The Italian Job, one of the fun movies of the 1960s, has recently enjoyed a revival.

The climax of the film is an escape, in three Mini Coopers carrying a load of stolen bullion, through the sewers of Turin.

Though the film's credits don't mention it, the idea could have come straight from Bradford in 1924 when four Jowett Long Four cars travelled through the new sewerage system (see picture right) between Bradford and Esholt so that the mayoral party cold lay the last brick in the new tunnels.

It was a typical bit of smart publicity by Jowett, who were never slow to boast of their cars' economy and reliability.

The story is recalled in a new book, Jowett 1901-1954, by Noel Stokoe (Tempus Books, £9.99), which chronicles the history of the makers and will be indispensable to admirers of the Bradford marque. It is rich in pictures.

The sewer stunt worked - in 1926 the Metropolitan Police put in an order for 27 Long Fours, which were driven to London in convoy, suitably marked, and stopping at Jowett dealers on the way.

Jowetts organised a successful trans-Africa expedition in two cars called Wait and See, a journey which took 49 running days.

Saloons, sports cars, commercial vans and light lorries all rolled from the Jowett plant at Idle. Three of them became legends in their own way.

Even Jowetts' best friends wouldn't have called their models pretty. Functional, yes. Efficient, certainly, with their horizontal engines churning out impressive power. But pretty? Not really.

That all changed with two post-war models - the striking Javelin and the genuinely handsome Jupiter.

Both were real winners - they picked up prizes in the Monte Carlo Rally, in the Le Mans 24-hour race and in lesser contests.

The Javelin, with its streamlined rear and distinctive grille, was a genuine six-seater in the days when seat-belts were unheard of and bench seats were the norm. It retained the Jowett efficiency, beating a Morris Minor into second place in an economy trial by clocking up 67.868 miles to a gallon - four miles more than the Morris.

The designer of the Javelin was Gerald Palmer, who died in June last year. He believed his creation was capable of better things and when English Racing Automobiles approached Jowett in 1948 with a view to building an out-and-out sports car, Palmer was agin the idea. He went back to Oxford to design for Riley, MG and Wolseley.

Meanwhile in Bradford the Jupiter was taking shape under designer Reg Korner. The firm knew what it wanted - a car as stylish as the new Jaguar XK120. What it got was, in some eyes, a better-looking car than the Jag. It was a winner.

The other Jowett which came to be a classic was the humble Bradford van, which just went rolling along. There are many still in running condition.

Jowetts, sadly, were in trouble in the early 1950s and the end was in sight.

But, typically, when the end came, Jowett paid out the shareholders pound for pound. The firm had also promised buyers of their cars that spares and service would be available for ten years after purchase and it was a promise which was kept. Jowett Engineering Ltd took care of that from premises at Howden Clough, Batley.

Happily, there are still Jowetts on the road thanks to the Jowett Car Club. Long may it continue.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.