|
Thread Number: 27115
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Trident Vacuum |
[Down to Last] |  |
| Post# 303465 10/28/2014 at 01:56 (3,461 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk) | ||
Hey Guys:
Just added another, not often seen, machine to my collection (Thanks Al). A Trident model U156a (Made by Electrolux England). Does anyone have a manufacture date for this machine? I believe it is late 1960's but I'm not certain. The only other Tank type Trident I have seen is pretty much the same as this but blue and white (U156?) Does anyone know if there were other tank type machines under the Trident name?
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 303478 , Reply# 1 10/28/2014 at 07:23 (3,461 days old) by funvacfan (Canada) | ||
Beautiful | ||
| Post# 303486 , Reply# 3 10/28/2014 at 08:58 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
Trident
Doug always does such a good job of rejuvenating grubby and dirty cleaners :)
These Trident cleaners are a bit of curiosity. Before the 1980s Electrolux where not known at all for doing exclusives with one exception at the end on the 1950s - the Norvac based on the 55 model, then technically obsolete. However in 1965 they seem to have changed this policy brining out not one exclusive but three! Two of these seem to be just colour variations of their existing 64 & 65 models - respectively U137 & U138. These were designated "Challenge" models so were probably sold through mail order catalogues - there were Goblin "Challenge" models too. But the other was different. This was the U136 and was designated the Trident. It was clearly based on the then mid-line 65 model (the new TOL 90 model having been introduced that same year) but with some subtle differences. The most significant if these was the re-styled rear panel which lost the separate cord storage point, had a smaller switch (actually the same as the 90) and a much simpler flat exhaust filter rather than the cup (for want of a better word) style filter used for the previous 20 years or more on models 30, 55, 62 & 65. It was 2 more years before this same rear assembly would make its way to the mainline Lux cleaners with the model 80 in 1967. The other main point of differentiation was on the front panel which has the bag full whistle (only just seen for the first time on the TOL 90 that same year) and a bag catch which was on the front top of the cleaner (rather like Hoover models) - to the best of my knowledge this was the first time in the UK that they adopted this arrangement since the model XI The colour picture is not mine, this particular cleaner came up on ebay, its the only one of these I have ever seen | ||
| Post# 303488 , Reply# 4 10/28/2014 at 09:11 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Trident
Its hard to tell but it appears that the front profile of the cleaner is somewhat different to the other Lux cleaners of the time.
The model was then updated to have a front similar to that used on the Lux 65 and then 80 with the two side catches. It retained the bag full signal. I should have also pointed out that instead of the combination carpet/floor nozzle it featured separate ones, as seen here only on the 62 model, although they were used for many years in other sales areas, notably Australia. Here is the later version (mine!), it is interesting to note how the tools are colour co-ordinated to the cleaner even though it must have been very small volume production run. My cleaner had an addendum to the instructions showing the suction control on the handle (then only seen on the new TOL 100) which would imply a date of 1968 when the 100 was introduced. Note how everything about it absolutely shouts Electrolux right down to the box, I must check it out to see if there is an address for Trident on the box separate from Electrolux themselves.
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 303489 , Reply# 5 10/28/2014 at 09:22 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
And finally Doug's
The implication is that this machine would have come along at the end of the 1960s, certainly post 1968. Whether or not it continued beyond 1969 (when the 80 range on which this was based was replaced with the all new 91 series) I cannot say.
If I am honest I do not care for this version as much as the earlier ones (does not stop me having one though LOLOLOL) although it still has its little quirks such as the coloured co-ordinated rear grill - in the Lux 80 its plain. I am not aware of any other tank style cleaner to bear the Trident name. There was a further Trident model which is very obviously based on a Volta model. I see Walter has commented above in the thread, so that makes four of this particular model I now know of. And he is absolutely correct, the hoses of all Electrolux models from about the 80/100 on to I think the 355 (the introduction of the lightweight ridged plastic hoses) were never durable, always seeming to break at the handle end Al
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 303490 , Reply# 6 10/28/2014 at 09:28 (3,460 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 303492 , Reply# 7 10/28/2014 at 09:47 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Trident
The annoying thing is that none of the later Trident models appear in "Which Electrolux Is It?", only the first in an earlier edition si we can only speculat on the age.
