To-day's Conditions Demand Making Repair Work Easy.
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How a Lead'ng Heavyveh: cle Repair Concern is Combating Present Difficultie§ and Maintaining its Workshops at High Output
ri DIEN the necessary powers of klobservation and appreciation of such matters, one can find, in almost any repair shop. at least a few features—probably unique—that are oi. interest and value, and definitely worth passing on. In an establishment such as that of Godf..ey Davis, Ltd., Neasden Lane, London, N.W.I0, where a new building, serving almost exclusively for commercial-vehicle repair and overhaul, has recently been erected and equipped, the interest is all the greater, particularly as the special difficulties of the moment and how to overcome them have been guiding factors.
For the opportunity afforded us to inspect these premises we are indebted to Mr. W. Little (general manager) and Mr. E. W. Ayres (works manager), and we were certainly impressed by what we saw. As tile concern is one of the biggest Ford main dealers in the country, its activities are largely centred on Fordson lorries,, but they are by no means confined to this or any specific make. At the present time practically all of the work being done, is in connection with Government contracts, notably for the Air Ministry'
and Ministry of Supply. "
A big part in equipping this establishment has been played by Messrs. Equipment Repairs, 19, The Viaduct, Ealing Road, Alperton. This firm installed the Brunner air-compressing plant, of Which a picture appears on this page: and all the piping, incidental fitments, etc., including a Champion self-winding tyre-hose reel, fixed high aloft in the middle of the shop, so an to be accessible to vehicles over a wide area below it. This firrn_ also put in two Churchill high-lift jacks for 7 and 3 tons respectively, and they supplied portable cranes, axle stands, tyre removers and various other service items.
Adjacent to the main building is a new machine shop that is still being
fitted up. This work—erecting the machines, installing. the power and shafting, etc.—is being carried out by T. C. Jones and Co., Ltd., Wood Lane, London, W.12, which is also supplying some of the machine tools.
Among the equipment there will be a Cuthbert line borer and a connectingrod borer of the same make, and Fonvell remetalling tackle, all these being obtained from Warner Engineering Equipment, Ltd.. By-pass Road, Guildford. Also to be installed are Kitchen and Wade boring and Yfoning machines, with George Alexander auxiliary tools. Van Norman cylinderboring apparatus is being supplied by E. P. Banns, Ltd. In addition, there is a Denbigh drilling machine, for which T. C. Jones was, also responsible, and a Norton crankshaft grinder, both of which have already'been, installed.
Yet a further picture depicts the ingenious inspection-Tamp ' scheme
featuring in the main repair shop. As will be observed, there is a pair of bare wires running practically all round the building. These carry current at 12 volts—a safe figure, but ample for the lighting required. The fitters can clip their inspection.lamp leads on to these bare wires wherever they like. It is, indeed, possible to tap this lowvoltage supply, the mains for power and the compressed-air system anywhere in the shop.
Beneath both ,high-lift lacks are power points protruding from the well under the ramps and disclosed so soon as the lift rises. This is a very convenient detail. -It typifies the measuras that are being adopted to achieve the best results, in spite of the shortage of skilled labour, to render really comprehensive the scope of the shop, and to expedite the execution of all operations it undertakes by malting everything as easy as possible.