Ford Model T and Tilbury: Difference between pages

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{{otherplaces}}
{{dablink|"Tin Lizzy" redirects here. For the band with a similar name, see [[Thin Lizzy]]}}
{{Infobox Automobile
{{Infobox UK place |
|official_name= Tilbury
| image = [[Image:Late model Ford Model T.jpg|250px|Ford Model T used for giving tourist rides at [[Greenfield Village]]]]
|unitary_england= [[Thurrock]]
| name = Ford Model T
|lieutenancy_england= [[Essex]]
| manufacturer = [[Ford Motor Company]]
|region= buthole
| prouction = 1908-1927
|country= England
| predecessor = [[Ford Model S]]
|latitude= 51.4606
| successor = [[Ford Model A (1927)|Ford Model A]]
|longitude= 0.3582
| class = [[Full-size Ford]], [[Economy car]], [[SUV]]
|population= 12,091 ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]])
| body_style = 2-door touring<br>2-door [[roadster]]<br>2-door roadster [[pickup truck|pickup]]<br>2-door ton [[truck]]<br>2-door closed cab ton truck<br>2-door [[coupé]]<br>2-door [[Station wagon|wagon]]<br>4-door [[station wagon|wagon]]<br>Center door [[Station wagon|wagon]])<br>2-door [[convertible]]
|constituency_westminster= [[Thurrock (UK Parliament constituency)|Thurrock]]
| engine = 177&nbsp;[[Cubic inch|in<sup>3</sup>]] (2.9&nbsp;L) 20 hp [[straight-4|I4]]
|post_town= TILBURY
| transmission = 2-speed [[planetary gear]]<bR>3-speed planetary gear
|postcode_area= RM
| layout = [[FR layout]]
|postcode_district= RM18
| assembly = [[Detroit, Michigan]]<Br>[[Berlin]], [[Germany]]<br>[[Sao Bernardo do Campo]], [[Brazil]]<br>[[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]
|dial_code= 01375
| fuel_economy = 25-30 mpg (9.4-11.3 L/100&nbsp;km)
|os_grid_reference= TQ639761
| weight = {{convert|1200|lb|kg}}
| fuel_capacity= 10 US gallons (38&nbsp;L)
| wheelbase = {{Auto in|99.0|0}}
| designer = [[Henry Ford]], [[Childe Harold Wills]], [[Joseph A. Galamb]] and [[Eugene Farkas]]
}}
}}
'''Tilbury''' is a town in the borough of [[Thurrock]], [[Essex]], [[England]]. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort, and an ancient cross-river ferry. It is also the location of a modern deep water port.


==Etymology==
[[Image:1908 Ford Model T.jpg|thumb|right |1908 Ford Model T advertisement]]
The name ‘’Tilbury Town’’ is derived (via the port) from the nearby settlements of [[East Tilbury|East]] and [[West Tilbury]]. The name of these settlements is derived from the Saxon ’’burgh’’ - a fortified place - either belonging to Tila, or perhaps at a lowland place<ref>James Kemble, ''Essex Plac-Names'' (Historical Publications, 2007)</ref>. The 8th century spelling ([[Bede]]) was ’’Tilaburg’’, and the spelling in [[Domesday]] was Tilberia. <ref>[http://www.ltgf.co.uk/content/en/heritage_details.aspx?guid=5A43CD04-12FB-4054-8BB9-2C4402BC6A94 London Thames Gateway Forum]</ref>


==History==
[[Image:1910Ford-T.jpg|thumb|1910 Model T, photographed in [[Salt Lake City]]]]
Tilbury’s history is closely connected with its geographical location (see below). Its counterpart on the south bank of the [[River Thames]], [[Gravesend]], has long had an important part to play insofar as communications are concerned, and it was to that town that a cross-river ferry (see below) was connected, mainly due to the fact of the narrowness of the river at this point. In addition Gravesend and [[Northfleet]] (also on the south shore) both became vitally important to shipping: the former as the first port of call for foreign shipping bound for London; and the latter as a naval dockyard. The area has therefore had a long connection with shipping on the River Thames.


There is archaelogical evidence of Roman occupation. At the time, sea-levels had dropped, making the marshes habitable. There may well have been a Roman settlement on the site of what is now Tilbury Docks.<ref>[[Flaxman Charles John Spurrell|FCJ Spurrell]], ''Early sites and embankments on the margins of the Thames estuary'' (in ''The Archaeological Journal'', 1885) </ref>. In the 12th century the river, which had hitherto consisted of difficult channels with uncharted [[shoal]]s, was changed by the process of embanking the river and enclosing areas of marsh. This improved the river's flow, and also resulted in improved land resources on the marsh<ref>''The Book of Gravesham'' Sydney Harker, 1979 ISBN 0 86023 091 0</ref>. It was nevertheless an unhealthy place in which to live - Daniel Defoe <ref>[[Daniel Defoe|Defoe. D.]] (1724). ''[[A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain]]''.</ref>, who, in 1696, operated a tile and brick factory in the Tilbury marshes<ref>[http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/defoe.htm The business failed in 1703]</ref> and lived in a nearby house, wrote about "[[Malaria#History|the Essex ague]]".
The '''Ford Model T''' (colloquially known as the '''Tin Lizzie''' and also the '''Flivver''') was an [[automobile]] produced by [[Henry Ford]]'s [[Ford Motor Company]] from 1908 through 1927. The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that "put America on wheels"; some of this was because of Ford's innovations, including [[assembly line]] production instead of individual hand crafting, as well as the concept of paying the workers a wage proportionate to the cost of the car, so that they would provide a ready made market.<ref>Ford also attempted a buy on time program to aid sales, resembling that of the German [[Kdf-Wagen]] [forerunner of the [[Volkswagen Beetle|Volkswagen Type 1]]). Ford's plan was not a success, either.</ref> The first production Model T was built on [[September 27]], [[1908]], at the [[Piquette Plant]] in [[Detroit, Michigan]].


