John & Jo Smith’s 1933 Riley Lynx looks positively vibrant ......MHVC. The Mag. November 2017 1 7: John & Jo Smith’s 1933 Riley Lynx looks positively vibrant in this setting. Chairman

MHVC. The Mag. November 2017 1

November 2017

: John & Jo Smith’s 1933 Riley Lynx looks positively vibrant in this setting.Chairman Priestley’s 1930 Austin 7 box saloon is the only other car that is clearlyrecognisable in this shot. (Picture courtesy of Ken Simons.)

: This is the sight that greeted Colin Cooper when he drew his bedroom curtainson the Sunday morning. (I thought the the white van was particularly well parked: onthe pavement & right outside the All Saints Church gates. Ed.)


There were 36 entrants (excluding dogs) for the weekend awayin the Yorkshire Dales. (Picture left is Clive Taylor’s Hooper bodiedR-R 20/25 and below are Ken Simons’ MG Midget, TonyHallworth’s Triumph Stag and Stuart Lomas’ Riley RME. See alsopictures on front cover. Ed) Most of entrants met at The Calf’sHead in Worston for complimentary refreshments on Fridaymorning. Suitably refreshed we set off on the first leg of ourjourney to the Abbey Tea Rooms at Bolton Abbey. Here a soupand sandwich lunch was provided for a very reasonable price.Following lunch, we took a short walk along the river bank to the

Abbey before continuing ourjourney to The Boar’s Head in Ripleywhere the car park was occupiedexclusively by our vehicles. After aquick wash and change we gatheredat the bar for pre-dinner drinks in aroom set aside next to the diningroom for our exclusive use. After anexcellent dinner, use was againmade of our exclusive room – wellit would have been rude not to!

Saturday morning arrived and afterbreakfast most of us embarked onthe suggested 77 mile route alongmainly single track (and steep!)roads through Nidderdale andWensleydale affording quite

magnificent views. (Picture right was taken from PaulCartwright’s Triumph Spitfire) Several points of interestwere listed along the route. We chose to stop briefly at theGouthwaite Reservoir viewing area followed by a moreleisurely refreshment stop at Jervaulx Abbey Tea Rooms,where we also visited the Abbey Ruins. We then continuedinto Grassington, a market town full of interesting shops (Iam advised…), where we also had lunch before completingthe route back to the Boar’s Head where the club ritual ofpre-dinner drinks was once again observed.

Prior to the meal, I gave one of my customary shortspeeches in which I thanked Cath and Andrew and onbehalf of the attendees presented them (well Cath mainly)with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagnesporting the Boar’s Head livery. After the meal Andrewresponded with a much more compelling speech regalingsome of the history of the club – and in particular theweekends away both past and future - in our 50��anniversary year.

Andrew explained that the current trend for hotels is totake a significant non-returnable deposit at the time ofbooking, which by necessity has to be long before proposalsare put to members (and therefore before monies can becollected). By returning to venues with which we havedeveloped relationships, we are able to defer payingdeposits until after the rooms have been provisionally booked, which is why next year we arereturning to The Waterloo in Betws-y-Coed... Cath and Andrew have already booked theBoar’s Head in 2020, 3 years hence. I’m looking forward to it! ●


For the last time from me, as your Chairman …… Hello everyone.

I had occasion to change a wheel atthe meeting place at the start of theClub’s Weekend Away. As I don’t carrya jack or foot-pump (Yes, I know whatyou’re all thinking!) I thought thatamongst an expected gathering of 17cars setting off for this event, therewould be a plethora of such deviceson hand.

Having walked up and downthe ‘paddock’ carrying my strickenspare it became apparent that veryfew of you carry the means to changea wheel or inflate a tyre. Whilst it is acomfort to know that I am not the onlyperson to embark on an adventuretotally unprepared for any eventuality,I was somewhat relieved to manageeventually to borrow a jack from CliveTaylor and an electric pump (completewith 12 volt supply) from TonyHallworth. My thanks to both andapologies to Tony for leaving him yardsof cable to persuade back into a space

that was surely too small.

