John Lewis Partnership

Taking shape – the extension to the Central Vehicle Workshop, seen from the roof of Head Office.  The Workshop is expanding to meet the increasing demands upon it, as the Partnerships’ fleet, including especially the Waitrose vans, adds constantly to its number.

When the building work is finished, our Partners in CVW will have virtually twice the working-space, for the maintenance of our vehicles.One useful item being built is a specially-designed pit to help in servicing the tail boards of our units.  When the tailboard has to be taken off, the trailer has until now had to be jacked up several feet, to allow the ‘board’ to be dropped down through the side slots until it is free.  Now the vehicle will be drawn into position so that the tailboard can be lowered into the pit, and afterwards taken away by lifting gear.

Another item of special value will be the dynamometer, or ‘rolling road’ as it has been called.  This device is designed to test the vehicles power output, and will largely obviate the need for road-testing, which is costly and time-consuming.

Taken from Chronicle:  Volume XXX,  16 November 1974