Top prizes to first-timers
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RECORD ENTRY FOR HCVC RUN THIS YEAR
IT IS quite amazing how year after year the Historic Commercial Vehicle Run to Brighton gets bigger and more interesting. This year the event drew a record 150 entrants (all but one completing the journey from Battersea Park under their own power— or steam!) and there were some notable new entrants taking part.
The top two awards in fact went to firsttime entries. Overall winner was a beautifully restored 1927 Morris 10/12cwt van entered by Angates Toys of Bognor Regis. This result was the more noteworthy as the van is in daily use by its owners and has covered 3,000 miles since work finished on it last September.
Runner-up was the 1922 AEC S-type open-top London bus which has just been restored by Michael Banfield. Restored is really the wrong word for the work went much farther than this and included a completely new body. There can never havebeen a finish like it on a bus built for London. The hand-painting absolutely gleams and it is impossible to find any blemish. The front axle and chassis are finished to the same standard as the body and it is unlikely that such a standard would even be seen at an Earls Court show.
I travelled to Brighton in the 1935 Bedford/Duple 20-seat coach of E. J. Baker and Co. Ltd., Aldershot. It has done well in the two Runs previously entered and this time came out top of its class as well as beating its stable mate—a 1935 Bedford 30cwt truck— for the "best Bedford" award. Both these vehicles completed the Run without a sign of trouble and we in the coach left Battersea at 8.15 a.m. arriving at Brighton after a couple of stops at 10.55.1 drove each vehicle for part of the way down and found their mechanical condition equal to that of their coachwork. The coach has excellent brakes but steering that requires a fair amount of attention and while the truck was perfect in the latter respect, lack of a servo called for heavy brakepedal pressures. Nevertheless, both gave an enjoyable experience.
Not all the new entries did well—or expected to. But a most interesting 1927 Scammell 100-ton tractive unit came second in B. This has been very well reconditioned and is technically fascinating. The engine is a Gardner and the drive is to an axle (without wheels but braked) which is connected by double chains on each side to twin transverse axles. Tyres are solid and stacked-rubber suspension is used!
It was the first Brighton Run for a 1934 Sentinel S4 steam wagon which came second in its class and a Walker 1-ton electric van built in 1919 and entered by E. J. Beveridge of Harrods came third in Class A.
Two entries which would never have expected to win awards but are worth mentioning were a Paris bus which although built in 1933 was in service until last year. And another old-timer that worked up to last year and may do so this year was a 1928 Guy six-wheel trolley bus with open-top body. Last year the vehicle was converted with the fitting of a Commer three-cylinder twostroke diesel and since restoration by Hastings Corporation in 1953 was doing regular sea-front duties.
Results of Concours d'Elegance
Outright Winner: 1927 Morris van {Angates Toys). Runner-up: 1922 AEC S-type M. J. Banfield). Class A: 1920 Ford T truck (R. H. Crawford). Class B: 1913 McCurd van (Tale and Lyle).
Class C: 1922 AEC S open-top bus {M. J. Banfield). Class 13: 1928 Foden steam wagon IT. T. Boughton). Class El: 1914 Dennis N fire engine (G. N. Grenside). Class E2: 1937 Dennis fire engine IG. N. Grenside). Class F: 1935 Bedford W1E1 coach IE. J. Baker and Co.). Class G: 1937 Austin LL taxi {M. Freedman). Class H: 1927 W. and G. Ambulance (W. E. Cooke). Class I: 1943 VVtllys Jeep (A. J. Lyndhurst). Best Bedford: 1935 Bedford WLB coach {E. J. Baker and Co.). Best Leyland Corporation: 1922 AEC S-type bus CM. J. Banfield).
Best BMC: 1927 Morris light van {Angates Toys).
B est Ford: 1920 Ford T truck (R. H. Crawford).
B est pre-1919 vehicle: 1919 Walker electric van (E. J. Beveridge).
B est 1920 to 1930 vehicle: 1920 Ford T truck IR. H. Crawford).
B est restoration on limited means: 1929 Austin 7 van {M. G. E. Marsh).
Farthest distance travelled to run under own power: 1929 Leyland Titan (K. A. Jenkinson).
Best vehicle from Sesame: 1927 Morris van (Angates Toys).