https://www.syros-agenda.gr/efyge-apo-ti-zoi-o-john-ackroyd-schediastis-tou-enfield-8000/?fbclid=IwAR2_65zdevC7xlvkpzqdQz-3f0v2ouRgsUaAKmm1SsRAajRd5aollqJiEa8

The John Ackroyd inhabiting the Isle of Wight in England, died Monday, January 25, 2021 after a long period of illness. Residents of the Ryde area met John (known as Ackers, to friends and colleagues) riding a bicycle, giving speeches, or discreetly supervising engineering work.

His life in Syros / Photo: John Ackroyd
He was always innovating
Starting his apprenticeship with Saunders Roe, John continued to work on many pioneering projects, including the first mixed fighter jets and missiles - the experimental SR.53 and SR.177.
He later worked on an early competitor to Hovercraft, Cushioncraft (a subsidiary of Britten Norman), and in the 1970s, long before his time, he developed the first electric city car, the Enfield 8000, the first electric car built in Hellas. 
The factory was created in Syros, on the premises of an old spinner (Afon Velissaropoulos), where the former supermarket "Neorio" was located. Initially, Enfield Automotive, headed by Konstantinos Adraktas, who designed the E8000, was based on the Isle of Wight. But strikes by workers began as soon as the car production line began. At the same time, the shipowner, Giannis Goulandris, who had bought the Neorio shipyards (now ONEX Neorion Shipyards), bought Enfield Automotive in order to continue production in Greece. But Adrachtas, who recently passed away , refused to participate in the transfer of production to Greece and clashed with Goulandris, which led the shipowner to his choice.John Ackroyd who settled and worked in Syros as CEO. The factory was staffed with local craftsmen, most of them shipwrights, while no one had experience in creating vehicles. Wooden molds were created from the beginning to shape the car. Ackroyd communicated with them through his plans to accomplish the required tasks, as none of them spoke English. A car now exists in the Industrial Museum of Ermoupolis.

The wooden mold of Enfield 8000 / Photo: John Ackroyd
The John Ackroyd participated in the documentary "Between two islands / A tale of two isles" of Michael Stavropoulos where he spoke about his work and detail reported in the whole effort of the production of the electric car in Syros. The film explores the birth and death of a pioneering electric car, the Enfield 8000, which was introduced in the early 1970s, 40 years before the automaker discovered the benefits of electric propulsion, and which was built in Syros! (The documentary is available on Cosmote TV.) 


In the 1980s, the pioneering work of the jet, led by John in the way of bold idea - using a jet engine to launch a vehicle faster than it had ever achieved - and the Thrust 2 managed to break the record ground speed. The vehicle was built at the Enfield Marine plant in England.
In 2018 he participated in a local event-exhibition at the Isle of Wight " IW Hidden Heroes Website " where he presented his achievements but of course a well-preserved Enfield 8000 owned by Barry Price and owner of the unique " Enfield Safari ", his personal car Giannis Goulandris. Barry Price also has his own museum of historic vehicles on the Isle of Wight in England.
John had also written an autobiographical book entitled " Jet Blast, and the Hand of Fate " about his life and work which describes both the conditions of his stay in Syros and his great achievements during his career.
Read more about his life HERE
Labels: Enfield 8000