1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost

I took this photograph in the Exchange Station car park in Manchester in May 1992 of two cars waiting for the start of the Lancashire Automobile Club's annual Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run.

The nearest car is a 1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, and the only information about it in the programme of the event is that it was entered by Triplex Safety Glass Co. Ltd. of St Helens, Merseyside. It appeared in several of the Runs around that time though, and in the 1987 Run this note was in the programme:

1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost,

Reg:  XR 6727  6 Cylinder  7428 cc

(Pilkington Glass Co. Ltd., St Helens.)

Found derelict in Aughton. Lancs, and was rebuilt by apprentices and artisans at the Eccleston Works, St Helens, and at King's Norton Works, Birmingham, with kind assistance from Rolls Royce at Crewe. Has completed more than 900,000 miles in its lifetime.

The car next to it is a 1923 Rolls Royce 20. and again the only information in the programme is that it was entered by A Pownall of Wilmslow, Cheshire. This car also took part in the 1987 Run, and this was the note about it in that programme:

1923 Rolls Royce 20 Tourer,

Reg:  VK 6701  6 cylinder  20 hp

(Major A. Pownall, Wilmslow, Cheshire)

The "smallest" Rolls of its day, the 20 Tourer cost £1,000 in chassis form. Rolls quoted a power figure of 53 bhp at 3000 revs. It was the first Rolls to have a detachable cylinder head.