Enfield-Allday

Enfield-Allday was an English automobile marque created after the First World War through the rationalisation and merger of the automotive interests associated with Alldays & Onions, Enfield, and the Enfield Autocar Company. The marque operated from Sparkbrook, Birmingham, and produced cars from 1919 until the collapse of its parent company in 1924. Its history illustrates the difficulties faced by small British manufacturers attempting to bring technically ambitious cars to a post-war market with limited capital and production scale. The Enfield connection originated with the Enfield Cycle Company, whose automotive activities had been transferred to the short-lived Enfield Autocar Company in Redditch. Alldays & Onions acquired that company in 1908. Before the First World War, Enfield-derived designs were gradually discontinued and replaced by cars that were effectively badge-engineered Alldays models. After the 1918 armistice, the associated businesses were reorganised, and Enfield-Allday Motors Ltd was formed in 1919. The company initially abandoned its inherited designs and introduced the Bullet, a highly unconventional 10 hp car designed by A. W. Reeves, formerly associated with Crossley Motors. The Bullet used a 1,247 cc air-cooled, five-cylinder radial sleeve-valve engine mounted at the front of a tubular steel lattice frame. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through shafts, a centrally positioned three-speed gearbox, and a further shaft to the rear axle. Transverse cantilever springs and a three-seat body were also specified. The engineering concept was distinctive, but development costs, a high selling price, and concerns about the car’s readiness prevented it from gaining a meaningful market. Although the advertised price began at £295, it had risen to £350 by the time the car appeared at the London Motor Show. A. C. “Gus” Bertelli judged that substantial further development was required and that the economics of the project were unsound. Contemporary historical accounts indicate that only about five Bullets reached customers. A proposed 15 hp six-cylinder sleeve-valve model appears not to have entered production. In an effort to stabilise the company, Bertelli became works manager and designed a more conventional car. This model, introduced as the 10/20 hp, used a 1,488 cc inline four-cylinder engine and a three-speed transmission. Coachwork was supplied by his brother Enrico “Harry” Bertelli, who later became associated with Aston Martin body construction. The 10/20 hp was entered in the 1924 Tourist Trophy but did not achieve a successful result. The 10/20 hp remained expensive, with a chassis-only price of £500 and complete cars priced from £575. In 1923 the engine was enlarged to 1,750 cc, the transmission was upgraded to four speeds, and the model was renamed the 12/30 while its price was reduced to £450. Approximately 100 cars were produced before the company entered liquidation in January 1923, according to the historical account; the chronology reflects the unstable corporate structure surrounding the marque and its subsequent reorganisation. Enfield-Allday was then reorganised and moved to smaller premises in Small Heath, Birmingham. The 12/30 continued to be offered with a broad range of bodies, including the Warwick two-seater, Hereford limousine, and Stratford saloon. Prices remained high, reaching £795 for the Stratford. The new range did not have enough time or commercial momentum to become established. When Alldays & Onions collapsed in 1924, Enfield-Allday was revived in the form of Alldays Motor Repair Ltd, but automobile production did not resume. The marque is therefore remembered for a small number of technically unusual and historically significant British cars rather than for sustained volume manufacturing.

The roots of Enfield-Allday lay in two earlier British automotive businesses. The Enfield Cycle Company developed cars whose manufacturing interests were later taken over by the Enfield Autocar Company in Redditch. Alldays & Onions acquired the short-lived Enfield Autocar Company in 1908. Before the First World War, Enfield designs were phased out and the surviving cars were largely Alldays models sold with Enfield-related badging. Following the 1918 armistice, the associated businesses were rationalised. In 1919 they became Enfield-Allday Motors Ltd, based in Sparkbrook, Birmingham. The new company discarded its previous designs and developed the Bullet, a technically adventurous 10 hp automobile. Designed by A. W. Reeves, the Bullet had a 1,247 cc air-cooled five-cylinder radial sleeve-valve engine, a tubular steel lattice frame, shaft drive, a central three-speed gearbox, transverse cantilever springs, and a three-seat body. Its unconventional engineering required further development, while its price rose from an initial advertised £295 to £350 by the London Motor Show. Only about five examples are reported to have reached customers. The company also announced a 15 hp six-cylinder sleeve-valve car, but this model apparently never entered production. A. C. “Gus” Bertelli was subsequently appointed works manager. He replaced the problematic experimental direction with a conventional car, the 10/20 hp, powered by a 1,488 cc inline four-cylinder engine and three-speed transmission. His brother Enrico “Harry” Bertelli built the coachwork. The model was entered in the 1924 Tourist Trophy without success. The 10/20 hp was costly, with complete cars starting at £575. In 1923 the engine was enlarged to 1,750 cc, a four-speed gearbox was adopted, and the model became the 12/30. The revised car was offered at a lower price of £450, but production remained limited. Historical accounts place output at approximately 100 cars before the company entered liquidation in January 1923, followed by reorganisation. Enfield-Allday moved to smaller premises in Small Heath and continued to offer the 12/30 with numerous bodies, including the Warwick two-seater, Hereford limousine, and Stratford saloon. The range remained expensive and failed to establish sufficient demand before Alldays & Onions collapsed in 1924. Enfield-Allday was subsequently revived as Alldays Motor Repair Ltd, but automobile production did not resume. The marque therefore survived only briefly as a post-war automobile venture, leaving behind a small number of technically distinctive cars and an important connection to later British automotive figures such as Gus and Harry Bertelli.

