OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories UK & EUROPEAN Power Reel Models RANSOMES - Motor Triple - C1964

Hello ODK history lovers
Ransomes once ruled the world in lawnmowers.
Though not the inventor of the mechanical lawnmower,
they were the first licensed maker of the Budding Patent of 1830.

I first met the Motor Triple as a teenager in the 1970s and I
immediately fell in love with its over-engineered presence.

It was a strange amalgam of old and new engineering; old and
new styling. It was stately, superbly complex, and … beautiful.

The Motor Triple was a 218cm [86 inch] triple-reel ride-on
lawnmower. Introduced in 1964, the triple reflected a new post-war
understanding of the large lawnmower.



Tractor and animal driven gang mowers were expensive to maintain and
lacked maneuverability. The Triple was a North American Locke on steroids,
and it would be at the forefront of lawnmower design for a decade or so.

After this, the North Americans would gain their hegemony.
The Motor Triple should be considered one of the greatest
professional lawnmowers of the 20th century.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO – The Motor Triple Mk 1
The Triple had a long production life and went through a
number of changes or ‘Mark’ versions.

The original machine – the MK 1 – was powered by a JAP 4/44 450cc
crank-start petrol engine. The machine was capable of cutting 1.6 ha
[4 acres] per hour. Because of the rear steering [that delivered a tight
turning circle] the gang units utilised cast iron skids rather than rollers.

The Triple was well received here for significant reasons:
post war prosperity, urban sprawl, new parklands, and highways,
all required maneuverable high-output grass cutters.

This brochure is from my collection and it is in great condition.
As always, I make it available for member viewing, or as a
high-resolution download.

PART THREE – The Motor Triple Mk2
The Motor Triple was an instant success, and the powered
triple formula remains an industry norm.

The most obvious changes to the triple – over the years -
clearly relate to power plant offerings. The most obvious new
power units were the Swiss Motosacoche M.A.G. diesel and
4-cycle petrol engines.

Note the new, smaller triple … the Junior Motor Triple, and the
increased range of accessories.