Chapman Brothers MRL 765 - St Columb Major October 1984
During a shed talk session, my friend and fellow Flickrite “Faded Image” posed the following question; of all the vehicles that you have either driven or ridden in, which gave you the most pleasure? After some deliberation I came up with MRL 765, a Tiverton bodied Austin K8 type, which fits into the “ridden in” category.
Having been delivered new in May 1950 to W A Hawkey & Sons Limited of Wadebridge it passed to Maurice & Bernard Chapman of Rosenannon near St Wenn during July 1966 when a mere sixteen years old. I came across MRL whilst on my first solo visit to Cornwall in September 1971 and at that time it was being used on a school run to and from St Wenn County Primary, but later it additionally worked the Wednesday only service from Rosenannon and St Wenn to St Columb Major first licensed in October 1974. I had the great fortune to not only travel on the service more than once, but also the school run. When I went down to Cornwall in April 1986 to ride the service on the last day of operation, MRL was in her twentieth year with the Chapman Brothers and approaching her thirty sixth birthday. I was approaching my thirty fifth birthday and there was something quite special about riding in service on a vehicle that was even older than I was. This small coach very much imitated larger coaches of the period as certain aspects of the exterior and interior bodywork were scaled down versions of the latter. I can recall the sound and smell of MRL and remember with some affection the way Bernie coaxed her along whenever there was an incline by slowly rocking back and forth in his seat. It is good to know that this vehicle is still around today and that next year 2015, MRL will reach the ripe old age of sixty five.
With the late Bernard “Bernie” Chapman standing proudly alongside, in the above view, scanned from a slide, we see MRL 765 on North Street, St Columb Major after working in with the Wednesday only service from Rosenannon, St Wenn, Tregonetha and Talskiddy.
Chapman Brothers MRL 765 - St Columb Major October 1984
During a shed talk session, my friend and fellow Flickrite “Faded Image” posed the following question; of all the vehicles that you have either driven or ridden in, which gave you the most pleasure? After some deliberation I came up with MRL 765, a Tiverton bodied Austin K8 type, which fits into the “ridden in” category.
Having been delivered new in May 1950 to W A Hawkey & Sons Limited of Wadebridge it passed to Maurice & Bernard Chapman of Rosenannon near St Wenn during July 1966 when a mere sixteen years old. I came across MRL whilst on my first solo visit to Cornwall in September 1971 and at that time it was being used on a school run to and from St Wenn County Primary, but later it additionally worked the Wednesday only service from Rosenannon and St Wenn to St Columb Major first licensed in October 1974. I had the great fortune to not only travel on the service more than once, but also the school run. When I went down to Cornwall in April 1986 to ride the service on the last day of operation, MRL was in her twentieth year with the Chapman Brothers and approaching her thirty sixth birthday. I was approaching my thirty fifth birthday and there was something quite special about riding in service on a vehicle that was even older than I was. This small coach very much imitated larger coaches of the period as certain aspects of the exterior and interior bodywork were scaled down versions of the latter. I can recall the sound and smell of MRL and remember with some affection the way Bernie coaxed her along whenever there was an incline by slowly rocking back and forth in his seat. It is good to know that this vehicle is still around today and that next year 2015, MRL will reach the ripe old age of sixty five.
With the late Bernard “Bernie” Chapman standing proudly alongside, in the above view, scanned from a slide, we see MRL 765 on North Street, St Columb Major after working in with the Wednesday only service from Rosenannon, St Wenn, Tregonetha and Talskiddy.