Chapter 5

THE WOLSELEY TOOL & MOTOR CAR CO, LTD

Until July, 1897, the famous engineering firm of Vickers was known as Vickers Sons & Company, Ltd., but on the third of that month, an agreement of amalgamation was concluded between them and the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company, Limited, in the terms of which the title of the firm was changed to Vickers Sons & Maxim Ltd.; Sir Hiram Maxim, whose name will always be associated with the famous "quick-firing " gun bearing his name, was given a seat on the Board.

For some years Maxim, like many other Engineers, had been trying to solve the problem of human flight, which had so far baffled the Scientist. His work had taken the form of designing and constructing what was known as a " steam flying machine " at his works at Crayford, Kent. The firm of Vickers had manufactured certain parts for this machine, an association which finally ended in the amalgamation in question. Sir Hiram's deep interest in aerial navigation is shown by the fact that at the time of the first Motor Exhibition ever held in London-at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, from May to August, 1896-he had a stand on which were exhibited various wings, engines and other articles connected with "flying machines."

As an Engineer, automobilism deeply interested him, and his foresight in visualizing the important role the horseless vehicle was likely to play in wars of the future is clearly shown by an agreement entered into by Vickers Sons & Maxim and the late F. R. Simms. This was dated August 13th, 1898, or only one year after Maxim had joined Vickers. In the terms of this agreement, Simms undertook to assign to Vickers all his inventions connected with motor vehicles which might be employed for military purposes. He also undertook to design and superintend the construction of a " Motor War Car." This was completed at the Daimler Works at Coventry and was exhibited, shortly after the turn of the century, in the grounds of the old Crystal Palace.

With their interest in the future of the motor-car as offering a development of their armament business, Vickers were not slow in realizing the significance of the success of the Wolseley Voiturette in the 1,000 Miles Trial, particularly since this was a vehicle of entirely British design and manufacture without any of the complications of royalties or licence fees payable to foreign manufacturers or their agents in this country.

At the same time the Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Company was rapidly becoming convinced that it was merely a matter of time before the motor-car side of their business would outgrow their sheep-shearing activities. If, however, the car business were to be given the support that it called for, larger premises would have to be obtained, together with the expenditure of a considerable capital out-lay on plant and machinery, and this was an undertaking on which they hesitated to embark.

On both sides, therefore, the time was ready for discussion, and \with the already established association between Sir Hiram Maxim and Austin, the approach was an easy matter and agreement was soon reached.

On February 18th, 1901, Vickers registered a Company known as The Wolseley Tool & Motor Car Co., Ltd., with offices at 32, Victoria Street, Westminster, and Works at Adderley Park. Birmingham.

These Adderley Park Works were originally built by the firm of Starley Bros. and Westwood Manufacturing Co., Ltd. During September, 1899, the Liquid Fuel and Engineering Co., who had Works at East Cowes, Isle of Wight, decided that owing to the expansion of their business, additional accommodation was necessary. At East Cowes they could turn out some thirty " Lifu " steam wagons and twenty launches annually, but that was not enough and so overtures were opened up for them to take over Adderley Park Works, Birmingham. The site consisted of some 3 ½ acres, and the dimensions of the main shop were 300-ft. by 209-ft. The two parties were just on the point of coming to terms when unforeseen difficulties arose and the negotiations were broken off. From that lime, the whole of the factory was idle until the Wolseley Tool & Motor Car Co., Ltd., was established.

An agreement dated March 5th, 1901, was drawn up between the Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Co., Ltd., Herbert Austin and the Wolseley Tool & Motor Car Co., Ltd., setting out the terms of the sale. The consideration was £12,400 in cash plus 67 five per cent. second debentures of £100 each to the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co., Ltd., and 33 five per cent. second debentures of £100 each to Herbert Austin. The new Company was to have absolute control over the Austin patents and the Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Co., Ltd., were to be free to continue their business in sheep-shearing tools but were, of course, to be debarred from participation in the Motor Trade or in manufacturing tools and anything connected therewith.

The original subscribers of the new Company were as follows: -

Douglas Vickers,

Lieut. A. Trevor Dawson,

The Hon. Stuart Pleydell Bouverie,

S.V. Dardier,

W.J. Cundall,

John G. Shields.

Herbert Austin was appointed Manager and Philip Thaine, Secretary.

The capital of the new Company was £40,000 divided into30,000,ordinary shares of £1 each and 10,000 five per cent. cumulative preference shares of £1 each. Of the ordinary shares 20,000were allotted to, and fully paid for in cash by, Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Co., Ltd. There was an immediate issue of£40,000 first debentures in addition to the £10,000 second debentures which had been issued in favour of Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Co., Ltd., and Herbert Austin under the agreement dated March 5th, 1901. Of the proceeds of these first capital and debenture issues £31,545 was utilized to acquire Adderley Park Works from Albert Vickers, £12,400 was paid to Wolseley Sheep-Shearing Machine Co., Ltd., as mentioned above, and some £350was expended on preliminary expenses.

