[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by DtheP47

Think that numbers way off the mark for the Clayton factory Flakmann. My reading tells me a total of 57,400 were produced. As Retlaw says there was indeed some engine production there, I remember the engine test sheds down on the Rishton side of the site, derelect in my apprenticeship days. But the production of these engines was spread across a variety of UK sites.

The works produced more airframe sections and assemblies in the main for the war effort as a "shadow factory". Production being shared with English Electric at Preston, Fairey Aviation at Stockport and Rootes at Speke near Liverpool.

Yep Bristol was mostly machining of crankcases and other components from foundry's elsewhere, and the likes of piston rings, bearings and crakshafts which were also produced elsewhere, then final assembly and testing. Father told me they also experimented with water injection, as they discovered that engines ran better & had fewer stalls when it was raining. Motor bike riders will know what I mean. My Triumph 650 twin always sounded sweeter when it was raining, I did some experimenting on my bike and found the piston crown, valves and cylinder head were cleaner when water was added at the air intake. Very difficult to measure the precise amount but I managed it useing patience and precision.