Alvis is alive with memories of good times and old pals; THAT REMINDS ME: A NEW REGULAR FEATURE THAT GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH YOUR PAST...

AN old picture of life at the Alvis plant in Coventry brought back memories for readers, who contacted us with stories of hush-hush projects and working on such famous names as Spitfire and Scorpion.

Here are some of their memories.

I JOINED Alvis Ltd in 1935, in the role of jig and tool draughtsman and left its services in 1960, so I have memories of its production activities for quite a long period.

The first items which come to my mind are a long line of bomb facilities which were four-wheeled and were fitted with cradles to carry the bombs, and were designed to be towed by another vehicle.

The production of these vehicles carried on for some years.

Production then started on a large number of bomb winches which were designed by Gyral Gears - a company which needed extra production space. These winches were used to lift the bombs up from the bomb trailers into the aircraft bomb bay.

A few years later, production started on a radial aircraft engine which was designed by Gnome Rhone in France and was called Leonides, but these did not seem to be an aircraft that needed such an engine and production did not really get under way.

During this period, quite a number of parts were being made for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine which was being used for a number of aircraft.

During this same period, a number of armoured personnel carriers were made.

Other important items which were being made were control columns for Wellington bombers and most important was the addition to the Spitfire fire-power - namely cannon mountings - and in this respect, we at Alvis Ltd were pleased to help in the increasing effectiveness of this famous fighter plane when equipped with the cannons in the wings.

Eric Strong, Norman Place Road, Coundon.

...I STARTED work at the Alvis in 1944 at the age of 14 years. My first job was working on the Lancaster bomber engine.

We mounted the engine to the frame, which was fixed to a high bulkhead. The components were added and the electrics. The cowlings were the final finish to the engine and then they were despatched by road to Lossiemouth in Scotland.

When the war ended I was transferred to production of Alvis Leonides nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine. When finished, the engine was transported to Southampton to be fitted to the new Cunliffe-Owen Concordia 10-12 seater airliner.

The engine was also adapted to power the Westland Sikorsky helicopter, we had a visit of the machine when it landed on the Alvis sports field for the employees to see it in flight.

When car production resumed after the war, I was transferred to the shadow factory on the corner of Jobs Lane/Broad Lane, where we proceeded to build the TA 14 saloon.

The Chassis came from the Holyhead Road.

I also worked at Daimler for two years on the bus line. We produced four double deckers and one fleetline chassis per week.

I finished at Jaguar Cars and went to Browns Lane brass shop for 36 years until taking early retirement in 1991. I still have my Alvis works rule book and air raid precautions book, also the cutting from the Telegraph of the Concordia.

Mr W R Greenaway, Coventry Road, Fillongley.

...I REMEMBER well the halycon days of Alvis.

I started in 1953 in the wages office, with Frank Phillips in charge.

I left in 1978 25 years later, me now the boss lady, my boss Mr Day, and his secretary Miss Knight - what a combination.

In 1953 Alvis was a "family business", later being taken over by Rover, then British Leyland.

I am happy to say I am still in contact with Gerry Brown, Eva Phillips, Hazel Beavis, Margaret Brayshaw, all ex-wages office "girls".

Mrs Margaret Rose (nAe Franklin), South Africa.

...I WORKED at Alvis after leaving Rolls-Royce in 1969. I was employed on the Lycoming helicopter engines for the Army Air Corps with Ralph Askham and a few others. Our foreman was Roy Probert.

Next to us was the Rover gas turbine on strip inspection. This was an auxiliary power unit (APU) for the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy.

The firm was also working on the repair and overhaul of its Leonides nine-cylinder radial engines.

The armoured vehicle section was very busy with the Stalwart and other fighting vehicles. The machine shop, I seem to remember, had a wooden block floor which always felt soft when walking on it.

It was also busy with the Rover 3.5 V8 engine for the Rover car.

In the experimental department two of my friends, Les Wankling and Stan Chapman, were working on the new light Scorpion tank. It was all very hush-hush and when they brought it round to the front of the building everyone turned out to marvel at it and its secret lightweight Chobham armour.

The canteen was the best I had ever come across, offering the most extensive menu for the workers. The ground floor was below the level of Holyhead Road and it was almost underground. I seem to remember that there was a basement underneath that.

I was struck by the loyalty of the employees, many of whom had been with the firm for generations. They were so friendly and everyone seemed to be on first-name terms.

Donald Stokes, who controlled British Leyland and Alvis, decided to run down the aero work and concentrate on the armoured vehicles. I didn't fancy working on those so I returned to Rolls-Royce.

I am now retired and writing my memoirs, Memories of a Coventrian, having worked at Armstrong Whitworth, Armstrong Siddeley, Alvis and Courtaulds and surviving the blitz and evacuation.

Roy Lawton, Woodlands Lane, Quarndon, Derbyshire.

CAPTION(S):

WAR EFFORT: The Alvis factory in Holyhead Road, pictured in the 1930s, played a vital part in manufacturing components for planes, engines and armoured vehicles during the Second World War. It also produced the Leonides engines for the Cunliffe-Owen Concocordia (below left) and some fine cars. Readers, including Roy Lawton (below), recall some happy times working there