Daimler / Lanchester

I worked at Browns Lane for almost 10 years (75-84), but occasionally went to Daimler Road for meetings. However, my brother had owned a 1934 Daimler 'Light 15' (it was anything but light!!) from 1955-60, and I often went with him when he went to the old spares department. They kept spares then back to 1910! They were incredibly cheap, too, because, for many things, if you took the old part back you would get a generous refund - they refurbished many parts for resale. He was worried about breaking down a long way from home, e.g. on holiday. They told him that he could always ring up, they would put the parts needed on the train, and he could pay on returning home. How different to nowadays! Jaguar sold all the spares to the Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club after they took over, and the Club has since sold them all to dealers. What a shame for such a fantastic service to be dissipated like that. Way of the world, I suppose.

Both my brother and my mother had Lanchester 10s, and both 1948 model. Very sluggish car - about 26 cwt and only 1587cc! After he sold his, my brother bought an Austin A40 Farina. A decoke set for the Lanchester was only about half the price of the one for the A40. Every make except Lanchester-Daimler seemed to make loads of money on the spares; maybe that explain partly why L-D was always short of money. Rootes, for instance, said that they sold cars at a loss, but expected to make three times the price of the car in its lifetime selling spares. And, of course, the Japanese changed all that!

Daimler motor works, Coventry postcard, copyright is on postcard, bottom left

Daimler lathe room postcard which was for sale, copyright bottom left

This was a cotton mill originally, had its own railway line at one time.

Thank you Dutchman was this on the Radford site Daimler

Yes Morgana, just north of the canal basin: Old-Maps.co.uk (1906) Originally known as Widdrington Mill: Old-Maps.co.uk (1888)

Thank you Dutchman maps much appreciated as both my mum and dad worked at the Radford site during the war but dad was then called up and went into the RAF posted to India.

Great maps Dutchman, well worth studying in detail, thank you.

Another of my demolition 'finds'. This is a wooden pattern of a Daimler radiator cap, found at Hearsall Patterns which was situated on the corner of Eagle Street and Foleshill Road.

A really old photo that I haven't seen before - Daimler Charabanc

Hi Foxcote, The term that come to mind is "Hold on Tight"

It certainly isn't "Mind the doors!"

Do you think this photograph was taken in Coventry? Daimler There's another car on this one as you can see the Registration. Daimler Factory

Oh yes!! Both photographs were taken at the Daimler Works, off Daimler Road. Out of shot, on the left hand side of the main drive, which you can see, is the showroom, and above that on the first floor was the cost office and the drawing office. Salles and marketing were also on the same floor. The building on the left hand side of both photographs is the machine shop where car parts were produced. Underneath the machine shop was a store for non current spares with solid brass Lanchester carburettors, pre-selector gearboxes as well as trim items for older cars. I do hope it was emptied before they demolished the old place! The building on the right hand side with the roller door was the assembly shop for bus chassis in my day, with both front engined and rear engined chassis being built. Further to the right, alongside the bus chassis line, was the fighting vehicle line producing armoured cars for the MoD. Happy Days