“I was with AMC’s for fourteen years, twelve of them testing bikes after going there to work inside. After leaving school in 1951 I had worked outdoors but then the medics said that I should find an indoor job, after too much Egyptian sunshine, while spending three years in the Army” reflects Alan Jones.
“When I came out of the Army I was already keen on bikes, owning a 600 AJS Springtwin and belonging to Greenwich Motor Cycle Club, which I still do. Looking for an Indoor job, I was taken on at AMC’s as a trainee in the Toolroom but when an opening on Test Rectification came up, I moved up to that. Each AMC Road Tester worked with a rectifier who collected each bike from the track, put oil in the oil tank, gearbox, forks and primary chaincase and a pint or two of petrol in the tank. Then fitting his Tester’s trade plates, took it down in the lift to wheel it out into Maxey Road, ready for the Tester to take on returning with the previous bike. The Tester would complete a test form for the bike on its return for the Rectifier to attend to, before the bike went to the Despatch Department. Apart from any adjustments, the Rectifier checked the wheel alignment and chain adjustment and drain all the oil to, if the bike was going for export”
“We were part of the Assembly Department where there was always a light hearted atmosphere even though hard working. The main entertainment was baiting old Roy, the cleaner. He would studiously progress along the line with his big broom and shovel, sweeping along all the bits of rubbish that accumulated on the floor but as soon as he had passed each assembler, they would cover the floor with rubbish that they had kept by. Roy would get to the end and then look back to survey his handiwork, only to see the floor worse than when he had started. This would produce a roar of rage followed by the hurling of broom and shovel at the nearest body. Roy fell for it every time. On another occasion the lads removed the bottom of the box that he collected the rubbish into and refitted it with hinges. On lifting it when full, to take out to the skip, the whole lot emptied out over his feet” chuckles Alan.
”Each bike was assembled on a trolley that ran along a rail track. On completion of assembly, each bike was started and occasionally, one would be mistimed enough to catch fire on spitting back through the carburettor, whereupon the small hand extinguishers would be ignored but one of those large ones on a wheeled trolley would be grabbed and set off, throwing foam everywhere. It would always finish up being pointed out of one of the windows to flood the yard, three floors below, as well as the road outside”
“The Factory layout seemed to have just developed and seems most odd when you consider it. The Ground Floor housed the Machine shop, Hardening Shop, Inspection and Viewing Room under Bill Horton. First Floor had the Enamelling Shop, run by Charlie Day, where all painted components were tank dipped and the cured for 72 hours in heated ovens. Second Floor was home to the Engine and Final Assembly Shops and then the Third and Top Floor was home to the Tool Room, Gearbox Assembly under Nobby Clark and the Competition Department with Foreman Wally Wyatt. The Offices, Drawing Office under Tony Dennis and Canteen were in a separate building and the Racing Shop was over the road. Frank Perris and Peter Williams worked in the Drawing Office while I was there. We would occasionally see Jock West, ex works road racer and then Sales Director but Bob Manns, who had been a works trials rider was now Sales Manager and was always around.
