after the talk at the mhvc meeting on...this highlights the amazing similarities between historic...

MHVC. The Mag. April 2016 1

After the talk at the MHVC meeting onMarch 7, 2016, Ian mentioned that whenhe was young he’d visited the DutchNational Motor museum in Leidschendam,a town near The Hague. The car in hismemory was called the Hanomag‘Kommissbrot’. Well the title did say thatmemory is a funny thing! Anyway,according to Wikipaedia, (so, as ever, it

be right, Ed.) various models werebuilt. One (from 1924 to 1928), had a singlecylinder, 502 cc engine. This version wascalled the 2/10 PS (which indicates 2

taxable & 10 brake horsepower). The enginedrove the rear axle with chain drive without adifferential. The car wings were integrated intothe bodywork and this design (... unusual at thattime) enabled a wider passenger space. The rearengine / rear drive allowed the floor of the car tobe low and getting into the car from the groundoutside the car without the use of runningboards. The styling of this version earned it thenickname ‘Kommissbrot’ after a flat-sided typeof bread used by the military at the time.

The car picture shows a 1927 cabriolet ahead of an event in 2010 called ‘2000km throughGermany’. This highlights the amazing similarities between Historic Vehicle people, regardlessof nationality!Picture attributions: The engine picture is from Thomas Hermes - Own work, CC BY 2.5,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1317379).The picture of the cream cabriolet is ‘Team Hannover‘, Steffen Pisoni & Reinhard Koch, Mannheim, Germany. ●

April 2016


Hello everyone. The March 2016 club night was attended by 35 members (see pictureson back page) to hear Pat Jeater’s explanation of why he chose to swap a perfectly goodexample of a well restored (by Pat) Rolls-Royce for a ‘box of bits’ from which to startover. As was the norm in 1937, Rolls-Royce produced the engine and chassis which wassent to a coach-builder to add the body. Pat’s car was built by Franay, a Frenchcoach-builder of repute, and then displayed at the 1937 Paris Motor Show before aDaniel Dreyfus from a Swiss banking family became the first owner. The next ownerwas a seemingly dodgy character by the name of William Zimdin. He appeared to amassa good deal of wealth by moving the jewels of Russian aristocrats mostly to France.Fortunately for Zimdin, the aristocrats were invariably shot before they were re-connected with their valuables. The next owner was a General Koenig famous for leadingthe First French Brigade at WWII Battle of Bir Hakeim. He was also up to no good withhis driver and mistress one Susan Travers who was to become the only woman toofficially join the French Foreign Legion – maybe she drove the car?

So the car has provenance, but what of the re-build? – Well it was bought as a ‘lightrenovation project’ so there wasn’t really much for Pat to do, except replace thewoodwork (chewed by woodworm); replace the wiring loom (burnt out); find & returnto working order the sliding sunroof (covered over); replace the seat covers, carpets,head-lining, etc; return to working order the lubrication system – Oh! and paint thewhole car inside and out whilst attending to the engine, gearbox, bakes, rear axle….. Soexpect to see it at Tatton in June? (OK. Have you any particular year in mind? Ed.)

Another fascinating and entertaining talk at the end of which Pat was presented with acommemorative mug containing a print of his light renovation project ‘as bought’alongside a very proud new custodian. (See back page) Thank you Pat – and good luckwith the rest of the project.

We had an extra prize for the raffle – a box of chocolates donated by my wife Katie. PatJeater’s name was drawn first and he chose the chocolates, leaving the bottles of winefor Geoffs Basketter and Whiston. My thanks to Diane & David French for selling ticketsand to Marylin Lowe for organising the wine despite being unable to attend. Get wellsoon Marylin.

Last month I asked for suggestions for a guest speaker for our September Club meeting.Several people suggested Glen Reid of HMG paints. Glen was originally scheduled totalk at our February meeting last year but was badly burnt in an accident and unable toattend. I spoke to Glen and he explained that he is currently recuperating at homefollowing surgery on one hand and is awaiting a hospital appointment to have furthersurgery carried out on the other hand. Subject to it not interfering with his hospitalappointments he would be happy talk to us maybe in September.

I didn’t receive any contact from anyone expressing interest in providing their cars foruse in films or television so we won’t pass on future requests from film companies. →


Our next Club Meeting is on Monday 4�� April. This will be an Inside Treasure Hunt organisedby Paul Cartwright. This is basically an exercise in map-reading. Working in teams, followingsome simple instructions and you arrive at a specific destination on the map. Name thedestination and score points for your team – what could possibly go wrong? This wasgood fun last year and promises to be even better this year – for those of you who haven’tyet visited our new venue (if not, why not?), we have lighting - and enough room to swinga cat (although cat swinging is not encouraged by the MHVC). Prizes will be awarded, soplease do come along.

