A selection of photos of“ OWL” on the 1900 1,000 Mile Trial.
“ OWL” – the name coined from its registration mark – was Wolseley’ s third attempt at producing a motor vehicle, and its first with four wheels, the previous two being three-wheeled machines. The driving force behind each of these early Wolseleys was one Lord Herbert Austin, the company’ s works manager. Austin had become frustrated by the seasonal demand for sheep-shearing equipment, and saw the added production of motor vehicles as a way of optimising factory output during fallow periods.
‘ For over three years the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co …. have been carefully experimenting with autocars, and their works manager, Mr. H. Austin, has devoted a very great deal of attention to the subject.’
By 1899, the 3.5hp Voiturette prototype represented the company’ s most ambitious offering yet. Powered by a 1.3-litre engine of Wolseley’ s own design, its single cylinder had a bore of 4 ½ inches and a 5-inch stroke, with its liner, piston and combustion chamber
all cast from iron. Oil was sent to the bearings through a sight-feed lubricator mounted on the dash in front of the passenger, with capacity for, the company claimed, 150 miles of running. The ignition used two accumulators and a Blake trembler coil – common with many other early veterans. Apart from a hand-throttle, central steering tiller, and gated three-speed-plusreverse transmission( more of which later), OWL’ s only other main control was a footbrake operating two shoes acting directly on an additional rim fixed to the inside of each of the car’ s 30-inch spoked rear wheels.
It seems that – initially, at least – Austin had full support from the company, evidenced by The Autocar reporting in its January 6,1900 issue:‘ For over three years the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co …. have been carefully experimenting with autocars, and their works manager, Mr. H. Austin, has devoted a very great deal of attention to the subject. The experimental stage has now been passed, and the firm are preparing to put their cars on the market.’ The article goes on to describe the two-seater car as having three gears, which could be‘… varied by changing the sprockets’, and a‘ fixed petrol tank( holding) three and a half gallons, sufficient for one hundred miles …’
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