The two images seen here were taken at the 2018 PWMN Rally on Thorpe Abbotts airfield from differing perspectives at precisely the same moment by separate photographers. Probably not a rare occurrence at a large event, but an eerily unusual one with just twenty people present! Please note that bookings will shortly be taken for the Network’s 2019 rally based upon the beautiful Wiltshire town of Marlborough.
A car park scene from a recent Home Counties gathering at The Sportsman in Mogador, Surrey taken by Malcolm Bailey. Malcolm reports that as is the custom at all Home Counties ‘meets’ conviviality reigned! Those to be seen in this image are Tim, Michael, Alister Reid, Keith Durston and John Emmett. Apologies to Tim and Michael for the lack of surnames.
The car sitting alongside Ken Martin’s Essex registered Coachbuilt Saloon VX 4590 is a Chester registered 1932 MG F2 Magna FM 7263. The Magna has been off the road for at least 50 years and has been subject to a painstaking restoration at the hands of Mike Bradbury who is co-owner of the car along with his twin brother Tony. Ken was visiting his friend Mike to celebrate the car’s public debut but a gremlin in the cylinderhead put paid to that, the celebratory champagne being put back on ice. (The F2 Magna uses a thinly disguised version of Wolseley’s six-cylinder 1271cc Hornet engine which was in turn derived from the four-cylinder Minor power unit.)
Former Network member John Pallister completed a thorough rebuild of 1933 Minor Saloon 806 YUJ (ex JF 4238) in the early part of this decade, an article recording his efforts appearing in a spring 2011 edition of the Automobile magazine. John used the car extensively before selling it on to a buyer in the home counties. The new owner made little use of the car before it was sold once again some four or five years ago. Since then it has disappeared without trace, unfortunately a very familiar story. If you know the current whereabouts of this car please contact the Network. The image shows John Pallister standing alongside his Minor at Killhope Wheel, Cowshill, County Durham – the site of a former lead mine and now a museum.
In what is an experiment and an attempt to give the Photograph of the Year competition a little more focus, it is to be themed for 2018. The theme is to be ‘Regional Identity’ which it’s hoped will ensure a variety of backdrops to the images that will eventually make-up the pages of the 2018 PWMN calendar. It will not matter a jot if the shots are clichéd in that the subject matter of car and landscape have been seen previously. The hope being that it may encourage those who have avoided taking part in the competition previously by removing one element of the decision-making process and providing a fixed focus as to location and content. If the past is anything to go by, then we can expect to see some innovative and interesting images as a result. As was the case last year, entrants will be able to submit up to three shots.(Image: Joe Raynor)
(With perhaps two months of the 2018 driving season remaining there is still plenty of time to plan and take your competition entries before the competition proper opens on 1st December)
Ken Martin’s 1930 Minor Coachbuilt Saloon VX 4590 was on wedding duty once again last week, on this occasion in Worcester on 15th August. His Minor has conveyed six other brides to the altar prior to this (including his daughter) and he informs the Network that his shop-soiled confetti business is now in profit. Ken’s Saloon also made an appearence in the recent past at Tony Hale’s funeral, an old Morris Register friend.