In 1588 [[Queen Elizabeth I]] came ashore here to review her main army at the nearby village of West Tilbury (see [[Speech to the Troops at Tilbury]]).
There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T came along. Although he started with the [[Ford Model A (1903)|Model A]], there were not 19 production models (A through T); some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before the Model T was the [[Ford Model S]] <ref>[http://www.ritzsite.net/FORD_1/05_eford.htm Early Ford - models from the years 1903 - 1908; page 5<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the ''[[Ford Model N|Model N]]''. The follow-up was the [[Ford Model A (1927)|Ford Model A]] and not the Model U. Company publicity said this was because the new car was such a departure from the old that Henry wanted to start all over again with the letter A. As it happens, the first [[Plymouth (automobile)|Plymouth]] car (1928), built by competitor [[Chrysler Corporation]], was named the Model U.


In 1852 an [[Act of Parliament]] had authorised the building of the [[London Tilbury and Southend Railway]] (LTSR), with a short spur to take advantage of the ferry over the Thames; a pier nearby was constructed for the steamboat traffic. The station was originally named ''Tilbury Fort'' and opened in 1854. The station was renamed [[Tilbury Riverside railway station|Tilbury Riverside]] in 1936<ref>[http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/t/tilbury_riverside/index.shtml Disused stations: site record (Subterranean Britannica)]</ref>.
The Ford Model T was named the world's most influential [[Car of the Century|car of the twentieth century]] in an international poll. <ref>[http://info.detnews.com/joyrides/story/index.cfm?id=75 Joyrides | Car of the Century? Ford's Model T, of course<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Henry Ford said of the vehicle:
<blockquote>
I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one-and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces.
</blockquote>


A few houses were built for the railway workers, but it was not until the construction of Tilbury Docks (see below) that there was any settlement worthy of a name. Whilst the docks were being built, the thousands of workers were provided either with temporary accommodation, or had to commute from surrounding villages and towns. The resultant overcrowding led to the building of more permanent accommodation once the docks were completed, including tenement blocks; but these were poorly constructed, and until the formation of Tilbury District Council (see below) the town was in a poor state; it remained so until 1918, when government funds were available to better the situation<ref>[http://www.visionarythurrock.org.uk/docs/artists/helenabenzenou/town/archive.html Thurrock: a Visionary Brief in the Thames Gateway]</ref>.
==Characteristics==
The Ford Model T car was designed by [[Childe Harold Wills]] and two [[Hungary|Hungarian]] immigrants named [[Joseph A. Galamb]] and Eugene Farkas<ref name="Edmunds">{{cite web|title=History Lesson: Hungary Celebrates the Ford Model T|publisher=''Edmunds.com''|url=http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109442|accessdate=2008-02-29}}</ref>. Also, Harry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and [[Peter E. Martin]] were part of the team.<ref>Reynold M. Wik, Henry Ford Grass Roots America, 1972</ref>. While production of the Model T began in 1908,<ref>Clymer, Floyd. ''Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925'' (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.100.</ref> model years range from 1909 to 1927.


===Engine and means of starting===
===The Tilbury Ferry===
{{main|Ford Model T engine}}
{{main|Gravesend - Tilbury Ferry}}
The Tilbury - Gravesend [[Ferry]] has operated from very early times. A sketch-map of 1571<ref>Drawn by a one-time Portreve (Mayor) of Gravesend, William Bourne, and included in ''The Book of Gravesham'' Sydney Harker, 1979 ISBN 0 86023 091 0]</ref>, shows evidence of two jetties; the one on the north bank leading to a road crossing the marsh northwards. There are also houses marked on the marsh itself which became important for sheep grazing, and there is some evidence to suggest that the ferry was used for the transport cross-river of the animals and the wool<ref>[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cmtilbury/ttm/ttm_tilbury_ferry.html Tilbury Ferry: historical notes]</ref> [[Image:ferryman.jpg|left|The Tilbury Ferry in 1640]] Although the 17th-century drawing might suggest a boat too small for large consignments, the long-established Gravesend market would certainly encourage such traffic, and a contemporary account suggests that one of the boats used was a [[Hoy (boat)|hoy]], a forerunner of the [[Thames sailing barge]]<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/chap_page.jsp?t_id=Fiennes&c_id=17&p_id=283#pn_6 Journey described by [[Celia Fiennes]]]</ref>.


