Author Topic: The Southworth Engines  (Read 4439 times)

Offline GWRdriver

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The Southworth Engines
« on: April 08, 2013, 12:48:05 AM »
So to start this thread I would like to identify the problems with my Arnold Throp Cross compound engine. . . . You should also be aware of the problems with the castings. Originally the patterns were made in wood but Arnold was inundated with demand that these soon wore out :disappointed:. When the design was passed to Southworth Engines, Peter Southworth decided to make a casting from the original wood patterns in aluminum, the result is that you have to be really careful when you look at the raw casting and make sure that you put your datums in the right position. - Jo
Hello Jo,
I thought I would begin a new thread to prevent this getting hidden in the previous one.  Somewhere in the Southworth mix you describe was Fleet Model Steam Services (Essex - Terry Fleet Prop.)   Terry offered castings for the Throp Corliss in the familiar multi-configuration form for several years in the early 1980s.  I last saw the Fleet castings advertised in ME in 1984.   Although I never knew for certain, it was my assumption that Peter Southworth's first Corliss model (which won dishware at the MEX) was from Terry Fleet's castings.  Certainly it's possible he made his own patterns, and it is also possible that Peter acquired the patterns from Terry Fleet and Fleet had acquired the originals from Arnold.

In any case, you may be aware that Peter Southworth passed away over a year ago and I have recently been in touch with his successor, Bob Potter.  Bob was a long-time friend and regular assistant to Peter and he acquired the Southworth Engines line after Peter's death.  His plan is to continue the Southworth line and in time add additional items.  He is aware of the various shortcomings in the patterns and drawings and according to his last email everything is being checked and corrected, reworked, or remade in order to bring it all up to snuff.  I think this is good news and I hope he makes good on the plan.
Cheers,
Harry

Offline Jo

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Re: The Southworth Engines
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2013, 07:30:28 AM »
Thanks Harry,

I was aware that FMSS offered the casting set for some time prior to Peter S taking over. My recollection of my meeting with Peter S was a longstanding friend of Arnold Throp so logically I would have thought that the castings would have gone from Arnold to Peter. But then Arnold is normally better remembered for his Dore milling machine.

Bob Potter has been joining in on my Corliss Cross Compound (or "C3") thread and taking notes on some of the short comings. I am hoping that he will also post some of his work here.  8)

My C3 is currently on hold as this forum has a lot of Corliss engines underway at the moment and there is a little beam engine that has installed itself on my dinning room table  that I have promised will get my attention once the R&B is as far as I can take her and the DTC is installed in my Drawing room   :whoohoo:.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline GWRdriver

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Re: The Southworth Engines
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2013, 03:59:45 PM »
My recollection of my meeting with Peter S was a longstanding friend of Arnold Throp so logically I would have thought that the castings would have gone from Arnold to Peter.
And they may very well have, but all's well that ends well.  I can't recall when this was, late 1980s perhaps, pre-Email in any case, after the exchange of a few letters with Terry Fleet he agreed to have one more set of castings poured from his patterns for me, but that set never materialized, or at least I never heard from him again.  I suspect he was done with that endeavor and wanted me to stop bugging him and go away.  :stickpoke:
Cheers,
Harry

Offline pgp001

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Re: The Southworth Engines
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2013, 04:26:57 PM »
I have a Fleet Engineering letter/sales leaflet showing the thirteen possible combinations of the Corliss engine builds.
It is dated September 1984

Phil

 

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