• 1924

  The marque's production ended

  [1]Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org

  The collapse of Alldays & Onions ended automobile production after a short-lived reorganisation.

• 1923

  The 10/20 hp became the 12/30

  [1]Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org

  The engine was enlarged to 1,750 cc, a four-speed gearbox was fitted, and the revised car received the 12/30 designation.

• 1919

  Enfield-Allday Motors Ltd was established

  [1]Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org

  Post-war rationalisation created the Enfield-Allday marque in Sparkbrook, Birmingham.

• 1919

  The Bullet was introduced

  [1]Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org

  The company launched a 10 hp car using an unusual air-cooled five-cylinder radial sleeve-valve engine.

• 1908

  Alldays & Onions acquired the Enfield Autocar Company

  [1]Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition brought the automotive interests descended from the Enfield Cycle Company into the Alldays & Onions organisation.

A small British automobile marque combining ambitious engineering experiments with limited-volume, coachbuilt passenger cars.

• Passenger car · 1919

  Bullet

  The Bullet was Enfield-Allday's first post-war model and its most technically unusual car. It was rated at 10 hp and used a 1,247 cc air-cooled, five-cylinder radial sleeve-valve engine at the front of a tubular steel lattice frame. Shaft drive connected the engine and central three-speed gearbox to the rear axle. The car used transverse cantilever springs and was fitted with a three-seat body. High development needs and an uneconomic price restricted sales to approximately five customer cars.

• Passenger car

  10/20 hp

  Designed by A. C. “Gus” Bertelli after he became works manager, the 10/20 hp represented a move away from the Bullet's experimental layout. It used a conventional 1,488 cc inline four-cylinder engine and three-speed transmission. Coachwork was built by Bertelli's brother, Enrico “Harry” Bertelli. The model was offered as an expensive low-volume car and was entered in the 1924 Tourist Trophy without a successful result.

• Passenger car · 1923

  12/30

  The 12/30 was an updated and renamed version of the 10/20 hp. Its engine was enlarged to 1,750 cc and its transmission gained a fourth speed. The car was offered with a wide range of bodies, from the Warwick two-seater to the Hereford limousine and Stratford saloon. Despite a reduced price, it remained a costly proposition and only limited production was achieved.

• 1924

  Reorganisation and move to smaller premisesStrategy

  Background

  Financial distress led to liquidation and an attempt to continue the business on a smaller scale.

  Action taken

  Enfield-Allday moved from Sparkbrook to smaller premises in Small Heath and continued offering the 12/30 with varied coachwork.

  Aftermath

  The parent company's collapse ended car production; the successor Alldays Motor Repair Ltd made no further automobiles.

  Source

• 1923

  Conversion of the 10/20 hp into the 12/30Generation change

  Background

  The company needed a more conventional and commercially viable product after the weak response to the Bullet and the expensive 10/20 hp.

  Action taken

  The engine was enlarged from 1,488 cc to 1,750 cc, a four-speed gearbox was added, and the model was renamed the 12/30.

  Aftermath

  The updated car was offered at a lower price and with several body styles, but the company did not achieve sustainable production before its collapse.

  Source

• 1919

  Launch of the BulletProduct launch

  Background

  After the post-war merger, the company abandoned its inherited designs and sought to establish a new identity with a technically distinctive car.

  Action taken

  Enfield-Allday introduced the 10 hp Bullet with an air-cooled five-cylinder radial sleeve-valve engine.

  Aftermath

  Development costs, engineering concerns, and a rising price severely limited sales.

  Source

1. 1Enfield-Alldayen.wikipedia.org