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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0996.PDF
JULY 24, 1919 THE SERCK RADIATOR WORKS An Interesting Inspection ON Tuesday last, July 15, the Motor Radiator Manufacturing Co. opened their works, at Warwick Road, Greet, on the outskirts of Birmingham, to a gathering of technical press men. The idea of the function was merely that those who had known Mr. Peter Serck throughout almost the whole history7 of automobilism and aviation should be able to see how vastly his plant has increased in extent and output- capacity under the stimulus of five years of War-work. Mr. Serck, Mr. Purchase and Mr. Terry divided the duties of show ing the visitors round, and it is safe to say that the majority of their guests learned more about the ins-and-outs of the radiator manufacturing business in half-an-hour's stroll around this plant than could possibly have been absorbed anywhere else, or in any other manner. From the receipt of raw material—hundreds of tons of brass, copper, aluminium, spelter, etc.—to the crating of the finished product, there was nothing omitted from the " revelation." One saw radiators ranging from the attractive little cooler of the 10 h.p. A.C. to the gigantic job fitted on the Vickers-Vimy bombing aircraft—seeing them not only as completed radiators, but in every stage of their evolution. One Serck radiator may be thought very much like another, but the least discriminating visitor could soon see surprising variations, both of type and treatment of the cooling problem. Mr. Serck, who is a Norwegian, returned only recently from some particularly exciting intercourse with the Bolsheviki in Petrograd, knows the motoring " capitals " of every country in the world, and is—one was pleased to learn— just as well able to book radiator contracts in the United States of America as he is in the country *he has now for so many years regarded as being just as much his home as is Norway. He founded the present business in Bermondsey about twelve years ago. No sooner had he got his plant running nicely in south-east London, however, than he was compelled to go to the mountain, so to speak, moving up to Parkside, Coventry, in 1910, when Mr. Purchase joined him as works manager. Three years later the business had once more outgrown the factory. Mr. Serck then bought four acres of land at Greet, and erected on it a works designed and laid-out especially for the business of radiator manufacture. When the War came along he foresaw great difficulty in getting tubing, so with oharacteristic resolution put down his own tube-drawing mills, of such production-potentiality that he is not only independent of other sources of supply for his own requirements, but is also able to furnish tubing for other manufacturers. In 1918 the Government swooped down and took over the works, so that every machine in the plant stilll bears the imprint of the Ministry of Munitions, or this, that or other Department. The works were released from control in May last, however, and the company at once added to their equipment—designing and building quite a lot of the tools themselves, by the way—so that when the factory is running at full output it will be capable of turning out at least 50,000 radiators per annum. One does not remember a more interesting insight into production than was afforded at Greet on Tuesday last, although the geniality of Mr. Serck and his colleagues tended to make one forget that information was being absorbed. They work like niggers, at the Serck radiator plant, but they have mastered the art of being busy without being blusterous, and keeping things humming without getting lugubrious. To judge by the remarks of manufacturers like Mr. J. K. Starley, of the Rover Co., Mr. Joseph Lisle, of the Star Co., Mr. Kay, of the Sunbeam Co., and Mr. Allan, of Austin's, Serck radiators are the radiators. Any customer who has once tried them seems consistently to adhere to the products of " Peter the Great," and after seeing the extent and or ganisation of his works it is easily understood that his com pany's output reallv should be, as it is, hors concours. E H H H SIDE-WINDS A VERY remarkable publication is an album which has been prepared by Messrs, Ruston and Hornsby, of Lincoln, Gran tham and Stockport, which illustrates some of the work done by the firm during the War years 1914-15-16-17 and 18. It opens with a brief history of the firm from its foundation, and then there are pages and pages of photographs of vehicles of all sorts, guns, bombs, aeroplanes, aero engines, etc., which have been produced by the firm for use by one or other of the three Services. The photographs have all been beautifully mounted, and the appearance of each page is considerably enhanced by the tasteful arrangement of sketches round the photographs. There are a good many photo graphs showing productions of the Aviation Department of Ruston and Hornsby, which, it may be remembered, built the machine flown by the late Lieut. W. L. Robinson, V.C., when he brought down the German airship at Cuffley. That this department did its bit is indicated by the fact that the 1,000th aeroplane was completed on January 4, 1918. The firm also supplied a very large number of aero engines to the flying services. The Ruston album has been most beautifully reproduced, and forms a souvenir of the War which will be valued by those who are fortunate enough to obtain one. MR. FRANK LANCHESTER has been unanimously elected by the Council President of the S.M.M.T. in succession to Mr. Albert Brown. Mr. E. M. C. Instone and Mr. J. Maughfling have been elected Vice-Presidents. The latter had for some time been Honorary Treasurer of the Society in which office he is now succeeded by Mr. A. S. Mays-Smith. The Management Committee of the Society elected from the Council will include the Past Presidents—Mr. F. R. Sims Mr. Sidney Straker, Mr. E. Manville, Mr. S. F. Edge, and Mr. Albert Brown. THE BRITISH LIGHTING AND IGNITION CO., LTD., who during the War have been established at 204, Tottenham Court Road, London, W. 1, have now removed their head office and works to Birmingham. The new factory, which is a very extensive one, is situated in Cheston Road, Aston, Birmingham, and will in future be known as the B.L.I.C. works. The London depot and repair works has been established at 201, Tottenham Court Road, and magneto repairs, armature winding, etc., will be dealt with both at that address and the Birmingham factory. FOR their sports, which this year were held at Guildford on Saturday last, the Martinsyde Recreation Club were not so fortunate as regards the weather as they have been in the past. The rain, however, was not so heavy as to interfere with the arrangements. The programme, as usual, was a very big one and there was always something going on from 11 a.m. to dark, as after the prizes were presented by Mrs. Martin, dancing was indulged in to the strains of the Martinsyde Orchestra. The band of the 2nd Battn. The Queen's also rendered a selection of music during the day. One sign of the changed conditions was the disappearance of many of the events for the ladies, which had been such a feature of war-time sports. Many of the events were keenly contested, notably the 100 yards open handicap, in which W. A. Hill, the Surrey A.C. champion, won by half a yard from scratch in 10 sees. The 120 yards hurdle race, won by K. L. Carruthers by a couple of yards, also provided an exciting race. A word of praise must be accorded Our photograph shows Sir John Alcock, K.B.E., D.S.C., and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown, K.B.E., when Sir John took delivery of his new 10 h.p. Humber four seater. The Atlantic flyers are shown outside the front entrance of the Humber works at Coventry. 998
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