Tractor Museum, Whiteman Park

Whiteman Park is not only home of the Motor Museum and the Bus Museum, but it's also home to WA's Tractor Museum. Tractors are very much a niche heritage item. For those with an interest in farming, the tractor is king. However, like buses, they have very limited use for the 'home enthusiast' (it's not like you can drive them to shops). Preserving and maintaining them takes a very special dedication.

If you can't own one yourself, you can at least seem them at the Tractor Museum! These photos I took several years ago when I visited. https://www.whitemanpark.com.au/attraction/transport-heritage/tractor-museum-of-wa/

Australia's home built tractor brand, the Chamberlain. Chamberlain would eventually be taken over by John Deere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamberlain_Tractors

1929 Hart Parr. Style was not something that many tractor makers concerned themselves with. The Hart Parr exemplifies that 'style' with an open engine and exposed fuel tank.

The Tractor Museum has several steam traction engines in its collection, but only one is restored.

As a youngster I dreamed of having a steam traction engine. Who knows, maybe I will get involved later. They are looking for volunteers!

The ubiquitous Ford Model T was tough enough to be used as a 'tractor' by some farmers.

Catepillar tractors were developed for rough and muddy ground. From left to right is a McCormick Deering and two American Clertrac's, built by the Cleveland Tractor Company. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Farm_Equipment_Company

David Brown tractor

One of my favorite tractors - the Lanz Bulldog

Lanz of Mannheim, Germany, began building the Bulldog in 1921 and it went to worldwide export success. The Bulldog's success stemmed from it's incredible robustness and simplicity. https://www.farmcollector.com/tractors/lanz-bulldog-zmlz16sepzhur

The Lanz Bulldog uses a hot bulb ignition system. The 'bulb' can be seen at the front of the engine block. The driver needed to heat the bulb with a gas burner for about half an hour until the bulb is hot enough to ignite the fuel. Any combustible fuel could be used, from cooking oil, kerosene, petrol or heavy oil. Most people ran them on the cheapest heavy oil. The steering wheel was then inserted into the massive flywheel and spun until the engine fired up. It's an exhausting process to watch.

https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-unkillable-lanz-bulldog.html

Later models, like this one, had a 'normal' ignition.

The Lanz Bulldog was an extremely popular seller in Australia both before and after the Second World War.

Catepillar Ten

McCormick Deering



Outside the museum is some interesting machinery.

Old Bill Steam Shovel




For those with an interest, here is a resource for tractor manuals: https://www.tractor-manuals-downunder.com/Lanz-kl-bulldog-manuals-to-download.html
 Lanz Bulldog HR5 Operating Manual: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/10/lanz-bulldog-hr-5-operating-manual.html
Lanz Bulldog HR2 Parts List: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/11/lanz-bulldog-hr-ii-bilingual-parts-list.html
Lanz Bulldog HR2 Operating Manual: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/10/lanz-bulldog-hr-ii-operating.html

2021 museum visit - https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/11/tracmach-and-tractor-museum.html

1994 Irmscher Selectra - a two-stroke hybrid

Being the owner of a two-stroke powered motorcar, I have always believed that a two-stroke hybrid engine offers an effective solution to the problems of hybrid-electric vehicles. Modern two-stroke motors, combined with low smoke synthetic oils, can be made to run with significantly reduced emissions. A small capacity engine would enough to keep the electric motor fully charged and therefore significantly extending the range of the vehicle. The two-stroke engine would not need to be running all the time and would only kick in to keep the batteries charged.

Of course, I'm not the only person to have thought of this. In 1994 the German automotive tuning company Irmscher unveiled a hybrid-electric car at the Geneva Motor Show. The potential return of a two-stroke car to the market attracted the interest of the Auto-Union Veteranen Club, who featured a write up by Hubert Bertha in their October 1994 magazine. Below is my translation of the original German article into English. The original magazine can be found here: https://auvc-archive.blogspot.com/2020/04/auvc-nachrichten-vol-78-october-1994.html

"Two new two-stoke engine cars were presented at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The tuning company Irmscher developed the so-called hybrid car. The small petrol engine is used as a supplement to charge the electric generator which drives two asynchronous electric motors.

The petrol engine, a 90 cubic centimetre two-stroke, operates via an injection system with a catalytic converter. This environmentally friendly engine consumes only one litre per 100 kilometres.

The H 301 was developed by the Essen-based Finna Esoro in Switzerland, and is equipped with a parallel drive. Both motors, the electric drive and the petrol engine, are used alternatively depending on driving conditions. The petrol engine is also a modern two-stroke engine.

Both vehicles are still prototypes. lrmscher and Esoro are waiting for manufacturers to take over series production."

Neither the Irmscher or Esoro cars ever made it into production. Irmscher continue to customize electric vehicles and offer their own electric sportscar - https://www.irmscher.com/
Esoro appears to still exist too - http://www.esoro.ch/english/content/kernk/nhanst/h301/h.htm