General Bill Slims Truck / Caravan CMP

[Mike Cecil]

David,

'Adelaide' had two plants, neither of which are called the 'Adelaide' plant in the GMH War Record history, but Birkenhead and Beverley, with only the Birkenhead Plant involved in car and truck chassis assembly. Maybe that's why there are no 'A'-marked chassis? The Perth and Brisbane Plants were known by those names (and stamped 'P' and 'B') but the 'Sydney' plant where car and truck chassis were assembled was actually known as 'Pagewood Plant', but as we know, was marked with an 'S'. So, seemingly some inconsistencies.

REF the C60X chassis number you quoted earlier, 3866070143M. This was assembled as an RAAF 900 gallon refueller and delivered to the RAAF with the last batch in late 1945. I suspect it was one of several that were subsequently transferred to the Royal Australian Navy, but am yet to cross-check the engine numbers in an effort to confirm this.

REF 'PE': yes, interested to see a list/partial list to see if I can make any cross reference to what I have on contract data. As you say, we may all learn from it. Do you have any shipping information regarding deliveries from Canada to overseas?

Regards

Mike C

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

GM (Australia) Pty Ltd's first plant was in Marrickville, near Sydney. They then went on to have five plants and by 1928 were clerarly using letters for plant codes.

As regards Birkenhead, here's a little bit of history that I have:

In 1926, Holdens’ were called upon to body Morris’s Cowley models as well as the 12HP Austin. It appears that Holden had visited Morris when in the UK, as well as Vauxhalls: Holdens’ bodied Vauxhall chassis from at least 1925, after General Motors had acquired the English company. Holdens’ reacted to the constant improvements in designs by acquiring Whitlingstowe Engineering Limited located in Beverley, an adjoining Adelaide suburb to Woodville. This company acquisition enabled Holdens’ to produce drop-forged, heat-treated or machined components. Further upgrading of Woodville which totalled £460,000 with the new company purchase cost, saw the installation of heavy presses for cowl and door panel stamping and an increase of floor space at Woodville to 23 acres to allow production of up to 300 bodies per day. A further result was the removal of work and the Head Office from the original Adelaide city building to Woodville

I wonder if Beverley became a body plant in addition to Woodville?

The original GM (A) Plant addresses were (opened 1926-7)
City Road, Melbourne, Victoria
Carrington Rd, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales..opened October 1926
Wickham Street, Valley, Brisbane, Queensland
Corner Rann & Birkenhead Streets, Birkenhead, Adelaide, South Australia
Corner Buckland & Victoria Streets, Cottelsoe Beach, Perth, Western Australia

Holden’s Motor Body Builders Ltd., also had their own interstate operations (assembly and repairs) - Woodville, South Australia was their main body building plant and their assembly and repair plants were located at:

Cnr Ferrars and Munro Streets, South Melbourne
Anderson Street, Valley, Brisbane
Dowling Street (off William Street), Sydney
In 1922 Holden’s Limited also had a similar plant at King William Street, Adelaide.

GM (A) and Holdens as you know to form General Motors-Holden's Pty Ltd and their five plants were officially 'Adelaide'. 'Brisbane'. 'Melbourne' and 'Sydney'. Plus the Woodville body plant.

I stand corrected on any history though!

I may well have data on shipments overseas as at 1945...I shall have a look when I can!

I have data on 'Shops' C60X supplies from GM of Canada though (to 31 March 1944):
1942 418
1943 809
1944 316

Total shipments to Australia: 25,352

Total F60H production: 4,123
Total C60X production: 2,710


I'll have a look when I can then for you!