Wilkins SERVIS history in Oz.....for Chestermike & the Maytag lovers!

[keymatic]

Hi Leon, thanks for posting great information, I thought Servis machine were in Oz a lot earlier than 66'..also thanks for the shot inside your mk22 or is it the mk38?

Mike: How long was the Mk41 in production over here, i thought i read somewhere it was till 69 - 70? might have been me dreaming it, but i defo know in a Kays Catalogue of 1969 it still shows the MK41..?

My Hotpoint 1504 from 1969 is still doing a grand job with the weekly wash, and the thermo problem seem to correct itself..bizzare !! still thibk a 41 would look nicer in the kitchen, that lovely pale blue control panel does it for me everytime..lol

Cheers
Keith

 

[ronhic]

Chestermike...

..thanks for posting that pic of the twin tub....

I'm sure that the one we had at the coast as a kid was very similar but with vertical dial controls and it may have been white/blue...

Leon, your thoughts...does the machine I 'remember' exist?

 

[mayfan69]

Twin Tub

Hey Chris

Yes, the Twin Tub you mention does exist...is it this one here? This is a Oz brochure....they came in blue and white, along with the Red panel and Primrose.

Keith: Yes, Wilkins Servis had machines on sale since the 1950's in Oz....they were Wringers and Twin Tubs. I just wanted to show when the first automatics were released in Australia. OUR Mark 22 would be your MARK 41....i'd say.

Cheers
Leon

 

[ronhic]

BINGO!

You are a genius Leon....

..and thank you...

Dad took it to the tip about 20yrs ago as all the rubber parts had perished from living in the shed for soooo long

 

[chestermikeuk]

Servis Supertwin MK30

One of the most popular machines in the range, this was our first twinny and worked at least 3 days a week from 1963 until 1978 when the first slimline auto was purchased!!!

This model had the best spincan ever produced in the range, a solid deep aluminium can with vanes at the top for draining the water...so overflow rinsing was possible and it could be filled with water, ...also flow / spray rinsing as well....so you could wash, heat, rinse & spin all at once...

 

[chestermikeuk]

MK41 Toploader...

Hi Keith, just checked the catalogues,

1966 - 1968: Servis MK41H
this was the same cabinet & tub as previous models, with the updated blue console and the new Blue Two Stage Agi.

1968 - 1970: Servis MK41
Different console panel, this had main timer on left then three smaller slimmer dials on right, am assuming for temp, spin & small, med high load etc...

1970 - 1981: Servis MK55 the last one
newer tub and drive system, with filter flow & soap dispenser tray at the top back of tub, black control panel, but larger knobs programmed as above...

If you can shed any light or have pics, I dont have any other than the pics above and the parts list diagrams you kindly sent...

I remember seeing at my great aunts house when I was about 8, the model 55 as I know know, it had the filter flow soap drawer tray, and the 4 knobs, 1 large the other three smaller, the knobs always reminded me of the Moffat cooker controls, the one with with the grill rotisserie & controls on the top right... this pic is the only one I have of the 1969 models, this must be the MK55...

 

[keymatic]

Hi Mike, thanks for checking that out about the MK41H..maybe Kays showed the machine, but it could have been an overlap to the MK41 / MK55 being launched.

I can't believe there is such little information around on the Mk41 & Mk55..pictures are in such short supply, i don't think have any, only one naff picture, where you can barely see it..

I mentioned it once when Leon loaded pic's of the "All Fab" he has, i noticed the blue agi had a cap that went on the top of the Booster..i am sure our machines never had this, or maybe i haven't been exposed to enough machines to tell.

I also can't believe, that in the 6 years on Servis producing Top loaders during the 60's, that one hasn't been found yet..there must one out there somewhere..lol

Cheers
Keith

 

[swestoyz]

Great stuff, great stuff!

Like I said before, let me know if there is a spare SS tub and white Powerfin agitator. Would love to get one here!

Ben

 

[mayfan69]

Pic of Uk Washers of 1971...including the Sevis MK 55

Hi Mike and Keith

I found this advert in a "Woman and Home" mag...they had a special about washing machines. It's from October 1971 and shows all the front and top loaders in the UK at the time...including the Servis MK 55

Leon

 

[chestermikeuk]

And There it is..!!!!

Many thanks Leon, looks a beauty, now do you have a pickof the inside??? sorry just joking!!! you have more than we do and it was made down the road...LOL

Does the MK41 tub have a fill flume?? from the first pics the series 200 look to have a flume at 10past

That pic looks a classic line up of machines although I dont remember the Philco AutoBioMatic...the Kirk is the early Asko similar to the Volund machine and then that all rare widebody keymatic!!!

Happy washing, Mike

 

[mayfan69]

Fill Flume....

Hey Mike,

Glad you liked the pic....i only remembered i had it when i saw you and Keith chatting about it.

As for the fill flume on the MK 41 (our MK 22), the fill flume is actually at about "3.35" at the front of the machine. The "201" and "202" have a "reciculating lint filter"....that is the "flume" you see in the pic....the "Fill" flume is at about 10.00pm on the other side of the bowl. My "206" doesn't have the lint filter.

Cheers
Leon

 

[arrrooohhh]

Loving this thread!

Thanks for posting all the information! I enjoyed reading it.

I must ask though, where did you find all you Mingay catalogues? I have one myself, from 1965, and no automatic Wilkins Servis models are in it, just twin tub and wringer. I found it on Ebay. However I often look in second hand shops and as I work in libraries, the only place that seems to have any is the State Library in Sydney, no doubt they are put away down deep in the building, so I have to go there one day and dig it up.

You have to do a thread like this for Simpson.

 

[paulinroyton]

Servis Model 501/502

Just been reading about these machines and they look quite cool machines. Does anyone know how the automatic suds savers work.

Cheers

Paul

 

[arrrooohhh]

Automatic Suds savers worked by having two drain hoses. In Australia many laundry sinks have a bypass. You put the drain hose in the bypass and the sink is free to use when ever.

With automatic suds save the wash water goes into the sink while the rinse water goes down the drain. With a manual suds save with only one hose, the user had to move the drain hose from the sink to the bypass, otherwise the sink would flood and the washing machine would flood from syphoning the wash water back into the machine.

Hope this is a clear explanation.

 

[paulinroyton]

arrrooohhh

Thanks for the information.

Paul