OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Curios and Stories OPERATION MATADOR - 1959

Hello ODK history lovers

OPERATION MATADOR
This is a great story that any lawnmower manufacturer would relish.
It wasn't free publicity, but it was gold in terms of the company's reward - be it in sales or reputation.

It's a story that exemplifies the stereotypical 'oddity' of the British. It's a story of
intrigue, with a secret in a van, and the eating of Haggis. This story has the lot...

Hatfield Technical College students or former employees of the De Havilland Aircraft Company,
wanted to test the reliability of small petrol engines. So they set off on a Ransomes Matador (with trailing seat)
and headed off - from Edinburgh to London, a journey that took four days and three nights and ended
with a ceremony in Hyde Park.



They approached Ransomes who were more than willing to 'lend' a mower for the project. Not only that,
Ransomes assigned an engineer,Mark Grimwade, and apprentices to the task.

The machine was modified in that it was fitted with a larger capacity oil sump. The biggest and most
interesting modification was the use of a rubberised landroll. Mr Grimwade recalls,
"If you imagine riding down a highway with a metal roller, it would jar and bang and be extremely uncomfortable
so we put a rubber coating on the roller."

That recollection suggests that the use of the rubber coated landroll came about because of this publicity stunt.
That is interesting because the rubberised landroll was offered in production versions! It is now not an uncommon
standard feature or accessory on many reel mowers made today.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

THE 50th ANNIVERSARY

On the fiftieth anniversary of the event (2009) the BBC ran an article and short video about the
publicity stunt. The former students' recollections are hilarious. We also learn that there was a 'secret'
concealed in the support vehicle, a Bedfrod Dormobile...




To view the full article and short video click
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8259000/8259841.stm
(External website)

TO BE CONTINUED ...

This is a 1959 short film of Operation Matador, probably produced by The Ransomes Film Unit.
It has generously been made available by the East Anglian Film Archive.

SYNOPSIS
"Lighthearted documentary with commentary following a group of students from Hatfield Technical College
as they drive a lawnmower from Edinburgh to London. For the prize of a half pint of beer each, they must get
to Hyde Park in four days and present the Superintendant of the Royal Parks with a haggis."

To view this video click [size:14pt][color:#FF0000]HERE[/color][/size].

East Anglia Film Archive
http://www.eafa.org.uk

RANSOMES MATADOR
OPERATION COMMANDER



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