The Hungarian motorization - the first 102 years
The Hungarian motorization - the first 102 years
RÖCK - one of the pioneers
"Röck István Gép- G“zkaz n Gy ra ‚s Vas”nt”d‚je" (Stephan
R”ck Machine- and Steam-boiler Factory and Ironworks) was one of the oldest
industrial companies in Hungary. It was established in 1802.
The name which I quoted above came into use when the company moved to
new premises in 1901. By then it was owned by two grandsons of the founder:
Istv n and Gyula
János Csonka, the much praised pioneer and the Röck brothers
teamed up in 1902. The Röck brothers
became interested in cars and supplied molds, transmissions and engine
parts to Csonka's experiments. So when the Post decided to use cars
Röck presented Csonka's plan to be manufactured by them. The Post
comissioned the Röck factory to manufacture a pilot model.
It was completed in 1905. Csonka assembled the engine from R”ck parts,
and then the R”ck factory installed it in a chassis. The body was
constructed at a famous Hungarian coachbuilder: Glattfelder. So it was
totally Hungarian-made, save the roller bearings, the ignition, the radiator
and the driving chain.
The tests were succesful and 4 more postal transporters with a cargo space
of 2 1/2 m3 were supplied in 1906. They were built in the same
scheme as the prototype. This order was followed with another about 16
3 m3 transporters.
In 1908 the Post decided to buy 38 cars. Csonka designed them and
they were built not only by R”ck but by the Magyar Waggon- and Machine
Factory in Gy“r (otherwise known as R ba).
Between 1906 and 1908 Csonka also designed passenger cars. The chassises
were made in the R”ck factory. A few were owned by the Post but individuals
also bought them.
In 1909 three Csonka small cars were made, powered by a 4 HP 1-cylinder
engine.
Two more cars were made to Csonka's own use. This was the swan song of
Csonka as in 1912 the University withdrew Csonka's right to use their
workshop.
But the R”ck factory now had enough experiences to continue without
Csonka. They bought the licence of the German Hansa-Lloyd and they made
a few passenger cars and commercial vehicles:
But before the first World War it all was history: the R”ck brothers
received nobility in 1904 and started to waste their life and their fortune.
In 1911 the company was sold to another factory and they didn't care about
car-making. All in all, 59 vehicles were made.
A year later ten Csonka-designed autobuses left the factory. They were
ordered by the post to use them between certain Croatian cities (then part of
Hungary), where the railway didn't run. (The MARTA
factory also produced similar buses). This was followed by another
Csonka small-car in 1912: 8 HP, 4-cylinder (bore x stoke: 60x100), 1130
cc, two seater. Twelve went to the Post, 1 to MG
the biggest Hungarian car factory and 1 to an individual.
R”ck bus from 1912, converted in 1922
R”ck-Lloyd 1913
R”ck-Lloyd 1914
R”ck-Lloyd 21/35 HP with slightly rebuilt
body from 1915
Text: "Zsuppán István: The Hungarian car. Budapest, 1995"
and "From bolters to thermal power stations. 170 years of our factory.
April 4th Machine Factory, Bp, 1972"
Pictures from the Postal Archive, from the Haris Archive (through
István Zsuppán) and István Zsuppán.
Copyright and Copy, 1997: Paul
NegyesiBudapest, Hungary.