The humble gasoline-powered stationary engine is an unsung hero of the Second Industrial Revolution, which paved the way for modernisation right into the mid 20th century.
Before electricity and the inception of national power grids, stationary engines equipped factories, mills, and farmyards with a means to generate their own mechanical power using gear trains, belts, clutches, and line shafts. They provided the energy to pump water, drive machine tools, saw wood, and cut and process crops.
These petrol and diesel engines were relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and could be operated at short notice to meet demand. After WWII, the flick-a-switch convenience of electricity led to the demise of stationary engines but they churned on in the rural sector for decades. Until recently, it was often possible to salvage an…