Finally from me, Spring is upon us and our Spring Run this year, set as ever to coincide withNational ‘Drive-it Day’, is on Sunday 24�� April. We start at the Chapeau Café, Marton andend at Biddulph Grange Gardens via a coffee stop at the Rose & Crown in Allgreave. Fulldetails are on the entry form issued in the February Edition of The Mag.

If anyone would like a copy of the entry form, let me know and I will either e-mail or postone. Please send your entry forms to Roger DaForno as soon as possible so we can advisethe Rose & Crown of likely numbers. ●

Some years ago, the MHVC would publish the names of companies that gave good service,in fact a directory giving details. I have recently had some excellent service on beadblasting and powder coating. Competitive prices and good quick service. The firm is:

Carl Curran is most helpful.

:Telephone number: 0161 637 0821.E.mail: [email protected]: www.stockportpowdercoating.com

Letter to The Editor:

John O'Connor, in his interesting analysis of the membership, reports that a significantnumber of members of the MHVC do not own ‘eligible’ vehicles.

Might I suggest that, should such persons desire to attend driving days, they be paired withmembers having spare seating in their vehicles on the day? The logistics might seemfraught, but a simple addition to entry forms asking if one or more spare seats wereavailable (or were sought) should allow members willing to convey one or more guests orasking for placement to make themselves known.

The local organiser could then pair applicants to vehicles by e-mailing both parties.

Alan Ridgway


In 1934, the Minister for Transport, Leslie Hore-Belisha, introduced the Road Traffic Act.

A major clause in this act that was enforced from April 1935 onwards was the introductionof a 30 mph speed limit in built-up areas across the UK. Soon, 30 mph signs were “sprout-ing up” all over the land. (The 30 signs were accompanied with the de-restriction sign)At the time, this was seen by some as ‘an innovation too far’, indulging ‘pampered

pedestrians’ & just ‘unnecessary’. Other innovations introduced at this time included thedriving test, the re-written Highway Code and, of course, Belisha beacons!

The MP for Wallasey, John Moore-Brabazon, caused a furore during the parliamentarydiscussions when, after reading that in 1934 there were 7,343 pedestrian deaths said:‘Why such concern over 7,000 road deaths a year? More than 6,000 people commit suicideevery year and nobody makes a fuss about that!’ Nevertheless, the 1934 Road Traffic Actcame into force and the 30 mph limit passed into law. To enforce this, legislation noticesappeared with the wording ‘Pleas of ignorance on the part of drivers cannot be reasonablyentertained’ with warnings that ‘Unmarked police vehicles would pursue any car over-taking them at speed’.

Generally the warning was effective. But one news report in March 1935 reported: ‘A boyangler, fishing in a muddy pond at Swanwick, Hampshire, brought out eight 30 mph signswhich had been removed from their supports in various parts of the county.’ But the signendured and it's still the UK’s most common speed-limit sign.

(Note: Speedometers were not made compulsory for new cars sold in UK until 1937! So,Government wasn’t joined up, even then! Ed) ●


It is sad to report the death of MHVC Honorary Life Member Bert Johnson.

Bert had joined the Club in about 1968. He was known for his ownership of both cars motor bikes. Among the former, Bert drove a 1922 Morris Cowley tourer; 1926

Humber tourer and a 1930 model-A Ford. Among the latter, a 1926 350cc BSA; 1921Exelsior 250cc and a 1954 500cc Norton. Bert was also a staunch supporter of the AstlePark rallies.

Latterly, Bert had been in a care home in Macclesfield.

The details of Bert’s funeral are not known at the time of printing this issue.

Folks: We continue to make good progress with this topic – so many thanks toeveryone who has paid! At this point we now have 99 Full members, 3 Honorary, and28 Family members signed up & paid (i.e. 93% of members from last year).

In addition to Derek and Barbara Ogden declining to renew, Brian Conway, Linda Kenyonand Peter Robinson have chosen to leave us this time.

However, since last month Craig Horner has renewed his membership, having skippedthe last year, and we also have two new members Simon Wolstencroft and LouiseWilson.

Please can those members who have not yet renewed, do so as soon as possible. is via cheques payable to “MHVC Ltd”, to:

John O’Connor, 30 Netherwood Road, Northenden, Manchester, M22 4BN.

If you wish to set up a , the details are:

Lloyds TSB, 77-19-32, 17913760, Manchester Historic Vehicle Club Ltd.

If you do pay by this method, please email or phone me to let me know you have donethis.

Please remember that members wishing to participate in Club events haverenewed their membership before joining in the activity.

Many thanks to you all for helping to make this process a success. ●


While digging for some more information about my current restoration project (a 1937 R-R25/30) I came across 2 pieces of information that I thought may be of interest to MHVCmembers. Both are both about the history of motoring in Russia from ~ 1910 to 1920.

