• Your overworked Hawk recently went on holiday to Cornwall
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for a couple of weeks and while I was there I attended the 16th rally of the Kernow Old Vehicle Club. Apart from an amazing array of motorcycles and passenger cars, there were also some interesting examples on display of Cornish commercial vehicles.
Most rare was a 1935 REO Speedwagon, owned by Rex Curtis, who took it to the Truckfest Southwest last month, and believed to be the only example of this small tipper in the UK. There were few light commercials on display, but a very pretty 1933 Morris light van more than made up for this. In the main the exhibits consisted of massive wreckers with a military history. Most impressive of these were two Scammell Ex plorers from the 1950s which looked as though they could recover small tramp steamers from the sea, let alone the odd broken-down truck.
A hair-raising display of grass-track riding was done by Bill Martin on his 500cc Douglas. Martin rode this bike in competition when it was new and, although his waist measurement has increased with the passing years, his riding skill has not diminished.
Adding to the family atmosphere of the damp show was the rambling commentary through the public address system. On the basis of "give a man a microphone and you'll make him a star', the voice wittered on for hours about nothing in particular.
The Hawk noted down the following gems from the commentary: "Over there is the stand selling overalls. Its Mery from Exeter. He's set& trousers at £7.50 fer two, so if you've torn one then you ken put on the other"; and "One of the American football boys is looking a bit thirsty, so he is drinking a can of something. It may be lemonade, but I can't quite see from here. It might be Coca Cola. . . What do you think Bill?" At this point the commentary descended into a lively debate about whether you should put on Merv's other pair of trousers and the question of the footballer's drink. It was fascinating stuff.