==Tilbury Fort==
The Model T had a front mounted, 177&nbsp;|in<sup>3</sup> (2.9&nbsp;L) [[Straight-4|four-cylinder]] ''en bloc'' motor (that is, all four in one block, as common now, rather than in individual castings, as common then) producing 20.2&nbsp;hp (15&nbsp;kW) for a top speed of 40-45&nbsp;mph (64-72&nbsp;km/h). The small four cylinder engine was known for its L heads. According to Ford Motor, the Model T had fuel economy on the order of 13 to 21&nbsp;mpg (5 to 9 kilometres per litre or 11.1 to 18.7 litres per 100 km).<ref name=MediaFordCom>[http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=858 media.ford.com Model T Facts]</ref> The engine was capable of running on gasoline or [[ethanol]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2008/07/25/mnmodel125.xml|title= Ford Model T reaches 100|publisher=[[The Telegraph]]|date=2008-07-25|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://journeytoforever.org/ethanol.html#ethintro|title= Ethanol: Introduction|publisher=Journey to Forever|date=|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref> though the decreasing cost of gasoline and the later introduction of [[Prohibition in the United States]] made ethanol an impractical fuel.
{{Main|Tilbury Fort}}
The curve and narrowness of the river here made it a suitable place to construct forts for the defence of London against foreign invaders. The first permanent fort at [[Tilbury Fort|Tilbury]]<ref>[http://www.fortified-places.com/tilbury.html Tilbury Fort]</ref> was a D-shaped blockhouse built in 1539 by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] and initially called the 'Thermitage Bulwark', because it was on the site of a hermitage [[Dissolution of the Monasteries|dissolved]] in 1536. The Tilbury blockhouse was designed to cross-fire with a similar structure at New Tavern, Gravesend. During the Armada campaign the fort was reinforced with earthworks and a palisade and there was a boom of ships' masts, chains and cables stretched across the Thames to Gravesend anchored to lighters. The Fort was rebuilt under [[Charles I]] and is now owned by [[English Heritage]].


==Governance==
A flywheel [[Magneto (electrical)|magneto]] (broadly equivalent to a modern [[alternator (auto)|alternator]]) produced low voltage [[alternating current]] to power a trembler coil, which created a high voltage current. This ignition pulse was passed to the timer (analogous to a [[distributor]] in a modern vehicle) and redistributed to the firing cylinder. Ignition timing was adjusted manually by using the spark advance lever mounted on the steering column which rotated the timer. A battery could be used for starting current: at hand-cranking speed, the magneto did not always produce sufficient current. A certain amount of skill and experience was required to find the optimal timing for any speed and load. When electric headlights were introduced in 1915, the magneto was upgraded to supply power for the lights and horn. In keeping with the goal of ultimate reliability and simplicity, the trembler coil and magneto ignition system was retained even after the car became equipped with a generator and battery for electric starting and lighting. Most cars sold after 1919 were equipped with electric starting, which was engaged by a small round pedal on the floor in front of the driver's seat.
Until 1903, the marshland area was part of the traditional parish and [[civil parish]] of [[Chadwell St Mary]], which reached south to the river Thames. The parish of Tilbury Docks was established in 1903 and the Tilbury [[Urban District Council]] (UDC) in 1912; it was to merge with Thurrock UDC in 1936. This in turn became a borough in 1984 and in 1998 the Thurrock Unitary Authority.
Before starting a Model T with the [[Crank (mechanism)|hand crank]], the spark had to be manually retarded or the engine might "kick back". The crank handle was cupped in the palm, rather than grabbed with the thumb over the top of the handle, so that if the engine did kick back, the rapid reverse motion of the crank would throw the hand away from the handle, rather than violently twisting the wrist or breaking the thumb. Most Model T Fords had the choke operated by a wire emerging from the bottom of the radiator where it could be operated with the left hand while cranking the engine with the right hand.
The car's 10 gallon (38 litre) fuel tank was mounted to the frame beneath the front seat; one variant had the [[carburetor]] (a [[Holley]] Model G) modified to run on [[Ethanol fuel|ethyl alcohol]], to be made at home by the self-reliant farmer. Because fuel relied on gravity to flow forward from the fuel tank to the carburetor, a Model T could not climb a steep hill when the fuel level was low. The immediate solution was often to drive up steep hills in reverse. In 1926, the fuel tank was moved forward to under the cowl on most models.<ref name=1926MTFCA>[http://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/1926.htm 1926 - Model T Ford Club of America]</ref>


There are two wards covering the town, both served by four councillors: Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park for the southern part; and Tilbury St Chads in the north<ref>[http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/councillors/ Thurrock Council]</ref>.
Early on the engine blocks were to be produced by the [[Lakeside Foundry]] on St. Jean in Detroit. Ford cancelled the deal before many engine blocks were produced.
While the first few hundred Model Ts had a water pump, its use was abandoned early in production. Ford opted for a cheaper and more reliable circulation system based on the thermo-syphon principle. Hot water, being less dense, would rise to the top of the engine and up into the top of the radiator, descending to the bottom as it cooled, and back into the engine. This was the direction of water flow in most makes of cars even when they did have water pumps, until the introduction of [[Radiator#Automobiles|crossflow radiator]] designs. Water pumps were also available as an aftermarket accessory for Model T.


The [[Member of Parliament]] for Thurrock is [[Andrew Mackinlay]].
[[Image:1925.ford.model.t.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|1925 Ford "New Model" T Tudor Sedan]]


==Geography==
===Transmission and drivetrain===
[[Image:Map of the River Thames downstream from London 1840.JPG|thumb|right|The lower course of the Thames in 1840, showing the location of Tilbury Fort]]
The town of Tilbury is located on the north bank of the [[River Thames]], where the river’s [[meander]] has caused it to narrow to approximately {{convert|800|yd|m|0|lk=on}} in width. The area to the north is one-time marshlands; to the north of that there is higher ground on which the villages of Chadwell St Mary, [[West Tilbury|West]] and [[East Tilbury]] are situated.
The Model T was a [[rear-wheel drive]] vehicle. Its transmission was a [[planetary gear]] type billed as "three speed". By today's standards it would be considered a two speed, since one of the three speeds was actually reverse.


