V.E.V. Miscellany, June 1968

V.E.V. Miscellany.—Portrush U.D.C. has acquired a 1930s Dennis fire-engine. The Madeira fire station referred to recently is confirmed as having a 1929 Willys fire-engine, a 1931 Dodge ambulance, and early G.M. and Merryweather fire-engines. The April issue of Klaxon, duplicated magazine of the Preston & D.V.C.C., contained an article, with Pictures, of the Moveo car, of which apparently only three were built, with 3-litre and 4½-litre Meadows engines, in a Preston factory. Racing driver and test pilot “Dizzy” Addicott is Chairman of the project, started by the Veteran Aircraft Flying Association, for building a replica of the Vickers Vimy biplane which made the first Atlantic crossing in 1919 and flying it across in 1969. Unfortunately, although the correct Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines have apparently been acquired, the venture is running out of money. Surely the Daily Mail, which sponsored the London-Paris Bleriot Commemoration Air Race in 1959, will wish to assist? Incidentally, it seems rather droll that a replica has to be built while the original Vimy exists in the Science Museum. Wolverhampton Sunbeams were represented at the first V.S.C.C. Silverstone Meeting of the year, a basket-work-finished saloon being seen in the Paddock, while on the run home our Fiat 125 was mixed up with a couple of Sixteen saloons, both of which were motoring commendably briskly.

A Type 23 Bugatti which has had only two owners from new, is completely original and has run only 44,000 miles, is being tidied up in Hampshire. A reader tells us that a garage near Woburn has on the wall a framed driving licence No. 1, issued in 1903 by Beds. C.C. to the Proprietor’s father, whose first car was a 1912 Belsize. A complete set of Bugantics, from 1931 to 1950, including the original duplicated copy for June 1931, has been unearthed in an old trunk and will, we hope, be preserved.

The Editor met recently a lady of 92 who was taught to drive in France before the First World War on a Turcat-Mery. She later joined Sizaire-Berwick in London and throughout the 1914/18 War delivered 25-h.p. Vauxhall chassis from Luton to the London docks and Kempton Park. When the men began to return from the Front, she gave this up and bought an air-cooled Humberette of her own. Some years ago she went back to look round the Vauxhall plant but found things much changed.