It would be interesting if Markus or Edgar (or anyone else) could comment to know if these models (or ones like them) appeared in mainland Europe or anywhere else come to that as there was such a wide variety of Electrolux models produced over their many sales territories under many different names Al | ||
| Post# 303526 , Reply# 9 10/28/2014 at 16:41 (3,460 days old) by vintagerepairer (England) | ||
|
Doug I found this when I was searching around on Yahoo just now. It's same as yours only with less parts. I think it is sold though. CLICK HERE TO GO TO vintagerepairer's LINK on eBay | ||
| Post# 303586 , Reply# 10 10/29/2014 at 00:33 (3,460 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 303587 , Reply# 11 10/29/2014 at 00:36 (3,460 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 303594 , Reply# 12 10/29/2014 at 03:49 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
More Trident
I have no recollection of seeing that Trident that Benny's search threw up, I wonder how I missed it as the listing title has several of the criteria words I use when searching ebay - I would have discussed it with Doug too had I seen it. Maybe someone got in quick with the best offer and the listing got completed.
I think that the Trident must have been marketed slightly above the 65/80 on the basis of the bag full indicator and the suction control/tool clip which did not appear on the two successor models to the 80 (91 & 94) - it took the introduction of the 305 (where Electrolux segmented their MOL offer) for these to appear at this level. And remember the Trident was two or more years ahead of the 80 in terms of the rear of the machine and the simpler filter arrangement. It is also curious that Electrolux chose to market a machine door to door at this stage (1965) and to carry on doing so for what seems to be at least 4 - 5 years as you would not have thought the sales volume would have been there to justify the cost in terms of different tooling and production sequence (as the handle & mounting are completely different to the mainstream models), cost of colour coding the tools and the costs of maintaining the mobile work force. Did I ever mention that I am one of those "bean counters" that so many people are so swift to shoot their mouths off about? (Sorry, that's a different rant) I have it on good authority that Hoover abandoned the concept of door to door sales in around 1960, the likes of Vactric & Bylock were long gone by this stage and I doubt that Goblin would have been doing it either. Al | ||
| Post# 303603 , Reply# 15 10/29/2014 at 06:33 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Bean counters
Benny
I don't want to hi-jack Doug's thread by veering off, but a quick explanation. Quite often here and in the sister site AutomaticWasher folks will sound off about "bean counters" aka cost accountants as being the downfall of manufacturing in the western world. I do not deny that SOME will have had their part to play along with bankers, executives, shareholders and the stock market in general. However, they talk about "bean counters" like they were something new. When I trained, in the mid to late 1970s, I was taught by men (and one woman who was actually streets ahead of the rest of them) in their 50s and 60s who had being doing the job all their lives until veering off into education. In very many cases it is the "bean counters" that helped keep these organisations running and indeed many still do, often in difficult circumstances. So sometimes it gets very annoying when men and women doing their best get bad mouthed in this way. Rant over | ||
| Post# 303604 , Reply# 16 10/29/2014 at 06:48 (3,460 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Cordwinder
There are probably a couple of reasons for this Benny.
Firstly the Trident was based on the smaller bodyshell of the 65/80 so to accommodate the cord winder they would have needed to use the larger 90/100 body shell. Secondly, with the 90 and to an extent the 100, Electrolux established and entirely new market segment for cylinder cleaners, one of the defining features of which was the cord winder. I am guessing that the basic price for the Trident (before such extras as sprayer and hobby kit) would have been pitched somewhere between the 65/80 (£29) and the 90/100 (£38) whereas if it were based on the 90/100 it would have had to have been pitched above the £40 mark - a lot of money back then. At least based on the 65/80 they perhaps could catch some of the middle ground although I don't doubt that, with the extras, it could well have been pushing on £40, if not more. There is one thing that Doug can maybe check for us - the wattage of the cleaner. Early 80s were 400 watts, late 80s 550 watts. It would be interesting to note the wattage of the yellow Trident. Unfortunately I will not be able to check the wattage of my earlier model for a few more weeks Al | ||
| Post# 303613 , Reply# 17 10/29/2014 at 09:17 (3,459 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk) | ||
|
Hey Guys
The Wattage of the Trident is 550 W while the wattage on the Model 65 is 450W, the Model 80 is 500 W and the Models 90 and 100 are 550W. The tooling for a lot of the Trident parts would have already been available at the factory. The rug and floor nozzles are the same as those previously used on the model 62 (below)1957 - 1959 
| ||
| Post# 303703 , Reply# 20 10/30/2014 at 04:35 (3,459 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Copy & paste
Benny
