Alvis

The Alvis car, mentioned in the first (and 28th) post of this thread, now has its own website which has been brought up to date, including an extensive history and a colour video of it racing on a modern circuit. Alvis racing car no.1.

Have updated the script on this one. Thanks to you all.

I worked in Baginton 1968/79 and Alvis was at the far side of the airport. I seem to recall it was an Alvis engine test site. Down the lane that went to Rock Farm, there was a couple of old hangars which Mortons (BRS) used as a repair depot. Whether the hangars, because of the proximity, had anything to do with Alvis I don't know.

Thanks to Nicola Smith on 'The Coventry we used to know' FB page, from the collection of Mr M Toms. Outside the Holyhead pub, looking east. Post copied from topic Holyhead Road on 9th Mar 2023 3:29 pm

My dad, Donald Mainwaring, worked at the Alvis for years. I seem to remember him on the bowls team there.

I worked in at The Alvis for about 5 years between 1983 & 1988. I worked as a Computer Operator and the Computer Room had one way glass, you couldn't see in through the window, but you could see out. I was working the evening shift one day when I saw a shadowy figure, with a boiler suit and a peak cap, walk across from the building opposite to door of our building. I jumped up off my seat and ran to the door to let them in, literally, seconds. When I opened the door no-one was there, they had vanished, which I thought was rather odd. The next day, when I arrived at work and told a colleague about this, her answer was that was old Bob. You see, the Computer Room was built on the site of the Old Boiler Room. And a guy called Bob had died there many years before. Make of it what you will, but that's what happened, certainly made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Funnily enough, that happened where my dad worked at IHW in Warwick back in the 80s. They had a new starter in the machine shop - after a few days my dad called him into the office and he said he had seen an elderly chap walking around. He was the chap who has passed away and whose job he had replaced! My uncle would've been at the Alvis then, Rob - Pete Hodges. Loved his cricket.