The Story of Mr Lister

Pic 9/. The scenic mosque in the hills of Tehran is named after “Mr.Lister” who dedicated many years to bringing prosperity in the form of power and light to the area

A mosque in Tehran is named after a certain “Mr.Lister”,

David Edgington explains how this strange phenomenon came about…..

During the last 30 years Stationary Engine has featured engines in many countries some of which have tended to be quite outlandish places where we wouldn’t expect to see the best of British engineering. But one the most unusual locations we probably wouldn’t associate with some of our household names is Iran, one of several countries often in the news for all the wrong reasons. But whatever the climate, political undercurrents or religion you don’t have to go far behind the scenes to find an infrastructure of decent people engaged in the activities of everyday life---enthusiasm for old engines has no parameters. In Tehran for instance there is an engine enthusiast running a family business heavily involved in the servicing of machinery dating back to the 1960s, there is also a mosque dedicated to the name Lister!

Pic 15/. This enamel Lister sign is inside the mosque. In religious places wording is always in Arabic---the wording of Quran. It says…”In the name of God the Mosque of Lister Charitable Institution register No 136…”

Rejuvenating engines of the 1960s.

Pic 3/. In another picture from 1965 we see again see Mohammad’s father, and another engineer, checking a Lister ST2 that had just arrived from the UK. David Harris was particularly interested in seeing this photo about which he says..”This is an ST2 industrial diesel, clockwise rotation with hand start, made at Swindon. Note the large Blackstone crate in the background, many OP and JP Blackstones were sent to Iran…”

Twenty-nine year old Mohammad Matbouei’s interest in engines dates back to when he was 7 years old and started to work in his father’s workshop during school holidays. Nowadays, after finishing his studies at Washington University for a degree of MS in mechanical engineering we find him running the workshop founded by his father back in the mid 1960s. The bulk of the business comes from resuscitating various types of older stationary engines particularly of the Lister brand such as ST, HA, HR, SR, and JWS6. Older engines such as the A & B types, JP and JK have fallen by the wayside due to a lack of parts.

Lister employees downed tools and fled…..

Other makes catered for are Bamford, Ruston, Petter (PH, PJ and B) and vertical Lister-Blackstone, but these are also falling into neglect for the want of vital service parts. In the Fars province in central Iran reside many CS type 8/1 and 16/2s, and well as Blackstone JP and OP types but as this area is far from Tehran distance prohibits these being brought to Mohammad’s workshop for repair.
At one stage Lister had a factory at Tabriz to assemble the CS but this was closed when the staff downed tools and fled across the adjacent border following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Interestingly engines were imported into Iran less flywheels not only to save weight but more importantly to promote local labour by having them made on site, but Mohammad tells us this experiment was a disaster resulting in unbalanced badly manufactured flywheels vibrating the engines to a premature end. Many flywheels dating back to this debacle are still to be seen lying around!

The legacy of “Mr.Lister”

Pic 10/. A photo of “Mr.Lister” hangs inside the mosque.

The name of Lister was held in high esteem in Iran, the link going back to the period after WW11 when the allies occupied the country. A wealthy Zoroastrian named Mr.Jamshid Yegangegi began transporting US weapons from the South to the North to give Russia support. Seeking further business he founded a company under his own name and set up as an importer of Lister and Blackstone engines. Initially business was particularly brisk for generating plant in the post war years as 90% of the country was without electricity. Jamshid Yegangegi became so immersed with the Dursley product that he broke tradition-adding Lister to his own name—at that time the only second name used in Iran was that of one’s father. For his services in providing power and light in times of austerity Yegangegi, or “Mr.Lister” was honoured by having a beautiful Tehran mosque and an adjoining park named after him. In the entrance of the mosque is a photo of “Mr.Lister” and his name is written in Arabic in the wall near his tomb.
When “Mr.Lister” died somewhat prematurely in 1954 his nephew Parvis Yegangegi renamed the business Parkab Company. David Harris who recalls him visiting Dursley says it was ‘red carpet’ treatment of the highest degree because he was such a good customer for much needed exports. But in came to an abrupt end following the Islamic Revolution in 1979 when Parvis Yegangegi was forced to flee to Canada leaving the business to be commandeered and closed by the government. (Known as Persia until 1935 Iran became an Islamic republic in following this coup in 1979 when the ruling shah was forced into exile. During 1980-88 Iran fought an indecisive war with Iraq over disputed territory.)
The sequel to this story is that Mohammad Matbouei and his father succeeded in purchasing the entire stock of Parkab and have successfully managed to incorporate it into their business servicing older engines and plant.
According to Mohammad plenty of non-genuine parts come from India, Pakistan and Turkey but many are of poor quality, although some items from Turkey are almost up to standard----at half the price! Caution is of paramount importance as some parts are package as original and then exported as genuine.

