Malcolm,

I might be wrong but  I rather think that the mowers would have been assembled at
M-H Barton Dock Road, Stretford or even the earlier Manchester facility on Ashburton Road, Trafford Park.  I say this because Kilmarnock did not start 'till about 1948 when this type of mower was going very much out of fashion and the start up of Kilmarnock was heavily focussed on 744 tractors, 726 combines (both transferred from Manchester) and 701 balers. What do you think?

John

John,

I agree with you that many of the earlier and pre 1948 734 mowers would be assembled in Manchester, the later red and cream models I believe were from Kilmarnock.
The one I have was bought new in 1952 from Grounsell and Sons, M-H agents in Louth, as you say that is very late for this type of mower. I have heard the stories from their old lorry driver who used to take the Austin Loadstar lorry all the way to Scotland and bring a load of machines stacked high back to Lincolnshire, he told dad when it was delivered new he had collected it from Kilmarnock only a few days previously.

Malcolm.

Thanks Malcolm and John for the information and thanks Malcolm for the photo. I will paint mine that colour. It looks from what you are saying is that it is a very late model.

I looked for the serial number on the front of the frame. There might be a 2 just visibly but nothing else. There is a lot of bad pitting on the from of the frame. I would think the front of the mower stuck out a bit from under the cart shed.


Alan