1907 Rover Roi-des-Belges

This is a photograph that I took before the start of the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1978.

It's a 1907 Rover 20 with a Roi-des-Belges body, a car that was produced from 1907 to 1910 and had a 4-cylinder inline 3,251cc engine. The programme of the event had this note about the car (with the original spelling error);

12     Leyland Motors Historic Vehicles Ltd., Longbridge, Birmingham.

         1907 Rover, Roi de Belge Tourer, 20 h.p.

This model was originally announced in 1905 as the 16/20 h.p. car. Cylinder dimensions of 95mm x 110 mm were the same as those of the 1905 6 h.p. car and several components were common. The model achieved fame by winning the Tourist Trophy Race in the Isle of Man during 1907 driven by Ernest Courtis, who was Rover's Chief Tester at the time. His average speed was 28.8 mph for six laps of the 40.3 mile circuit. The car's normal maximum in "as sold" condition was about 45 mph and the chassis price was £375.

I understand that this car is now in the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

 

1909 Albion A6 Tourer

This is one of the cars that took part in the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1979 and is pictured before the start of the Run.

It's a 1909 Albion A6 Tourer and a short note in the programme of the event reads as follows:

'B. L. Heritage Ltd & Leyland Historic Vehicles Ltd., Studley. Warwicks.

1909 Albion A6 Tourer. 4-cylinder. 5.6 litres. (Driver: D. Abell).'

This collection at Studley is now the British Motor Museum.

MG 'Old Number One'

This car was one of the vehicles on display at the Heritage Motor Centre's Roadshow at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1995.

Known as 'Old Number One', it's not the first MG to be built, but apparently it's the first one to be built with the purpose of competing in motor sports events. The Morris Cowley bullnose origin of the car is evident and you can read here the MG Owners' Club story of the car.

When the British Leyland Motor Corporation was set up in 1968 it was decided to find out how many old vehicles were held by the various companies which were part of the new Corporation. Nearly 100 were found and in 1975 Leyland Historic Vehicles was formed to maintain this fleet of vehicles. The British Motor Heritage Trust was formed in 1983 which then led to the Heritage Motor Centre museum at Gaydon being opened in 1993. In 2000 the trust expanded to include the whole of the British motor industry and the museum now has a collection of nearly 300 vehicles, and after a major refurbishment in 2015/16 it reopened as the British Motor Museum.

Morris Cowley/MG 'Old Number One'

This car was one of the vehicles on display at the Heritage Motor Centre's Roadshow at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in August 1996.

Known as 'Old Number One', it's not the first MG to be built, but apparently it's the first one to be built with the purpose of competing in motor sports events. The Morris Cowley bullnose origin of the car is evident and you can read here the MG Owners' Club story of the car.

When the British Leyland Motor Corporation was set up in 1968 it was decided to find out how many old vehicles were held by the various companies which were part of the new Corporation. Nearly 100 were found and in 1975 Leyland Historic Vehicles was formed to maintain this fleet of vehicles. The British Motor Heritage Trust was formed in 1983 which then led to the Heritage Motor Centre museum at Gaydon being opened in 1993. In 2000 the trust expanded to include the whole of the British motor industry and the museum now has a collection of nearly 300 vehicles, though it closed for refurbishment in November last year and was due to reopen on 13 February 2016 as the British Motor Museum.