Dennis '31 bus wins Pennine run
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REPRESENTING 50 years development in the road transport industry, some 180 historic commercial vehicles — buses, coaches, lorries, vans and fire engines — turned out on Sunday to take part in the sixth Manchester to Harrogate Trans-Pennine Run. The vehicles, most of which had been immaculately restored, were really put through their trials on the 64-mile route over the Pennines between Manchester and Harrogate. As usual, large crowds turned out along the route and in Harrogate to watch the event, which was organized by the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club (North Midlands and Yorkshire sections) and sponsored by the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Overall winner of the rally was a 1931 Dennis 30cwt bus entered by Vernons Pools, Liverpool. Originally used in service between Winchester, Southampton and surrounding villages, it passed to J. Sparshatts of Portsmouth for preservation in 1956 and was acquired by Vernons in 1973. It has since been completely resotred.
The oldest vehicle to take part was a 1907 Cadillac M. This van was rebuilt from two vehicles — one found on a farm in Somerset, and the other in an orchard in South Wales. It was restored in the original livery of the AngloAmerican Car Company, which was the sole agent for Cadillac in Britain until the First World War. The vehicle was entered by Mr F. Smith of Wilmslow, Cheshire.
The newest of these veterans was a 1961 Guy Wulfrunian double-decker which had a working life of 11 years.