Southern Cross Engines

Southern Cross Engines: An Illustrated History of Toowoomba Foundry’s Steam, Internal-Combustion and Windmill Engines, by Rob Laurent For 74 years Australia’s Toowoomba Foundry produced a range of steam, petrol, kerosene and diesel engines. Each bore the name Southern Cross. From the simple 1½-horsepower Farm Pump to 100-ton locomotives, the Southern Cross reputation for ruggedness and reliability was known across the globe. In Southern Cross Engines Rob Laurent traces the origin of this famous marque back to a primitive hand-made steam engine of 1876. Using a variety of sources, such as official documents saved from the scrap bin and the memories of the men who made the engines, he follows developments at the Foundry until 1983, when the last engine was made. Toowoomba Foundry’s most famous products, the Southern Cross windmills are also covered in depth. Over 200,000 of these, in 30 different models, have been produced between 1874 and the present day. Other Southern Cross products covered are portable steam engines, steam locomotives, experimental aircraft, lawnmowers, aluminium boats and many other items. There are brief biographies of the chief engine designers as well as of prominent Foundry personnel, most notable of who was the indomitable “Puggy” Griffiths, son of the founder. Puggy began working at the Foundry when he was 17 and was still an active Director 73 years later. He devoted his life to seeing that Southern Cross products were second to none. Southern Cross Engines is a very readable history of one of Australia’s most enduring companies. This book has proven to be popular with a wide range of readers, with copies going to readers in all states of Australia as well as several overseas countries. Southern Cross Engines is a strongly bound, 300-page book with a soft cover. It contains hundreds of black-and-white photographs, drawings and period advertisements. There are also parts diagrams of all 54 models of engines as well as detailed specifications for every engine. Full production records for all 90,000 engines made by the Foundry are also provided.

Sample pages below!