This year's Banbury Run
This year’s Banbury Run of the Vintage Motor-Cycle Club takes place on June 26th and entries close on May 3rd. Details from W. J. Rotherham. 240, Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, Warwicks. There are classes for pre-1908, 1908-1914, 1915-1924 and 1925-1930 machines, which include appropriate three-wheelers. The course, a circular one starting and finishing at Honeybourne Aerodrome, near Broadway, has to be covered at average speeds varying from 12 to 24 m.p.h. Entry fee is only 12s. 6d. and insurance can be arranged for 6s. for 15 days. Zero hour is 10.30 a.m. and spectators are admitted free to the aerodrome (free parking, too), where there will also be some static exhibits. A date to keep free!
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W. O. Bentley has recently returned to his first love—railway locomotives—taking a number of foot-plate rides from Liverpool Street and visiting Doncaster, where he served his railway apprenticeship.
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A reader has sent us the March issue of MLC News (staff magazine of the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Co., Ltd.), which contains an interesting article by C. H. Keifer on the cars he has owned over the years. Amongst the interesting cars illustrated are a remarkably long-wheelbase 1909 5-h.p. Aster, an Edwardian 24-h.p. Minerva used in Queensland, and a very sporting 20-h.p. Regal which wore out two sets of gears before the owner made an improved set on his own lathe.
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Some public schoolboys, who have permission from their Housemaster, wish to acquire a car that they can restore, such as a vintage Austin Seven, etc. If anyone has such a vehicle to give away we shall be pleased to put them in touch with the boys who are interested.
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A vintage Morgan three-wheeler, circa 1928, stands in an hotel car park in Hampshire and another, also the remains of a Rover Eight, exist in the north.
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One of the originators of the Scout car, which was built in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Mr. A. T. Burden, died recently, aged 88.
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Ridiculous prices! We saw an advertisement earlier this year in which £1,795 was asked for a 1924 Blue Label Bentley and £295 for a Tipo 501 Fiat. Vintage car values are in the hands of the customers and if much-above-average prices are refused the general level will remain on a sensible basis.
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A reader would like a sight or sketch of the “amber glass prismatic cylinder” which forms part of the dipping mechanism on the old Zeiss headlamps.
Information and historical data is sought about the Humber 12-h.p. 1935 two-door model in saloon form.
We hear that a pre-war Maserati 6CLT was displayed in the showroom of a Kent garage during April. This was the car raced by Count Trossi before the war. It. is now owned by Mr. Morin Scott, who hopes to race it in vintage racing-car events.
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POLICE STATE?
According to the Sunday Express dated March 27th last, a Fife miner who had been disqualified from driving left his car outside his house. When the battery went flat the police requested removal of the car, as it had no lights. They then waited until the miner and his neighbours pushed the car along the road and brought a charge of using the car without insurance! The miner was fined an additional £5.