Deighton Motor Company

[DaveH]

In the THEN picture you can clearly see the building (Holmes & Younie) which was later to become the Deighton Motor Company.

In the NOW picture, this building, although it is still there, is completely hidden behind a load of trees.

Now Stuart, what was that rant we were having about too many trees in the City spoiling all the views

And the other rant about those stupid psychopath cycle paths

The whole of that pavement is red, with the bicycle emblem on it! The entire pavement is just one big cycle path

Where are people supposed to walk?

When I had a bicycle the place for them was on the road with the other traffic.

That was safer for pedestrians but a bit more dangerous for the cyclists

But thats only because people who use the roads with ANY type of vehicle don't always follow the Highway Code :o

[Guest lebourg]

Yes, it used to be Kennings car hire, around the corner on Fitzwilliam st there used to be Kennings spares dept. in the 70's

It was Kennings car hire. I worked there in the early 70's. The front was open and had petrol pumps. Our workshop was at the back and the outside big shutter door is round the corner and is now a resteraunt, Hoi something?

[Guest Falls2]

It was Kennings car hire. I worked there in the early 70's. The front was open and had petrol pumps. Our workshop was at the back and the outside big shutter door is round the corner and is now a resteraunt, Hoi something?

Hi,

Your comment about Kennings car hire on West Street reminded me of something.

In May 1972, I hired a van from there for a small flat-clearing job. It was one of those terrible Morris Commercial contraptions with the engine between the seats. I had the van loaded and set off up Duke Street but had to stop at the traffic light at Talbot Street. When the light changed, I took my foot of the brake but when I pressed the accelerator, the pedal snapped-off. It was just a piece of sheet metal welded to a rod that ran across the floor, except that the weld had broken. The funny thing was the damned van was so low geared ( I think it was only a 1500 cc car engine), that it just kept going very slowly up the hill.

I didn't want to stop and knew if I tried to turn into one of the side streets near the baths, I would probable stall the engine and most likely block the street. Therefore my only chance was to try and turn into Stafford Road. We all know its not very far from Talbot Street to the Stafford Road turn-off but it seemed to take a life time. I kept glancing in the mirror and the line-up behind me stretched out of sight. But I made it.

Once on Stafford Road, I pulled the cover off the engine and dumped it in the pasenger seat. You'll recall the carburetter was on top of the engine on that model and I found with a little practice, I could work the linkage with my left hand as well as changing gear. Of course I burnt the back of my hand on the exhaust manifold a few times but so-what. Well I made it from Stafford Road to the old dump on Blackstock Road (via East Bank Road), emptied the van and then took it back to West Street.

I parked it on the pumps to be filled and went in the office to tell them what had happened. The man in the office called for someone from the garage to come and move the van and we waited to see what happened. One of your lads came out to drive it away but his face was a picture when he couldn't find the accelerator pedal. By the time I had walked back to the van, he was out the seat and bending down searching for the pedal but he was looking in the wrong place. I'd left the actual pedal down the side of seat. Do you remember any of this ?

Regards

[Guest lebourg]

Hi,

Your comment about Kennings car hire on West Street reminded me of something.

In May 1972, I hired a van from there for a small flat-clearing job. It was one of those terrible Morris Commercial contraptions with the engine between the seats. I had the van loaded and set off up Duke Street but had to stop at the traffic light at Talbot Street. When the light changed, I took my foot of the brake but when I pressed the accelerator, the pedal snapped-off. It was just a piece of sheet metal welded to a rod that ran across the floor, except that the weld had broken. The funny thing was the damned van was so low geared ( I think it was only a 1500 cc car engine), that it just kept going very slowly up the hill.

I didn't want to stop and knew if I tried to turn into one of the side streets near the baths, I would probable stall the engine and most likely block the street. Therefore my only chance was to try and turn into Stafford Road. We all know its not very far from Talbot Street to the Stafford Road turn-off but it seemed to take a life time. I kept glancing in the mirror and the line-up behind me stretched out of sight. But I made it.

Once on Stafford Road, I pulled the cover off the engine and dumped it in the pasenger seat. You'll recall the carburetter was on top of the engine on that model and I found with a little practice, I could work the linkage with my left hand as well as changing gear. Of course I burnt the back of my hand on the exhaust manifold a few times but so-what. Well I made it from Stafford Road to the old dump on Blackstock Road (via East Bank Road), emptied the van and then took it back to West Street.

I parked it on the pumps to be filled and went in the office to tell them what had happened. The man in the office called for someone from the garage to come and move the van and we waited to see what happened. One of your lads came out to drive it away but his face was a picture when he couldn't find the accelerator pedal. By the time I had walked back to the van, he was out the seat and bending down searching for the pedal but he was looking in the wrong place. I'd left the actual pedal down the side of seat. Do you remember any of this ?

Regards

I don't remember that particular incedent. Kennings were all Roots / morris. I remember the vans J2 and J4's.

Rember tha awful Allegro.

[madannie77]

From way back when (1929 to be precise): Deighton Motor Company

And as they also get a mention in this topic, The Lodestar Motor Company, also from 1929