An amazing collection of Lister H to R stationary engines

Lee Say offers a fascinating insight into his amazing collection of Lister H to R stationary engines, and the passion he has for them.

My initiation into the world of engine preservation came about when I acquired my first engine, a 1937 D type spec 18, given to me back in 2003 by an elderly gentleman who knew my grandfather. I owned that engine until 2019.

My interest in the early Lister H to R range of engines sparked-off in 2007, although it was not until a year later that I was able to purchase an L type. Since then I have had the good fortune to have acquired many more, and I now have the pleasure of owning what I believe is the only collection of Lister H-R engines that are exclusively of the blind cylinder-head design. Yes, I know there are other full sets out there but, as far as I am aware, they have a mix of cylinder heads and styles.

I purchased my first engine in the H to R range of Lister engines in 2008, it was an L type rated at 4hp at 400 rpm; it carries the s/n 17946. Unfortunately, no early history is known about the engine, although it was reportedly rescued from a cotton mill where it was believed to have been stored for around 60 years. It was in very rough condition but, thankfully, still on its original trolley. The engine has had an extensive restoration between 2008 and 2013.

The smallest in the collection is H type engine, s/n 14829, rated at 1½ hp at 400 rpm. It was built on the 15th March, 1916 and supplied to E Thomas & Co of Oswestry, as part of a direct-coupled, single-ram pump set. Unfortunately, the pump at some point in its life has been removed and the engine has been converted back to a portable engine on an original trolley. I purchased this engine in 2020. The H type is unique in the H-R range as it shares virtually no parts with the rest of the range, making production expensive. Production was stopped in 1926 when the Lister D type was designed to replace this small horse power engine.

The largest in the range was the R type engine, this example, s/n 33005, is rated at 8hp at 375 rpm. It was supplied new from JC&F Gates, Market Place, Doncaster, on 11th October 1922. I purchased the engine in December 2014; it was in rough condition having been left out on a field near Goole, East Yorkshire. The engine underwent an extensive restoration, taking over 18 months to bring it back to its former glory. It has been placed on an original Lister trolley and converted to screen cooling.

I have been asked many times before “What is your favourite engine?” Well, honestly, I can’t say as I like all the engines in the H-R Range. However, my L type is one I always enjoy showing; yes it’s only an L type, and yes there are loads of them out there being shown, but knowing the hours of work that went into its restoration and, of course, with it being the first one that I restored on my own, with my dad overseeing the job, in particularly the painting. Having said that, I do like taking out the bigger ones. The N, P, Q or R machines are always fun to show, with their physical size, weight and their horrific fuel consumption. They are a rare sight on the rally field nowadays.

I have never really travelled that far for engines really; although I have found some locally, others have come from further away which have required a fair amount of driving and, of course, some get delivered to me on pallets. I suppose the biggest ride out was when I went to Perth, Scotland,  to collect the P type. We set off with bright blue skies and warm sunshine, to be met with freezing fog and snow when we got there! The journey home was educational, driving on virgin snow down the motorway though the night with my new toy frozen to the trailer by time we got home!

Another long trip was to Bury St Edmonds. I had sold an engine to a chap out that way, and agreed to deliver it to him on the promise of a brew of tea and a look around his sheds! Anyway, with my mug of tea in hand I was having a look round one of the sheds and saw a J type and, after a conversation, a sale was agreed. Later in the day we spoke of a ball-hopper L type and a sale was agreed, along with a Petter A1 that he wanted out of the way. I gave the Petter to my dad for his collection. Unfortunately, I was not expecting to be buying anything at all, so all this lot had to be squeezed into the back of my pick-up for the rather slow ride home! I was very glad again to be at home after a long day!

I would like to express my thanks to Doreen Edgington for her help providing accurate build dates and the first customer for the engines in my collection. I’ve had some other monsterous days, but they can wait for another day and another article describing them!

This feature comes from the latest issue of Stationary Engine, and you can discover more about the magazine by clicking HERE