The town lies to the north of the London-Southend railway line and is bounded on the north by marshland.
The Model T's transmission was controlled with three foot pedals and a lever that was mounted to the road side of the driver's seat. The throttle was controlled with a lever on the steering wheel. The left pedal was used to engage the gear. When pressed and held forward the car entered low gear. When held in an intermediate position the car was in neutral, a state that could also be achieved by pulling the floor-mounted lever to an upright position. If the lever was pushed forward and the driver took his foot off the left pedal, the Model T entered high gear. The car could thus cruise without the driver having to press any of the pedals. There was no separate clutch pedal.
The middle pedal was used to engage reverse gear, and the right pedal operated the engine brake. The floor lever also controlled the parking brake, which was activated by pulling the lever all the way back. This doubled as an emergency brake.
Although it was extremely uncommon, the drive bands could fall out of adjustment, allowing the car to creep, particularly when cold, adding another hazard to attempting to start the car: a person cranking the engine could be forced backward while still holding the crank as the car crept forward even though it was nominally in neutral. Power reached the [[differential]] through a single [[universal joint]] attached to a [[torque tube]] which drove the rear axle; some models (typically trucks) could be equipped with an optional two speed rear axle shifted by a floor mounted lever. All gears were [[vanadium|vanadium steel]] running in an oil bath.
[[Image:Ford model t suspension.triddle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The suspension components of a Ford Model T. The coil-spring device is an aftermarket accessory, the "Hassler shock absorber."]]


==The Port of Tilbury==
===Suspension and wheels===
{{main|Port of Tilbury}}
The Port of Tilbury handles a variety of bulk cargo, timber, cars and [[containerization|container]] traffic and remains, along with [[Southampton]] and [[Port of Felixstowe|Felixstowe]], one of Britain's three major container ports. It is the main UK port for importing paper including [[newsprint]]. The one-time passenger landing stage was reopened by the Port of Tilbury group as the London Cruise Terminal, though no longer served by the railway.
Model T suspension employed a transversely mounted semi-elliptical spring for each of the front and rear axles, which were "[[live axle|live]]", i.e., not an [[independent suspension]].
[[Image:Tilburymap 1946.png|thumb|right|250px|A map of the town from 1946]]
The front axle was [[Forging|drop forge]]d as a single piece of vanadium steel. Ford twisted many axles eight times and sent them to dealers to be put on display to demonstrate its superiority. The Model T did not have a modern service brake. The right foot pedal applied a band around a drum in the transmission, thus stopping the rear wheels from turning. The previously mentioned parking brake lever operated [[band brake]]s on the outside of the rear brake drums.
Wheels were wooden [[artillery wheel]]s, with steel welded-spoke (not truly wire) wheels available in 1926 and 1927.
Tires were [[pneumatic tire|pneumatic]] 30 in (76 cm) in diameter, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide in the rear, 2 in (5 cm) in the front. The old nomenclature for tire size changed from 30×3 to 21" (rim diameter) × 4.50 (tire width).{{Clarifyme|date=August 2008}}
[[Wheelbase]] was 99 inches; while standard tread width was 56 in (142 cm), 60 in (152 cm) tread could be obtained on special order, "for Southern roads".


==Demography==
===Design changes===
There were few major changes throughout the life of this model; early ones had a brass radiator and headlights. The horn and numerous small parts were also brass. Many of the early cars were open-bodied [[touring car]]s and runabouts, these being cheaper to make than closed cars. Prior to the 1911 model year (when front doors were added to the touring model), U.S.-made open cars did not have an opening door for the driver. Later models included closed cars (introduced in 1915),<ref>Clymer, p.37.</ref> sedans, coupes and trucks. The chassis was available so trucks could be built to suit. Ford also developed some truck bodies for this chassis, designated the [[Ford Model TT|Model TT]]. The headlights were originally [[acetylene]] lamps made of brass (commonly using [[Prest-O-Lite]] tanks),<ref>Clymer, p.100.</ref> but eventually the car gained electric lights.
The Model T originally employed some advanced technology, for example, its use of vanadium steel. Its durability was phenomenal with many Model Ts and their parts still in use 80 years later.


===Colors===
==Economy==
Until containerisation, the majority of the town’s inhabitants were employed in the Docks. The resultant loss of employment opportunities has never been made up, and Tilbury today has high unemployment; and poor prospects as far as education and employment are concerned<ref>[http://www.visionarythurrock.org.uk/docs/artists/helenabenzenou/town/archive.html Thurrock: a Visionary Brief in the Thames Gateway]</ref>
Henry Ford is commonly reputed to have made the statement "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." Actually, Model Ts in different colors were produced from 1908 to 1914, and then again from 1926 to 1927. It is often stated that Ford chose black because the paint dried faster than other colored paints available at the time, and a faster drying paint would allow him to build cars faster since he would not have to wait for the paint to dry.
Over 30 different types of black paint were used to paint various parts of the Model T.{{Fact|date=August 2008}} The different types of paint were formulated to satisfy the different means of applying the paint to the different parts, and they had different drying times, depending on the paint and the drying method used for a particular part. Ford engineering documents suggest that the color black was chosen because it was cheap and it was durable.


==Production==
==Landmarks==
The major landmarks are the docks, the cruise ship landing stage, and the Tilbury [[Power Station]]
===Mass production===
[[Image:ModelT exploded.jpg|150px|left|thumb|An "exploded" Model T from the Highland Park Plant now at [[The Henry Ford]].]]
[[Image:TModel launch Geelong.jpg|150px|left|thumb|T-model Ford car parked outside [[Geelong]] Library at its launch in Australia in 1915]]
The Model T was the first automobile [[mass production|mass produced]] on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the [[American middle class|middle class]].


