History Section

Powell engines. In 1893 the works consisted of a smithy, moulding shop, dressing shop, fitting and turning section, paint shop and coach shop, where they made Oat Pulpers, Slicers, Oil Cake Mills, Chaff Cutters, Potato Raisers, Horse Gears, Mowing Machines and Cambridge Rollers.

The first engine produced during the first week of January 1918, by September they made about 10 engines a week, by the end of 1918 records show Powell had produced 2341 potato lifters, 233 mowers and 333 oil engines.

1919. 1186 engines made up to no 1959
1920 867 engines made up to no 2386
1921. 254. engines made. Up to no 2640
1922. 180 engines made up to no 2820
1923. 279 engines made up to no 3099
1924. 246. engines made up to no 3345
1925. 280 engines made up to no 3625
1926. 280 engines made up to no 3805
1927. 71. engines. made. Up to no 3876

In 1927 they went into liquidation and Cudworth & Johnson of Tutle Street bought up the engine patterns and produced engines for an unknown amount of time.

Amanco engines. The Amanco company was formed as the Iowa Dairy and Separator Co, they were very successful manufacturing hand operated cream Separators, eventually the firm was reorganised and the name changed to Associated manufacturing and they started making engines called Associated. The trade name Amanco was not used in the USA. By 1913 Associated were the worlds largest engine manufacture with a range from 1.5hp to 25hp. It is believed the company was badly managed, gradually declining until production had to cease and they once again made separators. In 1946 the company was sold to a Chicago engineering firm.

The following is a list of major changes in production over the years, up to and including 1913 the magneto was driven straight of the cam gear, in 1914 the skew gear drive came into use, the engine then carried on unchanged until around 1917 when the straight trip rod was changed with a C type trip, around this period paraffin engines seemed to overtake sales of the straight petrol engine, after 1920 the oblong brass number plate was discontinued and replaced by a small oval plate and the magneto body was changed to a zinc based metal, there were other minor changes. The Amanco range was re-rated on the 1st January 1924 from 1.75hp to 15hp when a small type magneto was introduced, a 3.5hp engine was made but is quite rare, production ceased in the later 1920’s.

Our thanks to Ian Sampson.