1913 Crossley

This is one of the vehicles that took part in the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1983.

It’s a 1913 Crossley and the programme of the event had this note about the car:

 

22       1913 Crossley,

            Reg. NA 557 4-Cylinder 4500cc

            (Mr John Levaggi, Stalybridge, Cheshire)

This Royal Flying Corps staff car is one of only two of these Manchester built Crossleys known to exist in Britain. Has twin tyred rear wheels.

1914 Crossley RFC Staff Car

I took this photograph just after the start point on the Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1978.

It’s not listed in the programme of the event, but the programme for the 1987 event has this note about the car:

 

26     1914 Crossley Staff Car,

Reg: AE 28, 4 cylinder 20/25 hp

(C R Unsworth, Ashton in Makerfield)

Only two of these unusual Crossleys are known

to be in existence - each is fitted with double

back wheels, and both are on this Run for the

first time.

Crossley RFC Staff Car

This car took part in the Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run, starting from the Exchange Station car park in Manchester, in June 1990.

It's obviously a Crossley, but the programme of the event shows car number 19 as a 1912 Michigan Tourer entered by C R Unsworth of Ashton-in-Makerfield. This was either a misprint, or Mr Unsworth owned more than one eligible car as the programme for the 1987 event has this entry for car number 26:

26     1914 Crossley Staff Car,
         Reg: AE 28,  4 cylinder 20/25 hp
         (C R Unsworth, Ashton in Makerfield)
Only two of these unusual Crossleys are known
to be in existence - each is fitted with double
back wheels, and both are on this Run for the
first time.