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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Mower transport

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Having seen the thread about a collection on display I wondered how members transport multiple mowers to shows etc.?  Do you use vans, trailers, old horseboxes or pickups?  Just curious how multiple mowers are moved about the place.
 
Michael

Clive1997 Sun, 19/09/2021

Hello Michael

The answer is all of the above & indeed sometimes the smallest of hatchback cars, at the recent display you refer to, Dan travelled from Yorks to Beds with I think 3 motor mowers & some push movers in the back of his Ford Escort, plus a large tent etc!

Suggest you come to the AGM at Milton Keynes in two weeks & you will hopefully see the full range of transportation, mowers are not the easiest items to transport, handles are often removed & grass boxes if you are lucky pack like Russian Dolls!

Then there is moving house, this is how we moved Colin Stones collection a couple of years back from Surrey to Suffolk.

Messorestore Sun, 19/09/2021

Hi, I took a Greens Master with box, Greens Multum in Parvo, Greens Greenson, Nash Boudicca, Greens SM Minor and box, Drummond and box and a Qualcast plus literature and fold up table and chair, tool kit for repairs, electric pump, overnight bag and room enough to pick up a Flexa and box on the way back from the Shuttleworth Vintage weekend. All of this was put inside the back of a small closed pickup truck. I didn't even take the handles off the mowers. I tend to lay the mowers down with handles flat to the bed which allows for protection between each and the next one to roll in behind the first and so on. I am normally able to get two rows in side by side. Please make sure the petrol taps are turned off. I let the mowers stand for 20 minutes or so upon arrival to allow the oil to settle back before starting the engine if 4 stroke petrol driven.

Adrian Mon, 20/09/2021

Wow - and to think of the fuss I made about getting the Allen Scythe in the Berlingo. Good job you weren't stopped by PC Plod, he'd have called the green ambulance straight away if he saw that lot!

TBH, I'm quite glad that I only have three, and I'd be doing very well to get two in the Berlingo (Allen Scythe, Atco Standard, and a Mounntfield M3). For those not familiar, it's basically a van with back seats - they fold down, or can be removed very quickly with a T40 Torx head.  Bought for carrying bicycles on holiday, but a great carp shifter, I've only been embarrassed by something that wouldn't fit once ( a huge bookcase). If I had smaller mowers, I could get dozens in.

stonethemows Mon, 20/09/2021

Clive's assistance with truck and trailer, in addition to my van, was invaluable and greatly appreciated. What he didn't mention was that it took more than one trip. Celia and I spent over two months going backwards and forwards between Surrey and Suffolk moving van loads of all sorts, including shrubs and trees. We still had a removal firm in addition for most of the furniture and household items. We still talk about it to this day.

Many years of event exhibiting teaches you the tricks of successful loading. I found with a Transit type van it is quite feasible to move two or three motor mowers and about a dozen roller and sidewheel machines in one go. I never bothered to remove any handles as I felt it just created extra work; it takes long enough to set up a good display as it is. Of course you make a rod for your own back if you want to move highly ' restored ' machines with fancy paint jobs; another reason for not getting too carried away.

One of the tricks is to stand  roller mowers up on their front rolls, one behind another. Tied in securely, with the rear roller of the last one chocked up if necessary, the ratio of space taken up is about 5 : 2. 

Messorestore Mon, 20/09/2021

I only lay my roller mowers down because I don't have the headroom in the truck back which I think would be the case for most hatchback cars as well. 

MikeD Mon, 20/09/2021

if your going to do a big show all you need is an hgv licence and an 18 tonne wagon.cant stand large motor mowers on their front ends.try loadi ng a steam engine?

The Colonel Mon, 20/09/2021

Some interesting examples there – Thank you.  I’m a mere amateur as have only had 2 small mowers in the back of my Land-Rover.

wristpin Tue, 21/09/2021

Took two trips to clear machines from a defunct mower business being cleared by the builders redeveloping the building.

 

 

 

nospark Wed, 22/09/2021

Nothing but a van and a loading ramp would move my Dennis Z, the thing must weigh over 100KG and occupies allot of space!  My smaller stuff I just use my hatchback with the rear seats dropped, all being petrol powered they have to be placed as they would be used, so sometimes I have to remove or fold handles, depending on how many I'm moving.