Familiar faces from works outing?

I came across this photo of staff at Godfrey’s while I was on lockdown. I suppose it is outside the BSA works?

My late father-in-law is in the front row with his jacket open. He was an apprentice at Godfrey’s and would have been about 22 at the time. I remember him telling me that he delivered and collected bikes

With reference to Mike Morris’s letter (OBM 426 December), I feel that

Mike is somewhat scaremongering regarding his views that us ‘amateur’ motorcycle mechanics should not repair or make up our own brake cables.

If made correctly there should be no concern about repairing or making up your own brake cables for your bike. I have been making and repairing my own since the 1960s and rarely have had one fail due to the nipple pulling off. The main cause of failure is fatigue in the cable adjacent to the nipple, caused by the twisting action around Croydon on an old BSA float. Perhaps some of the OBM readership can recognise more people in the picture?

On the rear of the picture it reads ‘Souvenir of visit of staff, Godfrey’s Ltd, Croydon to BSA works on October 7th 1936’.

Richard Hutcheson by the brake lever on the nipple.

As for litigation against the person who made the cable, yes, I suppose this could be taken if the cable was sold as a component, but the failure of one fitted to a bike is unlikely to be the subject of any legal action as it would be hard to prove its original origin and from where it was obtained.

Like an MoT, the roadworthiness of a motorcycle is only as good on the day it was sold. Brake cable failure is part of general wear and tear and should be subject to regular inspection by the owner.

John Wakefield, Cambridge