![]() Such cars were purchased by the upper class and even by royals who appreciated the quality and comfort as well as easily accepting the "carriage" styling they grown up with. S tyling was of secondary importance to Lanchester so t he 3.5-litre, six-cylinder engine sits between the two front seats. In spite of their unorthodox appearance Frederick Lanchester's Birmingham built cars were well known for their advanced technology, high quality, and comfort. If Vauxhall 3cyl cars had been a little dull in performance terms Pomeroy's work in engine breathing, which began with the 1908 L head monoblock 3ltr side valve engine, would eventually give Vauxhall the first real British sports car, a record breaking run up Shelsley Walsh hill climb and bring Britain's motor industry respect through Vauxhalls performance in the international "Prince Henry" trials. Another event of paramount importance was the addition to the staff of Lawrence Pomeroy Snr. By a fantastic coincidence, Luton was the original home of Fulk le Brent! So the Wyvern was still appropriate. Also in 1905 finding expansion impossible Vauxhall moved to Luton. ![]() He adopted as the company crest, a Wyvern, of Fulk le Brent, a successful soldier of fortune in the time of King John, who had lived close to Wilsons factory site.Īt the 1905 Motor Show Vauxhall exhibited the 3-cyl, 7-9hp model at £375 including lamps and all accessories - these were rarely included in the price by other makers. Britain was finally free to compete with European countries on an equal footing, little wonder the motorists gathered for that first Emancipation run from London to Brighton.ġ/32nd scale Airfix kit conversion (lower pictures)Īlexander Wilson set up as a maker of small marine engines & pumps on South bank of the Thames near Vauxhall Iron Works. The red flag man was gone and the motorist had a new freedom to travel at a speed that would foster the fledgling motor car industry. The major change was that cars were classified as light locomotives weighing less than 3 tonnes which raised speed limits to 14 mph although many local councils decided to cap the speed limit at just 12 mph. Simms and his followers would still have found it impossible to succeed in their ventures if it were not for the change in the Locomotives on highways act in 1896. In fact by then Britain was ranked third in the world for the size of it's automotive industry behind only the United States and France. His venture led to being 53 automotive related companies in Britain by the turn of the century and 211 by 1905. ![]() In not naming his cars or company after himself Simms has slipped out of the collective motoring psyche, but he should not be forgotten. But most importantly he purchased the rights, in 1897, to build Daimler cars in Britain, and in setting up the Daimler UK company, and buying an old cotton mill in Coventry, established the country's first motor car manufacturing company and made Coventry the centre of motor car manufacturing. Simms was the man who coined the terms "motor car" and "petrol", helped set up the Royal Automobile Club, and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Now I'm sure you are all saying "oh yes, of course, Frederick Simms I know all about him" but the truth is (to the casual motorist) his name means nothing at all. Through this page we will show you much of this story, the highs and the lows, the rise and the decline of the British motor industry as well as some of Britain's influence on motor racing to.Īctual automobile production in Britain probably owes most to Frederick Simms. In due course British cars and designs would go all around the world, break new ground in design and technology, break records galore in all manor of classifications, have the World's first purpose built racing circuit and, after some very trying times, become the leading nation in racing car design and manufacture. The removal of the "red flag acts" (or more properly the repealing of the road Locomotive acts) in 1896 finally allowed Britain to start catching up in the field of automobile design and technology. Germany and France forged ahead with Italy following closely while in Britain road going automotive traffic was kept at a walking pace, literally. As is often the case in Britain political pressures stumped all this progress and for around 80 years Britain languished in the automotive dark ages allowing other nations to profit from the British innovations. ![]() Britain was a hot bed of locomotive innovation and design in the early 1800s, people like Hancock,Trevithick and Gurney all had successes in steam road transport.
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