A check from an interesting early auto maker

Acton Vale is a district in London’s west. Described as “Motor town” in the 1920s, it had one of the largest concentrations of industry south of Birmingham. In 1932, 5,400 people, or 80% of the workers in the district, were employed in the motor industry.

One of the largest employers in the area was the Napier Works. David Napier originally started manufacturing in SOHO in 1808. In 1903, “D. Napier & Son”, then run by David’s grandson M. S. Napier, setup Napier Motor Works in Acton Vale. By 1906, the company employed 1,000 people, and made 200 cars plus boat engines over a 6 1/2 acre complex. Before the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost took the mantle, the “Noiseless Napier” was considered Britain’s best and most elegant car.

Above: A 1913 advertisement for Napier, courtesy, Wikimedia Commons.

In 1903, three Napiers were the first racing cars to wear British Racing Green.

(Photo of Napier K5 80/100HP 1904, courtesy Wikipedia)

Napier were also the first to make a commercially successful six-cylinder car engine. In WWI, Napier decreased the number of cars it produced in order to pivot to aircraft engines for the war effort. One of the most well known of these was the 12-cylinder “Lion”, used in numerous aircraft including Handley Page H.P.15 V/1500 bomber, Supermarine Sea Lion I racer, and the Felixstowe F.5 flying boat. After the war

I first came across Napier in a car racing game. The Napier Railton was a car built in 1933 by Reid Railton, using a Napier Lion aircraft engine. The car set a lap record of 143.44mph at Brooklands, which was never beaten. It also took the 24 Hour record in 1935 and 1936 at 150.16mph.

(1933 Napier Railton Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

Back to my check, the reverse is plain, as is common with checks. It was likely a tool check, although I don’t have any firm information about its use. The company was taken over by the English Electric Company in 1942, with the factory itself closing in 1965.

One of Napier’s later, and most powerful engines, was the Napier Deltic, an engine which covered everything from fast attack torpedo boats, a massive fire engine, and the British Rail Class 55 “Deltic”. Curious Droid did an interesting video on it.

Image of the Napier Railton and the Class 55 Deltic locomotive from npht.org.