As readers will be aware, the advertisments of displenishing sales provides a great deal of information on farms and the implements and machines that were used on them. It can tell a lot about the activities on a farm, the scale of mechanisation, and the preference of the farmer towards certain makers. These advertisments were also published for businesses. There are a small number that relate to implement makers. These include the Caledonian Implement Works, St Ninians, Stirling. In 1950 the works was giving up the repairing business and in doing so it was having a displenishing sale on 24 January. That sale was to be conducted by Shirlaw, Allan & Co., auctioneers, Hamilton, who were well known for selling the assets of industrial businesses.
The Caledonian Implement Works had been associated with Alexander Scott, an agricultural engineer, since at least 1941. He incorporated the business in 1949 as Alexander Scott (Agricultural Engineers) Ltd. He exhibited at the Highland Shows of 1948 to 1950 when he entered two implements for the new implement awards. In 1949 these were the Universal Root Crop Harvester, invented by James Duncan, Easter Wairds, by Denny, and made by Mr Scott. The second was a turnip topper and tailer and mangold root lifter, also invented by James Duncan and made by Mr Scott.
What was in the workshop at the Caledonian Implement Works? In summary, a wide range of tools and machines. Here is how the displenishing sale notice which appeared in The Scotsman of 7 January 1950 recorded them:
“Sale of engineering and wood working plant and machinery agricultural implements, implement spares, &c including 2 ½ x 30 ins Ward Turret lathe; 5 ins centre wars capstan lathe; two 8 ½ ins and 6 ½ ins centre SS and SC lathes; 54 ins sewing, surfacing, and boring lathe; Archdale radial drilling machine, 2 ½ feet radius; 3 pillar vertical drilling machine; power hack sawing machine; 9 KW Murex electric ark welder; Morris overhead travelling crane for electric drive, 18ft span; Morris overhead hand travelling crane 18ft span; 12 ins surface planning and jointing machine; bank sawing machine 30 ins wheels; 2 circular saw benches, tables 5ft x 2ft 6 ins and 4ft x 2ft; Wilmac motorised circular saw bench, table 2ft 3 ins x 1ft 8 ins; 23 new circular saws, 24 ins dia., for 1 ¼ in spindle; 6 cwt platform weighing machine; 3 sets new chain lifting blocks, 20 and 10 cwts; portable electric drill, volts 250; 2 portable electric grinders, volts 220 AC/DC; smithy tools, Britannia petrol pump; 11 ½ tons 0.5 and 0.3 carbon steel flats and squares; 6 ½ tons MS plates, sheets, and sections; 6 tons bolts, nuts, rivets and nails; 180 yards WP T and G lining; 31 sheets Gyproc wall boarding, 8 ft x 3 ft; 264 cu feet 11 ins x 11 ins PP logs; new Caledonian heavy duty hay and straw baler on pneumatics; New Caledonian 30ft stacking elevator; 6 new power drive potato diggers; 2 sets new saddle back harrows; 6ft Bisset reaper and binder; 4 new 1 1/2HP Petter petrol engines; 22 pairs new 32 x 6 Sankey trailer wheels; 2850 ft Reynold elevator chain; 49 new flexible wire ropes 3/8 in dia. X 86 ft long; new baler spares; Stamford no. 2 sterilising boiler; martin’s sterilising chest 4ft x 3ft x 4ft; Alfa-Laval vacuum pump; 2 milking machine units; Fordson tractor on rotapeds; tractor trailer; box cart on pneumatics; 2 tractor and horse land rollers; hay collector; Newlands tool bar; grain bruiser and grinder; 8 HP Morris van; 7 HP Austin saloon; 2 typewriters; Gestetner duplicator &c.
Caledonian Implement Works, St Ninians, Stirling
On Tuesday, 24th January 1950, at eleven o’clock prompt.
Shirlaw, Allan & Co., auctioneers, Hamilton, have received instructions from Alexander Scott, Agricultural Engineers, Ltd, who are giving up the repairing branch of their business, to sell by auction, as above.”
