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Ransomes Bowling Green Mowers

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I need to Date the following two Ransomes Mowers Please

I thinks will be able to restore 1 of them pending spares availability

It will be intersting to determine the year of Manufacture

 

 

Forums

wristpin Wed, 18/10/2017

I'm not familiar with the Majestic but at 24" its unlikely to be a "bowling green" mower and the same applies to the Matador which is a fairly heavy duty general purpose machine. With those serial numbers, Ransomes themselves will be able to date them. Parts for the Matador should not be too much of a problem. Not sure about the Majestic but a lot of Ransomes models, of a given period, used common components.  

hortimech Wed, 18/10/2017

I have heard of, but never seen a majestic, I may be wrong, but wasn't it an electric matador ?

I would love to see a picture of it.

As Wristpin has said, neither will be any good for a bowling green, not enough blades in the cylinder and a lipped bottom blade, they just will not cut close enough.

 

wristpin Wed, 18/10/2017

Hortimech's comment about the Mjestic being electric nudged my memory - I have an owner's manual. Yes it appears to have been a Matador chassis with an off the shelf Brook 1HP electric motor bolted on. Almost certainly with a three core earthed cable; none of the niceties of double insulation and plugged into a household system with wired fuses and no earth leakage trip or RCD.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zq0vn3l3y8chhk9/Ransomes%20Matador%20and%20Ma…;

hortimech Thu, 19/10/2017

I got one thing wrong, you could use it on a bowling green, it has an 11 blade cylinder and presumably a thin bottom blade. I wouldn't have thought it would have been used by golf clubs, just think of the length of the extension lead you would need LOL

I wonder if the other machine has the same cylinder in it ?

I really think we need photos .

 

wristpin Thu, 19/10/2017

I got one thing wrong, you could use it on a bowling green, it has an 11 blade cylinder and presumably a thin bottom blade

Certainly it appears that a multi-bladed cylinder was an option but 10 not 11 blades and , yes , there was a thin bottom blade. No mention of the length of the cable though!

Look to the left of the image and it appears that a three blade cylinder was an option - amazing! Shades of Reel Cutter and Multimower.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s7io3kv79a031a2/Ransomes%20Matador%20and%20Ma…

Bill Brooks Sat, 21/10/2017

Thanks for the information to date

Both come from Lower South Coast Bowling  Clubs in KZN South Africa and was used as Bowling Green Mowers

The Matador has been stripped completely and came with no cutting reel but had a 9 hole Bottom blase. The Cutting Cylinder was Rust destroyed.

The Majestic was converted to a vertii cut Groomer blade  see attached Photo.

I intend to restore One as a Mower  from the spares I Have  ( we have great Rust Problems at the Coast in KZN)

I need to lay my hands on a parts manual can any one please advise how and where I need to go

 

 

 

 

wristpin Sat, 21/10/2017

Had to Google KZN, but now it starts to make sense!

This is the best that I can find but it doesn't fit the scanner and the part numbers are well out of date. However , if there's a particular page of interest let me know by PM or email and I will do a full size scan and possibly come up with more current part numbers.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ngaz3fqo8axbh7r/Ransomes%20Majestic%20Matador…;  

If this is any use to you, please print them out as I wont leave the link live for ever as it eats into my free Dropbox space.

If you email Ransomes in the UK there is a possibility that they may have digitised the relevant parts  manuals and can send them to you at the touch of a button or two.

Bill Brooks Tue, 31/10/2017

Thanks  for the information I have downloaded it to my drop box .

Parts seem to be available here in South Africa and your manual will come in Handy

Who can I email at Ransomes with the serial Numbers to try and date the Machines?? please 

I have successfully stripped My Morisom and will start the restoration soon

I am in contact with Morrison (Masspart) Nw Zealand with out success  .Has any one got a contact with the original Morrison perhaps for me?

wristpin Tue, 31/10/2017

The Morrison brand was owned by Masport. I say was as it’s just been announced that both have been bought by the German garden machinery manufacturer, Al-Ko Gardentech.

 Possibly  of more help to you , OLC club member FInnkai has been working on a Morrison and has been in contact with a helpful contact so it could be worth a private message to him.

 

Bill Brooks Sat, 11/11/2017

I am battling to make contact with

1) Ransomes      Can any one please let me have contact e mail      For dating purposes

2) Any lead into Australia or New Zealand regarding my Morrison

Any contact would be appreciated

 

Bill Brooks Wed, 15/11/2017

Herewith a Photo of the Majestic 

It is currently got a spring steel verticut blade segments in it as a cutting reel, It was last used as a Groomer/Verticutiing

Unfortunately Not one of the machine's have either 11 or 7  blade cutting reel , this will be one of the components i will have to procure.

How do I get in contact with Ransomes to try and date the Machines?

Thanks

Bill Brooks Wed, 15/11/2017

Thanks Wristpin

Done and have submitted the questions via the website.

Any one egot a detail Plan or Sketch for the Matador or Majestic Grass Box as I will have to Make IT up 

hdtrust Mon, 04/12/2017

Cut to the chase Bill, and ask the right people!

Your 24" Matador was built in June 1966

Your Majestic 14B was built November 1964 for the 1965 Season

A note to other enthusiasts who have tried to help, other countries have different climates, which mean different growth pattern to varieties of turf grasses used.

Ransomes in many cases when exporting,altered their machines accordingly,

A perfect example is Belgium,only bodies of mowers were sent, the agents put their own engine units on

Try the professionals

The Hall & Duck Trust 

Bill Brooks Sat, 09/12/2017

Thanks Hdtrust

That makes a lot of sense and being such a rust infested area KZN South Coast .

It is logic that Bowling Clubs being in close proximity will procure similar machines.

The Majestic come from the Umtentweni Bowling Club which was established in 1933.

The Matador from Southport Bowling Club established 1934

So the years of 1964 and 1966 is fitting in well.

The above clubs , TheBell and Port Shepstone Country Club Bowling green machine  are now mainly electric 30 inch Scott Bonners, Protea's or RSA Turf masters.

Restoring has begun and will post  progress pictures in the new year

 

 

 

Supergrass Sun, 10/12/2017

I used matadors in the 70s/80s with a 258cc MAG engine. Thought they were a heavy machine for a 2 foot cut,when a 20" marquis with the delightful BSA sloper engine was far lighter to use and transport to site.Also the chain adjustment was easily spoilt by clipping a cerb or pebble.That said it cut well and has 2 box arms to aid emptying. Good luck with your restorations.

Bill Brooks Sat, 09/01/2021

How time has flown since my last contact, was kept busy maintaining existing Bowling green mowers so the restoration of the Ransomes was delayed, some progress has been made on the Morrison Pictures to follow

With the event of covid and lockdown I hope I will be able to start working on the Ransomes sooner than later.

Any body have the Ransomes Green Colour code

Thanks

 

wristpin Sat, 09/01/2021

TheBell and Port Shepstone Country Club Bowling green machine  are now mainly electric 30 inch Scott Bonners, Protea's or RSA Turf masters.

Only spotted “electric 30 inch” when reading through the old posts. That’s one heck of an electric mower - battery or on the end of a wire?

DJD Sun, 10/01/2021

I looked after a few Matadors in my time, but no greens ones, last ones I servided had Swiss engines in, but odd American carbs. the Mastiff comes to mind also.