MCYCLEAPP

Author: Bill Cakebread, ISBN: 9781845841799, 128 pages, colour illustrations, published in 2008

The story of one man's apprenticeship & working life in the AMC factory, Plumstead, London.

A young Londoner had only one ambition in life - to work with motorcycles. That simple wish led to an apprenticeship that was to change Bill Cakebread's life forever: the training that Associated Motor Cycles Limited provided enabled personal achievements that he never dreamt possible. This book gives a unique insight to the atmosphere and excitement of working in a motorcycle factory It is an inspiring story supported by a host of period photographs and rare documents, which provides a fascinating record of working life within the British motorcycle industry in the final years of its decline into oblivion.

Synopsis

The inspiring story of how a young school-leaver with no academic qualifications and low expectations built a successful career based on an apprenticeship with Associated Motor Cycles Ltd, and eventually became Managing Director of his company.
It describes the very personal account of the ups and downs of factory life in the 1950s and 1960s, and in particular conveys the unique atmosphere and excitement that surrounds the manufacture of motorcycles, an atmosphere that, for those who have experienced it, is like no other. The excellence of the training provided by the company enabled the author to achieve far more than he ever anticipated ...

The journey through the factory — starting with the lowliest of duties in the machine shops and ending as personal assistant to the top motorcycle designers of their time — is described in detail, providing a rare insight to working practices within the different departments and the characters employed in each.

Supported by a host of period photographs and rare documents, this is a unique record of working life within the British motorcycle industry in the final years of its decline into oblivion.

Period covered:1878-1969, specifically 1958-1966