British Standard Ventilated 3 phase motor

Hi, I'm looking for a particular type of electric motor to build myself a rotary phase converter. I'm after a 3 phase British Standard Ventilated motor of the type BTH, English Electric and GE used to build in the 1960's and earlier. I need a 10 to 15 hp motor with the ability to be wired in star configuration for 415ish volts. Sadly many of these motors were scrapped and modern TEFC motors took their place. I'm told that although they aren't as efficient as modern motors their inefficiency is the key to why they work better in converter designs.
If anyone can help I'd be very grateful even if it's just leads as to where to look.
Thanks.

Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and other classified sites are good places to look for old motors. Ebay would be my last resort - the prices there tend to be absolutely exorbitant for anything someone thinks they can make a buck off of. I.E. $335 for the same make and model of motor I've seen locally *with* an air compressor pump for $30. Some guy south of me is still asking $500 for a 3 horse Century... I got my 1/2 horse as part of an entire air compressor for $100... and that's only after I missed out on one for $20. a 10-15 horse is going to be a tall order to find since that's really an industrial size and businesses don't generally feel the need to hold on to old antiques like that.

It might be worth looking into some local antique engine and machinery societies - those are the sorts of people who would be most likely to have leads on this sort of thing. Otherwise you could make an occasional trip to the scrapyard to see if you get lucky. I've heard tell of people finding old Centuries that way from time to time - a lot of the time people just don't know or care about what they've got.

Possibly one kicking around on a farm somewhere? Plenty of room on a farm so old things just get shoved to a dusty corner in a shed,or the farm scrap heap. Perhaps try an ad in Farmers Weekly.

I'm far from convinced of any advantage (I'd prefer a synchronous machine), but UK Ebay item number 203178307853 fits your description. It's definitely old, since it's got class A insulation.

No connection to the item, just searched for it.

Ebay would be my go to.

Well, a friend's uncle has contacted me with a selection of motors for me to look at. He's in agricultural engineering so that seems hopeful. I've fired off an email to a friend who's a railway enthusiast. He owns a few railway engines and deals in spare parts for diesel electrics.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, wish me luck.

Mark Rand said:

I'm far from convinced of any advantage (I'd prefer a synchronous machine), but UK Ebay item number 203178307853 fits your description. It's definitely old, since it's got class A insulation.

No connection to the item, just searched for it.

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Yes, I'd seen this motor but it's a slip ring unit so not suitable. The seller has another motor I also looked at but it's wired 415v delta so also not suitable. The problem is some machines don't easily lend themselves to conversion and our Ercolina TB60 is one of them.

Purity Vendetta said:

The problem is some machines don't easily lend themselves to conversion and our Ercolina TB60 is one of them.

Click to expand...

Just run it off a 240-415V inverter.

Drivesdirect.co.uk sell suitable ones