==Transport==
When introduced, the T used the building methods typical at the time, assembly by hand, and production was small. Ford's Piquette plant could not keep up with demand for the Model T, and only 11 cars were built there during the first full month of production. In 1910, after assembling nearly 12,000 Model Ts, Henry Ford moved the company to the new [[Highland Park Ford Plant|Highland Park complex]].
Thurrock Council, (together with Kent County Council), subsidises the ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend which is currently operated by the Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Company.


[[Tilbury Town railway station]] is on the [[c2c]] ([[London, Tilbury and Southend Railway|London, Tilbury and Southend]]) rail route. Tilbury Riverside railway station was closed on 29 November 1992, although the railway still serves the nearby container depot<ref>[http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/t/tilbury_riverside/index.shtml Tilbury Riverside station (Subterranea Britannica]</ref>. A bus service now connects Tilbury Town railway station and the ferry.
The [[assembly line]] was introduced to Ford by William C. Klann upon his return from visiting a slaughterhouse at [[Chicago]]'s [[Union Stock Yards]] and viewing what was referred to as the "disassembly line" where animals were cut apart as they moved along a conveyor. The efficiency of one person removing the same piece over and over caught his attention. He reported the idea to [[Peter E. Martin]], who was doubtful at the time, but encouraged him to proceed. Others at Ford have claimed to have put the idea forth to Henry Ford, but William "Pa" Klann's slaughterhouse revelation is well documented in the archives at the Henry Ford Museum and elsewhere, making him the father of the modern automated assembly line concept. The process was an evolution by trial and error of a team consisting primarily of Peter E. Martin, the factory superintendent; [[Charles E. Sorensen]], Martin's assistant; Harold Wills, draftsman and toolmaker; Clarence W. Avery; and [[Charles Lewis]].<ref>First hand account of Charles Sorensen from his autobiography, ''My Forty Years with Ford'' (1956)[http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ford.htm]</ref><ref>Essay by Stephen C. Perry, Gardner-Webb University (Published [[May 8]], [[2000]])</ref><ref>Douglas Brinkley, ''Wheels for the World'', 2003</ref> When the first car was completed using the assembly line, in front of the media, onlookers and even Henry Ford, it was Pa Klann who drove it proudly off the line.


[[Ensignbus]] services 66,73,80 and 83 serve Tilbury. [[National Cycle Route 13]] from London to [[Norfolk]] passes through the town.
As a result, Ford's cars came off the line in three minute intervals, much faster than previous methods, increasing production by eight to one (requiring 12.5 man-hours before, 1 man-hour 33 man-minutes afterwards), while using less manpower.<ref>Georgano.</ref>


==Religious sites==
By 1914, the [[assembly process]] for the Model T had been so streamlined it took only 93 minutes to assemble a car. That year Ford produced more cars than all other automakers combined. The Model T was a great commercial success, and by the time Henry made his 10 millionth car, 9 out of 10 of all cars in the entire world were Fords. In fact, it was so successful that Ford did not purchase any advertising between 1917 and 1923; in total, more than 15 million Model Ts were manufactured, more than any other model of automobile for almost a century.
There are two churches in Tilbury: St Johns CofE and Our Lady Star of the Sea RC; there is also a [[Convent of Mercy]]. There is, in addition, a [[synagogue]] in Dock Road <ref>[http://www.ufindus.com/church/Tilbury Tilbury churches etc]</ref>.


==Education==
Henry Ford's eccentric approach to research and development meant few changes to the vehicle were made over its lifetime; he believed the Model T was all the car a person would, or could, ever need. As other companies offered comfort and styling advantages, at competitive prices, the Model T lost market share. Eventually, on [[May 26]], [[1927]], Ford Motor Company ceased production and began the changeovers required to produce the Model A.<ref>[http://info.detnews.com/history/story/index.cfm?id=189&category=business detnews.com | Michigan History<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The educational institutions in Tilbury include the southern site of the ''Gateway Community College''<ref>[http://gatewaycc.edu/ Gateway Community College]</ref>; and those for primary education, which are Lansdowne Primary School; St Mary’s RC Primary School and Tilbury Manor Primary Schools. The latter serve Infant and Nursery; and Junior children.


==Culture==
Model T engines continued to be produced until [[August 4]], [[1941]]. Almost 170,000 engines were built after car production stopped. Replacement engines were required to continue to service already produced vehicles. Racers and enthusiasts, forerunners of modern hot rodders, used the Model T's block to build popular and cheap racing engines, including [[Cragar]], [[Navarro (hot rodder)|Navarro]], and famously the [[Frontenac (racing car)|Frontenac]]s ("Fronty Fords") of the [[Chevrolet]] brothers, among many others.
The Tilbury Band, dating from 1919, is among the leading [[brass bands]] in the UK <ref>[http://www.tilburyband.com/ The Tilbury Band]</ref>.


===Price===
==Notable people==
Among notable people having some connection with the town, there are two [[association football|football]] players: [[John Evans (footballer)|John Evans]] (1929-2004), who played for [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]; and [[Tom Scannell]] (1925-1994]]. [[Noel Betowski]] (1952- ), artist, was born here; and [[Thomas Horrocks Openshaw]] (1856-1929) was a consultant surgeon at Tilbury Hospital.
The standard 5-seat open tourer of 1909 cost US$850 (about ₤180 at the time),<ref>Ward, Ian, ed. ''The World of Automobiles'' (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 13, p.1562.</ref> when competing cars often cost $2000-$3000;{{Fact|date=August 2008}} in 1913, the price dropped to $550, and $440 in 1915. Sales were 69,762 in 1911, 170,211 in 1912, 202,667 in 1913, 308,162 in 1914, and 501,462 in 1915.<ref>Georgano, G. N. ''Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930''. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)</ref> In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay.<ref>Georgano.</ref>


==Appearances in film and television==
By the 1920s, the price had fallen to $300 (about $3,400 in 2006 inflation-adjusted dollars) because of increasing efficiencies of assembly line technique and volume. Henry employed [[vertical integration]] of the industries needed to create his cars. He specified how to make the wood crates that outside suppliers used to ship him parts. Then he disassembled the crates and used the preformed wood pieces in the bodies of his cars. He also used wood scraps to make charcoal and sold it under the brand name "[[Kingsford]]," still a leading brand of [[charcoal]].
Tilbury and its environs have been used in some [[television|TV]] episodes.

