Yorkshire steamer wins Trans-Pennine rally
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• This year's Trans-Pennine run, one of the largest vintage commercial vehicle rallies in the world, drew large crowds when it took place on Sunday. Hundreds of people lined the 64-mile route from Manchester to Harrogate.
Although many of the vintage buses, lorries and fire engines were over 30 years old, vehicles built as late as the early fifties also took part in the rally.
Throughout the day, the run, which is organized by the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club (North Midlands Section) and Transiclub, enjoyed sustained sunshine with temperatures topping the 70s mark.
A 1917 Yorkshire 3-tonner, one of the older vehicles in the rally, took the Harrogate Challenge Trophy, the cup awarded to the outright winner of the day. This splendidly restored steam lorry, entered by Mr Tom Varley, of Gisburn, started its commercial life when it was supplied new to Claytons of Leeds. It was taken out of service in 1931 and not re-discovered until 1961 when it was found at the bottom of a scrap heap. It then lay dormant until sold in pieces in 1969 to its present owner.
Ald E. Pickard, mayor of Harrogate,. who awarded the trophies, said: "This rally is one time when a Yorkshireman is proud to welcome a Lancashireman. The rally is bigger than last year and I hope it continues to go on getting bigger from year to year."
The rally chairman, Mr Keith A. Jenkinson, said: "The rally has been a great success—more than a hundred vehicles left Manchester this morning and all of them have arrived safely in Harrogate."