Great thread
always interesting to find out something new about topics we've speculated over when discussing the history of appliance and manufacturers.
With regard to the automaster, I would have thought a no suspension, slow speed spin drum type would be the cheapest to build, thinking along the lines of the original indesit, only a thought mind.
Laundress, don't weep for all, I know that one programme on advertising said that heavy promotion kept women using twin tubs long after they were obsolete in other countries, but I can think of at least 10 first hand examples where the housewife had the choice of machines and still chose a twin tub. One I recall was back in the eighties, the husband bought a tol hoover automatic, was installed in the morning and by the afternoon it was sent back and exchanged for a twin tub, with washing for a large family, many women just preferred to put the effort in for an hour or so and clear the washing basket. I know you've said the similar, when you got your lovely Maytag wringer. On the other hand my grandmother held out in the 50's against both a wringer washer and a twin tub, rather waiting for something better, so in 1959 when the english electric liberator, ( westinghouse space mate) came out, she chose that, and several of her friend bought the same machine. But in my generation growing up in the 70's my mum and all my friends had automatics, the twin tubs were found with the previous generation. And many friends here in the uk can tell similar accounts.
I can't say for all english electric twin tubs, but I know from literature Mike has that the `twin star' at least, had a different wash tub and impellor than the Rolls/duomatic etc. It was a squared off tub with an angled base with an impellor more like a smaller diameter hoover pulsator, it was belt driven from a brush motor, similar to the one used for the spin dryers, so that accounts for the different wash ratings and the description of a `very vigorous wash action'.
Rolls. Al and Louis Keep the information coming, great to read.
Mathew