With replacement wheel / tyre fitted, the weekend away was another splendid occasion.The weather was fine and our Austin coped admirably with whatever terrain it was presented.(One member commended Katie and me on our combined weight loss which he pointed outno doubt contributed to the success of our Austin on some of the hills – don’t worry Roy, youshall remain anonymous.) On behalf of all the attendees, a huge thank you to Cath andAndrew Thompson for organising.

Our quiz night attracted 24 victims for quiz-masters Paul Cartwright & Pat Jeater to tormentwith questions on topics including advanced mathematical puzzles and spellings of words Inever knew existed. Congratulations to the winners Malcolm Asquith, John Williams andJohn O’Connor who each received bottles of wine. My thanks go to Paul & Pat for organising.The raffle was won by Mandy Moulds and Ray Masters. My thanks to Marilyn Lowe for sellingtickets and organising the wine. (See rear cover for pictures of this occasion. Ed)

The next Club Meeting will be the AGM on Monday 6�� November at Timperley Sports Club.Please do try to attend, for it is a time when your committee presents a résumé of clubactivities over the past year and presents proposals for next year. It is also an idealopportunity for you ... ... to tell your committee what you would like from yourclub next year.

As I mentioned at the start of this piece, this will be my final Chairman’s Chat. At the end ofthe upcoming AGM I will hand the Chair to Marilyn Lowe. I would like to take this opportunityto thank my Committee members for their support over the past 3 years. It has been anhonour and a privilege to serve as your Chairman but I must admit that at times it has beena struggle to balance work commitments with Club activities – especially when dead-linescoincide. I will be remaining on the committee and I have been offered and accepted therole of Secretary – hopefully the demands on my time will be more flexible.

Finally, I would like to thank you, the members, without whom the club would not exist, foryour support over the past 3 years and wish Marilyn the very best of luck – I know you willcontinue to support her in the same way you supported me. ●




In 1953, I started work at Joseph Cockshoot, who were distributors for Rolls-Royce andBentley, as well as Morris and MG. They were proud of their coach-building history and theChairman, Mr John Norris gave me a copy of a small book which he and Sam Lomax hadwritten in 1948 entitled “Early Days” (Memories of The Beginnings of Automobile Engineeringin South Lancashire and Cheshire).This fascinating little book has sections on manufacturers of cars and motor-cycles in the areaand one for “Coach-builders and Motor Bodies”. In this, it says that there were manycoach-builders in Manchester and surrounding towns, including Joseph Cockshoot & Co, AnneCowburn, William Arnold and Slack Brothers as well as J.A. Lawton & Co, J. Blake & Co, Hoopersin Liverpool, Smiths of Stockport and Gordons of Bolton. They also mention builders ofambulances Wilson & Stockall of Bury and H. Lomas & Co of Manchester.

As well as the coach builders, the book makes special mention of Joseph Higginson of Sale,who was a keen amateur sporting motorist from the earliest days - he held records at ShelsleyWalsh. After having problems with petrol feed to the engine, he invented the famous Autovacsystem, which he patented in 1911.

There are also mentions of the development and manufacture of driving chains by HansRenold in 1880 and their new works in Burnage in 1906.Car manufacture in Manchester includes details on Royce then Rolls-Royce in Hulme, includingthe names of the first employees. There is also good coverage of Ford in Trafford Park datingfrom 1912.Marshall & Belsize are mentioned as well as the Rothwell car, built in Oldham. Crossley arerecorded as “Early in the Field” and that Cockshoot built some bodies for them.Horbick Cars were made by Horsfall & Bickham in Pendleton and Newton, Pearce & Co builta car in Hulme, Manchester in 1903, which was said to be very advanced for the time.One car, of which I personally knew something was the Eagle, built in Broadheath by RalphJackson in 1904. Their garage, Jackson and Edwards, is on the main road through Altrincham.