I was glad you got a good response from that seller, it quite restores one's faith in human nature & good manners when things like that happen. If you want to share it with us it is quite easy. Firstly it is helpful to have windows open for both the message you received and this thread in Vacuumland - move down to the "Add your reply to this message thread" area - the bit with the cartoon of the woman with the pink Hoover Senior at the top. Go to the start of the part of the message (if not all of it) that you want to share. Holding down the left button on your mouse, drag the mouse to the right and possibly down which should highlight the selected text in blue. Release the left key on the mouse. Holding down the Ctrl key (it should be on the extreme left hand side and bottom row of your keyboard) press the letter C - this is a short cut key to COPY the selected text. Click over on the Vacuumland "Add A Reply ...." box and click into the message box that you normally type into. Once again holding down the Ctrl key, type the letter V whereupon the text you selected from the message should appear in the box - the technical term here is "Paste". You can then add your own text, both before and after the message, as you wish. You will of course also have to give your reply a title as usual in the box under "Subject Drift". Once you have pasted the text you can close the message from the ebay seller as soon as you care to. Hope this is clear Al | ||
| Post# 303706 , Reply# 21 10/30/2014 at 04:54 (3,459 days old) by Vintagerepairer (England) | ||
|
Hello Vacbear. Thank you for that, it's the same as when I copy and paste links then. I live and I learn. I am going out for most of today, it is rare it seems, but will attempt later. | ||
| Post# 303707 , Reply# 22 10/30/2014 at 04:54 (3,459 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Trident and Volta
Benny
As far as I am aware the (Rob's) Trident canister was never seen here as an Electrolux but one or two orange ones branded Volta have shown up over the years. The Floor nozzle would tend to indicate early to mid 1980s but that is not absolutely reliable as Electrolux did tend to use a variety of nozzles across various models and territories. Unfortunately, no one has ever been able to tell me how you can date Electrolux models from the serial number, but I note that the one you found on ebay and Mike's in the attached thread have the same "Prod Number" so I wonder of that could be the same production batch. Unfortunately I cannot get to mine at the moment to see how mine compare, but perhaps Doug could let us know the details from his. As I noted earlier up the thread the rear assembly of the Trident appeared some two years ahead of the same assembly being fitted to the 80 - the replacement of the 65. Also, they did move to a bayonet fitting (from a push to release) on the 90 during it's production run although I don't know exactly when that was. I have never seen a 65 with anything other than the push to release coupling. No doubt some bean counter pointed out how much cheaper and easier it would be (and at no loss of functionality) to use bayonet fittings across the range :) Al | ||
| Post# 303789 , Reply# 26 10/30/2014 at 20:03 (3,458 days old) by Vintagerepairer (England) | ||
|
Vacbear, from that other thread I was just reading about Walita, you posted this link. Have a look at the fastener on the bag cover. Does it remind you of anything...? CLICK HERE TO GO TO Vintagerepairer's LINK | ||
| Post# 303790 , Reply# 27 10/30/2014 at 20:04 (3,458 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center) | ||
 | ||
| Post# 303834 , Reply# 28 10/31/2014 at 03:39 (3,458 days old) by z30soulbrother (West Midlands, UK) | ||
|
trident love the yellow Trident 3 houses in my street owned them when i was a kid you would see them out cleaning cars weekend days | ||
| Post# 303839 , Reply# 29 10/31/2014 at 04:32 (3,458 days old) by Vintagerepairer (England) | ||
|
3 houses in my street owned them You say you live in West Midlands. This one on ebay was in Birmingham, as was the one in the photographs in that other thread (says collected from central Brum). I wonder if the West Midlands are was a hot-spot for the Trident sales team? | ||
| Post# 303854 , Reply# 30 10/31/2014 at 09:40 (3,457 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London) | ||
|
Provenance
Thanks for posting the story of the Trident in Birmingham, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Its always interesting to know the history of cleaners, I always ask when I am picking one up.
I am glad the instructions worked :) It curious that she thought it old looking in 1974 as it was not that old, although I suppose by 1974 Hoover, Electrolux 91/94 and Goblin were all showing models with handles on the front covers which maybe looked more streamlined - they had more "squared off" bodies too. It seems like it gave her good service though :) £65 was not a bad price for it at all, I paid £50 (collected it) for the blue one although the yellow one I have was a lot cheaper. My blue one came from, or at least lived in Huddersfield, and Doug's came from Tyne & Wear. The first Trident I ever saw (blue) was in Northern Ireland, so in Si's case it may just have been a lucky or good salesman hitting a vien of gold. peer pressure might have had something to do with it too. Nice to see you posting Si, it must be a year since I picked up that 80 for Doug from you - doesn't time fly Al | ||
| Forum Index: | 
| Other Forums: |
|
|
|
|
|
Comes to the Rescue!
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}