OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories UK & EUROPEAN Reel Hand-Mowers RANSOMES - Ajax- c1930s

Hello ODK History Lovers

The last Ransomes residential push reel-roller lawnmower to be sold in Australia was the Ajax.

This was an internationally successful model, having sold in world markets in high volume
over many years.

The Ajax had an extremely successful run, going through several 'Mark' versions;
it would sell from the late 1930s to the early 1970s - a half-century of service!



This is a remarkable achievement and it shows the inherent quality of the design.
Made with clever use of steel and die cast alloy, it was a modern machine that finally had to
succumb to the advent and impact of the power mower.

This History Record is a tribute to this great lawnmower. Ajax, a name derived from Greek
mythology, signified a hero of the Trojan War. I would think, an appropriate name -
although the story does not end well ...

This is an image of the MK5 'the final, MK5' from a 1969 brochure.



TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - Specification History
The Ransomes Ajax is a success story in lawnmower design.
This was an evolving modern design - with a move to lighter materials, efficiency gains,
and a move to a more modern style as the marks evolved from 1933.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have no doubt that the best statement -so far - has come from the Old Lawnmower Club's
superb articles, published in a series in their Grassbox Magazine, and authored by Tony Roe
between 2012-2014. It is a brilliantly researched series by an OLC member who owns all five
marks and who could write with so much authority. Brilliant!



https://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/

PART THREE - Ransomes Ajax MK5 Brochure
This is my Ransomes Ajax MK5 brochure. This is the final iteration of this wonderful lawnmower.
I also make the brochure downloadable for registered members at a higher resolution.

PART FOUR - Ransomes Ajax Parts Lists
The parts lists for the Ajax are the best guides to design changes made over its production life.
The first parts list - from my collection - covers the MK1 and Mk2 machines.

Here are the thumbnails (not an image gallery).
The download of the doc is made available for personal use.