Dan.gerous 2,696 #1 Posted March 22, 2020 This old girl is languishing in our driveway, it's been hit by a feed truck at some point but is crying out to be restored. Who even knows where you would look to get parts for this kind of thing in the UK! From the limited information left on the mostly missing name plate iit s a "Bowser", and has the number Y4155 stamped in under the heading "pump stocking". It's also made in the USA. Not a lot to go on! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,279 #2 Posted March 22, 2020 Neat old unit 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #3 Posted March 22, 2020 5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Neat old unit Yeah it's been catching my eye ever since we moved here, and my middle daughter is also keen on restoring it - who can refuse the kids? 🙂 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #4 Posted March 22, 2020 This is the name plate. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #5 Posted March 22, 2020 So it appears after a bit of research that its a Bowser Red Sentry from the 1920's. It may have had a long poor with the glass lamp on top, but as it's a farm lump it may not have - will do some excavating in the dirt and see what we can find as several other bits were buried nearby. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,279 #6 Posted March 22, 2020 Archeological gas pump parts search. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,981 #7 Posted March 22, 2020 Could well be ex US army from WW2. Google... Bowser Red Sentry. You can get parts. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #8 Posted March 22, 2020 4 minutes ago, Stormin said: Could well be ex US army from WW2. Google... Bowser Red Sentry. You can get parts. It's even earlier, we have narrowed it down to between 1914 - 1922. Getting parts in the UK might be a problem, but at least we have some info to go on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #9 Posted March 22, 2020 25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Archeological gas pump parts search. Ha, yeah should be fun tomorrow scratching about like chickens on the dirt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 9,691 #10 Posted March 23, 2020 Keep us posted as you restore it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #11 Posted March 23, 2020 2 hours ago, oliver2-44 said: Keep us posted as you restore it. I will update this thread as we make progress. Will be slow though as I am a merchant seaman so life goes on hold while I am away floating about the ocean - if only I could retire and just tinker about on the farm! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,796 #12 Posted March 23, 2020 9 hours ago, Dan.gerous said: I will update this thread as we make progress. Will be slow though as I am a merchant seaman so life goes on hold while I am away floating about the ocean - if only I could retire and just tinker about on the farm! No virus out there I bet! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #13 Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, pullstart said: No virus out there I bet! Only trouble is I work on a passenger ferry..... Edited March 23, 2020 by Dan.gerous Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #14 Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) So today we managed to uncover the bolts mounting the pump to it's underground tank. After 99 years they came undone with no effort and could be removed by hand - and they had been buried in dirt for God knows how long. The only trouble we had was cutting the feed pipe as I had nothing big enough to undo the coupling. Edited March 23, 2020 by Dan.gerous Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bc.gold 3,403 #16 Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Dan.gerous said: After these many years I'm surprised that empty fuel tank has not attempted to float to the surface, often when abandoned an underground tank is filled with water to keep it in place. It's possible the tank has rusted through in spots allowing it to equalize with the surrounding table. Edited March 23, 2020 by bcgold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #17 Posted March 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, bcgold said: After these many years I'm surprised that empty fuel tank has not attempted to float to the surface, often when abandoned an underground tank is filled with water to keep it in place. It's possible the tank has rusted through in spots allowing it to equalize with the surrounding table. That's an interesting point, especially as the place is quite wet. I haven't fully investigated the tank yet, but the manhole is filled with bricks so maybe the rest of the tank has rubble in it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bc.gold 3,403 #18 Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 40 minutes ago, Dan.gerous said: That's an interesting point, especially as the place is quite wet. I haven't fully investigated the tank yet, but the manhole is filled with bricks so maybe the rest of the tank has rubble in it? You may have stumbled onto a small fortune, people actually collect the damn things. probably make enough money from the old bricks to pay for your Browser restoration. ‘I just think it’s a shame not to preserve them, they are part of our history,’ said Mr Brittlebank, whose oldest brick dates back to 1892. Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2013/05/21/block-obsessed-collector-scours-britain-for-another-brick-for-his-wall-3803811/?ito=cbshare Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/ Edited March 23, 2020 by bcgold 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #19 Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 56 minutes ago, bcgold said: You may have stumbled onto a small fortune, people actually collect the damn things. probably make enough money from the old bricks to pay for your Browser restoration. ‘I just think it’s a shame not to preserve them, they are part of our history,’ said Mr Brittlebank, whose oldest brick dates back to 1892. Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2013/05/21/block-obsessed-collector-scours-britain-for-another-brick-for-his-wall-3803811/?ito=cbshare Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/ It's amazing what people will collect! I suppose they think we are all mad as well. Will get some pictures of the tank tomorrow as that seems to be sunk into a brick surround. Edited March 23, 2020 by Dan.gerous 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bc.gold 3,403 #20 Posted March 23, 2020 Any idea how many gallons this tank is, if we knew the measurements of the vault we could all makes guesses as to how many bricks went into its construction. Hopefully there's a visible manufactures mark. You mentioned the soil is fairly wet, if your lucky and it has considerable salt content over the years the mortar would have deteriorated to the point it may clean off easily. The final cleaning is done by rubbing the faces of a pair together. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #21 Posted April 13, 2020 On 3/23/2020 at 8:00 PM, bcgold said: Any idea how many gallons this tank is, if we knew the measurements of the vault we could all makes guesses as to how many bricks went into its construction. Hopefully there's a visible manufactures mark. You mentioned the soil is fairly wet, if your lucky and it has considerable salt content over the years the mortar would have deteriorated to the point it may clean off easily. The final cleaning is done by rubbing the faces of a pair together. I will go and measure it later today, at least half the tank sticks out of the bank - better get a picture as well! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
