Chapter 11

1926-1939

After the sensation that the bankruptcy of the old Company had caused had subsided somewhat, and a more sober view was taken of the precise situation, it was obvious that the reputation and goodwill of the Wolseley name would never be allowed to pass out of the motor industry. Its connections were too wide and valuable, the quality of its products too high, and its reputation too well established for temporary financial embarrassment to deal it the coup de grace. Even before the Company was put up for auction, it was known that powerful interests were at work, both British and forei-n, to acquire control, including Viscount Nuffield, the Austin Motor Co. Ltd., and General Motors of America. Lord Austin's interest in attempting to acquire the business was due to the fact that the Wolseley car was his firstborn, but the reasons for Lord Nuffield's interest were more obscure.

It has already been stated in Chapter 8 that one of the early Wolseley taxicabs was sold to "Mr. W. R. Morris, of Oxford," which in itself constitutes an early link between Viscount Nuffield and the Wolseley Company, but a further one is provided in that he held the selling rights of Wolseley productions at his Oxford garage.

In addition, his interest in the future of the Wolseley Company can well be appreciated when the strong possibility of the Company passing into American control is borne in mind. Imbued with a fierce determination to do all in his power to keep foreign cars off the roads of Britain, he saw in the possibilities of the prevention of the sale to American interests of the Wolseley Company a great opportunity of satisfying one of his most cherished ambitions.

At that time also he was particularly interested in producing a light six-cylinder car as the logical development to his success in the small four-cylinder class, and at both Olympia and at the Glasgow Exhibition he studied with considerable care the car which represented the last efforts of the old Wolseley Company to effect a change in its fortunes and to stave off the disaster that threatened. This model, the 16/45, known as the " Silent Six," made a deep impression on him. On the day of the sale of the Company, which he attended in person, there was brisk bidding. and it was finally acquired by him for £730,000.

The Company was renamed " Wolseley Motors 1927 Ltd." and as such it continued to trade as the private property of Lord Nuffield until 1935, when he sold it to Morris Motors Ltd. This action was quite characteristic of him; while there was any risk about the Company's re-establishment, he preferred to shoulder that hazard personally, but as soon as its future was beyond all reasonable doubt, it became one of the Nuffield group of companies.

With that degree of far-sightedness for which he is famed, he saw at once the true cause of the Company's failure to weather the storm: the total area of the Wolseley Works at Adderley Park and Ward End was far in excess of what was required, and he at once set about effecting the necessary changes.

The activities of the Wolseley Company were concentrated at Ward End, and Morris Commercial Cars Ltd., which Lord Nuffield had founded in 1924, was moved from Soho into a portion of the Adderley Park Works. The Soho Works and the remaining portion of the Adderley Park Works were disposed of.

He neither desired nor intended the Company to spring back into active production until his plans for its future were complete. The works underwent what is technically termed a " re-tooling " process, which is exceedingly costly and prolonged, but was essential if his plans were to be carried into effect. In order that the name of Wolseley might not become dim in the eyes of the public the 16/45-h.p. " Silent-Six," which had made such a marked impression on Viscount Nuffield continued in production, and a four-cylinder version, the 12 / 32-h.p., was introduced, both of which were followed shortly afterwards by an eight-cylinder model, the 21/60-h.p. The engines of these three models were similar in general design, and all adopted the overhead camshaft driven by a vertical shaft, the evolution of the Hispano design, a feature which became characteristic of all Wolseley engines for many years.

In the case of the engine for the eight-cylinder 21/60, the vertical shaft driving the camshaft was located between Nos. 4 and 5 cylinders, the crankshaft and camshaft being divided.

September, 1928, also saw the introduction of a 21/60 sixcylinder model, which, in various forms, continued in production until 1935. Introduced primarily with a view to capturing the export market, and known overseas as the " Messenger," this car had many interesting and advanced features. Robustness of construction was perhaps its principal one, and this was achieved by a very deep section frame which was extended to the full width of the body, the actual frame side members providing the sill between the running boards and the body, which was of the all-steel type. In fact, the first " mono-piece " body-in which the whole side of the body is pressed in one-ever fitted to a car in this country, was used for the prototype of the "Messenger."

