HALF-SCALE GARDNER: Building a half-scale Gardner Model 0 engine, Part 1 of 2
Gardner background
In 1868, Lawrence Gardner founded a business working out of the common basement of four row houses in the Stretford area of Manchester, England. The business started trading as Machinists and General Engineers, but before long started to develop a range of products including sewing machines, coffee roasters and dentists’ chairs. On Lawrence’s death in 1890, his sons took over the business and formed L. Gardner & Sons.
The firm moved to larger premises, and started building A.E. & H. Robinson hot air engines under license until around 1914. The experience gained with these engines prompted the design and building of an internal combustion engine. The first engine, called No. 1, was built in May 1894. When coupled with a small generator it was used to light a room at the works. The first Type 0 engine was built in May 1895. It was rated at 0.55 hp at 450rpm, and the bore size was later increased to give 3/4 hp.
Oil vaporizer engines came later, and the company continued to expand its range of engines, which were also used to power automobiles and trucks, as well as for marine use. Production of new engines ceased in 1990.
The castings for this model engine were purchased many years ago from Alyn Foundry (now out of business) and had been left sitting on a shelf in the workshop without being finished. Although Alyn no longer produces these castings, a few years back it was rumored that the Anson Engine Museum, Cheshire, U.K., might produce a few castings from the original patterns.