[[Tilbury Fort]] was used as a location for "Sharpe's Regiment", starring [[Sean Bean]; an episode of [[London's Burning]] (A fireman drama show) which was shot in the old fire station, in Civic Square in Tilbury; whilst a scene from an episode of [[James Nesbitt]]'s Murphy's Law was filmed at Tilbury Docks' Cruise Terminal.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} The Port of Tilbury has been used on numerous occasions and Derek Ross
===First world car===
The Ford Model T was the first automobile built by various countries simultaneously since they were being produced in Canada and in Manchester, England starting in 1911 and were later assembled in [[Ford Germany|Germany]] and [[Argentina]] starting in 1925. Afterwards Model Ts were produced in France, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico and Japan. <ref>[http://www.autoatlantic.com/Sept08/Sept08_Ford-Model-T-is-100.html] Celebrating the Ford Model T, only 100 years young! | access date=22 Sep 2008 }}</ref>

==Advertising, marketing, and packaging==
Ford created a massive publicity machine in Detroit to ensure every newspaper carried stories and ads about the new product. Ford's network of local dealers made the car ubiquitous in virtually every city in North America. As independent dealers, the franchises grew rich and publicized not just the Ford but the very concept of automobiling; local motor clubs sprang up to help new drivers and to explore the countryside. Ford was always eager to sell to farmers, who looked on the vehicle as a commercial device to help their business. Sales skyrocketed&mdash;several years posted 100% gains on the previous year. Always on the hunt for more efficiency and lower costs, in 1913 Ford introduced the moving assembly belts into his plants, which enabled an enormous increase in production. Although Henry Ford is often credited with the idea, contemporary sources indicate that the concept and its development came from employees [[Clarence Avery]], [[Peter E. Martin]], [[Charles E. Sorensen]], and [[C. Harold Wills]]. (See [[Piquette Plant]])

[[Image:Ford assembly line - 1913.jpg|left|thumb|Ford Assembly Line, 1913]]

Sales passed 250,000 in 1914. By 1916, as the price dropped to $360 for the basic touring car, sales reached 472,000.<ref>Lewis 1976, pp 41–59</ref>

By 1918, half of all cars in America were Model Ts. However, it was a monolithic bloc; as Ford wrote in his autobiography, "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black".<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=4K82efXzn10C&pg=PA72&dq=%22My+Life+and+Work%22+%22it+is+black%22 Ford, ''My Life and Work'', 1922, p. 72.]</ref> Until the development of the assembly line, which mandated black because of its quicker drying time, Model Ts were available in other colors including red. The design was fervently promoted and defended by Ford, and production continued into 1927; the final total production was 15,007,034. This record was achieved in just 19 years from the introduction of the Model T and stood for the next 45 years

==Summary==
Ford was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably [[John Francis Dodge|John]] and [[Horace Elgin Dodge|Horace Dodge]] (who would later found [[Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company|their own]] car company). During its early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at its factory on Mack Avenue in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. Groups of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order by other companies. Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the world's largest and most profitable companies, as well as being one to survive the [[Great Depression]]. As one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years.

==Car clubs==
Cars built before 1919 are classed as [[veteran car]]s and later models as [[vintage car]]s. Today, two main clubs exist to support the preservation and restoration of these cars: [http://www.modelt.org/ The Model T Ford Club International] and the [http://www.mtfca.com Model T Ford Club of America]. Many steel Model T parts are still manufactured today, and even [[Glass-reinforced plastic|fiberglass]] replicas of their distinctive bodies, which are popular for [[T-bucket]] style [[hot rod]]s (as immortalized in the [[Jan and Dean]] [[surf music]] song "Bucket T," which was later recorded by [[The Who]]).
[[Image:Australian Model T Ford.jpg|thumb|right|An Australian Model T Ford]]

==The Model T in popular culture==
* The film "[[The Absent-Minded Professor]]", a Model T plays a key role in the story
* The Model T figures prominently in ''[[The Flivver King]]'' by [[Upton Sinclair]], a story about life in and around the early Ford company as experienced by one of Ford's early factory workers.
* The novel [[Brave New World]] by Aldous Huxley uses the creation year of the Model T (and assembly line) to be the first year of their modern civilization. The use of "AD" is instead "AF", standing for "After Ford".

