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pmackellow

The Ladybird electric mower

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At the start of a very long day yesterday, we went to Christchurch in Dorset to pick this up before coming back to Eastleigh in Hampshire for the Bill Targett Memorial Rally

 

Its a Ladybird electric mower, made in the late 40's and early 50's by a company named Metalair

 

I saw it on that well known auction website and mine was the only bid, I'm pleased with it as its a bit unusual and almost looks like an electric version of the Nash Boadicea mower of which between Steve D and myself are now three in number... :)

 

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Our line up did look good yesterday mate and really like the ladybird.

 

It certainly got some interest Steve :)

 

I googled ladybird mower and found out some information on it, unlike the Nash Boadiceas for which very little information has come to light... :(

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Be interested to see what the motor looks like - couldn't decide if it has a normaly-ish motor and a right angle drive, or a thin vertical motor.

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Be interested to see what the motor looks like - couldn't decide if it has a normaly-ish motor and a right angle drive, or a thin vertical motor.

 

Here you are...

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Very unusual "universal" (AC or DC mains) motor. Very low profile, looks like it eas specially made. I do have a spare "iron" type plug, if you break that one at any time. If the brushes are worn, you'll have to find some of a similar size and file them to fit, unless you are REALLY lucky!

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Newbie here. Well, I just bought one of these from that selfsame auction site!

 

It's a rather sweet, very light little machine. Apparently, they were designed for ladies to use, hence why they were given the cutesy name - it was post-war and men were in short supply, so the ladies were having to take on traditionally male tasks.

 

I think my model is rather earlier than yours Paul, the motor is different and the wiring is not so neat. It does not have the thermal cut out on (apparently later models did) and mine does not have those reddish spots on its dome (air vents I guess).

 

Out of interest can you make out what the decal on the front says? I get "Made in England by" but after that is it A.M.I.? And what's the smaller type under that...? Mine has been painted green at some point, so that's going to be removed.

 

Unfortunately, despite a good clean, rewiring, regreasing the bearings and checking the brushes, there is still something wrong with the motor - it runs (blimey) but after a few moments it starts to smoke and slows down, and it sparks like a demon. I think I'll end up putting a modern motor in there. And the blades aren't original either.

 

I am rather taken with it though, and I plan on getting it running well.

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Newbie here. Well, I just bought one of these from that selfsame auction site!

 

It's a rather sweet, very light little machine. Apparently, they were designed for ladies to use, hence why they were given the cutesy name - it was post-war and men were in short supply, so the ladies were having to take on traditionally male tasks.

 

I think my model is rather earlier than yours Paul, the motor is different and the wiring is not so neat. It does not have the thermal cut out on (apparently later models did) and mine does not have those reddish spots on its dome (air vents I guess).

 

Out of interest can you make out what the decal on the front says? I get "Made in England by" but after that is it A.M.I.? And what's the smaller type under that...? Mine has been painted green at some point, so that's going to be removed.

 

Unfortunately, despite a good clean, rewiring, regreasing the bearings and checking the brushes, there is still something wrong with the motor - it runs (blimey) but after a few moments it starts to smoke and slows down, and it sparks like a demon. I think I'll end up putting a modern motor in there. And the blades aren't original either.

 

I am rather taken with it though, and I plan on getting it running well.

 

Hi there and welcome to the forum

 

Glad to hear someone else has got one of these machines, the wiring at the handlebar end on mine has got a bit warm at some stage in its life so I will be investigating that a bit further before I get brave and plug it in to try it !!

 

I can't make out the rest of the decal, I googled Ladybird mower and found some references on an Australian site, apparently they were made by a company called Metalair Ltd in the late 1940's and early fifties

 

Paul

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