In 1930 Wolseley Motors had the honour of providing seven of these cars for the personal use of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales on his Safari in East and Central Africa. The cars covered a total of 36,000 miles under appalling conditions without any mechanical breakdown.

1930 was, in fact, an important year in Wolseley history, for it was in that year that the famous " Hornet " was introduced. Two years previously Lord Nuffield had started production of the " Morris Minor," and the engines for this very popular car were designed and produced at Ward End.

The four-cylinder "Morris Minor" was selling in large numbers, but six-eylinderism had recently made a bound forward in popularity. At the Olympia motor show in October, 1929, the following statistics were recorded.-

Eight cylinders 18.3%

Six cylinders ... 52.5%

Four cylinders 26.8%

It occurred to LorJ Nuffield that if a comparatively small car on the lines of the " Morris Minor," but equipped with a six-cylinjer c-,igine of small capacity, w.-re intro@uc@J, not only would it have an outstanding performance, but its ease of handling, general economy and smooth running, could not fail to make a string appeal to a c'ass of motorists to whom six cylinders had seemed, so far, quite outside their financial possibilities.

Designs and experimental work were put in hand at once. The overhead camshaft engine, with a bore and stroke of 57 x 83-mm. and a capacity of 1,271.3 c.c., which gave a Treasury rating of 12.08 h.p., was designed. In those days rubber mountings for the engine, which have been proved to be such an effective antidote to vibration, had still to be introduced, and so the small fourcylinder power unit was at a disadvantage when compared with a soundly designed six-cylinder engine. A degree of flexibility, hitherto attained only by far more expensive cars, was aimed at, which would reduce gear changing to a minimum, and would provide the motorist of moderate means with a vehicle possessing many of the characteristics of a far larger car, but essentially economical in upkeep.

The bodies fitted were either of the coach-built or the then popular fabric type, and they were both provided with two doors onlv. The radiator was rather more " rakishly " mounted than usual, which gave the car a more " sporting " appearance. In short, it was a serious attempt to provide the cheapest light six-cylinder car marketed by a British manufacturer.

As soon as it was introduced it made an immediate appeal to the pubic; the new " Wols,-ley Hornet" could be seen in great numbers on every road throughout the country, and the works were hard pressed to keep pace with the great demand.

As has so often happened when a car with exceptional powerwe'ght ratio, and consequently good performance, is introduced, there immediately arises a demand to increase the size of the body. The manufacturer is asked to do the impossible to provide more body space without increasing the weight of the car, and the " Hornet," with its small body, gave many the opportunity to plead with the Wolseley Company to produce a car with the same sparkling performance, but with a four-door body.

From the outset the Company was determined not to ruin the car's performance by destroying the very high power-to-weight ratio. To lengthen the wheelbase and the body would inevitably add to the weight of the car, and so detract from the performance, and so other means had to be sought.

The Wolseley designers solved the problem by a slight shortening of the engine, which involved driving the camshaft by a chain instead of the vertical dynamo, and by moving the whole engine unit and pedals right forward in the chassis, so that the radiator, which for many years had been over the front axle, was now several inches in front of it.

Thus was introduced " forward-engine-mounting," a feature that is now standard in all cars on both sides of the Atlantic, and which, much to the amusement of the Wolseley designers, is often acclaimed as a recent American " invention."

In addition to the standard four-door saloon, a " Hornet Special " chassis was also introduced. The Company supplied the chassis only, and many coachbuilders specialized in the production of bodies of the sports type.

With regard to the larger cars, the 16/45 had been replaced in 1930 by the " Viper " model, also of 16-h.p., and this, in turn, was replaced in 1933 by an entirely new model known as the Wolseley " Sixteen." The specification of the later models of this type included a free wheel, automatically operated clutch, and other devices which probably reached the peak of their popularity during 1934-35.

