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Had three more days on the workshop, lots of action, not enough pics though... Planing the rough sawn timber for the doors A misty start to the day on Saturday Cutting the mortises Gluing the first door frame, trailer makes a good work bench. A fine start to the day yesterday First door hung, second door glued up, still the panels to nail in!

Power washed the D160 again, this time from bottom to top and from top to bottom, lots of greasy dirt and grass. Will be installing the K341 on it soon

Also been doing a little digging into the company which started making these machines. The Raven Engineering Co Ltd were in fact quite a small operation. Running their offices from what would appear to have been a residential property, and the works from a nearby small workshop. Here is a copy of the email I received yesterday...... Dear Darren Thank you for your intriguing query sent in via the website. To be honest, I had never come across Raven Engineering until now. However, I found the following entry in the 1956 Outer London (West Middlesex) Phone Book. These two locations are close to each other at their back entrances (see attached map). As you can see from the attached, the 11 St John's Road premises are residential although I guess Raven were using them as offices (and hence the two phone numbers?). You'll see that a work/live Unit has been squeezed in next door at 11b and there was a very small single story workshop there before, maybe when Raven were there too. 29 High Street (also attached) has had a very varied history: airplane propellers in WW1, parts for cockpit of the Kingston-built Hawker Hurricane in WW2, Celestion Ditton speakers between the two and more recently some of the scenery for the film Alien. But I haven't come across any other Raven Engineering stuff I'm afraid. Best regards Ray Ray Elmittauthor of Hampton Wick: Brick by Brick and other books available now at: http://www.hamptonwickhistory.org.uk/HamptonWickHistory/Publications.html He also sent me some photographs of the relevant buildings and a small map showing the location, plus the phone book entry.

The rain moved out and allowed a beautiful Sunset to highlight the clouds retreat

Early start this morning in thick fog, we arrived at the garden centre and set up the engine and made a coffee, ran the engine for a couple of hours sold a pair of wheels and had a look around and managed to. buy some kohler exhaust plpe connectors. We went into the cafe and had a nice fried breakfast ran the engine again untill 3pm, loaded up and came home. A nice little outing and chilled out. Heres a couple of photos

:DA recent addition to my collection but what was it for

Hark to who's talking.

That's given me an idea for saving the need to take the cutter deck off, to clean after use.

Some photo's taken on a visit to the above. This Caterpillar combine below, has to be seen to be believed. Absolutely gorgeous. Something for the Ransomes boys. This strange thing is a cutter chucker for making silage. If you look closely at this Leyland you will notice it's all cut away.

Ooops - scroll over pic 1 and you will have the answer

I knew you'd change it.

Email sent The Ohlsson & Rice section of this forum has been linked all around the net on US sites and some international sites as well. It is the only active forum on the entire net (as of now anyway) for O&R compact engines so posting stuff for sale on here is still an excellent way to reach other collectors. Our old site, before we moved here, had many members from around the world although most were from the US. I just wanted to let any other potential members who are interested in O&R engines know this.

Chicken plucking good day then Mr Showman !!

Here is a photo of my Grandfather(driving) with his first tractor. We think it was in the early 50's, go by the age of my mother and two uncles. I would love to have this tractor today but i think it was exported to South Africa. Is there any way to find out if it is still in the UK? Another old photo of my mum when she was about sixteen on her way to feed the hens. Could you picture asking a teenager to do this today!

Don't be too upset, the U.S. government can't find 11 million Immigrant workers, but they nailed down the exact stall that contained the cow that started Mad Cow disease, go figure.

Nice. Thought Fred Dibnah was dead. If so is that his twin starting your engine