A particularly fine and original Little John M. 1. This model was unusual in having a roller-bearing spindle but with bearings held in place by the large, rounded-top, bolt-down cover. On the Mk. 2 with new line-boring equipment installed in the factory, a significant increase in rigidity was achieved by moving to a conventional, one-piece headstock casting.

Changewheel cover removed. Note the cast-iron bracket supporting the variable-speed drive control lever. The cut out in the headstock cover allowed access to the pin that had to be pulled out before the backgear could be engaged.

A Raglan multi-disc clutch unit fitted to a Mk.1 Little John. Is this a factory part?  Unfortunately, as no mention of this fitting can be found in any known Raglan literature - and that for the Mk.1 was rather sparse in nature - we shall probably never know if this was a genuine factory part. Well made, using proper castings and operated by a lever topped with a standard "flattened" plastic ball the entire mounting assembly was a professional job. However,  the clutch part appears to be from none of the usual UK makers, Matrix, Crofts or Taylor - nor does it appear to be one adapted from a motorcycle - and so might, just, be a genuine Raglan item. If you have a clutch on your Raglan lathe, the writer would be very interested to know.