Introduced during 1959 alongside the unusual "Big Slant-bed", the 11-inch centre height Willson (it carried no maker's Model name) was a conventional 3-ton heavy-duty lathe with its apron controls arranged mirror-fashion to those on the Slant Bed with its carriage handwheel to the right. Very similar to its brother model, the 11-inch had a bed arranged in the conventional way with its ways level and, as standard, a large bolted and dowelled gap piece that allowed jobs up to 40 inches in diameter to be swung , Beds up to 29 feet in length could be provided - presumably those over 12 feet or so having an extra, central support.
As on the Big Slant-bed 18 speeds were provided from 12 to 580 r.p.m., but with the makers offering the option of a rather more useful range for general work from 21 to 1000 r.p.m.