NATIONAL type DS      7bhp DIESEL

In 1935 Charlie Jenkinson, a dairy farmer of Cookernup, bought this engine from the Perth branch of Western Machinery Co Ltd. In 1938 he gave it to Dr Ronald Knight of Yarloop. The doctor used it for a backup power plant for his house and the next door hospital. In 1939 due to an accident, the town DC power supply was cut off from the hospital and the doctors residence. Just prior to the accident the town power concession had been taken over by the Government (SEC) and as it was DC and the SEC was AC, it was deemed not worth while repairing the missing line and as the SEC would be rewiring the town in the near future the Doctor was asked if he would supply power for himself and the next door hospital. Rewiring took longer than expected and this engine ran for several hours a day for 18 months. For the next 38 years it was used on an occasional basis to power a saw bench to cut firewood. In 1978 the Doctors son Hugh Knight took it to Grass Patch where he used it for 12 months as a power plant  and in 1989 it was painted up and put on the present trailer.                                                           

 The shed in Yarloop which housed the engine for 38 years was burnt down in January 2016 along with the Doctors house and the Hospital.                                                            

The original National gas and oil engines were made in England and looking at the photographs it appears they were copied by name and design by the Kalgoorlie Foundry. This particular engine was an original made in England.