hi all just bought this for £10 buy it now,seemed a bargain,but aint got a clue what it is looks like one of the old military stoves,could someone let me know who what when and where,or i will need to trawl the ref gal,and that's a big job these days the auction said primus paraffin but i know that's wrong the stupid bit is i know i've seen it but amnesia attack found this but it's not very informative internal link
Mil spec stove from WWII & a little after made by Townson & Coxson, the makers of Burmos. Often seen without the crows foot. Also seen badged up as a Hurlock Jnr & I even had one labeled up as a Fairy Picnic Stove {edit - it is a Polly - not a Fairy}. I get the impression they may have been sold off in bulk & rebadged by various enterprising companies. Of the variants the Hurlock is the most common but I can find no info on them which makes me think they were a one stove wonder (& not even their stove!) If you don't have any clue what country or brand it can be a big job finding a reference that way but at least the index is thumbnailed - it was harder on CCSv2. If you do have a clue the categories should help you.
hi ross i guessed it was either British or American,seemed worth a tenner,thanks for your help, looks to be a shelf dweller rather than a user but should clean up
Actually, it is rather rare in the states, and I am looking out to snag one, when it shows up. I like the fact that it uses kero.
I have one (or two?) of these stoves. They look like they will deliver the goods but in practice they are a sod to get to burn correctly. They seem to be WWII or after and are pathetic compared to the stoves supplied to the US military.
hi matukat i was charged £5 for the post so very reasonable hi Trevor oh well for a tenner it was worth the risk, it will be worth a play with and if it's that awful i can always stick it back on ebay,and hope another ill-informed buyer bites,or i could leave it on the shelf as a reminder of what impulse buying can do
Trevor, I have to disagree here on the performance, I've had a few of these in the past, and found them to be a good solid performer, although the tank does get very hot. I've sent two overseas and the new owners seemed happy enough with them. One problem is the supports for the burner plate can get out of alignment and this affects the burn pattern, straighten them out and you have a good stove, one that should not be left on the shelf IMHO
Hi Richard and Bill As I have indicated, I have only limited experience of this stove. I tried lighting mine and it reluctantly gave a pathetic flame. I put it asside and have not looked at it in two years. I also helped David_S fettle his. We spent a long time replacing bits and pieces and cleaning the jet, etc. and it also performed poorly. But . . . . . there must be hundreds of thousands out there that are fine as they were the mainstay of the British Army.
well the stove has arrived,so i thought i would post some pics of it,i have gone right over the stove and given it a thorough service,i have redone the nrv,fitted a new pump leather but it really needs one of Sefa's fitting ,also I've cut a new tank lid gasket/seal and fitted a new jet. i haven't started to clean it up yet as am unsure whether to leave it aged and battered (i like it looking like this),repaint it in the original army colour or strip it and polish the brass tank. i thought i'd give it a good test to see what it's really like, i thought a proper real world test would be best and see if it's actually useable as a proper "cooker". Townson & Coxson priming going pretty well flat out i eased off the pressure a bit as i had difficulty in focusing a decent simmer low simmer it will maintain this heat/blue flame with out turning yellow the pudding will need 45 mins simmer before being ready a good test after 25 mins on low simmer i haven't needed to pump at all Anya potato's my favourite 45 minutes later dinner is done it weighs a ton.looks very agricultural but i really like it
Evening, PM, Outstanding report, Mate!! Well done! I'm very impressed by the quality of both the full flame, and also the wonderful simmering flame, of your neat Brit stove! I, too, have one of these, but I've never tried it. After seeing how well yours goes, however, I just might have to dig mine out and have at it!! Thank you for an excellent report, and also fine photos to go with it! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. Got any of that pudding, potatoes, and veggies left, Mate? After seeing your photos, I'm starved!!!
hi doc thanks for that get yours out as i reckon it's a cracking bit of kit,as for my dinner i eat the lot and am now on my 4th indigestion tablet,serves me right for being such a pig , i love those puddings but they always give me heartburn
Did we? - I can't remember that! I got one from Richard which had problems with the pressure release and I recall pratting about with it for ages at Middleton-in-Teesdale once - maybe that was it. I'd had another one given to me, but it had the same problem so no luck swapping parts over. I think I just put them away somewhere and tried to forget about them. Anyway, months later, I found the one Richard sent me and gave it another try. Clearly the stove fairies had called during the intervening period and fettled it for me because it worked perfectly! Strong, hot blue flame and it even self-pressurises during priming and sets itself away like a 210/00 without any pumping. But it's no Coleman GI stove, is it? - heavy, clumsy, no cookset etc. - and that f****** articulated pump-knob that bites chunks out of your finger - words fail me!!!!! I notice that Bill's stove has the sensible pump handle...
In an earlier reply I said I'd seen one labelled as a Fairy PIcnic Stove - I still have it & found it yesterday - it is a Polly Picnic Stove, not a Fairy!
Ah the Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pudding. I would suspect that your little stove has seen a great many of those in its life, they are known as 'babies heads' in military parlance. In fact quite a few of the ration items had less than flattering names - or so I am led to believe.
