More V-E-V Odds and Ends.

In Essex a 1919 Daimler Light-30, believed to be the only one of its kind in existence, bought in 1964 with a non-original DH coupe body, has been rebuilt as an open tourer. A book issued to commemorate 50 years of Advanced Laundries Ltd. shows that this company started using motor transport in 1924 with a Model-T Ford van, at its Eastbourne branch, and that it later possessed a fleet of at least ten small pneumatic tyred Halley vans, kept at its Brixton Depot, before going over to Bedford and Commers, some of which had specially styled publicity bodywork made in the Company’s own maintenance shop, first at Beckentree in 1934, then at Finchley, and since 1951 at Putney. One of the Halleys has been rebuilt by a HCVC member. Avon News recently carried a story about Motorways’ Stoke branch, which began in 1921 as the Normeir Tyre Company, the first garage in Britain, it’s claimed, to offer a tyre and battery service. With 23 branches, Normeir became Britain’s largest private tyre distribution chain, when Avon purchased it in 1963. It is now operated by Motorway, Avon’s wholly owned tyre and battery subsidiary, with nearly 200 branches. A period picture shows a 1924 Austin 7 Sports model outside the original garage, together with what looks like an Essex Saloon, and one of the Company’s vans of the time, probably a Dodge. The Pre-1940 Triumph OC is going strongly and issues a quarterly duplicated newsletter. The secretary is C. T. V. Watson, 8 Fairview Street, Cheltenham, Glos.