Here we have an example of one of the more diverse products offered under John Shaw & Sons 'Governor' brand in the 1920s/'30s. This is one of the type of so-called 'sump heaters' which were actually designed to be hung in the gap between the back of the radiator and the engine block on cold nights in the days before anti-freeze! All I can add is that in my opinion this Governor heater is of far better build quality than the versions sold by the likes of Raydyot, Sirram, Desmo etc. No cheap pressed tin construction here; the Governor has a real brass tank and top, and a proper ceramic wick holder Roughly about the same size/dimensions as a standard pit lamp, this is the 'lamp' referred to in this post.
Many a truck probably had a kerosene smudge pot rolled under the crank case back in the old days. This looks like it would run much clearer and with the installed screen possibly attempting to be flash/explosion resistant
I'm surprised that it is marked 'Petrol'. I thought all these ran on paraffin/kerosene. Hate to be pedantic but this is a radiator heater, not a sump heater. Sump heaters are flat and squat for sliding under the engine. This would have hung on a hook from the bonnet (hood) to sit behind the radiator. Terry
@Trojandog An important point, the heater does not use petrol, it uses paraffin. I think Trevor just added that generic photo to show what the Governor logo in the centre should look like given how badly worn the logo on the heater is. Ian
Successfully used overnight to stop inside of Land Rover windows freezing up, much better than the 45 mins it took the other day to scrape the ice off the inside
This is a better photo (from a different example) of the S.H.&S badge on one of these old Governor radiator heaters:
This addition to the thread is to compare the Governor radiator heater with 2 other higher-end contemporary British frost heaters, the 2-pint Primus is for scale: All 3 use British Sherwoods ceramic wick holders: The brass tank Governor and the copper tank Ever Warm use the same Sherwoods Lynlight burner, whilst the cast aluminium body heater uses a Sherwoods Mobilite burner: Each one of the 3 shares the use of a less corrosion susceptible tank material with a ceramic burner to set it aside from the usual tin plate Raydyots, Sirrams and Desmos. It would be interesting to know who made the aluminium bodied radiator heater. Perhaps someone will recognise what remains if the logo: @Trojandog @Simes @shagratork
Thanks for the prompt Ian. I'm going to keep an eye out for them from now on. I can see how handy one would be in a van say given cold weather as you did. Unlikely to need more than one, but we all know what happens when you start looking....
The logo shows a centrifugal governor as used for steam engines or early diesel motors. It keeps the rotational speed steady. Radler
Where it is even more important: under the bonnet, keeping the electrics dry during days of saturating fog:
This thread reminded me of a friend who, about 40 years ago, had an elderly Triumph which struggled to start on very cold mornings - combination of a battery on its last legs, dynamo charging, and only doing a short distance commute which needed lights on morning and evening. What he did was to drape an old duvet over the engine and top of the radiator as soon as he got home, and he assured me that it was so effective at holding in the heat that he could still feel the warmth when he took it off before starting the engine the following morning. One caution; him being the sort who takes a while to firing on all six after crawling out of bed, he used to hang a little sign on the steering wheel, which just read "DUVET!!" , otherwise he was sure, one morning, to wrap the duvet round the fan belt and its pulleys . . . Gunner
Should have added this long ago: the name that would once have been readable on the transfer is 'Nesthill', a brand marketed by Ernest H. Hill of Sheffield, a one time highly regarded supplier of automobile accessories and components. Their version of a radiator anti-frost heater was unique I believe in having a cast aluminium body and paraffin reservoir, hence the distinctive shape too.
Regarding Ernest H Hill and the 'Nesthill' trademark, I have fond memories of the company. A long time ago while studying metallurgy at Sheffield, I was awarded the 'Nesthill Medal' for physical metallurgy after the final examinations. I still have the medal, but the prize money (paid in guineas) is long gone. It was used to help buy a Triumph Tiger 100 500cc twin cylinder motorbike, my pride and joy for many years. Happy days!
@Twoberth Duncan that really is fabulous. What memories and what an achievement. We'll have to agree to disagree regarding the Triumph though, I was always more of a BSA man myself (although Sunbeam and Panther also put in honourable appearances). Ian
