Wanted: Old Vixens or Foxes

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 13

Wanted: Old Vixens or Foxes

Have you got a half-a-century old Vixen or Fox, or a slightly younger Leopard, Wolf, Lynx, Panther or Puma working for you? If so Perkins Engines in Peterborough, England, would like to know. It is not that the famous diesel engine manufacturers have any intention of setting up a “mechanical” zoo. But they have launched a world-

wide search for the oldest Perkins diesel engine still .working, and they want to find it in time fornext year’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. Early Perkins engines — when the company was still styled F. Perkins, Ltd — were all called after animals. Vixen and Fox were the names given to the first two models produced between 1932 and 1934. The Leopard, Wolf, Lynx.

Panther and Puma were all pre-war models. Once Perkins finds its oldest working diesel, its owner will be offered a brand new engine to take its place, because the company hopes that the oldest diesel will become the highlight of a Perkins Museum exhibit. The contender for the “oldest” title could well be working in a compressor — Perkins

heard three years ago of one of its very old engines still driving a compressor in New Zealand. So — the search is on: anyone who thinks he may know of an old working Perkins diesel engine, should write to: Michael Beard, Director of Public Affairs, Perkins Engines Group, Ltd, Peterborough PEI SNA, England.