Circa-1899 30 HP Crossley Brothers “Otto”
Manufacturer: Crossley Brothers Co., Manchester, England
Year: Circa 1899
Type: S
Horsepower: 30 @ 200 RPM
The Crossley Brothers Co. was formed in Manchester, England, in 1867 to produce machinery for the growing India-rubber industry.
While on his honeymoon in Europe, one of the founders, William Crossley, met with Dr. Nikolaus August Otto, which led to an arrangement for Crossley Brothers Co. to manufacture Otto gas engines. Soon after, the company became known for manufacturing their own high-quality engines.
This Type S engine is one of 3,020 made in 1899 – a record year for Crossley Brothers Co. It is distinguished by a double sideshaft design and by timed hot-tube ignition. It is fueled by natural gas and governed in the hit-and-miss fashion through control of a small fuel valve.
The engine was purchased by Preston Foster in 1986 and brought to the United States from London.
This engine is one of 40 being profiled in a new book about the Coolspring Power Museum soon to be published by Gas Engine Magazine. Full details of this publication are forthcoming.