W.H. Dorman and Co. of Stafford, UK, began engine manufacturing in 1913, producing a vast array of engines for most purposes: powering cars, trucks, tractors, railway engines and providing a variety of marine applications.
In 1919, when Ruston and Hornsby attempted to diversify, one such product that was developed was the Ruston Hornsby car, of which one was powered with the 15.9hp Dorman 2,614cc engine.
Lighting plants and marine motors were also manufactured and, in 1932, the Dorman Ricardo diesel engine was introduced in a six cylinder, and four types of four cylinder models.
My recently acquired Bedford WLG started me on this research, as it is fitted with a Dorman Ricardo diesel engine. From my limited research, it would appear that these engines were used mostly as transplants, for a number of reasons, but were never factory fitted.
I have, however, found one exception. David Brown used the Dorman Ricardo diesel engine in his DB 4 (1942-49), which was essentially a Caterpillar D4 clone, but with all the finesse that British engineering provided.
Prior to the diesel engines, as early as 1914, Caledon, a distributor for Commer, used Dorman engines, as did Lacre in 1920, to power road sweepers.
In 1913, the Pagefield company produced a four ton lorry for the War effort, using a 42hp Dorman, and went on to supply 519 to the Forces.
In Australia, the agents for Dorman were Kelly and Lewis of Springvale (an outer suburb of Melbourne, Vic). This firm went on to build many petrol and diesel engines in their own right with the most auspicious being the V8 aero engines in 1915, and Australia’s own KL Bulldog tractor, in 1948.
In 1935, co-sponsored by Shell, they fitted out a WLG Bedford with a four cylinder Dorman Ricardo diesel to travel from Melbourne to Darwin, via Adelaide and Alice Springs. It was recorded in The Argus on July 2nd, 1935, that “the engine develops 22 horse power at 1,000rpm and 50hp at its normal running speed of 2,500rpm.
“It has a bore of 90mm and a stroke of 120mm with a swept volume of 3,053cc.The cylinder head, which incorporates the valves and Ricardo patent combustion chambers, is a chromium iron alloy casting. CAV Bosch fuel pump and fuel injector valves are used and a larger fuel filter is fitted.
“The standard radiator, as supplied with the petrol engine, is being used without modification.”
This report does not make mention of the success or otherwise of the expedition, but does extol the virtues of the diesel versus petrol engine.
“With past experience these engines indicate the mileage. A gallon of fuel oil will be about twice that obtained from a gallon of petrol with a petrol engine of similar power, and it will not evaporate in the high temperatures which will be met with”.
While I am not yet contemplating a run up to Darwin (just yet) in my Bedford, I would be interested to know of other Bedford/Dormans and their configurations in other trucks.
*Paul Wilson, Stonyford, Vic. Email: pdwilson@tca-online.net.au
