Author Topic: New member recommissioning a vintage Douglas stationary engine  (Read 892 times)

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Offline Bob Kellock

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  • Location: Salisbury, UK
I've just joined this forum as a non-engineer friend of mine has bought a largely unmolested 1914 engine which needs recommissioning so I've taken it on and am very likely to be asking for lots of information e.g. is the flywheel fixing RH or LH and is it on a taper? If it is on a taper what do people use for a puller (the pulley doesn't look strong enough to risk using a puller on it and the flywheel is enormous)?

For your information it has the following ID.
Cast on the crankcase "THE DOUGLAS"
Stamped on the crankcase (Well lined up) "1914$" where the $ character appears to a War Department broad arrow - presumably year of manufacture
Hand stamped (poorly lined up) "25938" presumably the engine serial number.
Brass plate riveted to magneto drive gear cover
    POWER GENERATOR
FOR W/T.       TYPE P.H.D.
      PART  NO. 2150
        NO.  185                (The 185 is hand stamped)
MARCONI'S WIRELESS
 TELEGRAPH Co Ltd

If anyone can provide more general info or pics for this model I'd be very grateful.

I've attached  a couple of pics from the 1951 edition of "British Motor Cycles of the year" which might be of interest to you.

Offline EW-Ron

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Such stationary engines were discussed here not so long ago.
There is also a version made in Randwick Australia, which may or may not infringe on Marconis patents !?

Interestingly, they are not generators as such, but spark generators, for the early use of radio.
Think dots and dashes, and a morse key. And naval and military use.
In essence, they power a giant magneto !

https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=2218.msg8041#msg8041

There is a bigger longer discussion here also, can't readily find it.
Yes we can
https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=8389.msg32557;topicseen#msg32557
The Randwick operation became a very big industry in the teens
Starved of wartime supplies from Europe ...

Offline EW-Ron

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Flywheels and pullers were discussed very recently.
A search should find it.

I've always found some heat and a bump from a rubber mallet very effective.
But I don't recall the thread direction - and I've not met your engine !