The Simpitrol Lighting System

Hi all

This has been lurking in the back of the sheaers quarters for a very long time and ld like to know some more about it.

So l was wondering if anybody has any knowledge or information on the Simpitrol Lighting System which l believe(going by the data plates) was made by the British & Colonial Lighting Co.

Hopefully someone out there has pictures or diagrams of this system when assembled as it would be good to be able to reassemble it one day.

 

Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954), Saturday 15 July 1911

 

That is an awfully good find mate.

Good grief!

 

Matty

What is the name of the building in the photograph on that advertisement? I just can't read it, but it has haunting similarities to the school I went to!

Tony

 

Convent of Mercy Kilbeggan Ireland.

 

They obviously transported that model out to Australia!!!

 

Back on topic:

Great find, Bushwhacked.

Cheers

Tony

 

Thanks guys for the help and thank you Matty for that picture, it all makes a lot more sense now and for once it looks like it is largely still all there.
Ive spent the arvo pulling the frame and some of the lighter bits out and moving them to the workshop for clean up, still in pretty reasonable nick considering how long they have been there.

Tony the previous owner of the property(we have had it since 63) was english and its possible he imported it directly. He did import a Hornsby suction gas plant in 1912 as well as many other things.
Over the years lve pulled out a kero powered stove, several kero powered chicken incubators, theres still a kero fridge in there and of course the 2 Tilleys (and spares)that got me started

 

I'd be extremely interested in following your progress to see how the project finishes up.

You may end up with the only working one of these plants left in the world. Now, wouldn't that be something!

It would be pretty cool sitting out in the shed having a beer, watching the cricket, all under lights powered by that plant.

Speaking of lights, have you had a look around to see if any of the old lights are still there?

Also, this may or may not help you.

http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/8911

 

It was reading that post yesterday Matty that got me fired up to go and have another look it and try to figure out how it all worked.

Lol progress may well be slow on this one as the workshop is literaly full of projects atm, including a busted tractor that gets priority. For a start l'll see about reassembling the frame and the various motors n bits, once thats done as time allows l can remove a piece and give it the once over before reattaching.
As for lights lm assuming these are the lights, but again l havnt seen anything like these before so lm not quite sure how they work.

 

Again, good grief!

Keep me in mind if you ever want to sell a couple.

 

I think you may be a little late if you want to send off for the catalogue...

 

A great find and an excellent fettling project!

 

It is amazing and congratulations. Spectacular if you can only make some of it work for fun.

Just one question. "I spent the arvo.." My best guess for that is afternoon.

I'm very curious to know if that is common usage and how it is derived. Totally off topic for which my apologies but I have never heard it before!

 

Yes, it means afternoon.

It is common usage amongst Australians. I don't know if it is used elsewhere.

How it is derived I don't know, I grew up hearing it as a kid.

Australians do have a habit of shortening some words and adding an o. For instance, metho for methylated spirits.

The blokes that collect the rubbish (garbage) are referred to as garbo's.

 

An abreviation of afternoon. Common on Merseyside to say "this avy" for afternoon today. Easy enough to see the change to avo or arvo when that phrase moves a few thousand miles. ::Neil::

 

I spent a little time again this "arvo" (glad that got sorted out ) putting it all back together in a rough sort of a way, ld love an Ipc or an erection and maintenance manual but somehow dont like my chances.

Anyway so far it largely seems to be all here, time will tell l guess.

I also spent a little time with a couple of the light fittings last night and think l have them back together the right way around. any hints, tips or advice here will be greatly appreciated. Unfortunatly none of the glass or mantles seem to have survived, if they were ever here. Im assuming these lights would have had a mantle and probably some sort of wire device for holding said mantles.

Matty l think l can safely say l can spare a couple of the basic light fittings, l havnt counted them but there are a lot and lm still finding more.

While on the subject of coloquialisms heres a few more just for laughs:
Servo = Service station
Fisho = Fishing license inspector = Bastard
Breatho = Random breath test = Your nicked son

 

Righto, now your going to have to explain the erection.

Good luck.

 

I'm guessing but I think that would be an erecto...

 

Cool, when you are a bit more organised we can discuss details. I have another couple of Nagel Chase lights and a Tank plus hollow wire arriving soonish so it will be good to have a couple of whatever those lights are.

Mantles can be problematic. Glass, while we may never find originals we can find something that will look the part.

Servo: Garage/Service Station/Petrol Station
Leso: Figure it out for yourself.
Convo: Conversation
Milko: Milkman - if they exist anymore.

 

Matty.
Those lights don't use hollow wire system .
These lights run on a old style gas system large pipes etc .
3/8 back to about 1 inch at the supply tank .
Bob .

 

Lmao. Righto, before this dissolves into complete histerics l was refering to something like this...




I can but dream of finding a manual this detailed for a light system like the Simpitrol.

I dunno, bunch of animals around here

 

Bob,

I think that's what Graham has been trying to tell me.

Regardless, it will still be cool to have a couple hanging with the HW ones.

 

Copy that Matty. Mantles may well be hard to get but glass is just glass and lm sure something could be found that would do the job, it might not look quite right but that is in the eye of the beholder(for example lm currently using a jam jar over one of the pathway lights and it looks better than the original). Im wondering if it might be worth touching base with Sands and see if they know anything about the system

 

I don't know how good this maybe but it might be all right? Don't shoot me if it isn't

http://www.eurobuch.com/buch/nr/aa206b3f53e3a038bbd1c2739e365e8e.htm

A lot of documents seem to survive in the UK. It wouldn't surprise me if there is a manual out there somewhere.

 

I can't see how it could do any harm in contacting Sands. Even if they didn't deal with the system they may be able to point you in the right direction.

 

I think he meant assembly (Instructions)

 

I don't think I want to know

 

Hi folks
Just thought l post a quick update on progress with the Simpitrol, well such as its been anyway. Its getting a bit warm here to do much work in the shed atm.
Ive managed to find a few more of the smaller missing brackets/fittings which has allowed a little further assembly.
Of course every time l find something new it seems it has something attached to it that is still missing, oh well l guess l will keep on digging.
I was lucky enough to find the gas control valve as it was buried deeply in the junk in the shearers quarters.

To my surprise it holds an Australian patent from 1908.


The motor is a Heinrici hot air engine, well rusted but hopefully restorable time will tell.


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