Argson One-man Ambulance from 1940

[cuscus47]

I have just received a full-page advertisment from the November 8, 1940 issue of the magazine "The Aeroplane".  This details four products of the Stanley Engineering Co. Ltd., Egham.  There is  a Marconi-Stanley petrol stationary engine, an Electric Carriage EPG193, a petrol Rally IC, and the most peculiar (Argson) One-man Ambulance.  I presume it is an Argson for the number plate is ARGSON.  It appears to have been built on an IC chassis, with a regular steering wheel and a front circular canopy (cowl) over the  rear of the front wheel up to the front seat.  The front seat is on the right, and to the left of that there appears to be a flat rail-like surface extending all the way to the rear.  This is where a gurney would fit carrying its patient.  I will send you this ad for the ICR Archives Stuart, after making a copy for myself.  I think that the Register should have the original.  Ian.

ps.  I have tried to scan it, but it does not come up well, sorry.

[cuscus47]

Still couldn't scan, so took a photo.  Seems to have worked.....a bit.... 



Looks a little like a cut-a-way Sinclair, but predates it at least forty years. 

[Stuart Cyphus]

 Interesting indeed! Particulary since I was in Surrey investigatiing the site of the old Argson factury at egham only Tuesday before last!    The Argson Rally, as far as I can make out, was merely a normal De Luxe model with a differant drive sprocket to raise the gearing a bit & thus get an extra mph out of it. Will also be interesting to see the frame of the Electric as this is right on the crossover date between the early tubular framed & later beam framed Electrics.....

 Of the one-man ambulance, Now there's a new thing under the sun!    Certainly nothing else I've got on Stanley or Argson mentions it in any shape or form. The general principal looks similer to the contempoury Raleigh/Reliant girder fork vans. The petrol tank looks like a typical Argson De Luxe item. Be interesting to see if any were actully made. Such things are always possible. We'd just gone to war by the date of this advert so all the manufactuers would have been closing down civilian production in favour of war work, so an ambulance would have been regarded as "war".  Unlike the motor industry, the conveyance industry were allowed to contine limited production of their motor tricycles, but due to rationing, most didn't bother between 1940 & 1945. Indeed it seems only R. A. Harding of Bath managed to sell any motor tricycles at all during the duration..... 

[Jawmedead]

Could these have been an idea for using in large factories where petrol/diesel fumes would have gassed the workers? 

[marcus]

The Aeroplane is still going strong, and a great read for plane anoraks like me!