Burco Twin Tub

[electron1100]

Got a call today from my old site and this old Burco Model 21 twin tub had come in.
Bit shabby and the agitator is missing but it should all be able to be sorted

 

[electron1100]

Burco

Front

 

[electron1100]

Burco

controls

 

[electron1100]

Burco

name and model

 

[electron1100]

Burco

worktop removed

 

[electron1100]

Burco

No agitator :-(

 

[electron1100]

Burco

Spin Can

 

[keymatic]

Hi Gary,
Nice find...quite rare as well !!
I am sure yours is a MK2, as there were a few differences ie, the wash didn't have the cut-out for the empty hose and the controls were different, stainless steel wash tub.
Over the years i have had both Mk1 & Mk2, but both were in poor condition so decided to scrap, however retained a few bits along the way, pumps, valve, agi etc.
Hope it scrubs up well..Keith

 

[electron1100]

Burco

Hello Keith

Thanks very much for the information, I think the cosmetics are not too far gone for a certain person in the midlands who is good with a spray gun .

Underneath is a mass of spiders webs etc, i havent taken it out of the car yet, I will put it in the garage tomorrow and have a quick a look

Gary

 

[keymatic]

Hey Gary,
Sure it will look grand when it is all done.
I have a service manual if you get stuck with any bits, the wash control valve if a bit of a weird set-up but work well.
Regards
Keith

 

[keymatic]

Hey Gary,
Sure it will look grand when it is all done.
I have a service manual if you get stuck with any bits, the wash control valve if a bit of a weird set-up but work well.
Regards
Keith

 

[chestermikeuk]

Burco

Hi Gary, wow what a find, it doesnt look as bad as a certain other Oovah top loader!!! so I`m sure the spa magic can be performed!!!

Keith, could you post pics of the instruction manual, the drain valve is interesting, does it drain the spin water through the outlet in the washtub?? and then you turn it to empty the tub??

It looks bigger than a Servis me thinks unless its the pics!!

Gary, thanks for saving another piece of British history, i wonder if the agi we found in a spares store a few years ago will fit it?? its small and doesnt look like anything from other machines we know about...

 

[vacbear58]

Not quite what it seems ...

Another brilliant find for you Gary, and I too think that the Midlands Spa could do a good job for you - Bob & Neil have recently done a brilliant job for me. However, having checked back through some old Which? issues the knob on the right is not a wash timer but a spin timer.
Although not what you would call a popular machine (in the sense of the Hoovermatic, Supermatic or Supertwin) it was around for a long time included in the 1960 report and still there (in Mk 2 form) in 1967, although the Burco 40 also appears then, so it may have been on the way out by that time. I notice this machine is BEAB approved, dont know when that system was introduced, but it may help date it.
Anyway, a brilliant find - congratulations
Al

 

[vacbear58]

Size

Here is an extract from the 1967 report, listing the dimensions of the machines included in that report. In fact it is marginally smaller than the MK1 Supertwin according to the 1960 report
Al
PS just noticed that it is Mk3 form in 1967

 

[paulc]

Wow

An amazing find. My Nan had a Burco semi automatic with a sud's save option when I was little....don't remember much about it am afraid....just it looked huge to me, she got rid of it when the lid on it rusted

 

[vacbear58]

Are you sure ....

Paul,
Are you sure you are not thinking of the Parnall machine? Never heard of a Burco auto or semi auto. Keith has the Parnall, wonderful machine .....
Al

 

[keymatic]

Hi Mike, Al & Paul..

Mike i will have a rumage around and see if i can dig out the manual, just having probs with the naff new Wifi printer/scanner so may take a few days to post. The agitatior is small & dumpy, quite wide though, it also has a screw nut on top, the only other one i thought which may fit would be one out of a 1101 servis twin, the 90's retro twin tub, as this was similar in size and also had a retention nut on top.

With regards to the control knob on top, this controlled a valve, there was one of two options, spin return or empty wash tub..hence why the earlier models had a cut-out in the wash lid so the hose could be kept in place while you were spinning and washing, and didn't have to remove the wash lid.

The Burco 21 ran for about 8-9 years, not sure if it made it too 1970. The Burco 40, was a cheaper version, and had an impeller, very similar to a Rolls.

Paul & Al, Burco did launch a machine called the Laundriair, it was basically a Parnall Spinwasher Mk1, with slightly different controls, but did exactly the same.

Looking forward to the finished result on the Burco.
Regards...Keith

 

[chestermikeuk]

Aahhh

Now that explains it, I picked up a load of Burco repair manuals last year and it had the Burco twinny with pulsator in the base, which I must go back and confirm as a "40" model...

Friends mum had one and remember it in use in the kitchen, but I was certain it had the agi, so must have been similar to the one found by Gary.

Al, I see from your Which report that this was version 3, model 21, and is listed in the Council of Industrial Design Index, although I cant find it on the VADS Network.

Keith, will dig out the agi & post a pic to see if it is the correct one!!

 

[MrX]

I think these may have been sold as Novum in Ireland.

It's a brand that has completely disappeared.

 

[74simon]

Nice one, Gary!

Suprised these Burcos weren't more common, considering the ubiquity of the wash boilers! Very pretty old girl with all that powder blue.

Let's hope Mike has the right agi there, it'd be nice to see her wash again!

 

[matchboxpaul]

What a great find Gary.

As said, if it passes through the 'Spa' it will come out gleaming I am sure.

Of all the more obscure twin tubs that could have come in, what was the liklihood of it being one for which full a full spare parts listing (who would you contact?) and maintainance instructions exist!

Mike did acquire such a document and, with his permission, I attach a photo below.

Paul

 

[electron1100]

Burco

Well i have to say thanks to every one who has commented and offered help and advise.

I got to be honest and say this machine doesnt move me that much (ducks to avoid flying objects), and i got it with a mind to it going up north (you know who you are)..........

I am so bogged down with machines that need attention that i really dont want to take on another, time time time.........gah i just dont have enough.

I am glad to have saved a rare machine make no mistake but it is not for me.

When i get to the garage ill take my camera and take some more fots of it

Cheers Chaps

 

[keymatic]

Hey Mike,
I won't dig my service manual out as it looks like you have the same one, or there about's...and it looks like the machine is on-route to you. Enjoy and can't wait to see it when it is restored to all it's glory.
Keith

 

[chestermikeuk]

Lol

We all need a Paul, I didnt know I had that one, I saw the later 40, it must have been buried in it!!!..in fact Paul probably knows what I`ve got more than me, he usually spends the time cataloging and photographing stuff whilst he is around!!! which was great when he txted to tell me I had got it...LOl

I`ll book it in at the spa if he has any space after his new finds!!!

 

[matchboxpaul]

Matchboxpaul...

... aka Mr Click-Happy. lol.

Paul

 

[keymatic]

LOL....I could do with Paul around, I have stacks of literature, and manuals, and just don't know where to start..maybe one day i get round to listing & cataloging..
Cheers Keith