Remarkably swift progress was made at the Adderley Park factory, and on May 1st, 1901, the new Company issued its first catalogue of Wolseley cars. Two models were being made, a 5-h.p.and a twin-cylinder 10-h.p., both of which could be obtained with either " Tonneau " or " Phaeton " bodies. Either pneumatic or solid tyres could be fitted, and the following prices were shown:

5-h.p. Phaeton with pneumatic tyres £270

5-h.p. Phaeton with solid tyres £260

5-h.p. Tonneau with pneumatic tyres £300

5-h.p. Tonneau with solid tyres £290

10-h.p. Tonneau with pneumatic tyres £380

10-h.p. Tonneau with solid tyres £360

In addition, there were listed what was termed a "racing car" and a couple of delivery vans. The former had a four-cylinder horizontal engine, " developing over twenty horse-power " to quote the wording in the catalogue. It was, too, " electrically ignited, balanced both as to position and vibration, and had two sets of clutches, both released by one pedal." Its appearance, as a racing car, was not particularly awe-inspiring,, with its box on the back which resembled more than anything else a compartment in which a commercial traveller might carry his samples.

There were many other quaint references in this catalogue which make interesting reading nowadays. For an additional outlay of 30s. the 10-h.p. model, for example, could be fitted with a sprag to prevent it from running backwards. Some advice was given to intending purchasers as regards the most suitable kind of tyres. " We recommend pneumatic tyres for all cars required to run over twenty miles per hour, and solid tyres of suitable size for slower speeds and where economy is a consideration," said the catalogue. A "Table of Gears" was also shown so that purchasers could select the size of their sprocket wheels to fit their own particular circumstances.

At least one striking improvement in the general design was the adoption of an inverted-tooth chain drive from the engine to the gear-box, in lieu of the broad belt used hitherto. This did away with the gearbox swinging on a pivot to enable the belt to be tightened or loosened when changes of gear were required. A friction clutch of the leather-to-metal cone type was used and the general appearance of the car was a considerable improvement on previous Wolseley productions.

Austin's dislike of the vertical engine is illustrated by the following passage in the first catalogue:-

The vertical type of engine always was and always will be. far more difficult to lubricate satisfactorily than the horizontal type. Some makers of vertical engines try to throw discredit on the horizontal type by saying that the weight of the piston wears the liner oval. This is all nonsense, because the angular thrust of the connecting rod in both types causes a far greater pressure to be put on one side of the liner than a dozen pistons would weigh, and yet with proper lubrication no wear takes place . . . the normal speed of our motor is 750 r.p.m. and this is quite fast enough to allow of any long usage. Motors which run at 1,000 to 2,000 r.p.m. have, of necessity, only a very short life.

It must be explained that in 1900-01 there was a growing preference among car designers for the general lay-out of their chassis to be somewhat on the lines of to-day, i.e., a vertical engine in front beneath the ordinary bonnet, followed by the clutch, clutchshaft, a separate gearbox, countershaft driven by a bevel pinion and thence the transmission was taken by exposed side chains, driven by sprockets on the end of such countershaft, to the rear wheels.

In many respects, the Wolseley car followed a course of its own, owing largely to Herbert Austin's strong aversion. to a vertical engine. Anything but a horizontal engine was almost anathema to him, and there were still some who supported him in this respect. Controversy raged for month after month about the merits and demerits of both types of engine; hardly a week passed without some High Priest of automobilism expressing himself in stron. language in the correspondence of the motor papers. The Wolseley car was nearly always the target at which the shafts of the pro-vertical school were aimed, and the cudgels were usually taken up by Herbert Austin. On one occasion, embittered by some caustic and probably unjust criticism aimed at either the Wolseley car or its engine, Austin replied that when the orthodox method of car-propulsion was to have a fan fitted behind each car to impel it along, then, and then only, would the Wolseley car be fitted with a vertical engine. As holy water is to "the old gentleman," so was the vertical engine to Herbert Austin during the early years of automobilism.

The alliance with Vickers had a highly beneficial effect not only on the ,general design of the Wolseley car but the speed of production. Special steels could be used in its manufacture and the testing of material of all kinds was much simplified. Herbert Austin was elated, but it is recorded that his enthusiasm at what was taking place was not shared by the then Secretary of Vickers, the parent Company. The magnitude of the latter dwarfed the comparatively minor operations of the former, and the insignificance of the Wolseley business was usually emphasized when the end of the year arrived and the results were disclosed. On one occasion when Austin presented himself before the Secretary and confidently anticipated congratulations for having had a favourable year, the total comment made was that the car business " hadn't pulled up many trees."

In actual fact, the first ten months' operations of the new Company resulted in a turnover of £22,368 10s. 8d., but a net loss of £5,429 which might well have been expected in view of the heavy initial outlays. The twelve months' operations ending December, 1902, however, resulted in the favourable surplus of £5,400, which was increased the following year to £12,512. The financial outlook appeared so rosy that a dividend of ten per cent. was paid on the ordinary shares.

