Servis Powerglide 1957 with "Vortex"

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chestermikeuk

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Was just explaining to the lads on super forum about trying this machine with a "New" packet of Fairy Snow Handwash & Twintub and adding some pics to the file noticed a video clip...

It was produced in 1957 to provide an "under the Counter" sized machine for the more compact kitchen, of which the UK had a lot of....Servis produced many Big to Us machines (9lb loads)from 1930, so this filled a market niche and sold many, available in four colours of which this is "Guardsman Red" & Cream...The top doubles as a cover and clips onto the back to form a tray for the clothes coming through the wringer, the wringer is electric and uses a patented "Positive Action" mechanism where you have to place your foot on the pedal to start, unlike other machines of the time..

The wash action on the Powerglide differed very much from the Servis method of washing, they developed the famous Servis "Hi-Zone" wash action, 210d agi with square wash tub which used to wash the clothes into the corner of the tubs providing more pressure etc... This machine uses a massive Turbulator Disc in the base corner of the vitreous enamel drum, its so powerful when switched on that in the vid you can see the Vortex and hear the gurgling and the air is being sucked into the wash-stream.

It also empty`s through a pipe, BUT, doesnt have a pump.Instead it has a solid metal "Pipe" under the Turbulator Disc which is normally near the heater but when you slide the lever on the front to "Pump", it moves to the "Outside" where the force of the water spinning around just forces it through the pipe into the sink..

Have a look and let me know what you think!!! Mike

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Awsome Action

Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for the pictures and video I thought I would never see a Powerglide again. My great Aunt had the exact same machine and I remember her boiling in it when I was a child, she used Ariel and the whole house was filled with the wonderful Ariel scent.

David
 
Mike that is a very cool looking washer! I love the red trim and the porcelain interior, as well as that 220volt water heater!
 
What a fun looking machine Mike, I too love the color combination. That box of Fairy Snow is so fun!! Terry
 
voll geil

Mike, thanks for sharing. That baby must have dimmed the lights when she was heating the water.
What a beautiful example of practical engineering - why have a seperate "pump" when the impeller does it for you?
 
Mike

Cool machine!!
I love Guardsman red, i wonder if i can mix some up and paint my westinghouse!!
Wowo what suckulation, it sounds like a hungryman machine.
The cabinet top resembles our first Hotpoint fluid drive machine the way the sides are shaped.

But I can't believe that pump works, its too simple.
Nice to see you're still running it in that same wonderful kitchen too.

Tell Ty and John I say hi.
 
Mike----

Wow! Now that is different! That is a huge impeller for that size tub! Obviously that machine was not meant to wash lingerie----or not for long anyway!

Mike, is that Fairey Snow a vintage product you collected, or is it still available on the open market?

Thanks for sharing, I learned something new first thing this morning!
 
Turbulations!!

Thanks Guys for all your comments, its usually me learning about new stuff,,,Was a neat machine for its time and was a boom for all those housewives with compact kitchens..

The heater really did bring the water to the boil very quickly, the Turbulator is belt driven and well as the wringer, another use of the Turbulator was in order to empty every last drop, you took out the disc and placed it on the floor, then placed the pipe into it, you could then rinse & dry the interior..

They also came in four colours, Guardsman Red, Sunshine Yellow, Olive Green and Sky Blue...

The "Fairy Snow" Powder for handwash & twinnies is a NEW high Sudsing powder over here, I was shopping in ASDA (now owned by Walmart)and noticed it, I wonder if its your Fairy Snow product??

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Mike - brilliant pictures. I love the blue one in the advert - makes me want one :-). Thought that scarlet red is super cool too.

Fairy Snow - that's been on the supermarket shelf here for years. Mum used to buy it actually when we were very little, before we had a "handwash" or "silks" programme for when she had to wash her delicates by hand! I know with Asda though they often like to play silly beggars with what they do and don't sell, not just with detergents.

What is that machine in the background of the 2nd picture, with the red pilot light? It looks like either a boiler or an old tumble dryer!

Jon
 
Fairy!!!

Hi Jon

Its the Worcester Bosch Floor Combi Boiler at the back of the pic, the Powerglide normally resides next to it...

Now-then, Fairy Snow, I`ll need you to do a search for me, I know from what you said your mum washed with it when you where nippers, and I have some "Old Stuff" but unless this is new packaging I`ve never seen this about, and Sainsbury, Tesco, & Ocado Waitrose dont stock it either...that pretty much leaves it stuffed for selling power...LOL

I think its to do with Walmart owning ASDA and possibly a US product etc...Could be wrong, brain cells die off pretty quickly at my age...Lol

Hey People, does this look like a product in your stores?? Enquiring minds need to know??

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Hey Mike

I've had a box of this stuff for a couple of months now, and yes - I got it s Asda and nowehere else round here stocks it. But then only Asda sells Persil Aloe Vera tabs round here, and it's only Asda and Morrissons who sell Stergene.

To me, the scent of Fairy Snow is almost the exact same as regular Fairy Automatic Powder / Tabs, but less strong.

PS Have you noticed the hideous dosage suggestions - `if you're washing 3 loads in a twin tub in the same water, triple the dosage'....meaning that in Hard water you'd use about 900ml of powder or something daft.....

I'm convinced this is a UK product, relaunched Fairy Snow, but that for some reason it's not stocked by many. Certainly there is less call for high suds detergent these days. Tesco don't stock Ariel or Persil high suds, you have to go to Sainsburys for that. Tesco stock Daz and their own brand...

Cracking Servis, by the way!
 
Fairy Snow - For Whiteness thats softer to wear.

Fairy Snow is a P&G brand and has been on the UK market for at least 18 years. It is a non biological soap based powder with oxygen bleaching agents. I use it sometimes in my Whirlpool Top Loader for washing white towels and because its soap based I find it leaves the towels soft without affecting the absorbency. It gives my towels superb whiteness and leaves no strong scent behind.

David
 
Thanks Mike

Thank you for that clip. A great looking vintage machine. It's funny it looks quite big on it's own but next to the spin dryer you realise it's quite dinky. That is not a criticism though.

Rob
 
Fairy Snow

According to the P&G website, Fairy Snow has been on the market since 1957. Talked about it with mum the other day and she said she remembered using that in her twin tub when she first got married (early 1980s). Fairy Automatic followed several decades later in 1989.

Jon
 
Fairy Snow!!!

Was looking on the P&G technical website and this packet I picked up is the New Registered Formulation from Winter 2005,

I`m assuming the packaging is newly revamped as well??

Nice stuff, pleasant fragrence and cleans good as well, rinses better than the old stuff, although it washes with a good creamy head (sounds like Boddies Ale..lol )it rinsed very well...

Jon, thanks for checking with your mum, its these sorts of conversations we need to keep having with mums so we find out all the info...

Rob, neat LITTLE machine...lol no offence taken, see what you mean against the Hoover SpinRinse...

Now its BIG sister, The Superheat, Like Nathan has just found in Aus, is way bigger....Jon from Brum loves the Powerglide because his Gran had the same one...he call all the other wringers, "The Ugly Sisters...lol" to which he got an old fashioned look!!!

Mike
 
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