MOWER OF THE MONTH
Number Thirty Eight
ARUNDEL COULTHARD PRESTO
MOTOR MOWER
The Arundel Coulthard Presto motor mower was produced from the
late 1930s to the early 1950s. It was very similar in appearance to the Qualcast
16 and the Excelsior Monarch of the same period. The two manufacturers were
completely separate at the time although Arundel Coulthard was taken over by
Qualcast in the mid 1950s.
The Presto was a very simple design. Its cast iron plate side
frames supported the Villiers two stroke engine, roller and cutting mechanism.
The same Villiers engine was used on a wide range of mowers during this period,
evidence of its economy and reliability. The shape of the petrol tank, mounted
above the engine, is unusual. Most are cylindrical or square shaped.
Arundel Coulthard was based in Preston, Lancashire, and the name
of its mower would seem to be a play on words derived from the name of the home
town and, perhaps, imply that the mowers were fast workers. The company also
made hand mowers with the "Presto" and "Rollmo" names as
well as a range of horticultural and agricultural equipment.
The Presto is relatively uncommon today and only a few
collectors have examples in their collections.
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