Any miner who worked in the coal mines of South Wales would recognize the common symptoms of pneumoconiosis, sometimes known as ‘black lung’. ‘The Dust’, as miners also called it, causes coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. After the Workmen’s Compensation Act 1943 was passed, firms were encouraged to employ disabled miners. One important source of such jobs became the Austin ‘JOY’ pedal cars for children.
The pedal cars were to be made at Longbridge by men returning from war with disabilities. In December 1947 Austin changed direction, gaining permission for a ‘Grenfell factory’ in Bargoed, South Wales. Their pedal cars were not only the ultimate toy for those who could afford them, but appealed to a much wider audience. They were used in many ways, including in road safety lessons for children in some countries. They were ridden on merry-go-rounds at fairs and used in advertising. Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam used a red model as an attraction for taking children’s photographs.
JOY 1
Sir Leonard Lord, Chairman of the Austin Motor Company in 1946, put together a team at Longbridge to build the pedal car prototype. Commercial artist Ron Phillips and planning draughtsman Jim Blaikie had limited experience of body design and the tooling needed, so Alf Ash from the sheet metal department was added to share his expertise. Bill Avery and Jack Turton, experienced panel beaters, temporarily joined the prototype team.
The original specifications included:
- Suitable for children aged four to nine.
- Must have room in the front for a smaller sibling.
- Bonnet and boot to open, working lights, and dummy engine.
The first maroon prototype (based on the Austen 8 and 10) was produced in time for the 1,000,000 Austin Car Show in 1946. Bearing the number JOY 1, it was the first forerunner of the much-loved J40. A subsequent, lighter prototype, JOY 2, changed a troublesome chain drive to a treadle action, added detachable wheels, and introduced a lower bonnet. The prototype was then tested by various families.
Blaikie decided to build a single-seater racing car, JOY 3 – known as the Pathfinder – based on the 1930s 750 OHV Austin Seven. A prototype was finished in white with red wheels and trim, a front grille, and brown leather straps holding the engine in place. However, the most successful and enduring model was the Austin Junior (J40) roadster, based on the life-sized Austin A40 Devon and Dorset.
The J40 was produced a year after the Bargoed factory opened. This miniature motoring wonder included an opening bonnet, an imitation engine with real Champion spark plugs (rejects), battery-operated headlights, detachable Dunlop tyres, an opening boot and bonnet, a working hand-brake, chrome-plated parts, and a leather seat. The young King Charles III had one with customised extras like wing mirrors.
The Bargoed factory
Sometimes a ‘black lung’ coughing fit becomes so intense that it brings up black sputum, especially after strenuous activity. Over time, the disease progresses and can affect other major organs, with devastating effects. According to Health and Care Research Wales, 22,000 British miners struggled with this lung disease in 1948, 5,000 of them in South Wales.
On 5 July 1949 the Austin Junior Car Factory, covering 24,500 square feet, was opened at Bargoed to produce Austin JOY pedal cars and create employment for disabled coal miners suffering from pneumoconiosis. It’s thought to be the first factory in the world in which every employee was registered as disabled. The country’s Chief Medical Officer – as reported in the South Wales News on 6 July – supported this premise and considered silicosis victims capable of “a thorough good day’s work”.
Employees worked according to their physical capabilities, with the option to sit if needed. As Alfred Foderwell told the Birmingham Daily Gazette, “No one here has to do anything beyond him.” When it opened, many of the 40 to 50 former miners had been unemployed for several years. This morale-boosting opportunity not only offered regular paid employment, but also feelings of self-worth and purpose.
By 1951, employment had almost doubled. Numbers rose year on year with the addition of component manufacture, reaching its zenith of 500 pneumoconiosis sufferers in 1965. From the start, the factory provided an up-to-date medical centre, employing a nurse and a part-time doctor. An X-ray team from Cardiff monitored the workforce twice a year.
Days, afternoons, and nights
The pedal cars were partially built from scrap metal left over from the production of full-sized vehicles at Longbridge. Pedal car manufacture began at the Bargoed factory with the Pathfinder racing car, as it involved fewer pressings than the Austin Junior J40. Pathfinder manufacture ceased after a year, replaced by the J40, which continued to be made until 1971.
The J40 pedal cars were initially intended as an export item for the USA, but also found markets in Canada, Denmark, and other European countries. It sold for £27 plus £6 added purchase tax, while the Pathfinder cost £20 plus £5. In real terms, a J40 saloon car would then have cost the average worker a month’s wages.
The ex-miners worked one of three shifts: days, afternoons, or nights. They rotated between them, and enjoyed the relaxed, spacious, and clean working environment. They were quick to learn new skills and keen to see the venture succeed.
Their commitment is reflected in an incident in January 1962, when a powerful gas explosion occurred in the paint plant, injuring 16 workers. Six men were detained in the Caerphilly District Miners’ Hospital. After half of the factory roof was ripped off, a temporary partition was erected. And, despite the cold, the workforce chose to complete the orders for that day.
Senior engineers arrived the next day to assess the damage and put the factory back on course. Amazingly, this was achieved within a week. But as one commentator said: “The single biggest factor in this quick recovery was the cooperation of the men. They worked under adverse conditions and were just as anxious as we were to see the factory once again back to normal.”
JOY pedal cars at Goodwood
The last of the JOY pedal cars was made on 15 September 1971. Between 1955 and 1971, 32,098 Austin Junior (J40) pedal cars were made. When production ceased, there was still enough component work from full-sized cars to keep the workforce going. Work switched to making dashboard parts, rocker covers, car registration plates, and other smaller components. This continued until 1999, when the factory finally closed.
In recent years, interest in the Austin J40 has been boosted by the annual Settrington Cup race for pedal cars at the Goodwood Revival in West Sussex. The race takes place on the Saturday and Sunday morning for drivers aged 4–11; this year it takes place from 6–8 September. If you’re really keen, you could join the Austin J40 Pedal Car Club.
Many people retain wonderful childhood memories of these miniature motoring marvels. Bonham’s Auction House recently sold a 1960s J40 pedal car for £4275, and they can sell for much more. But the true value, I believe, still lies in those who built them … and the generations who have enjoyed them ever since.
