Armstrong Siddeley Stationary Engines

Armstrong Siddeley Stationary Engines

Occasionally I become interested in things Armstrong Siddeley produced other than cars. Victorian member, Colin Hallam sent me photos of a stationery engine taken in Western Australia during 2009. Armstrong Siddeley entered the Australian market comparatively late when it commenced producing its range of Diesel Stationary Engines after World War Two between 1945 and 1959.

After World War II Armstrong Siddeley were faced with surplus manufacturing capacity and the need to earn export income. They had built their business on producing reliable engines and it is often overlooked that they produced some 38,000 aeroplane engines and 12,000 torpedo engines during the War.

In one of my favourite books ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY – The Sphinx with the Heart of a Lion, Bruce Lindsay wrote about these diesel engines. They were originally marketed in single cylinder and then developed to twin cylinder (20 hp) and finally three cylinder (30 hp) configuration. Bruce felt that they deserved a place in the story of Armstrong Siddeley.

New South Wales member, Chris Byers located two of these engines in his district. Athol Duncan remembered Armstrong Siddeley stationery engines at a number of sites in Queensland. When the subject of stationery engines came up last time in the Southern Sphinx it was reported that the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust has three examples of these engines in the collection in UK.

Three quarter view - Armstrong Siddeley single cylinder stationery diesel engine found in W.A. by Colin Hallam in August 2009. The dataplate is shown on the right.

My thanks go to all who contributed to this article.

Until my next report....