Phew! And I say! Steady on you MHVC folk out there. What a response! Since the article inthe June 2017 issue about AVRO’s adventure into the coach-building business in 1918, andTom Clarke’s follow-up related to Beswick Bodies and Davidson of Trafford Park in the October2017 issue, I’ve been inundated with 2 more items about the same topic.

● Geoff Hulme’s note (reproduced below) lists 21 coach-builders covering a somewhat widerarea but doesn’t include another known contender in Manchester (see below).

● David French supplied the fascinating photos reproduced opposite. These show the offeringby Ellison & Smith from Gatley (South Manchester).The item above is an advert and thatbelow shows the actuality. The possibility of removing a complete car body in 3 minutesmakes me wonder what the ‘youths’ in the advert and local shysters and ne’er-do-wells wouldhave made of such an opportunity!

In my head these gratefully-received contributions also raised further questions : 1. Just howmany Durant motor vehicles were ever on the roads in UK? And 2. How did you switch offthe magnet when the bodies were to be changed over? All suggestions gratefully received….


Note: This photo first appeared in ‘The Morris Owner’ April 1927


I am writing this for John Smith who, with Jo, had organised the Late Summer Run just priorto heading off on holiday to Scotland, seeking some balmier weather........In common with a number of this year’s runs, the weather forecast for the day of the LateSummer Run was really poor, threatening to rain and blow throughout the day. However, aswe gathered at 10.30 in the Pesto car park at Marton, the sun was clearly up there andintending to stay a while. In total we had 17 cars with some 33 people & 6 dogs, large andsmall. While we waited for the late arrivals, many folks crossed the road to the Chapeau Cafefor a morning coffee and maybe a bacon butty.

John and Jo then signed us all in for the run, and provided the instructions for the route. Therunners on the day were Martin Dawson’s elegant Dodge Roadster, the oldest at 1917 vintage;Chris Bluer had decided to leave the Model T at home and came in his Lexus instead. Thelargest car was Suzanne’s sleek Rover P5. The smallest were the Austins, with Phil’s 7 and myMini. We had four MGs, Ken’s Midget and the three MGBs of David Lowe, Kerry Booth andRay Masters. Stuart Lomas brought his Morris Traveller, and we had a trio of Rileys from JohnSmith, John Collins and John French (what is that makes the John’s go for Rileys?) We had arecord number of Talbots for this year’s runs with Clive in his 1929 Talbot 14/45 and Bill Hallin his 1948 Sunbeam Talbot. Finally there were two Triumphs, Paul Cartwright’s Spitfire, andGraham Sinagola’s Herald.

At around 10:30 the assembled convoy headed out, while leaving a good gap between cars.This plan for ‘separacy’ was rapidly undone as it seems that Sunday the 10�� was Cheshirecycling day, and we ended up queuing behind groups of furiously-pedaling, Lycra-attiredcyclists of all sizes and shapes. However with patience we negotiated these hazards aided bya bit of horn beeping (well received??), made our way down roads which were “Not suitablefor HGVs” and headed past Swettenham and Twemlow Green, onwards into Holmes Chapelremembering to wriggle right and left at the double roundabout, (or was it left then right??),and on to Middlewich. We left Middlewich, going under the Weaver/canal bridge, then turnedtowards Church Minshull. There we passed over the next Weaver bridge, and drove on pastthe wonderfully-named Aston juxta Mondrum towards Nantwich, once again passing over abridge over the River Weaver just for a change! From there we made our way to theCholmondeley Arms by the A49, for a welcome stop and coffee break at the 29-mile point.When we got there we found that the pub has its own car club who were meeting at thesame time – there were a number of very swish Morgans, Porsches etc who joined our line-up!

After a break we left the Pub and Cholmondeley’s fine Castle behind, and made our way toMalpas, with it’s fine gothic style stone market cross, and quaint historic buildings and churchof St. Oswald, then started the longest straight drive of the run, nearly 6 miles to Bangor-is-y-Coed passing over the border into Wales. After a further direct run on the A525 we cameinto the Erddig area, and started to follow the brown tourist signs to the Hall and parkland.

