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  Adam Pilgrim June 20, 2011 at 10:30pm

  I think it is Stephen....
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance June 21, 2011 at 9:04am

  You're right chaps it certainly is!!
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  Matt Rolls June 22, 2011 at 7:34pm

  That one's a beaut! I'm picking up an Allen sythe this week to add to my collection!
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance June 22, 2011 at 7:42pm

  I'd love an Allen Sythe, but I've already had "the look" from the missus for buying this! I don't want to push my luck!
  
  Matt Rolls said:
  

  That one's a beaut! I'm picking up an Allen sythe this week to add to my collection!
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  Matt Rolls June 22, 2011 at 7:50pm

  I get the look everytime i say i need a new piece of machinery. I want a new van in a month or 2 so i'll put my stab vest on when i drop that one on her.
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  Colin Hunt June 22, 2011 at 8:20pm

  Ah, want my Osprey back! Spent many a 'happy' day armed with my Osprey, Condor and Hayterette looking after a Churchyard contract and other commercial sites. All good old plodders, simple to use, maintain and would go on for ever. Too many levers, cables and things to go wrong on today's machinery - but they do start easier! 

   

  I'm gonna go and have a look to see if its still lurking at the back of the 'Hospital shed'! Only dragged out my Howard 350 last week and sent it away to the doctors to see if its worth firing up again after 15 years.
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance June 22, 2011 at 8:23pm

  Ha ha! that's great!  Glad it's not just me!
  
  Matt Rolls said:
  

  I get the look everytime i say i need a new piece of machinery. I want a new van in a month or 2 so i'll put my stab vest on when i drop that one on her.
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance June 22, 2011 at 8:26pm

  I'd love a condor, they are monsters.  Not sure i'd describe this machine as a plodder, when i fired it up yesterday, released the clutch and it dragged me down the road!

   

  Do you know how i might go about steadying it down?
  Colin Hunt said:

  Ah, want my Osprey back! Spent many a 'happy' day armed with my Osprey, Condor and Hayterette looking after a Churchyard contract and other commercial sites. All good old plodders, simple to use, maintain and would go on for ever. Too many levers, cables and things to go wrong on today's machinery - but they do start easier! 

   

  I'm gonna go and have a look to see if its still lurking at the back of the 'Hospital shed'! Only dragged out my Howard 350 last week and sent it away to the doctors to see if its worth firing up again after 15 years.
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  Colin Hunt June 22, 2011 at 8:40pm

  From what I rememebr (15/20 years ago) the clutch was on the rear wheels somehow - the problem we had was that they tended to slip a bit. Is the plate rusty?

   

  You are right, the Condor was a super machine, with two rotor discs giving a nice wide cut.  We used to change over to a cylinder head occasionally and (height of luxury) hitch on a seat and roller!
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance June 22, 2011 at 8:45pm

  They could be rusty, as you can see from the picture it is in a "used" condition.  I'm going to set about it in the winter when i have more time on my hands, been trying to find a manual online but no luck as yet.

   

  Do you know when these machines were built?

  
  Colin Hunt said:

  From what I rememebr (15/20 years ago) the clutch was on the rear wheels somehow - the problem we had was that they tended to slip a bit. Is the plate rusty?

   

  You are right, the Condor was a super machine, with two rotor discs giving a nice wide cut.  We used to change over to a cylinder head occasionally and (height of luxury) hitch on a seat and roller!