Allcocks Aerial Popular 4" Wide Drum

[Wallys-Cast]

The backplate is a simpler design on the popular, less machining would make it cheaper to produce.

Wal.

[Fredline]

The information about the Aerial Popular reel being manufactured with inferior materials as "not true" was supplied by Garry Mills who was the production manager for J W Youngs for many years.

I don't believe Allcocks would have discounted the price 30% for not drilling a couple of holes. They were cutting costs somewhere.

Or just clever advertising to get people to buy the more expensive item. Allcocks asked J W Youngs for a cheaper Aerial and the Popular was born. The reel plates are from the same castings as it would not be practicable to create different plates. Both reels are an all aluminium construction with brass fittings a black finish and white Xylonite handles.

[Aitch]

I have a 3.5" for light float fishing on small ponds and rivers.
It's perfect and goes nicely on lightweight rods...

I'd like a larger version, but they are quite expensive...

[Azur]

I have a 3.5" for light float fishing on small ponds and rivers.
It's perfect and goes nicely on lightweight rods...

I'd like a larger version, but they are quite expensive...

Lovely pic and reel! I notice you have it set up for LH wind - did you have to get it adjusted?

[Olly]

Lovely reels - I have 5. I seldom use the ratchet except when moving swims or in the rest,

I use 3 X 4in - for barbel and carp. Usually with 12 - 15lb line.

Add 2 X 3.5in for lighter and close in work with lines under 12lb but usually 6lb or 8lb.

[Aitch]

I have a 3.5" for light float fishing on small ponds and rivers.
It's perfect and goes nicely on lightweight rods...

I'd like a larger version, but they are quite expensive...

Lovely pic and reel! I notice you have it set up for LH wind - did you have to get it adjusted?

No... I have the line running off the top of the drum.... mainly because its how I was taught... never worried about which way the ratchet went

[Olly]

Ah! THE trotting way!!

[Jeremy Croxall]

The Aerial Popular was never ventilated. If you find a ventilated version then is has been an after sale addition. They can in 5 sizes 3", 3.5", 4", 4.5" and the very rare 4" narrow drum. These are the 5 reels. The narrow drum is top right and the one with the line guard notch. Incidentally your reel was made by J W Youngs who made all reels for Allcocks.
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What is the width of the narrow drum version John?
I have a 4" Popular wich is ¾" wide, my 3½" Popular is 1" wide. I may be mistaken but I'm sure Gary Mills referred to my 4" x ¾" as a medium drum??

[Fredline]

The Aerial Popular was never ventilated. If you find a ventilated version then is has been an after sale addition. They can in 5 sizes 3", 3.5", 4", 4.5" and the very rare 4" narrow drum. These are the 5 reels. The narrow drum is top right and the one with the line guard notch. Incidentally your reel was made by J W Youngs who made all reels for Allcocks.
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What is the width of the narrow drum version John?
I have a 4" Popular wich is ¾" wide, my 3½" Popular is 1" wide. I may be mistaken but I'm sure Gary Mills referred to my 4" x ¾" as a medium drum??

These reels are long gone but not the pictures. My knowledge of Populars is that they all came in one width only with a few non catalogue rogues, ie. the Narrow drum. I have never heard of the medium drum but Garry Mills will know. Looking at the pictures it is not conclusive. It is very obviously narrower than the other 4 but we cannot be definite.

[Fredline]

There's a discussion on the width categories of Aerials (not specifically Populars) on p127 of Turner's Ultimate Collector's Guide.

"The conclusion reached was that there is a variation in Aerial rels which does not conform to any set of simple measurements that would allow one to establish categorisation for Narrow, Standard or Wide-Drum Aerials... The variation in Aerials was due to the fact that they were handmade by individuals using materials that were not uniform, unlike today's methods of production controlled by computers."

Not sure I totally buy it, I would have thought they would have been quite capable of making all the pillars the same length across all the reels if that was what they'd wanted.

I totally agree. Think of the times when these reels were made and one word leaps out at you. Standards. Plus his comments make "quality control" farcical. It just doesn't work. I prefer " he who pays says" and a lot of these anomalies are client based.