Andrew Shirlaw set up business in the early 1880s as engineer, toolmaker and manufacturer of steam and hand-powered cranes, jacks, winches, hoists and pulleys. Later, in around 1884, he started to produce the Spiels petroleum spirit engine, under license fromm Hallesche Machinenfabrik.

My first Felix engine was a high base, Swiss-built model that I purchased in 1975, from a small farm near my home in Melbourne, Australia.  The engine number was 978, it was complete and running.

The thing that intrigued me about these engines was the sheer number which carried different names, such as Electra, Ninrod etc, but on studying them in Australia it became apparent that only two manufactures were actually involved in the business of manufacture - one in England and one in Switzerland.