Fragments on forgotten makes

No. 21: The Rothwell

The recent discovery in Sheffield of what is probably the sole-surviving example of a car of this make, by J. H. Schofield, whose grandfather Fred Rothwell and his brother Tom built these cars in Oldham, led me to that Lancashire town of cotton-producing and industrial memory to learn more about these rare cars.

They were made by the Eclipse Machine Company which was founded by the Rothwell brothers in 1872 and became a successful concern, manufacturing sewing machines, bicycles and ticket punches used on many tramways.

In 1896 additional premises were purchased in Viscount Street, Oldham, and after Mr. Fred Rothwell had imported a Benz car (No. 610) the brothers were joined by the notorious Pennington, who convinced them that his design for a car having front-wheel-drive through an epicyclic gearbox and flat belts from a horizontal engine, and rear-wheel tiller steering, was the one with which to commence car manufacture. Like other Pennington projects this was a failure but the make survived.

An engineer from Royce & Co. in Manchester joined the firm and larger, hand-made cars were introduced. In 1904 these were 6-h.p. and 12-h.p. cars, exhibited at the Manchester Show, and they owed something to the contemporary Darracqs, and by 1906 still larger models were offered, culminating by 1910 in a 25 h.p. with i.o.e. 4-cylinder engine and a cheaper version with a proprietary 15-h.p. Aster engine. The design was sound and advanced. The cylinders were cast in two pairs, and both inlet valve cages above each block were detachable after undoing a single nut. There was dual ignition by trembler coil and magneto, a close-fitting undershield to render a flywheel fan an efficient extractor, the gear-lever was spring-loaded to prevent it jumping out of gear, the brakes were internal expanding, and alternative axle ratios were offered to suit different districts, or types of bodywork. The engine of the 25-h.p. Rothwell had a bore and stroke of 4 in. x 5 in. and ran at 1,000 r.p.m. The crankshaft ran in five phosphor-bronze bearings and power was transmitted through a cone clutch.

There were two models, Model-A with a wheelbase of 9 ft. 9 in. and Model-B with a wheelbase of 9 ft. 6 in. The respective chassis prices were £400 and £30. On the earlier versions an ingenious sliding peg gear-change had been used, but this was abandoned for a conventional 3-speed box after continual trouble with broken pegs. Otherwise these Rothwell chassis were soundly constructed to high standards, and notably reliable. The alternative axle ratios were 2.95, 3.6 or 4.53 to 1 for the Model-B and 2.95 or 3.43 to 1 for the Model-A. Tyre sizes were, respectively, 815 x 105 all round, and 870 x 90 on the front, and 880 x 120 on the back wheels.

Most of the engine and chassis components were made in the Viscount Street factory, and many of the bodies were built there, although some were made by Cockshoots of Manchester. In 1910 the Rothwell Model-B tourer was priced at £365, a more primitive side-entrance tourer was available for £350 and a sporting 2-seater cost £335. Hood, screen and lamps, however, were extra. Even the taxi-like Model-A landaulette, at £575, was supplied without lamps. A price of £35 was quoted for a “2-seated body with sloping tool-box” and a “landaulette with extension canopy and windscreen” cost from £175. The standard metalwork was brass but for an extra £7 10s. nickel finish was available. A cape cart hood for a 2-seater was priced at £10, and crests and monograms cost 10s. 6d. each!

In all, it is thought that some 400 to 600 Rothwells were built. A few went out to India and some to South Africa. Production petered out in 1915 or 1916, when the Eclipse Machine Co. went over to munitions work. Fred Rothwell, a man of few words and high principles, died, and so much money had been made by 1918 that his partners retired and the business closed down. The factory was empty for many years, but became the Co-Op. Bakery’s premises, then their transport department, but is now for sale. Two of the sons of the brothers who founded the firm are alive, and interest in this rare make has been revived by Mr. J. H. Schofield, M.I.M.T., of H. Hughes & Bolton Ltd., Rootes’ agents of Oldham, an enthusiast who commenced motoring in an Austin 12/4 and never missed watching an Ulster T.T. He had one of the first Riley Nine Monacos in 1927 and conversation over lunch had a distinct “Cars I Have Owned” flavour.

His mother was Fred Rothwell’s youngest daughter and before 1914 several Rothwell cars were used by the family, including a landaulette, photographs of which have survived.

Mr. Schofield naturally sought a Rothwell to rebuild and last year one was traced to a yard in Sheffield. It turned out to be a 1911 25-h.p. chassis, the body having been broken up. Mr. Schofield bought it for £50. It is in quite a good state of repair, with sound mudguards, silencer, etc., and is being painstakingly restored at Hughes & Bolton’s premises.

This car was laid up in defiance of Lloyd George’s h.p. tax in 1920, and from its general condition and lack of wear on the foot-pedals, etc., appears to have covered only a small mileage, after being first registered in May 1911. Interesting details that I noted when I inspected it were the well-constructed silencer with flanges as on a Rolls-Royce, bracing at the back of the chassis and struts between frame and crankcase, the White & Poppe carburetter and Simms magneto, metal linings beneath the mudguards to prevent damage from stones, and total-loss drip-feed lubrication assisted by a “boot-lace”-driven pump. One pipe from the drip-feed tank enters the gearbox. Rear suspension is by a platform spring and side 1/2-elliptics. Apparently electric lighting was never used on this car.

This is surely the sole surviving Rothwell? The firm made motorcycles, their 3 h.p. machine, circa 1904, costing £45, and some commercial vehicles, the latter based on the 25-h.p. passenger-car chassis but with chain-drive in one instance. Dronsfield Bros. used Rothwell lorries, Buckley & Proctor had a van and the Oak Leather Works of Oldham the chain-drive open-sided lorry, and there were some ambulances, but all have long since disappeared.—W. B.