Classic Plant & Machinery Magazine Plant & Machinery June 2013 Back Issue

The more cynical amongst us
go on about Great Britain’s
diminishing status and argue
that our glory days are well and truly
over. They point to laws now made by
Europe, an epidemic of no-win no-fee
compensation claims and compulsory
hi-viz everywhere. If a country could
be likened to a comedy double act,
we’d no longer be Morecambe and
Wise, they say. More Hale and Pace.
However, if there is one thing that
Britain produces better than anyone
else it’s the ‘Plucky Brit’ – valiantly
battling away against overwhelming
odds. Think of Agincourt, Rorke’s
Drift, Eddie the Eagle, Tim Henman,
Frank Bruno, penalty shootouts
and Engelbert Humperdinck in the
Eurovision Song Contest. Without
question, a mixed bag of success,
failure and everything in between.
This issue’s cover star, a Vickers
Vigor, certainly fits the Plucky Brit
criteria. As Peter Love explains,
it came about after the end of the
Second World War in an effort to boost
the UK’s morale and economy.
Peter also looks at Jack Olding &
Co Ltd, which gave up its Caterpillar
dealership to sell the Vickers’
machines. Judge for yourselves
whether it was the right choice.
However, JCB’s recent
announcement of the most successful
year in its history shows that UK
manufacturing and innovation can still
be a world-beating combination. Don’t
throw away your Olympics and Jubilee
bunting just yet.
Another firm doing well on a
smaller, but no less important scale,
is STC Services which specialises in
waterside contracts.
Until next time, happy reading.