Sid Bradford NZ Photos of CD11 and CD18

[isleofthanet]

I have been sending and receiving photos and info on the CD Bradfords with Sid Bradford who has been very helpful with dimensions and photos of CD11 when he owned it. Yesterday he sent some more including an under bonnet picture of CD18 that i have never seen before. It is clear from the colour of the bulkhead and bonnet shuts that this car was originally metallic Jade green.

[Keith Clements]

Why not add the image to your post?

[isleofthanet]

Dont you already have photos of the CDs on your site?

[isleofthanet]

Do you have paperwork between Jowett and Briggs on the CD, as i havent found any? I have some from 1951 and 1954.

[isleofthanet]

Here is the photo of the engine compartment of CD 18, i believe the original colour in Turquoise blue metallic.

[The Bradford man]

I think I’ve got one or two pictures of My fathers CD when he had it.
Body was shot.
My father sold it to Vic Morrison who rebuilt it into CDR3
I have to find that photo album. I’ve temporarily miss placed it when I moved my office out of the spare room.

[isleofthanet]

Hi James,

Sid mentioned that your father had a lot of paperwork and photos and had an excellent memory of all things Vintage and Bradford. Also that he remembered seeing the other i.o.e. engined CD15 which crashed or was dumped in the central part of the North Island in the 1950s. Do you remember or have any details of that car?

Regards

Alan

[The Bradford man]

Sorry i havnt replied sooner.
Yes I do remember dad saying about the Scrapped CD with Ioe cd. I think he said it was in Rotorua.
I remember dad and Neil Moore talking about it. Neil didn’t believe it but dad had seen the engine/ remains. Sadly I don’t remember much about it.
I see if I can find the info on it. But I havnt moved all his office stuff to my place. I think I got most of his Jowett stuff.

[isleofthanet]

Thanks James,
Look forward to anything you can find, how did it end up there and what year approximately, was it in an accident i wonder?
Some Briggs paperwork i have, a letter dated 14 Oct 53 lists five utilities and five vans were built but also on 15 Oct 53 another letter where a further van requested to be finished in Channel green.This doesnt include the original van and pick up that were paid for separately. So that is eleven total, therefore looks as though they built CD10 to CD20. You may or may not know that the saloon car was built by Jowett in the Experimental department at Idle.
Alan

[David Morris]

Hi,

There is a Jowett CD type saloon in store at the Coventry Motor Museum in the UK, which might be the one you mention in this post?

I have seen this car, and did take some photos, which must be with me somewhere? It's in a part of the museum that is not open to the public.I found it very interesting and the car is in good condition. I wonder if they would consider loaning it to the Bradford Industrial Museum, so it can take it's place alongside the row of historic Jowett vehicles, to show the development of ideas over the years?

Perhaps Malcome Oliver, who was at one time the Director of the Museum, ( and who let me view the car ), would be receptive to this idea?

All the best,

David

[isleofthanet]

David,

Thanks for your reply but as far as i know the CD saloon in Turquoise blue metallic was scrapped back in late 1963 at or just after Jowett Engineering at Beckers Mill Howden Clough ceased trading.
You maybe interested to know that Bob Wales who was a former employee mentioned to me that it was only ever used occasionally for special occasions.

Regards

Alan

[isleofthanet]

David,
I think you could be confusing the CD saloon with the Ferguson R4 saloon RPE 4 which is there. Several were built but not for production. It does have a similar scuttle or cowl design to the CD however.

If you are a club member, there is an article in the By Jupiter Magazine Archive, 2007-2 p7-10 called An Appreciation of the Ferguson Research Flat Four Engines.

More info on the Ferguson projects can be found at https://www.fergusonclub.com
Regards
Alan

[David Morris]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your post...yes, I am sure you are right and I have confused the two!

But I am aware of the close association between Jowett's and the Ferguson Company. Jowett's had always been a bit of a 'jobbing shop' for companies that needed some design and construction work, and that was very evident during the days around WW2. Jowett's took on all sorts of jobs, especially those associated with the aviation industry, especially with companies like Blackburn Aviation.

I am sure you know more than me about the relationship between Jowett's and Ferguson, which seems to have blossomed after vehicle production ceased and Jowett Engineering had to survive on their own initiative. I am left wondering about the Ferguson vehicles? The one in Coventry Motor Museum is clearly well finished and shows substantial steel pressings. These don't come cheap and Jowett's had spent a fortune for those post-war times in commissioning Briggs to prepare a range of bodies for the up-coming CD models. Indeed, it might be argued that this flow of Jowett's capital towards the new body pressings might well have created a cash flow headache for Jowett's that they never solved and ultimately led to the collapse of the conpany?

It leaves me with the question as to why Ferguson took the trouble to have expensive steel bodies made for their vehicles, which, it seems, were never to be production models? Did they perhaps capitalise on Jowett's expenditure on the CD designs and asked Briggs to run off a few bodies that, I think we agree, do look very similiar to the CD's?

It's all a long time ago, and most of those present at the time have unfortunately passed on. All that is left is the memory of a brave little company, who at the time must have hoped against hope that sunnier times were coming. Look at their valiant efforts to rush out the R4 almost overnight, and which secured a fist full of orders at the 1954 Motor Show! They failed to secure the investment needed and perhaps there were other competitors who had plans of their own?

Who knows? But I do find it an interesting subject and hope you agree?

All the best,

David

[paul wilks]

Well, I for one, am fascinated by the history of the CDs and the R4s, and the "what might have been". So thanks for re-raising it again, David,
Best wishes
Paul