 The History of The Fork Lift Truck
Episode 18: 1952/3: British forklifts move forward
1952 was the year Hans Still, the founding member of the Still Company, died. He and his wife lost their lives in a car accident. The company fortunately recovered from the tragedy, and continued to build upon the principles of quality and service laid down during its formative years.
In Britain there was one company that had been in business for over 30 years, which could claim to have already met these commercial objectives. This was British Electric Vehicles (BEV), manufactured by Wingrove and Rogers of Liverpool. Following the successful introduction of their model H17/23 forklift truck three years previously, they launched a 1-ton high lift model. Known as the type DH.23, it could lift its load to a height of 12 feet at 15-inch load centres.
The year ended with rumblings of the competition to come from the Asian continent due to the further expansion of Japanese companies. One in particular was TCM, with the construction of a new factory in Ryugasaki (Japan.) Another rapidly becoming a formidable force in its own locality was NYK (Nychiyu.)
 Britain began 1953 with the Coronation of Elizabeth the Second to celebrate. Also worth noting were some encouraging statistics from a government department. The TreasuryÕs Bulletin to Industry stated that the increase in production of industrial power trucks was Ômost impressive.Õ In this section the production of forklift trucks had seen the greatest growth, rising from just under 1,300 in 1948 to over 3,000 in 1952.
One of the new trucks that added to this expansion featured in the British Army trials during the year. It was made by the Stockport Manufacturing Company as a tracked version of a counterbalance forklift truck. Known as the ÔRoughriderÕ, its lifting capacity was 1 ton to 10 feet, and it could be fitted with a petrol or diesel engine power unit.
At this time Steels Engineering Ltd added another new truck to its ÔElectric EelÕ range. The machine had a capacity of 4,000lbs to 122 inches and a turning circle radius of 86 inches. The travel controller was the direct operating contactor type - not unlike the Ransomes controller - and gave four speeds in forward and reverse.
 Another truck making news was a small stacker truck called the ÔCorbett HydrupedÕ. It was voted an outstanding exhibit during the Packaging Exhibition, held at Olympia, and in todayÕs climate of environmental concerns was certainly that and more. The lift mechanism on the machine was conventional battery/hydraulic, but the travel was by means of pedals connected to the rear wheel by a chain drive.
Similar to the operation of a bicycle, the driver sat on a saddle and operated the pedals. These were geared down to drive the machine at a fast walking pace. Designed to lift 1,000lb to 6 feet, the turning radius of the Hydruped was 3ft 7inches. To operate the steering the driver used microswitches on the handlebars, which operated an electro hydraulic mechanism to give very accurate positioning.
March 1953 brought news of a change at the top of one of BritainÕs largest forklift manufacturers. Following the death of H. Pelham Lee, the Chairman and Founder of Coventry Climax Ltd, as expected his son Leonard Pelham Lee took over the reins and became its Chairman and Managing Director.
To be continued
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If you would like to support the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre please contact:
James Brindley
07801 954 167
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