Passionate About Listers by James Skinner Spring 2024

As a lot of you know I’m very passionate about Listers especially the H-R range, and probably my favourite out of all of the Lister range is the H type. Mark Tewksbury told me about a possible sale of an early flick mag H type with original trolley and water tank of 1913. The only problem, it was in Bristol. The man who was selling it was Shane McRae. So I had to ask dad if he wouldn’t mind a road trip to Bristol. Thankfully dad said yes. I then contacted Shane and a deal was done and we were on our way. That was in August 2023.

The following weekend at a fellow club members private gathering, Mark kindly brought along Bill Overdons 1919 Bruston H type to make a line up of H types. During the course of the year I took my H type to a couple of other rallies including the Weald and Downland Museum and the Chertsey show both held in August. I also own a few other Listers including a 1910 L type (pre L type), 1914 LG (GAS) engine, a 1923 N type that belonged to the late Eric Taylor and a 1919 J type. I had always fancied having a Bruston H type to add to my collection.

Mark had heard about a possible sale of a 1921/22 Bruston up in Peterborough so a telephone call was made to Mike Wilkins who owned the H type. We spoke for a good 30 minutes discussing the engine and a possible deal. Mike had read about me in Stationary Engine magazine and knew it would be going to a good home. Dad declined to take me on this occasion so my brother Nathan said yes to taking me and off we went to what would be a 240 mile round trip on Saturday the 27th of April. We arrived home at 2 o’clock that afternoon with the engine loaded up in the back of Nathan’s caddy van. We got the engine unloaded in the back garden as I was eager to attach the water tank and give it its first run in my ownership.

I then put the engine in my shed and was eager to clean up the paint work. It came up a treat just like it had just left the factory. I would like to thank Mark Tewksbury and Ed Vince for finding the engine for me and also would like to thank Mike Wilkins for letting me purchase the engine.