== Criticism ==
In a ''Time'' article by automotive critic [[Dan Neil]], the Model T is listed as one of the 50 worst cars of all time. Neil blames the consequences of mass-produced automobiles on the Model T, including heavy pollution and war in the Middle East. Specific criticisms for the Model T itself are "blacksmithed body panels and crude instruments" and Neil refers to it as, "The Yugo of its day."<ref>{{cite web|title=The 50 Worst Cars of All Time|publisher=''TIME.com''|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657686_1657663,00.html|accessdate=2008-06-23}}</ref>

==Image gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -01- 19.08.07.jpg | 1914 Ford Model-T
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -02- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -03- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -04- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -05- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -06- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -07- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -08- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:Ford Modell T - 1914 -09- 19.08.07.jpg |
Image:'26 Ford T engine.jpg|1926 engine
Image:'16 Ford Model T (Rigaud).jpg | 1916 Ford Model-T
Image:'27 Ford Model T (Rigaud).JPG | 1927 Ford Model-T
Image:1927 Ford Model T (Rigaud).JPG | 1927 Ford Model-T
</gallery>
{{Commonscat|Ford Model T}}

== See also ==
* [[Ford Model T engine]]
* [[Henry Ford]]
*[[Ford Motor Company]]
*[[Aeroford]] - a British copy on the Model T

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}


==References==
==References==
{{refbegin}}
{{Reflist}}
* {{Citation
| url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=858 | title = Model T Facts | access-date=[[2007]]-[[February 19|02-19]]}}
* {{Citation
| url=http://www.modeltford.com/download.aspx | title = Identification Chart for Model T Body Styles (page 107)| access-date=[[2008]]-[[April 8|04-08]]}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mtfca.com Model T Ford Club of America (USA)]
*[http://www.modelt.org Model T Ford Club International]
*[http://www.modelt.ca Source of Model T Ford information (Canada)]
*[http://www.fordt1921.com.ar Model Ford T 1921]
*[http://www.rarecarrelics.com/Model-T-Ford-Cinema.php Compilation of video clips of the Model T Ford]
*{{imcdb vehicle|make=Ford|model=Model+T|Ford Model T}}
*[http://www.modeltford.com/catalog/Model-T-Specifications.pdf Model T Specification Sheet]
{{Ford}}


{{Essex}}
[[Category:Culture of Detroit, Michigan]]
[[Category:1900s automobiles]]
[[Category:1910s automobiles]]
[[Category:1920s automobiles]]
[[Category:Ford vehicles|Model T]]
[[Category:History of the United States (1865–1918)]]
[[Category:Pickup trucks]]
[[Category:Full-size vehicles]]
[[Category:Convertibles]]
[[Category:Industrial design examples]]
[[Category:Goods manufactured in the United States]]
[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 1908]]


[[Category:Towns in Essex]]
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[[Category:Thurrock]]


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Revision as of 12:59, 3 October 2008

For other places with the same name, see Tilbury (disambiguation).
Tilbury
PopulationExpression error: "12,091 (2001 Census)" must be numeric
OS grid referenceTQ639761
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTILBURY
Postcode districtRM18
Dialling code01375
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England

Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort, and an ancient cross-river ferry. It is also the location of a modern deep water port.

Etymology

The name ‘’Tilbury Town’’ is derived (via the port) from the nearby settlements of East and West Tilbury. The name of these settlements is derived from the Saxon ’’burgh’’ - a fortified place - either belonging to Tila, or perhaps at a lowland place[1]. The 8th century spelling (Bede) was ’’Tilaburg’’, and the spelling in Domesday was Tilberia. [2]

History

Tilbury’s history is closely connected with its geographical location (see below). Its counterpart on the south bank of the River Thames, Gravesend, has long had an important part to play insofar as communications are concerned, and it was to that town that a cross-river ferry (see below) was connected, mainly due to the fact of the narrowness of the river at this point. In addition Gravesend and Northfleet (also on the south shore) both became vitally important to shipping: the former as the first port of call for foreign shipping bound for London; and the latter as a naval dockyard. The area has therefore had a long connection with shipping on the River Thames.

There is archaelogical evidence of Roman occupation. At the time, sea-levels had dropped, making the marshes habitable. There may well have been a Roman settlement on the site of what is now Tilbury Docks.[3]. In the 12th century the river, which had hitherto consisted of difficult channels with uncharted shoals, was changed by the process of embanking the river and enclosing areas of marsh. This improved the river's flow, and also resulted in improved land resources on the marsh[4]. It was nevertheless an unhealthy place in which to live - Daniel Defoe [5], who, in 1696, operated a tile and brick factory in the Tilbury marshes[6] and lived in a nearby house, wrote about "the Essex ague".

In 1588 Queen Elizabeth I came ashore here to review her main army at the nearby village of West Tilbury (see Speech to the Troops at Tilbury).

In 1852 an Act of Parliament had authorised the building of the London Tilbury and Southend Railway (LTSR), with a short spur to take advantage of the ferry over the Thames; a pier nearby was constructed for the steamboat traffic. The station was originally named Tilbury Fort and opened in 1854. The station was renamed Tilbury Riverside in 1936[7].

A few houses were built for the railway workers, but it was not until the construction of Tilbury Docks (see below) that there was any settlement worthy of a name. Whilst the docks were being built, the thousands of workers were provided either with temporary accommodation, or had to commute from surrounding villages and towns. The resultant overcrowding led to the building of more permanent accommodation once the docks were completed, including tenement blocks; but these were poorly constructed, and until the formation of Tilbury District Council (see below) the town was in a poor state; it remained so until 1918, when government funds were available to better the situation[8].

The Tilbury Ferry

Main article: Gravesend - Tilbury Ferry

The Tilbury - Gravesend Ferry has operated from very early times. A sketch-map of 1571[9], shows evidence of two jetties; the one on the north bank leading to a road crossing the marsh northwards. There are also houses marked on the marsh itself which became important for sheep grazing, and there is some evidence to suggest that the ferry was used for the transport cross-river of the animals and the wool[10]

The Tilbury Ferry in 1640
The Tilbury Ferry in 1640

Although the 17th-century drawing might suggest a boat too small for large consignments, the long-established Gravesend market would certainly encourage such traffic, and a contemporary account suggests that one of the boats used was a hoy, a forerunner of the Thames sailing barge[11].

