.m. It was used to pump for the railway station in Murraysburg until 1960.

Alec Auld, assisted by his son, David, and Tony Hollins began the restoration at the beginning of 2001. It was mounted on a carriage with wheels when it arrived at this museum in 2004.

After it was delivered it still needed work to be done on it. The oil ring on the crankshaft was broken with the result that the big end bearing and crankshaft were not being lubricated. The crankshaft was reground, courtesy of Mizens in East London, and the big end re-mettled by Henry Noach of Stutterheim and then turned to fit the crankshaft, also by Mizens.

By June 2012 the oil ring was still waiting to be repaired and it was subsequently misplaced. The key on the big end was found to be slightly larger than the keyway on the connecting rod. Wayne King had it machined by Rance Timber.

Problems with the injector pump mechanism resulted in it standing idle until 2023 when Brian Beard took on the task of getting it to run. The injector pump had been passed around for attention by various people for a long time before it disappeared and was later ‘found’ again. Brian had to work out the functioning and settings on the injector pump without the manual that somehow went missing.

On 15 June 2023 the engine started and ran again.

19/03/2023

Friends and Potential Friends of the Stutterheim Engine Museum: The next get-together/bring and braai will be on Tuesday 28 March.

17/02/2023

This is a reminder about the invitation to all Friends, and Potential Friends, of the Stutterheim Engine Museum about the get-together on Tuesday 21 February. We will light the fire at 17:00 for you. Bring your meat and drinks or whatever for the Bring-and-Braai social. We will show you our big Blackstone TP engine running.

12/02/2023

This is an invitation to become a Friend of the Stutterheim Stationary Engine Museum in Stutterheim. No money or private time involved - just a late afternoon get-together/braai once a month to "shoot the breeze" and see an engine or two running. The day for the get-together is open for suggestion - the third Tuesday of the month (February 21), just for a start. Contact Brian at 083 633 2234 or Geoff at 083 745 4167 for more details/information.

14/11/2021

We are very happy when we get another engine running. This Hatz genset was installed in a 44-foot Catamaran in 1994 and was lived in for 10 years by the owner in the Buffalo Harbour. It ended up in the Kwelera River and was bought by Thomas Cole (Jnr.), who donated the engine to this Museum after refurbishing the Catamaran.

26/05/2021

A momentous occasion. After being in limbo since 2004 our Allen is repaired and running !

13/05/2021

Allen Hotbulb Twin Cylinder 2 stroke Diesel. Wed 12th May 2021. After more than 12 years asleep, Brian and Roy have joined all the pipes, blown out most of the blockages and lit each paraffin burner to heat each head (hot bulb). Seems as if there is still one jet blocked. Just hold thumbs. This is all new to us, so there will be plenty of adjusting and unblocking before each burner has a blue flame. One step at a time. More to come soon. TC

17/04/2021

A long awaited moment - placing the Allen's repaired head back into position.

06/04/2021

In about 2009 the Allen genset overheated and cracked the lhs cylinder head. The corona lockdown delayed matters. After the head was removed, it was sandblasted, then the crack in the cast iron head was welded and finally the lower surface was machined. The assembly started in April 2021.
Notes: It comes from Molteno. Serial No: 50172/2. It is a hot bulb two stroke diesel producing 70hp at 325rpm to drive a single phase 50cycle alternator. We don't have starting instructions.

16/02/2021

Old engines sometimes just get difficult. This air cooled Lister diesel was overhauled with care but now refuses to start. So some of the museum staff have put their heads together while Brian consults the Lister manual. Timing on diesels is critical especially the injector pump's spot before top-dead-center. Hold thumbs.