Wilcot direction indicator on Vintage Austin Morris
Early production models of all Morris 1933 season cars, except the Minor, were equipped with a direction indication device known as the Wilcot Robot, made by Wilcot (Parent) Co Ltd, but this proved to be something of an expensive embarrassment for Morris Motors Ltd. Direction indicators drew much controversy about the time and as early as March 1929 the Ministry of Transport had arranged with the Royal Automobile Club to hold a demonstration in Richmond Park of the various devices in existence. The ‘Trafficator’ was a German invention for which Lucas had obtained patent rights from Hunt (Safetisigns) Ltd and as a consequence a royalty of 6d was payable (2½p) on every pair sold to car manufacturers as original equipment. William Morris, it appears, did not like the this arrangement so the Wilcot indicators were chosen. In appearance the Wilcot Robots resembled a miniature set of road traffic lights; various positions of the operating switch caused the colour lights to flash different combinations. For example, the driver wishing to turn left would show a green light to the off side and a red and amber would flash on the near side. This operating switch had a built in timed return to the off position. Not surprisingly, criticism of the dangers that could be caused by confusion came from many quarters, including Sir Herbert Austin who said he did not think that ‘… a complicated signalling device such as that recently introduced by a certain make of car is a step in the right direction’. Eventually the Minister of Transport refused to sanction their use and in March 1933 Morris Motors Ltd announced that in the future semaphore signals would be fitted and any existing vehicles modified free of charge. The exercise had cost Morris £50,000 and it is said that many of the unused Wilcot indicators were dumped into a large pit behind one of the factories. "Source":
Size: 3386px × 5100px
Photo credit: © David Carton / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: austin, direction, history, indicator, morris, nostalgia, transport, vintage, wilcot
