From Bristol to Bradford on Avon: A Lifetime in Engineering

Dr. Alex Moulton recounts, in his own words, his lifetime in engineering. The whole story – from building steam cars as a teenager, and working under Roy Fedden at Bristol Aeroplane, through the development of rubber suspension systems that led to collaboration with BMC, Dunlop and Sir Alec Issigonis in the creation of Hydrolastic and Hydragas, to the revolutionary Moulton bicycle that became an icon of the swinging sixties alongside the inimitable Mini – is told in Dr. Moulton’s characteristic direct style.

In addition to his highly-acclaimed achievements, Dr. Moulton touches on his ancestry and their significance in the history of rubber, his family, his pastimes and his engineering philosophy. Most of the narrative is played out within the captivating surroundings of Dr. Moulton’s home, The Hall, in Bradford on Avon; the house and estate feature prominently throughout the book.

Hundreds of illustrations – sketches, photographs and calculations, many in colour – accompany the text as this fascinating memoir unfolds, giving the reader an insight into the mind of one of Britain’s most innovative engineers. For those who know little of Dr. Moulton’s work, this is a comprehensive account; and for those who have prior knowledge this book contains a wealth of previously unpublished details and illustrations.

“A timely memoir from Britain's unsung engineering hero, a highly original, almost iconoclastic engineer-designer whose genius - and I choose that word with care - has been brought to bear on aircraft, automobile and bicycle design over the last 60 years or more. Beavering away down in Wiltshire…Dr Moulton's story is compelling and fascinating and his opinions insightful and refreshingly forthright.”

-        Tim, on Amazon, March 2010

“It is only when you read this book can you discover some of the greats in engineering that [Dr. Alex Moulton] has been involved with. His passion for engineering continues almost without rest as each page is rich in exploring the exciting world and life he has lived…When you learn that other eminent designers rate the Moulton bicycle as one of the greats in design then you can understand the excellence in his pursuits. But then you see his amusement at the antics of his cat Toby.”

-        Moultoneer, on Amazon, March 2010