Aladdin's Cave

Sir.

Following your recent (January and June) references to a North Country breakers’ yard, you may like to include part of the following in your next issue of Motor Sport and save readers who are only interested in Rolls and Morgan a possible 400-mile round trip! Most of the vehicles are either just pre-War or post-War and up to Mk. 1 Zephyrs in lateness. They have all been standing out in the open for a long, long time but still have engines intact in several instances and sometimes good wire wheels (for a Lanchestcr for instance). Cars noticed yesterday include Austin (7, 12, 14 and 16), Ford including V8-engined, Hillman, 2 or 3 Lanchesters (14s ?), various Morris, Flying Standards (barely recogniseable), several Vauxhalls (possibly 14s) and largish Wolseleys. Remains of’ a Talbot 10 were also noticed. Nestling in the remains of a Bradford was a back axle with back plates and five-stud fixing for the brake drums with twin pairs of brake shoes. These are reputed to be off a 1928 Sunbeam but I am not knowledgeable enough to verify (neither for the preceding model numbers). All Rolls and Morgan hits had gone, but standing in the yard was a 1920 (claimed, but on rubber tyres) CASE tractor in running condition. A fancy sum may be needed to purchase the latter hut a modern swap may suffice. The nearby scrap “establishment” approached passing a mound of agricultural vintage sculpture (although not examined, in (‘act) revealed the Leyland chassis which the owner hopes to restore. There is also a large Crossley lorry with “ginormous” radiator, various aluminium header tanks and surrounds (believed for same) and more than one Southern Cross engine in an unidentifiable state of completeness.

Esher PETER M. MARSHALL