One of the great things about being a Curbivore is that you never know when it might be necessary to go into Full Active Curbivore mode, without notice. Such an occasion came in mid June, on an otherwise unexceptional lunch stop on a long weekend in north west England.
We had stopped for a lunch at one of our preferred English stately homes, now in need of some (actually a heck of a lot!) TLC, and found we had arrived at the same time as a Veteran Car Club run. Here are some of the sights we saw.
I’m not going to give a detailed commentary on the cars; my Dad was a history teacher, and when asked an historical question he didn’t know the answer to, he would always say ”Not my period”. The cars of the Edwardian and Georgian eras of the early twentieth century are “not my period”. But I hope you enjoy them anyway.
First up, a 1911 Hudson.
One of the great early marques, a 1912 Panhard Levassor, one of many to come from France, and reminding us how important France was in the development of the early motorcars.
Another French pioneer, a 1913 Mors,
and a 1913 Darracq
Meanwhile, representing the United Kingdom, a 1913 Rover.
And a 1913 British built Clément-Talbot, albeit assembled from mainly French components.
A 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50, also known unofficially as the Silver Ghost. The Silver Ghost is officially one specific car built in 1907, and still owned by (the successor company) Bentley to this day.
It may not have a very well equipped dash and interior but the craftsmanship is clear. The aftermarket gauge just fails to go unnoticed.
Or perhaps you have more modest tastes? This Ford is from 1915.
A 1922 Vauxhall, built in Luton and looking very much in place with the older cars.
A 1913 Sunbeam, pre-dating the Sunbeam and Talbot merger managed by the Rootes brothers. In fact pre-dating the Rootes brothers being in the industry.
Most of these cars were over 100 years old, and they all arrived at Lytham Hall under their own power, and completed a regularity trial in the park before leaving for the next stop on their tour. The regularity trial took the form of a drive through the roads of the park, aiming to complete it as closely to a prescribed time as possible.
While others drove the regularity trial, a vintage bus ride was available in this 1958 Leyland Titan, locally built and in the colours of recently closed Leyland based operator, from just a dozen miles away.
And this is a 1913 Rover radiator cap and bonnet ornament.
It’s fascinating how rakish and sporty all of these Uk and Euro cars look – American cars of the period were so damn boxy and upright. It’s like they all saw the Mercer and then ran with that notion.
If you go further back, circa 1900-05 American cars had a distinctly wider stance than European ones, having been built to use the ruts worn by Conestoga wagons.
You need to Google ” American Underslung”. Far from boxy and upright.
Anyone care to start complaining that all cars today look the same, and you can’t easily tell them by make and model?
+1…. you beat me to it.
Not my period…
Ha!
Nor mine, but – wow!
Not my period. Neither was Tchaikovsky. Doesn’t diminish the brilliance of either.
Or alternately, maybe cars in most eras generally look alike in many ways. With exceptions of course. As design trends evolve, most cars in any given era appear to share more in common than having major design differences.
To many people with limited interest in car design, these cars are as nondescript among each other, as many modern cars.
That ‘Flying Viking’ Rover radiator cap is pretty awesome.
+1!
+2
At least, these early cars were made of REAL metal and not tinfoil, like the crap of today, smart guy.
GIGGITY GIGGITY!
I like that Panhard. The bus is my thing too!
Your 1922 Vauxhall is actually a much earlier Daimler. Not a difficult call, because both cars have distinctive front-end treatments. The Vauxhalls have a scallop at each top corner of the radiator shell that continues as a tapering flute running back on either upper side of the bonnet, while Daimlers had that ribbed top to their radiators, carried forward through the later Daimler-badged Jaguars.
You must have just got notes and photos a bit jumbled, much too easy to do. I am deeply appreciative when I find myself shooting at a show in which all the cars are accompanied by large printed placards, allowing me to take a few shots of the car and then a good one of the placard. Lovely not having to write anything! Except afterwards, of course …
You are spot on – a 1911 Daimler. Thanks for the heads up
Quite similar to the 1910 model I saw at the Philip Island historic races – https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/car-show-classic/car-show-classics-2017-phillip-island-classic/
I’ve seen that Rover mascot before, which surely must have inspired the later Rover badges with the longboat.
That Vauxhall looks a lot like a Daimler. I love this pioneering cars. Thanks for the pictures!
Ah someone else already spotted it the Daimler masquerading as a Vauxhall the trade mark flutes were missing and the radiator cooling fins of the Daimler brand very much in evidence, not my period either but I do like seeing the early examples of motoring.
Isn’t Rolls-Royce plc the jet engine etc company the successor to Rolls-Royce? Didn’t BMW go for RR cars then realise they had only had a licence to use the name from RR, not the real thing, while VW did it properly and bought the name and company Bentley?
Love the mascot on the Rover – so distinctive and distinguished-looking.
On a lighter note, with the rigid British class structure in those days, was it a faux-pas to turn up in a Ro-vah? 🙂
Must’ve been alotta sore elbows, just getting those Brass Era cars to the field.
With those crank handle starters on all those examples…It would be refreshing to use a Cadillac with the electric starter. 😛
What a great accidental treat. For me, brass era cars are like corn chips. I could care less whether I eat one or not, but once I have one I become their biggest fan. These cars are completely uninteresting – until I get a good look at one, and then it becomes endlessly fascinating.
Thanks, Roger!
What?? No Chitty Chitty Bang Bang??
My favorite among these would be the 1911 Hudson. It seems a little sleeker and sportier to me. I guess those things hanging on the cowl would be the turn signals. “Honey, would you care to light the right signal lantern? I can’t quite reach that far.”
You bring back memories, Roger.
While driving around England in a rented Vauxhall Viva (a bit low market compared with your example) in the Spring of 1969, I stumbled upon a Morgan car show at just such an estate as your photo shoot. But it was in SW England; Somerset, I believe. Despite crashing their party, the participants couldn’t have been more gracious.
I have been infected with Morgan lust ever since that chance encounter.
The 1911 Hudson is a “Mile-A-Minute” Speedster, so named due to its ability to maintain a driving speed of 60 mph for an extended amount of time. The only thing missing is the “monocle” windscreen!