Tilbury Fort

Main article: Tilbury Fort

The curve and narrowness of the river here made it a suitable place to construct forts for the defence of London against foreign invaders. The first permanent fort at Tilbury[12] was a D-shaped blockhouse built in 1539 by Henry VIII and initially called the 'Thermitage Bulwark', because it was on the site of a hermitage dissolved in 1536. The Tilbury blockhouse was designed to cross-fire with a similar structure at New Tavern, Gravesend. During the Armada campaign the fort was reinforced with earthworks and a palisade and there was a boom of ships' masts, chains and cables stretched across the Thames to Gravesend anchored to lighters. The Fort was rebuilt under Charles I and is now owned by English Heritage.

Governance

Until 1903, the marshland area was part of the traditional parish and civil parish of Chadwell St Mary, which reached south to the river Thames. The parish of Tilbury Docks was established in 1903 and the Tilbury Urban District Council (UDC) in 1912; it was to merge with Thurrock UDC in 1936. This in turn became a borough in 1984 and in 1998 the Thurrock Unitary Authority.

There are two wards covering the town, both served by four councillors: Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park for the southern part; and Tilbury St Chads in the north[13].

The Member of Parliament for Thurrock is Andrew Mackinlay.

Geography

File:Map of the River Thames downstream from London 1840.JPG
The lower course of the Thames in 1840, showing the location of Tilbury Fort

The town of Tilbury is located on the north bank of the River Thames, where the river’s meander has caused it to narrow to approximately 800 yards (732 m) in width. The area to the north is one-time marshlands; to the north of that there is higher ground on which the villages of Chadwell St Mary, West and East Tilbury are situated.

The town lies to the north of the London-Southend railway line and is bounded on the north by marshland.

The Port of Tilbury

Main article: Port of Tilbury

The Port of Tilbury handles a variety of bulk cargo, timber, cars and container traffic and remains, along with Southampton and Felixstowe, one of Britain's three major container ports. It is the main UK port for importing paper including newsprint. The one-time passenger landing stage was reopened by the Port of Tilbury group as the London Cruise Terminal, though no longer served by the railway.

A map of the town from 1946

Demography

Economy

Until containerisation, the majority of the town’s inhabitants were employed in the Docks. The resultant loss of employment opportunities has never been made up, and Tilbury today has high unemployment; and poor prospects as far as education and employment are concerned[14]

Landmarks

The major landmarks are the docks, the cruise ship landing stage, and the Tilbury Power Station

Transport

Thurrock Council, (together with Kent County Council), subsidises the ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend which is currently operated by the Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Company.

Tilbury Town railway station is on the c2c (London, Tilbury and Southend) rail route. Tilbury Riverside railway station was closed on 29 November 1992, although the railway still serves the nearby container depot[15]. A bus service now connects Tilbury Town railway station and the ferry.

Ensignbus services 66,73,80 and 83 serve Tilbury. National Cycle Route 13 from London to Norfolk passes through the town.

Religious sites

There are two churches in Tilbury: St Johns CofE and Our Lady Star of the Sea RC; there is also a Convent of Mercy. There is, in addition, a synagogue in Dock Road [16].

Education

The educational institutions in Tilbury include the southern site of the Gateway Community College[17]; and those for primary education, which are Lansdowne Primary School; St Mary’s RC Primary School and Tilbury Manor Primary Schools. The latter serve Infant and Nursery; and Junior children.

Culture

The Tilbury Band, dating from 1919, is among the leading brass bands in the UK [18].

Notable people

Among notable people having some connection with the town, there are two football players: John Evans (1929-2004), who played for Liverpool; and Tom Scannell (1925-1994]]. Noel Betowski (1952- ), artist, was born here; and Thomas Horrocks Openshaw (1856-1929) was a consultant surgeon at Tilbury Hospital.

Appearances in film and television

Tilbury and its environs have been used in some TV episodes. Tilbury Fort was used as a location for "Sharpe's Regiment", starring [[Sean Bean]; an episode of London's Burning (A fireman drama show) which was shot in the old fire station, in Civic Square in Tilbury; whilst a scene from an episode of James Nesbitt's Murphy's Law was filmed at Tilbury Docks' Cruise Terminal.[citation needed] The Port of Tilbury has been used on numerous occasions and Derek Ross

References

  1. ^ James Kemble, Essex Plac-Names (Historical Publications, 2007)
  2. ^ London Thames Gateway Forum
  3. ^ FCJ Spurrell, Early sites and embankments on the margins of the Thames estuary (in The Archaeological Journal, 1885)
  4. ^ The Book of Gravesham Sydney Harker, 1979 ISBN 0 86023 091 0
  5. ^ Defoe. D. (1724). A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain.
  6. ^ The business failed in 1703
  7. ^ Disused stations: site record (Subterranean Britannica)
  8. ^ Thurrock: a Visionary Brief in the Thames Gateway
  9. ^ Drawn by a one-time Portreve (Mayor) of Gravesend, William Bourne, and included in The Book of Gravesham Sydney Harker, 1979 ISBN 0 86023 091 0]
  10. ^ Tilbury Ferry: historical notes
  11. ^ Journey described by Celia Fiennes
  12. ^ Tilbury Fort
  13. ^ Thurrock Council
  14. ^ Thurrock: a Visionary Brief in the Thames Gateway
  15. ^ Tilbury Riverside station (Subterranea Britannica
  16. ^ Tilbury churches etc
  17. ^ Gateway Community College
  18. ^ The Tilbury Band


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