Cement mixer ID

[mattblack]

Hi, been lurking on here for a while but this is my first post, so please be gentle...

Some time ago I bought a Villiers MK20 engine on ebay, it was the the one in the mixer in the picture (I believe the seller was going to replace it with a modern engine). The book on Villiers engines 'Everyone's Engine' lists 12 companies that built mixers with Villiers engines, but searching the 'net doesn't show anything up like this one. The orientation of the engine/drum along the line of the axle seems unusual?

s-l1600 (1).jpg

s-l1600.jpg

And the engine after restoration.

IMG_20210731_171530_782.jpg

[essexpete]

Hi, been lurking on here for a while but this is my first post, so please be gentle...

Some time ago I bought a Villiers MK20 engine on ebay, it was the the one in the mixer in the picture (I believe the seller was going to replace it with a modern engine). The book on Villiers engines 'Everyone's Engine' lists 12 companies that built mixers with Villiers engines, but searching the 'net doesn't show anything up like this one. The orientation of the engine/drum along the line of the axle seems unusual?

s-l1600 (1).jpg

s-l1600.jpg

And the engine after restoration.

IMG_20210731_171530_782.jpg

Parkers made a fast tow mixer, not very popular on site, but I don't think the engine cowel looks like a Parker.

[XS650]

As Pete says this design was for 'fast tow'.
Most of the mixer makers had a ' Fast Tow 'model in their range.
Benford , Winget , Parker spring to mind.

I do not think they were that popular as they would soon get caked in mortar.
But as the small Bell type barrow mixers did not exist it was a major task moving the old heavy steel wheeled mixers from job to job.Needing a wagon and ramps or lifting gear.

[essexpete]

As Pete says this design was for 'fast tow'.
Most of the mixer makers had a ' Fast Tow 'model in their range.
Benford , Winget , Parker spring to mind.

I do not think they were that popular as they would soon get caked in mortar.
But as the small Bell type barrow mixers did not exist it was a major task moving the old heavy steel wheeled mixers from job to job.Needing a wagon and ramps or lifting gear.

My dad used to trundle locally with the 4 wheel steel wheel behind his pickup! If not too far, still quicker than setting up the fast tow which could be tipped over quite easily and I think the boys using the mixer found the fast tow awkward to use with wheel sticking out plus the legs.

[essexpete]

I wonder if it was a Benford? Certain it was not a Parker or Winget. Barford also made one but not that either, I think.

[mattblack]

Thanks for the replies, I found this video of a Benford fast tow that looks very similar, but lacks mudguards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kq5IOiIImw

Benford are not listed as using Villiers engines, maybe it was a replacement? Trying to unravel their history is part of what makes messing with old machinery interesting (for me anyway).