Included in the programme for the 1934 season was the " Nine," which, being a four-cylinder model of 60-mm. bore and 90-mm. stroke, was a departure from the general Wolseley production, inthat the Company had for the last three years concentrated on the production of six-cylinder models only. For those who looked for a small saloon with a good turn of speed, economical running, and a general appearance and finish comparable with the larger and more expensive Wolseleys, the " Nine " filled a long-felt want.

For the 1935 season the "Nine" gave way to the "Wasp." In practically all respects, the engine of the " Wasp " was the same as the "Nine," but the bore was increased from 60 to 61.5-mm., and the car was rated as a 10-h.p. model.

It was in 1935 also that the wire wheels, which had been used for so many years, gave place to the pressed steel wheel, and from the point of view of the owner who looked after his own car, these "Easy-Clean" wheels, as they were called, marked a very real advance in design.

The illuminated name badge on the radiator, which is such a distinguishing feature on all Wolseley cars at night, and unique to this make, was also introduced in this year.

The " Hornet " underwent a change in both engine and body, the stroke being increased to 90-mm. and a body very similar to the " Wasp " replacing the previous four-door body. TheHornet Special," still sold as a " chassis-only," was fitted with an engine of still larger capacity, rated at 14-h.p.

This year also saw the introduction of two other new models, the " Fourteen " and the "Eighteen," which replaced the previous year's "Sixteen." The "Fourteen," with its rather narrow body and large wheels had a somewhat ungainly appearance, but its very fine performance attracted the attention of various Police Forces who wanted a fast medium-sized car for patrol work, and laid the foundation for close co-operation between the Company and many Police Forces, which has extended through various Wolseley " Fourteen " models ever since. The car's appearance was considerably improved by the widening of the body, the redesigned model being known in the works and to many outside as the N.F. " Fourteen."

This, and other contemporary models, were bringing in a large number of orders, when a major reorganization in the Company's affairs brought their production to an end.

As has already been mentioned, since the purchase of the Company by Lord Nuffield in October, 1926, it had operated as his own personal property, but he now decided that the time was ripe to transfer the ownership to Morris Motors, and accordingly, on July Ist, 1935, Wolseley Motors added to its name (Proprietors, Morris Motors Ltd.).

Coincident with this change, it was also decided to effect a consolidation of manufacturing facilities through the Organization. Although for some years the Wolseley Company had been manufacturing engines for Morris Motors, in addition, of course, to their own requirements, the Morris engines, other than for the the “Minor," were made at Morris Engines, Coventry. As the volume of production expanded year by year, it was deemed advisable to undertake a further step in the process of specialization which had proved so successful in other directions in the Organization. Accordingly, the whole of the engine production was concentrated in Coventry, and, as a result, the familiar overhead camshaft engines, which had been a feature of Wolseley cars for so many years, came to an end, and were in all subsequent models replaced by specially designed push-rod overhead valve engines.

This change in manufacturing policy also coincided with the abolition of the practice of marketing yearly models. Instead, production under serial numbers, whereby a new model or a modification of an existing one was introduced without relation to any particular year of manufacture, was instituted. This resulted in a far more even production in the factory, with a consequent increase in economy and efficiency.

In October, 1935, the Series II " Super-Six " range of 16, 21 and 25-h.p. cars was introduced, and in the following April the 10/40 and the 12/48 Series 11 was announced. Two months later the Series II 14/56 took the place of the N.F. "Fourteen," and proved to be one of the most popular Wolseley models ever produced. These, and the Series III cars which replaced them and which carried on in production up to the outbreak of war, are too well known to warrant description. Each one incorporated all that was desirable and most modern in automobile engineering, and which fully upheld the high prestige of the Wolseley productions. In the autumn of that fateful year of 1938 an entirely new 10-h.p. car was marketed to cater for those who desired a full four-seater saloon with refinements not found on the average car of that type, so many of which were designed down to a certain price rather than up to a standard associated with Wolseley practice. This car was being turned out in ever-increasing numbers until the time came for car production to give way to weapons of war.