Slowing down JK gen-sets.

Remembering back to the 1960s Mr.Matbouei snr recalls much business being derived from problems experienced with Lister JK2 and JK6 powered generating plant. Apparently competition was strong between Lister and Ruston & Hornsby with both companies becoming embroiled in a price war, further competition existed as both attempted to squeeze more output from their existing products. Lister supplied JK sets speeded to run at 1500 rpm, which was too fast resulting in premature failure due to vibration. Mr.Matbouei snr devised a plan to convert these direct-coupled sets to indirect coupling using a two-belt pulley system. Setting the running speed to 1000 rpm made an incredibly smooth running plant that could be fully guaranteed to provide trouble-free service. Many were converted in this manner.
Lister being desperate for the business finally beat the competition by a further price reduction made by omitting radiators and fans from the JK 2,3 and 4 allowing them to be sourced locally.

On-site rebuild of giant Skoda.

Pic 5/. One of the pair of 1000 kW Skoda engines overhauled on-site in 1993 after twenty-years service in a weaving factory.

In 1993 a major task was undertaken in the city of Qom some 150 Km from Tehran. (Qom is a city with considerable religious history rather like the Vatican city in Italy). Mr.Matbouei snr, two workers plus Mohammad’s two brothers set aside a month to overhaul a pair of massive 6-cylinder Skoda engines situated in a weaving factory. A project like this was regarded as a once in a lifetime experience for 18-year-old Mohammad who took time out from his university studies to join the team. The engines, each rated at 1000 kW at 460 rpm, were run parallel with the 2000 kW from their Mez generators supporting the factory in times of frequent power failure. Mohammad recalls the team working 12 hours each day relying on equipment they had taken with them. Overhauling the first engine proved a bit of a puzzle but the second was much easier as every task was a case of repetition.

Pic 8/. Adjusting the valve clearances of one of the 1000 kW Skoda engines.

Stand-by plant maintenance still an essential part of business---in December Mohammad was asked to inspect a 1000 bhp (at 1000 rpm) Mirrless Blackstone generator with a special USA built Woodward governor located in the head office of the Ministry of education in Tehran.
Another trip took him to Azerbayejan where an Iranian construction company is making a road. At Nakhjevan the only electricity available comes free from Turkey and Iran but many have no power during the night. Mohammad, who made the trip to repair various generating sets belonging to the team of out-workers, says it is a ghastly place to visit with very poor working conditions with only cheap Russian vodka to maintain moral.

Whatever colour took your fancy!

Mohammad was surprised to find a sectioned Lister HA-2 in the stock at the old Parkab Company warehouse. It would have been supplied to Parkab in the mid 1960s as an exercise to promote more business---this company being highly rated by Lister. Anticipating questions regarding the colour scheme (blue with gold script) I asked David Harris who in turn showed the picture to Derek Swan who actually recalled painstakingly sectioning this engine. Derek says no rules were laid down for painting sectioned engines the colour was left entirely to the whim of the person carrying out the work. Each engine represented a great deal of work and probably cost four or five times its original value while. The engines were brush painted using paint purchased at the local hardware store!
Mohammad says the R.A.Lister company was held in highest possible esteem in Iran earning several Queen’s Awards for Export Achievement but even before the 1979 Revolution Indian traders were arriving to take over a large percentage of this valuable market.

Pic 4/. And again this time test running a Blacktone after installation.

Pic 6/. Mahammad’s brothers pose with one of the gigantic piston and connecting rod assemblies.

Pic 14/. Several Lister A and B types are lying around some having seen very little service. This one is among the last of the B types (1961) and still retains its original livery. An interesting feature is the flame-trap on the carburettor, which incidentally has been turned through 90 degrees.

Photos supplied by Mohammad Matbouei.