From Cheese to Gizmos – Wellington Vintage Machinery Revisited

Sunday was Club Day at Wellington Vintage Machinery, situated in Mangaroa Valley, Upper Hutt, so that fitted in well with my plans for the monthly get-together with our  SLG friends.  November was my month to arrange an outing, and I was sure the men in the group in particular would be interested in coming to visit.  Robin and I had visited the club rooms a few months earlier, but with so many interesting things on display, it was well worth a second visit.  There was no doubt that this club is a mechanical workshop, with the all pervading smell of engine oil  greeting us on entry.  Peter, the Treasurer, showed our group a video entitled “From Cheese to Gizmos”, which told of the history of the club.  The club building was previously a milk factory, in the days when every small town had their own local factory.  The video showed old footage of cheese making on the premises, and current field-days and exhibitions.

Engrossed in the video, and surrounded by engines

Everyone was in awe of the mighty  black 1911 steam traction engine, built by John Fowler and Co, Leeds.   This is on loan to the club, and gets taken out regularly to events.  These mighty machines were a common sight on farms in earlier times, and would have been most impressive when they were fired up and steaming. 

Pride of the collection, 1911 steam traction

Russell seemed to be enjoying himself driving the little three wheeled tractor with a bucket on the back.  In a former life this dinky little machine was used to carry soil around the Akatarawa Cemetery. ….

Russell on the small red tractor

We saw an early model mechanical washing machine which works by pushing the handle back and forth.  This raises and lowers three inverted cups which agitate the water through the clothes.  It wasn’t too hard to make it go while the machine was empty, but I imagine it would be quite hard work filled with a week’s washing and hot soapy water.  There was an old copper on display as well, and I remember that we had one in our house when I was a child.  The fire was lit underneath to boil the water which produced wonderfully  white clothing.  But what a long hot job doing the washing was, manhandling the hot clothing with a wooden copper stick into the concrete tubs to rinse in cold water, and through the mangle.  These days we just have to push a few buttons and it is all done for us.

Push the handle forward and back

The club members were getting some of the tractors ready to take part in the upcoming Santa Parade, so they had to be in tip top condition.

There was a good display of old bicycles hanging on the wall in the back shed.  Just below the bikes were some beautifully crafted wooden cart wheels, these were obviously all made by hand.  The club is often offered all sorts of interesting things to add to the collection, and is only too happy to uplift and preserve these treasures of bygone days.

Bicycles and cart wheels

Once again, a very interesting visit, and thanks to the members for making our group so welcome, and taking the time to answer our many questions.