Daimler Makes Good Progress
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WE spent a most interesting few VI' hours last week with Mr. G. Finch, general manager of the Daimler Co., Ltd., Coventry, and other prominent executives, both of the parent company and of Transport Vehicles (Daimler), Ltd., including the publicity manager, Col. G. Long; the chief engineer, Mr. C. Simpson; sales manager (commercial vehicles), Mr. D. Boxall, and production manager, Mr. Morton.
Few people realize the extent of the damage done to the main Radford• works during . the blitz on Coventry. They were bombed almost ,continuotisly for seven hours. The destroyed area covered 600,0.00 sq. ft., tinge workshops were obliterated, and the design and drawing office reduced to a smouldering ruin...
However, the company took over the No. 2 aircraft shadow factory, andwith amazing energy .and planning installed mlichmes and equipment to give a passenger-vehicle-production capacity (coach and bus chassis) 400 per cent. higher than that of any peak period of pre-war years, and it is already well on the way to achieving this in actual vehicles.
Production of the Daimler oil engine is also speeding up, and early delivery of passenger chassis with these engines can be offered. This is from eight to 10 weeks. As they become available, Gardner engines with five or six cylinders will be supplied, where required, parallel with the company's power unit. We understand that a Daimler oil engine of greater power is also under way.
Immediately authority is obtained the company will proceed to rebuild the . Rddford works, and is revising the whole of the production layout there. When completed, there will be a series of unit 'shops for .engines,gearboxes. axles, .etc. • Part of the machine-tool equipment at the No, 2 ,factory is already being moved back to Radford and, later, all units will be Wilt, there and be brought to .No. 2 for as:serribly.
In March there will be made available two-axle and three-axle trolleybuses, and Li little later an export Model of the singlecleciiik. with left-hand drive. The main products for export at present are. ,six-wheeled buses, 8 ft. wide and 30 ft. long, for 70-seater double-deckers, and19-ft. wheelbase, 30-it. long single-deckers.