Servis Toploader

[alanlondon]

Hi everyone, here's another brochure that may be of interest. I've actually had one of these machines in my repair days probably over twenty years ago now. At the time I really wanted to keep it, but both the tub and drum were very rusty when I acquired it. Inside it works on the wig wag design. Sorry that some of the margins are cut off. Cheers, Alan

 

[alanlondon]

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[kenmoreguy89]

It looks like a whirlpool/kenmore portable...... It's identical in about everything....did they made this???
It though had an heater and related temp sensor, agitator is identical to the WP KM portables.... does the light on the right corner light up when in use or it's just for the heater operation?
[this post was last edited: 4/4/2014-15:40]

 

[vacbear58]

Kenmore/Whirlpool

I believe that Mike has said these are the same as Whirlpool/Kenmore, and if you look carefully you can see from the back cover that it was made in Canada.

For the life of me I cannot understand why on earth they would have introduced such a machine in what? Mid 1980s? Their front loader which was physically smaller actually had a larger capacity. That said I have never seen one of these machines, so thanks Alan for the scans

Al

 

[paulc]

Thanks for posting Alan, I had this brochure when I was a child.

 

[sesteve]

Another great brochure Alan. The knobs on this look a bit hotpointesque - I also noticed the dig at hotpoint and their top loader lids!! I wonder how many of these sold.

Can't wait for the next brochure!

 

[optima]

Servis Toploader

As soon as i spotted those dials i immediately thought of this classic Washer.

Great brochure Alan.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Knobs.....

Some portable Ladies (lady kenmore) and whirlpool used to come with these kind of knobs, so I doubt they were made in Britain, specially made for Servis, or inspired to other british machines...I think more of a coincidence...even because I think I have seen them having this kind of knobs before servis had these machines made, so even assumig that servis commisioned the production of machines with these kinds of knobs, and then after, whirlpool and kenmore adopted this style for US machines, I don't think it is the case because of this reason... Stil is quite a coincidence, really similar to the creda....
Others may know better.....

Lady Kenmore Portable Washer - $225 (Dallas)

pricey, as it's a LK... http://charlotte.craigslist.org/app/3986110442.html

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[spinspeed]

Hi Allan, thanks for the brochure. Really brought back memories. We had one of those in the early 80s. My mum really wanted a top loader after we had a trip to visit relatives in Australia. She really liked the cold water washing thing. My aunt had a big old Simpson. So when back home and the hoovermatic de lux died early 80s we got one. It had a very small capacity. Three pair of jeans and it was full. With low pressure hot water systems in UK homes it took for ever to fill and on a mixed fill it filled with probably 90% cold water and it did have a heater but took a long while to get to the set temp. During the heat the agitator did a couple of agitates every 5 mins or so. I remember being very disappointed that it had a neutral drain. I loved the way my Aunt's Simpson span the water out, it was really dramatic watching the water being forced up the side of the tub and back over in to the wash basket.

It also had no spray rinse which was another disappointment for me. I riged up some piping thru the base of the machine so I could do a manual spray rinse. I think it had three deep rinses. I also riged up a suds save tub which I attached an old pump to the bottom which was run via a rubber vacuum Hoover belt attached to an old Hoover motor. It worked very well except overflowed if I didn't take the pipe out after the wash and back in to the standpipe which happened a few times.

The recirculation and bed of nails filter was pretty cool. The lid locked shut during the spin but worked with the lid open during all operations except spin. It was a really easy machine to fool so it would spin with lid open.

We kept it in a laundry room attached to our garage and one very cold winter I went to use it and water must have been frozen in the pump. It filled and then something snapped as the agitator started. It started to circulate and pump the water out at the same time. A valve must have broken. We got the repair man in but he was unable to fix it. So it went and we got a Hoover front load washer to replace it

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Alan.

Many thanks for posting the 311 brochure. I have only ever seen the cover image of the 311 before, as Servis provided it to the Electricity Board Shops, who then used it on their brochures.
Have only ever seen basic information on this machine previously, so to get the full lowdown is great.

Agree with Al, that the provision of this machine in the range (any range in fact) was certainly an usual move.
Maybe someone at Servis stumbled across an image of the Hotpoint 1508 and 'had an idea!'
Similar strengths and weaknesses as the 311, the 1508 was equally shortlived.

Paul

 

[chestermikeuk]

Servis Compact Toploader

Alan , many thanks for posting this, and Simon (Spinspeed) for linking it, I couldnt understand how I had missed it but checked the dates and moving home that time...

I only ever saw one of these and that was in the Servis foyer at the Head Office in Darlaston, small display but not even an original Top Loader there.

It was made for Servis based on the Whirlpool / Kenmore Portable washer but the Canadian design, now I dont know if the Canadian model did have a heater or Servis specced it up and they made it specially for Servis UK, perhaps Guy (Bellalaundry) or Jean (UncleJohn) can tell us ?

As Al says it was a weird choice to bring to market at that time as the front load Slimlines took 9lb and a smaller footprint but it was because Servis operated from day one the "Servis Contract" repair scheme and many people still had original top loaders from the late 60`s and preferred them so this was a way of supporting a small band of existing customers when their original Servis Toploaders where beyond economical repair, so offering a top loader to those who still wanted one and getting money for ongoing service contracts.

Simon, love the way you rigged up the sudz saver for it, could imagine after taking all the time to heat the water to very hot and a quick programme time it would be an institutional shame to ditch it down the drain !! [this post was last edited: 3/23/2020-03:43]

 

[mickeyd]

It Just Shouts Whirlpool Kenmore

Crazy about the Rinse/Hold knob, especially for outdoor drying, or for a nice rinse soak when using softener for certain things and then popping them onto the clothes line, and love the intermittent "stir" reminiscent of the alternating soak and stir of the Delicate Cycle on vintage high end WP/KM's. What grand fun!

It's a small world: I have the American version which indeed spray rinses during both spins, four times each, but I see that your version has three deep rinses. Do you know, Alan, Mike, and company if the machine spins between each rinse?

This was a fascinating, exciting morning read. Thank you. Will pix a BOL model when I get downstairs to the phone.

 

[mickeyd]

Identical agitator, etc. Love the giant knob on this model.

 

[keymatic]

HI Mikey,

Interesting you pick up on that point about the Intermittent "Stir" during the heating stage on the Servis 311 - I think Servis liked this as it was introduced from their very first top loader MK22.

Cheers
Keith

 

[alanlondon]

Great to see this thread again

You're welcome Mike and all.

Of all our UK washing machine history the Servis top loader remains (and probably will remain) lost now to only our memories, I know that an All fabric was found a while ago, but the remainder are still allusive. Somebody mentioned I think that they had a repair manual for these 60s/70s top loaders, if you have time to share would love to read and see the diagrams? That would be superb to add to the discussion.

Or anyone else out there with other brochures always a treat to learn more about this part of Servis's history.

Kind regards, Alan

 

[mickeyd]

Hi Keith ~

Can't believe they wrote STIR right smack on the dial; that's hilarious. What !? --are we making fudge. LOL

Thanks so much for that belly laugh, Keith.

By the way, the americana has only one deep rinse, the national standard.;'D