Unhappily this healthy situation was not to be maintained and for the following five years, a loss was incurred, and the repercussion this had on the management will be discussed in a subsequent chapter.

The lot of the car designer in those days was not a bed of roses. The question of carburettors was a difficult one, and this was rendered even more so by virtue of certain patent-rights held by the British Motor Syndicate Ltd., the activities of which accounted in large measure for the abandonment of the design of the first Wolseley car, as recorded in Chapter 3. Ignition also gave a certain amount of trouble owing to inefficient batteries, coils and sparking plugs, etc.

Following what was then termed the " Automobile Club Motor Show " at the Agricultural Hall, London, during May, 1901, at which the Wolseley exhibit was a prominent feature, there came the Glasgow trials in September. As motoring began to develop in this country and cars became more reliable and road-worthy. those who organized such competitions stiffened up the conditions to obviate their becoming a walk-over for any car which took part. The series of trials in question consisted of five different routes radiating from Glasgow and returning to that city each day. The selected routes were as follows: -

September 2nd Route No. 1 Glasgow-Edinburgh-Glasgow 116 miles

3rd Route No. 2 Glasgow-Ayr-Glasgow 108 miles

4th Route No. 3 Glasgow-Callander-Glasgow 97 miles

5th Route No. 4 Glasgow-Stirling-Glen Devon-Glasgow 98 miles

6th Route No. 5 Glasgow-Crianlarich-Glasgow 118 miles

In addition, there were three test hills to be climbed; Fintry, Gleneagles and Whistlefield. Each car taking part was credited at the outset with 300 marks per day, and deductions were made for failures, etc. Two Wolseley cars were entered, consisting of a small single-cylinder 5-h.p. model and a twin-cylinder 10-h.p. The remarkable performance these two cars put up will be appreciated better when it is recorded that they were both hurried through the factory prior to the trials, and that the small one had only been thirty-six miles and the larger one eighteen miles before they both faced the starter on September 2nd. The following results

were recorded: -

Car Marks awarded out of a minimum of 300 on Route Nos,:-

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

5-h.p. 298 294 300 299 300

10-h.p. 300 300 297 300 299

Speed on Hills (m.p.h.)

Fintry Gleneagles Whistlefield

5-h.p. 6.72 11.06 4.45

10-h.p. 10.00 13.74 8.37

Each car was awarded first prize in its particular class. The two medals so won are still in the possession of the Wolseley Company.

Further enterprise on the part of the young Company was shown in exhibiting at the French Motor Show in 1902. Awards were made for certain merits shown by the various cars exhibited, and it is noteworthy that although the French and German cars then had almost a stranglehold on the continental markets, the general appearance of the Wolseley cars was so striking that a gold medal was awarded for elegance. The veritable monopoly held by foreign cars in their own countries causes this success to be doubly valuable.

In other respects 1902 was an important one in the history of the new Company. In order to assist purchasers in the management of their cars, a handbook was produced which is probably one of the first of its kind ever seen in this country. It would do credit to any modern manufacturer to-day by virtue of the thorough manner in which the working of the Wolseley car is explained. It was entitled “Hints and Directions on the care and management of the Wolseley motor vehicles." Detailed diagrams were shown enabling a Wolseley-owner to see precisely the construction of his car, what needed attention, and what he ought to do and avoid to keep his car in good running order. That enterprise in producing such a book of instructions was appreciated as desirable is shown by the fact that it was carefully and favourably reviewed in the motor press at the time.

In view of the vast numbers of Wolseley Distributors, sub Distributors and Dealers throughout the country that exist to-day, it is interesting to study what was then termed the Company’s List of Agents " shown on one page of this book:

Mr. C. Browne, Longacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., London.

Messrs. Rennie & Prosser, 93-5, Mitchell Street, Glasgow.

Mr. T. Shore, Whitehall Street, Dundee.

Mr. B. Marsden, Wensley, Heaton Chapel, Manchester.

Messrs. Hill & Boll, Carriage Builders, Yeovil.

Messrs. Mann Egerton & Co., Ltd., 5, Prince of Wales Road,

Norwich. Messrs. George & Jobling, South Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

The Imperial Cycle and Motor Car Co., Ltd., Lyndhurst.

Mr. W. A. Baines, Central Works, Gainsborough.

Yorkshire Motor Vehicle Co., Ltd., Bradford.

The Northern Motor Co., Ltd., Montgomery Street, Belfast.

The Automobile Agency Ltd., 3, Tope Street, Dublin.

It is interesting to note that of the above, Messrs. Prossers, of Glasgow, are still the Company's Distributors for that district.

It was during 1902 that the Company decided to enter the racing field. It is possible that the extremely heavy outlays associated therewith were hardly appreciated at the time, and whether the successes achieved and the publicity gained warranted this step, is a moot point. The odds, too, were greatly in favour of the foreign car.