Hudson Big 6

This car was on the Railton Owners Club's stand at the Northern Classic Car Show at the G-Mex Arena, Manchester in August 1992.

It's a 1935 Hudson Big 6 Sedan with a 6-cylinder inline engine of 3,474cc. The Big 6 was only produced in 1935, and as well as the four-door sedan was also available as a 2-door coupe and 2-door cabriolet.

Chevron

The Chevron Car Company was founded in 1965 by Mancunian Derek Bennett, starting off in Salford and later moving to Bolton. It's no surprise then that meetings at nearby Oulton Park (about 40 miles away) attract a large number of Chevron cars at appropriate meetings. Here are some of the cars of this marque that took part in the European Sports Prototype Trophy races at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004. The photographs were taken at the Foulstons chicane.

Martin O'Connell in a 1,998cc 1967 Chevron B8

Jon Minshaw in a 1,950cc 1970 Chevron B16

Michael Schryver in a 1,600cc 1967 Chevron B6 leading David Yates in a 1,850cc Chevron B16

Sean Walker in a 1,850cc 1970 Chevron B16 leading Andrew Schryver in a 1,998cc 1969 Chevron B8

Itala

I photographed this car at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's a 1908 Itala GP, but I don't have any more information about this particular car. I remember reading about Cecil Clutton taking part in VSCC events with one of these cars when I was a lot younger, but my motor racing visits at that time were restricted to Oulton Park and Aintree and I never saw the car at either of those circuits. The 1908 GP car apparently has a 12 litre 4 cylinder engine.

Maserati 250F

The SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2005 produced probably the largest gathering of Maserati 250Fs that has ever been seen in this country - I understand that there were 24 in all. This is one of those cars, photographed at McLean's Corner during a track demonstration by a number of Italian cars.

It's Nigel Corner in the car that was campaigned mainly by Jean Behra in the 1957 season, but also driven that year by Juan Fangio and Harry Schell, and is chassis #2528. This car has been owned and raced by the Corner family, Nigel and his father Neil, since 1972, and it was they who commissioned the motoring journalist Ian Wagstaff to write a comprehensive history of the car.

Here's the car alongside several other Maserati 250Fs in a marquee in the paddock.

On 8 July 2016 I showed a photograph of 2528 alongside the Corner family's 1960 Ferrari Dino 246 F1 car at Silverstone in 1994.

Albion FT21N

This lorry took part in the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally at Heaton Park in September 1996.

It's a 1950 Albion FT21N, and the programme of the event said this about it:

Albion FT21N, 1950                                                                           HSR 112

Entered by J Butterworth, Littleborough

Originally operated by Angus & Kincardine County Council as a Library van for delivery of new books to schools, etc. Afterwards used as a Horse Box in Wetherby, then fitted with the drop-side body now carried. Bought in a run down state by the present owner, it was re-painted in Ripponden & District livery in 1992. The owner being a Ripponden & District driver.

There's a link here to an interesting little booklet about HSR 112 and its then owner Jack Butterworth produced by the Queensbury Old Farts Motor Club. It's well worth a read.

The lorry behind it in the photograph is another in the Ripponden & District livery, a 1964 Commer TS3 Parcel Van, and this vehicle was entered for the event by the Ripponden & District company. Its registration number is DWU 650B.

Ford Lotus Cortina

These two cars competed in the HSCC/HRSR Julius Thurgood Historic Racing Saloons race at the Historic Sports Car Club's Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2003.

On the left is the 1965 Ford Lotus Cortina of Kerry Michael, and on the right the 1964 model of Chris Sanders, though the car's more commonly known as just a Lotus Cortina. Both cars have the 1,596cc version of the Ford Kent engine that was redesigned for Colin Chapman as a twin-cam unit by Harry Mundy. Chris Sanders' car was offered for auction in 2017 by Silverstone Auctions and always raced with the 'LUV 12' number plates, although it was never registered as such (it's really 256 TYC). Presumably the owner thought 'love one too' sounded more appealing.

Friday's Ferrari

One of the cars I photographed at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's a 2011 Ferrari California, with a 4,297cc V8 engine - the first front-engined Ferrari to have a V8 engine.