(Picture left is by Jim Linwood of Londonvia Wikipedia).There, having completed 47miles, we were directed into the car parkin front of the magnificent Hall, where weparked into orderly rows forphotographers to practice their skills.

We were just in time to get to therestaurant before the rain commenced.The food was very acceptable andreasonably priced. Some folks headed intothe fine Hall, while others headed backhome in what proved to be the weatherthat the forecasters had predicted.

Regardless, it was another delightful run!●


WE WILL FIT CAR CLUB MEMBERS OWN Specialist TYRES FOR AMODEST CHARGE ON SIGHT OF THEIR VALID MEMBERSHIP CARD.


MHVC Official bits…

Club website: www.mhvc.org.uk

Roger Da Forno, Stuart Lomas, Dave Lowe, Ken Simons.

of all MHVC committee members can be found in the Membershiplist that is provided for all paid-up Club members.

Black. Bottle. Burgundy. Classic Red. Convoy Grey. French Navy. Royal Blue

XS 34/36. S 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 870M

Black. Bottle. Bright Royal. Burgundy. French Navy. Classic Red. Bright Red


Black. Bottle. Bright Royal. Burgundy. French Navy. Classic Red. Bright Red


Black. Bright Royal. French Navy. WhiteS 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 215M

French Navy with Taupe peak. One size fits all Code BB57Our designer is in Stockport. If you go to their wwebsite www.designplus.co.ukyou may wish to purchase alternatives. If so, please quote CODE NUMBER, COLOUR, SIZE & I willorder for you. All prices are marked on their website. MHVC does not put a mark-up on anyitems.


Address: 19 Solway Close, Warrington, WA2 0UPPhones: 01925 811357 and Mobile: 07582 386857.E mail: [email protected]

Cars owned: 1948 Triumph Roadster, Drop Head Tourer, EXG 481972 Mercedes 350 SL Sports

Further to the information in the October 2017 issue of The Mag, the final updates to theaccounts have been made, and these have been audited successfully.

The main changes in the reporting since the last numbers I issued are:-

· Total Income now up from £5,000 to £5,021

· Total Expenditure reduced by £151 from £5227 to £5,076 of which:-

· Club Meetings & Events costs reduced by £215

· Purchase costs increased by £43

These changes are largely due to re-classifying the purchase of the 50�� Anniversary Trophyas an asset in the accounts which is to be expensed over 5 years.

· Nett Profit/Loss is now a loss of £54

Although this appears to be a relatively minor loss, I have developed a 3 year forecast for theyears 2018-2020. This shows an annual loss of between £300 and £400 will be incurred goingforward. I presented this to the Committee on 9�� October, and we discussed options forhandling this. The Committee concluded that we should consider an increase in Subs for theClub membership by £2.50 per annum for both Full and Family members. The Subs were lastincreased 5 years ago in 2012. This change will need agreement at the AGM.


Chairman Priestley’s words not mine.see page 3. Ed.) Clockwise from above left.

● Mandy Mould’s team member John French was reprimanded for beseeching anAlmighty for help. An illegal practice, much frowned upon in Quizzing circles.

● David Lowe & Clive Taylor had obviously submitted answers for team CaptainRoy Summerscales’ approval. (Roy’s speeling is betta van veres is. Honnist. Ed.)

● Chairman Priestley & Diane French had adopted Mirror poses during the spellinground. While this may be ‘interesting’ to body language afficionados, this posingyielded no obvious benefit to the team score.

● Malcolm Asquith, John Williams & John O’Connor (The Experts) in winning-yet-strangely-fuzzy form.

The Experts:- 87; The Thought Police:- 74; J.M.B.F.:- 72; The Alternators:- 66;Marilyn, Dave + 2 others:- 56; Phil, David and Diane:- 54.

Documents

John & Jo Smith’s 1933 Riley Lynx looks positively vibrant ......MHVC. The Mag. November 2017 1 7: John & Jo Smith’s 1933 Riley Lynx looks positively vibrant in this setting. Chairman