Holland Coachcraft body of Scotland
Discussion
Choppy135 said:
High what do you want to know iv got alot of original designs and info as my great great grandfather owned the company
The original designs would be of interest to many I'm sure, the article in Heritage Commercial a few years ago was quite light on information about the vehicles; the scratchbuild model fraternity would be after building copies even if there's no-one with deep enough pockets keen to do a full size reproduction.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle 17/4/12
Ray Marshall said:
Demise of a World Leader
IT is still a Second World War mystery, why a factory producing vehicles to world beating designs was forced to close in Gateshead because of Government policy with the loss of many jobs.
Holland Coachcraft was formed in the Govan area of Glasgow in 1931 by William Hawthorn Holland, a man years ahead of his time.
The firm soon gained a reputation for unique and specialised vehicle designs.
By 1933, Holland decided to close his Govan factory to concentrate on design.
Offices were set up in Glasgow, Manchester and London whilst vehicle construction was undertaken by a number of licensed coach-building companies in Scotland and England.
The high point came at the Commercial Vehicle Motor Show at London's Olympia in 1933 when their latest model took the show by storm and became known as The Sensation of Olympia.
Its streamlined shape and advanced features were years ahead of anything seen in Europe or the USA.
Orders flooded in, with inquiries from Italy, Spain and the Dominions.
By this time designs also existed for both single and double-decker buses and a long-distance delivery van with sleeping accommodation for the driver.
The motor car market was also taking notice of Holland''s streamlined Art-Deco style, and by 1935 Meccano Ltd had a model of one of his vans in their Dinky Toy range. …
Any Geordies fancy a trip to the library to scan the rest of the article?IT is still a Second World War mystery, why a factory producing vehicles to world beating designs was forced to close in Gateshead because of Government policy with the loss of many jobs.
Holland Coachcraft was formed in the Govan area of Glasgow in 1931 by William Hawthorn Holland, a man years ahead of his time.
The firm soon gained a reputation for unique and specialised vehicle designs.
By 1933, Holland decided to close his Govan factory to concentrate on design.
Offices were set up in Glasgow, Manchester and London whilst vehicle construction was undertaken by a number of licensed coach-building companies in Scotland and England.
The high point came at the Commercial Vehicle Motor Show at London's Olympia in 1933 when their latest model took the show by storm and became known as The Sensation of Olympia.
Its streamlined shape and advanced features were years ahead of anything seen in Europe or the USA.
Orders flooded in, with inquiries from Italy, Spain and the Dominions.
By this time designs also existed for both single and double-decker buses and a long-distance delivery van with sleeping accommodation for the driver.
The motor car market was also taking notice of Holland''s streamlined Art-Deco style, and by 1935 Meccano Ltd had a model of one of his vans in their Dinky Toy range. …
If anyone's researching Holland coachwork, I'd like to know if this is their work. It could be a promotional vehicle, or even maybe an apprentice piece. The trade plate is for Croydon, so it seems unlikely, and the art-deco style is rather generic, but all the same it screams Holland.
Interesting stuff, thanks for posting.
Gurney Nutting who are famed for their cooperation with Rolls Royce.
Waghorne & Miles.
Also mentioned briefly by Grace's Guide as coachbuilders in or near Croydon;
Crofts
Air Dispatch
Manton Motors
Moore's Presto Motor Works
Warwick Motor Body Works
Trojan commercial vehicles were also in Croydon but I doubt they would have been involved in coachbuilding like this.
nicanary said:
If anyone's researching Holland coachwork, I'd like to know if this is their work. It could be a promotional vehicle, or even maybe an apprentice piece. The trade plate is for Croydon, so it seems unlikely, and the art-deco style is rather generic, but all the same it screams Holland.
I can find evidence of several Croydon-based coachbuilders.Gurney Nutting who are famed for their cooperation with Rolls Royce.
Waghorne & Miles.
Also mentioned briefly by Grace's Guide as coachbuilders in or near Croydon;
Crofts
Air Dispatch
Manton Motors
Moore's Presto Motor Works
Warwick Motor Body Works
Trojan commercial vehicles were also in Croydon but I doubt they would have been involved in coachbuilding like this.
hidetheelephants said:
Boredom on a Friday night lead to some idle googling, which lead to some perusal of Commercial Motor's beta online archive, which is buggy but yielded quite a bit of detail. Cutting and pasting got me to these.
Grace's guide only has one Robson involved with coachbuilding;William and Thomas Robson of 60, Farringdon Road, London, E.C.I
Commercial Motor Body Builders and Repairers.
hidetheelephants said:
Grace's guide offers a little detail about the coachbuilders of these two.
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