Engineering in Coventry

Mick, Google is your friend…. Link 1 Link 2 There’s reference to them in this article about City’s England goalkeeper, Reg Matthews

In the CET, In June 1954 Modern Machine Tools Rifle Club donated a bench to the Memorial Park.

"In the CET, In June 1954 Modern Machine Tools Rifle Club donated a bench to the Memorial Park." I wouldn't mind betting, this plate was from that bench??????????

"There’s reference to them in this article about City’s England goalkeeper, Reg Matthews" Hi MR, would you please drop this link into the Works Football topic?

Thanks MR, what a great link number one is with great pictures. A lot more I've learned about engineering in Coventry

When I left school my dad forbade me from joining the family firm, The Torrington Machine Tool Co (not the Torrington Co). He reasoned I should be outside in the fresh air. After a couple of false starts, I found myself in the construction industry working in civil engineering. When I restored my Riley 35 years ago, dad was called upon to replicate all sorts of worn out parts, but there was a catch. He would show me just once how to make the new parts on various machines, so I had to learn quickly. Dad has been gone 25 years now and I have my own lathe. Sometimes when I’m scratching my head, pondering a job, I can feel him looking over my shoulder Between us, we usually get it right. Bless you, Dad xx

Hi matchle55, did your dad’s company go on to become Torrintool?

Mick, You are quite right Torrintool was a separate company which was run by the son of one of the partners, his name was Pete Land. The factory was in Hotchkiss way, Binley, which was 100 yards from Vibroplant where I worked, this was in the 80s and 90s

Thanks matchle55 As the demand for multi-spindles dwindled in the late 70's early 80's, I was moved off the shop floor and into a newly formed "sub-contract buying" office. In the 2 years or so that I was there, I got to visit a lot of sub-contract only engineering companies, from one man bands, small and medium sized companies. It was always said that you could go down Bayton Road and get anything made!! Torrintool was one of the companies that Wickman used. Sub-contractors in Coventry were in abundance, for turned parts, gears, specialist heat-treatment etc. We never had to go far to find someone whom could make parts to our drawings. But sadly, most of these have now gone.