1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
Historic" Club's First Rally F ORTUNE certainly favoured the first rally
Page 63
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
of the comparatively new Historic Commercial Vehicle Club, which took place last Sunday. It had the inestimable advantage of being staged at the Spurrier Works of .Leyland Motors, Ltd., with all the facilities which were aftorded there by the Club's president, Sir Henry Spurrier, his directors, staff and other employees, who helped in every way. Secondly, the weather was bright until after the proceedings ended.
It augurs well for future events of this nature that it appeared to make a strong appeal to the public, for over 1,000 attended, and showed great interest.
Eighteen vehicles and a chassis took part, for whilst four in the original list failed to appear, there were three additions. There was also a mixed bag of other exhibits, and Sir Henry pleased many small boys with spins around the Tank track in the famous Leyland Eight racing car.
Certainly. the Club's honorary officials have learned a great deal which will he of value in the future. Judging took rather longer than was expected, as did the "show off" run around the track. Consequently, two of the tests contemplated had to be abandoned and the main event proved to be the" Best Time trial. This proved most interesting and amusing.
The driver of each vehicle was asked to guess the time in which he could cover a circuit of just over half a mile, to include a midway halt during which the engine had to be-stopped and he had to devour rapidly and completely a thick ice-cream wafer generously provided by T. Wall and Sons, Ltd. This finished he had to restart the engine, manoeuvre through staggered lines of drums and finish the course.
As the half-way stop was on a down grade, a good opportunity was afforded of noting the quality of the braking, which in many of the vehicles proved to be surprisingly powerful, some of the solid-tyred rear wheels locking for yards.
One unfortunate participant miserably complained that ice cream was bad for his
ulcers, but nevertheless he took the risk after a Wall's representative had assured him that much ice cream was consumed in hospitals.
Several of the vehicles with large engines took some Herculean swinging, whilst one or two had recourse to push starts. At these the Foden wagon gave a disdainful toot, although one spectator suggested Thatit would be only fair for its driver to be asked to withdraw the fire and restoke before starting.
Much more space than can be afforded could be given to individual vehicles, but reference may be made to a few. There was a long-wheelbase Leyland Lion bus of 1927, which had come from Jersey, where it had been run by Major Blakeway; a Morris-Commercial off a scrap heap, is now often used for towing a barrel organ, and there was an example of the once-popular Gilford coach.
An aristocrat was the 1923 Rolls-Royce, with lorry body for garage use, said to have attained 571,000 miles. Jack Sparshatt had found his 1916 Vulcan in another scrap yard after it had been sold by Kingham and Sons to a coal merchant, whence it passed to some gypsies.
The awards were presented by Sir Henry Spurrier, who, supported by the Club's chairman, Lord Montagu, made a strong appeal for information concerning other historic vehicles..
RESULTS Class I, 1900-1916
The Commercial Motor Cup: Foden 3-ton steam wagon, 1916, M. 1. Sparrow, Streetly Garage, Ltd., Birmingham. Runner-um Vulcan 30-cwt. van, 1916, I. H. Sparshatt and Sons, Lid., London Road, Hilsca, Portsmouth.
Class II, 1917-1930 Motor Trm,port Cup: Leyland Al, 1925, G. W. Sparshatt, .T. Ff. Sparshatt and Sons, Ltd. Runnerup: [acre L-Lne road sweeper, 1920, D. A. Thomas, Lucre Lorries, Ltd., Welwyn Garden City, Herts.
Class tit, 1931.1945
ComMerciat Vehicles Cup: Trojan 10-cwt, van, 1939, E. R. Meson, Gloucester.
Rest Time 'feat Geoffrey Rooms Cup: Trojan traveller's brougham, 1926, C. H. Peacock, The Trojan Owners' Club. London. Runners-up: 1.—Albion chassis, 1917. Albion Museum, Albion Motors, Ltd., Glasgow. 2.—American Traffic 2-ton truck, 1914-18, A. E. Adams, George Bristow, Ltd., Kingman, Surrey.