Some 20 years ago, two friends of mine were contracted to fit a 1920 Crossley Brothers, Manchester, 32bhp town gas engine, No. 81128, into a local Kentish smock windmill, called Drapers Mill that had been built in 1845. 

This father and son team are actually steam traction men, but the father is a master carpenter and, many years previously, had completely rebuilt a similar windmill of similar age and not far away, back to full working order. It was run as a commercial operation and used to grind a number of differing types of corn and some other grain. They had many prestigious clients which included the famed Cunard shipping cruise line. Sadly today, it is in need of another rebuild as it has been left neglected.

For them to fit the Crossley engine though, the first few weeks were spent