1. This comes from a book titled ‘Former People’ by Douglas Smith (ISBN978-0-330-529-4).The book is about what became of Russian aristocracy during & after the revolution in thatcountry in 1917. In Chapter 8 titled ‘Expropriating the Expropriators’ Douglas Smith writes:

‘In urging people to Expropriate the Expropriators’ and making it Statepolicy, Lenin and the Bolsheviks unleashed a hold-up of enormousproportions. Naked thievery engulfed the entire country and spreadbeyond anyone’s control. If the Bolsheviks could simply take whateverthey wanted, what was to stop everyone else? Petrograd was plaguedby a rash of car-jacking. Even Lenin himself was a victim. Lenin hadtaken 3 luxury automobiles from the Alexander Palace’s imperialgarage – two Rolls-Royces and Nicholas II’s Delaunay Bellville - for hispersonal use. He preferred to be chauffeured around in the Delaunayuntil his car was stopped by an armed gang in March 1918. He wasordered out of the car and left standing on the street as the banditsgot in and drove away. (After that Lenin favoured Grand DukeMikhail’s 1915 Rolls-Royce)’

The upper picture on p.7 shows a Delaunay Belleville from this era.

2 It is also interesting to report that in 1910, Tsar Nicholas II owned a string of cars for hisown use and the use of his ‘Imperial Garage’. Among these cars were (allegedly): 5 x Delaunay Bellvilles; 4 X Mercedes; 2 X Russo-Balts, and one each of Lessner, Panhard& Levassor; Serex; and English Daimler! (Actually, I’ve never heard of Serex.... Maybesomeone can help here. Hint. Hint. Ed.) Oh! But wait. That’s not all, for there were cargovehicles too and yet more for the Palace ‘wardens’ to drive. Not content with that little lot,another 13 cars were added to the fleet over the next 2 years. The lower picture on p.7shows a small part of the collection in 1916 with this fleet of Renault 40/45 cars.

Of course, there had to be people to drive these vehicles too, apparently, one person pervehicle. Add to this the maintenance staff (garage mechanics, car cleaners and washers, ofcourse) and provide them all with uniforms and probably somewhere to live, you’ll be gettingthe idea that the budget was ‘interesting’ too. In one year alone, 1911, this amounted tosome 97,000 roubles which converts to ~ £25 million in today’s terms. All for one year’sworth of motoring! It makes Chris Evans’ current hoard of 19 cars looks rather tame.

For more information about the contents of Tsar Nicholas II garage and the money/uniformsfor the staff, see http://www.alexanderpalace.org /palace/ impgarage.html.


This picture shows 5 cars, the Renault part of Tsar Nicholas II’s fleet in 1916 linedup in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. (This picture is fromwww.russiasupplychain.com/history-of-renault-in-russia). Renault re-started manufacturein Russia in 1998 and currently produces the Logan, Fluence, Sandero & other models. ●

A DelaunayBelleville of thetype allegedlytaken by Bolsheviksfrom Tsar NicholasII during the 1917Russian revolution.The ImperialGarage had 5 suchvehicles fromwhich to choose.Other pictures ofthis type of carshow a Swastikamounted on thetop of the radiator!(Picture from www.Wheelsage.org)


WE WILL FIT CAR CLUB MEMBERS OWN Specialist TYRES FOR AMODEST CHARGE ON SIGHT OF THEIR VALID MEMBERSHIP CARD.


'Black, Natural, Navy, Red, Oxford Grey, Forest, Burgundy.XS-34, S - 38, M - 41, L - 44, XL - 47, XXL - 52

Black, Navy, Wine, Grey, Green.XS - 34 / 36, S 36 / 38, M 38 / 40, L 40 / 42, XL 42 / 44, XXL 44 / 46

White, Black, Royal, Bottle, Navy, Camel.XS 34, S 36, M 38 / 40, L 43, XL 44 / 46, XXL 48

Black, White, Navy, Raspberry, Turquoise.S 36 / 38, M - 40, L - 42, XL - 44, XXL - 46 / 48

French Navy with Taupe Peak; one size fits all.

John French 0161 485 5923, or email [email protected]

0161 485 4378e-mail: [email protected]

01 925 754770 5 Hartley Close, Lymm, WA13 0JJ

e-mail: [email protected] 0161 998 5872

01 625 428414 14, Meg Lane, Macclesfield, SK10 3LB

email: [email protected]

Don Fry 0161 748 4700Stuart Lomas 01 625 874441Andrew Thompson 0161 439 1352John French 0161 485 5923Paul Cartwright 0161 486 6843 (07928 457094)Roger da Forno 0161 980 6837 (07802 461080)David French 0161 437 4876Dave Lowe 01 925 754770

Club website: www.mhvc.org.uk

mailto:[email protected]


: A selection of the attendees atTimperley Sports & Social Club, March 2016ahead of the presentation by Pat Jeater.

The ‘Light renovation project’allegedly showing some signs of progress inFebruary 2016. The car is being re-painted inthe original back & grey-green colours toreplace the 1960’s ‘chocolate & cream’incarnation.

: Which one’s the real Mug?

after the talk at the mhvc meeting on...this highlights the amazing similarities between historic...

Documents