Alford and Alder Ltd. (established 1925 in Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....

 - closed 1969) was a British automotive engineering company, specializing in suspension, brake

Brake

A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....

 and steering

Steering

Steering is the term applied to the collection of components, linkages, etc. which will allow a vessel or vehicle to follow the desired course...

 gear components. It achieved early fame for supplying Malcolm Campbell

Malcolm Campbell

Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...

's speed-record making Bluebird (1927–1935).http://www.racingcampbells.com/content/cars.asp.

It changed name to Alforder Newton Ltd (1959) as it was acquired by Standard Motor Company

Standard Motor Company

The Standard Motor Company was founded in Coventry, England in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay . The Standard name was last used in Britain in 1963, and in India in 1987.-1903–1914:...

, a purchase that financially troubled the buyer greatly.http://www.kingswayrc.com/txtr/Resources.pdf. A rack and pinion

Rack and pinion

A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...

 steering setup was used in the Triumph TR4

Triumph TR4

The Triumph TR4 was a sports car built in the United Kingdom by the Standard Triumph Motor Company and introduced in 1961. Code named "Zest" during development, the car was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the previous TR sports cars, but with a modern Michelotti styled body. 40,253 cars...

 and Triumph Spitfire

Triumph Spitfire

The Triumph Spitfire is a small English two-seat sports car, introduced at the London Motor Show in 1962. The vehicle was based on a design produced for Standard-Triumph in 1957 by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti...

 which, together with the Herald

Triumph Herald

The Triumph Herald was a small two-door car introduced in 1959 by the Standard-Triumph Company of Coventry. Body design was by the Italian stylist Michelotti and the car was offered in saloon, convertible, coupé, van, and estate models....

 steering column, became one of the most widely-used assemblies in the British specialist car industry during the 1950s and 1960s, including Turner

Turner (car company)

The first Turner models were produced between 1951 and 1966 by Turner Sports Cars Ltd, a company established by Jack Turner near Wolverhampton, England. As well as complete cars, Turners were also available in kit form. The company closed in 1966 after the founder had a heart attack...

 and TVR

TVR

thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller...

. Even the Lotus lineup - Elan

Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...

, Plus2, Europa

Lotus Europa

The Lotus Europa was a two door mid-engined GT coupé built by Lotus Cars from 1966 to 1975. In 2006 Lotus began production of a totally new, Lotus Elise-derived design, a mid-engined GT coupé named Europa S....

 - used the Alford & Alder steering rack, column and uprights. They also made suspension components for the Maserati 3500

Maserati 3500

Maserati 3500 was a 2-door coupé and convertible made by Maserati of Italy. It was the company's first attempt at the Gran Turismo market and large-volume production.- History :...

.

Alford & Alder was part of Leyland Cars through its SU Butec division in the 1970s and expanded to make Truck front axle assemblies at its Eastman Way site. The company operated at the two Hemel Hempstead sites until at least 1980.

External links

• archives at University of Warwick
  University of Warwick
  The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...