Out and Home. By "The Extractor."
Page 13
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It seems a fearsome journey down. to Hanwell, but if you book to Ealing and go thence by train, you reduce the terrors. and it is really quite accessible. My mission was to renew an acquaintance with Mr. W. F. Drayson, whom I knew for a long time as manager of the motor department of J. Tylor and Son, Ltd., of Belle Isle. Now be is installed as managing director in a well-equipped factory at Oak Works, Church Road, Hanwell, where he is manufacturing petrol engines, principally for commercial vehicles, but also marine engines and plants for electric lighting, pumping, etc. "But that," as Rudyard Kipling says, "is another story." We are concerned here with the 25 h.p., 35 h.p. and 40 h.p. engines which they are rapidly preparing, and will be in a position to deliver early next year. Mr. W. B. H. Drayson is chairman of the Board of Directors.
If there is one thing which gives me pleasure it is to see other people hard at work, and this applies particularly in going over a commercial-vehicle factory. I found my
' self in the new Dennis factory one day last week, and it is a long ',me since I was in such a hive of ,urely commercial-motor stuff. 1-'-dre were two vehicles of the tire-engine variety, nearly ready for the Glasgow Salvage Corps ; two five-ton tip wagons, destined for the Crown Agents for the Colonies ; and two travelling post-offices, practically ready to go to the Transvaal. Very interesting vehicles these latter. being a modification of the lettersorting carriages which go by rail, but having, in addition, a little
space left for passengers. There were other vehicles for the Colonies, but I noticed especially one char-k-bancs for Singapore, with padded seats for the Europeans and the residue for the natives. Then a very fine 20 h.p. char-kbanes for the Crimea.
Following up some remarks of mine last week about clubs and associations in connection with works, it was interesting to go over the new club premises and to note the accommodation for the Dennis employees. Some idea of its capacity will be gleaned from the fact that 300 can sit down to meals and be served at one time. The club premises are open until a late hour, and a full-size billiard table, presented by Mr. Raymond Dennis, is well patronized.
He was a salesman with infinite resource, and he was miles away from his base with a demonstration vehicle which had to be sold. It was unusually-hilly country, and the engine showed a tendency sadly to overheat. Our salesman was bringing it back to its resting place for the night, the proprietor of which was his only hope for a sale, and he felt like bringing a hired horse back in a perfect lather ; in fact, he felt worse than that. About 100 yds. from his destination a brain wave came to him. He got down and took off the belt from the fan, so when he drove into the yard and the intending purchaser observed the boiling ad put his hand on the radiator, our nimble-minded demonstrator was ready, and the explanation was clear. He had lost his belt. He sold his vehicle, and promptly caught the very first train out of the town in the mornini.
An indication as to the way new works and extensions are going forward in the motor trade comes from Mr. C. It. Price, of 87, Bishopsgate, E.C. He called in to see me last week, and mentioned incidentally that he had done £20,000 of building work last year as a result of advertisements in this journal, upon hearing which I made a fitting and feeling speech of thanks on behalf of the business department.
Over £2000 was subscribed at the dinner table on Thursday of last week in connection with the Cycle and Motor Trades Benevolent Fund. I gladly give the name of the prime mover and honorary treasurer of this movement, Mr. A. j. Wilson, 154, Clerkenwell Road, London, E.C. Mr. Albert Brown, of Brown Brothers, Ltd., presided on the occasion under notice and in his genial practical fashion pleaded successfully for help for those who have fallen by the way. Mr. A. J. Wilson never was more in earnest. A marvellous man this, completely deaf, yet always taking the foremost part both in money making and in giving of his best for the helpless in our trade. I sat near him during the speeches, and it was thrilling to see his secretary translating the other remarks at lightning speed into deaf and dumb language. They touched ray soft side and I signed away my rights over one guinea annually to their funds ; I recommend others to follow suit.