PART THREE - Investigation
The last image [above] that Geoff judiciously supplied - of the fuel tank
and lube information - immediately proved a vital clue. For one thing,
'The Marvel Motor Mower' appeared on the transfer. This meant the tank was
an original fitment - the mysterious Marvel had given up three secrets here;
when one considers the fuel - it was 'petroil', a mix of oil and petrol used
for two stroke engines. The second secret was that the Marvel was a powered
lawnmower when it left the factory.

The third revelation was that this excluded the twin Douglas motor as being
an original fitment - it was, after all, a four stroke! [Look at the exposed
tappets in the Part Two images].

So, that told me what the Marvel wasn't; but I wanted to know what it was!

A final image Geoff supplied was of the grassbox transfer.
It wasn't in great condition, but it did reveal a confirmation of other clues:-

The transfer appeared to be a 'testimonial' that the Marvel had a heritage.
It was good evidence that the original company - Barford & Perkins - had awards
for lawnmowers dating back to the 1880s. However, the transfer revealed that the
maker of the Marvel was not Braford & Perkins - but Godiva Engineering of Slough.
That was the clue and the next approach ...

[Linked Image]

TO BE CONTINUED ...