Although the " Wolseley Ten " was introduced under the shadow cast across the world by Munich, the " Wolseley Eight " suffered an even worse fate. Its introduction date was fixed for September 11th, 1939; the factory was all " tooled-up " for production, catalogues were printed and even the price fixed at £172 10s. (Oh, happy days!,), but the car had to wait six long years before it was finally introduced. Six years during which the Wolseley Cornpany, as we shall see in the subsequent chapter, had little time to think about motor-cars, let alone introducing a new model.

Before the curtain is rung down on Wolseley history up to the point where the war turned the thoughts and efforts of all to the production of war weapons, it is well to give some details of an extraordinary performance put up by a six-cylinder 18/85-h.p. Wolseley which was driven from this country to Cape Town, a total distance of no fewer than 10,300 miles, in 31 days 22 hours. Apart from this journey constituting a record, it can be stated quite safely that no motor-vehicle was ever called upon to perform such prodigious feats under such appalling conditions, and none emerged therefrom so triumphantly.

The late H. E. Symons, a well-known Motor Journalist, who had previously undertaken successfully some long-distance journeys through the African deserts, was the Author of the undertaking. His choice, on this occasion, fell on a Wolseley owing to its proved reliability and ability to stand up to conditions never even approached in normal circumstances. Special equipment was, of course, necessary for desert travelling, which included 9-in.Dunlop tyres, a fuel tank capable of holding 32 gallons, accommodation for carrying 10 gallons of drinking water, and special seating facilities, which could be used as full-length beds for Symons and his companion, H. R. Browning.

The momentous events between 1939 and 1946 may have tended to dim the recollection of this adventurous undertaking, and so no apology is offered for recounting one or two of the major events that happened during the trip.

After careful preparation, the travellers set forth during a blinding snowstorm in December, 1938, and the first record was established by the time they had reached Kano in the Sahara desert, some 2,200 miles from Algiers; for fully 2,000 miles the car had had to travel where no roads of any description existed. Beyond fuel-replenishments, the car had required no attention of any kind except a quart of oil for the engine.

After encountering a storm, the severity of which is only experienced in the tropics, and somewhat narrowly escaping destructioof the car by a tree falling just in front while passing through an almost impenetrable jungle, an accident occurred which would not only have caused complete destruction of any car less sturdy than a Wolseley, but was within an ace of putting an end to the careers of both men.

During the night a wooden bridge had to be crossed at Niangara in the Belgian Congo. Probably due to the driver momentarily dozing, the car struck the wooden railings and plunged somethirty feet into the black crocodile-infested River Gada. The illustration, taken the next day, clearly shows the situation.

After remaining in the water in an almost completely submerged condition for a day or two, the car was finally dragged to the bank by a large party of native convicts. It was a very battered and dilapidated Wolseley that emerged from the bed of the river, and it seemed at first that further progress was beyond all reasonable hope. The damage, however, was not so serious as the travellers imagined it would be. The only structural breakage was the rear spring bracket of the near-side front spring. This was torn from the chassis. Both axles were in perfect condition and no part of the steering gear was even bent. The body had suffered extensively, but after transporting the car some 330 miles to Juba, where the most necessary repairs could be effected, the travellers set forth again. No part of the general equipment had to be changed. The same coil, dynamo, distributor, battery and self-starter, as well as the petrol pump, horns and other electrical fittings were working just as well as they were prior to their long immersion at the bottom of the river.

At Nairobi the local Wolseley Distributor replaced the battered head lamps and a new piece of plate glass, specially cut to suit the misshapen windscreen, was fitted, after which the car, apart from appearances, was in almost perfect order.

After rescuing a couple of other travellers whose large American car had been hopelessly stranded for eleven hours with its chassis resting on the crown of the road, and all four wheels revolving in pools of muddy water, the pair continued their journey southwards through Johannesburg, and they arrived at Cape Town in 31 days 22 hours after having covered no fewer than 320 miles per day for a month, which entailed negotiating roadless deserts, swamps, jungles and flooded rivers.

Never in the history of automobilism has any motor-vehicle had to accomplish such a task, and no test has ever demonstrated so forcibly the quality of Wolseley productions.