Estimated : € 30.000 - 40.000

Sold for € 48.160

The Renault Icons

Auction - Artcurial

Renault Manufacture

Flins-sur-Seine

Aubergenville - France

December 2025

- Genuine Laguna BTCC

- Car probably driven by Alain Menu, 1994 BTCC runner-up

- Kept as if it had just finished its last race

Seeing racing as an excellent promotional tool, Michel Gigou, head of Renault’s UK subsidiary, decided to enter the Laguna in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), as soon as the model came out in 1994. Straightaway, it proved faster than the Renault 19 that preceded it and scored several victories in the hands of Tim Harvey and, especially, Alain Menu, who finished second in the championship. The following year, Renault joined forces with Williams and won the Manufacturers’ title, ahead of Vauxhall, Volvo and Ford. A success reaffirmed in 1997, with both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles (the latter for Alain Menu), thus confirming the qualities of the Laguna BTCC.

The car in the auction today is a genuine Laguna from the 1994 season. It is probably the car used by Alain Menu, whose name appears on the rear windows and which had the racing number 10 that season. Furthermore, that year Menu won two races, tallying with the two small laurel wreath stickers on the right front door. Still fitted with its period running gear, the car is well preserved and appears quite complete, with the exception of the engine and gearbox assembly. It has the Matter bodyshell number 430.

This historic racing car is sure to appeal to those who enthusiastically followed the BTCC races, whose fame extended well beyond the UK borders. Its racing successes also made a major contribution to the sales across the Channel of this comfortable saloon, which could turn into a star on track.

25229 stabled at the refuelling and light maintenance diesel depot attached to the yard at Millerhill, 28th March 1976.

Locomotive History

25229 was originally D7579 and was built at Darlington works in 1963. After the completion of the ten class 25 locomotives transferred from Derby works (D5223 - D5232) Darlington Works set about its final order for twenty class 25's locomotives. These twenty locomotives (D7578 - D7597) featured internal changes from the previous order and would be later designated class 25/2, they were all fitted with a Stone Vapour L4610 steam heating boiler. Interestingly Darlington works continued to use the obsolete bodyshell design for these locomotives instead of the “cleaned up” version used by Derby works for the class 25/2 and 25/3 sub-classes. D7579 was delivered from Darlington Works during December 1963, allocated to Nottingham MPD, and used to continue to remove steam from the Midland line duties. Being boiler fitted it was of interest to the Scottish Region operating department and at the end of 1967 it transferred to Eastfield and would remain in Scotland for the next fifteen years until September 1982 when it was transferred to Longsight and its boiler finally isolated. Its final transfer was to Crewe from where it was withdrawn in May 1985. 25229 would spend eight months dumped at Crewe before moving on the 24th January 1986 with 25054 and 25256 as 9Z38 Crewe Gresty Lane - Doncaster works, where it would be broken up during September 1986.

Sliding into Birmingham New Street with a terminating service from London Euston is Virgin Trains Class 390, 390134 'City of Carlisle'.

Since their introduction in 2002, the Class 390 tilting Pendolino sets have revolutionised services on the West Coast Mainline, bringing about an entirely new level of speed onto a route notorious for its laboriously winding route. But with such a technological leap, the Class 390 has sadly paid the price for its image due to what it was replacing.

The idea of a tilting train on the West Coast Mainline was however not a new one to Alstom when they developed the Pendolino sets in the late 1990's, with the concept being toyed way back in the early 1970's. British Rail first pioneered the concept of the tilting train with the ill-fated Advanced Passenger Train or APT of the mid-1970's. The idea was to create a train that could shift its centre of gravity whilst moving around sharp bends at high speeds, similar to how a motorcyclist leans into corners. This was to not only allow the train to travel at higher speeds on winding track without fear of it falling over, but also to improve passenger comfort levels and stop people being pressed against the windows when taking corners!

The original APT was a Gas-Turbine unit that operated on the Midland Region out of London St Pancras, and was later followed by the Class 370 electric multiple unit that began trials on the West Coast Mainline from 1980. A truly brilliant concept, the APT showed the world that the idea of a tilting train could be possible, that is, when it worked. The Class 370 was marred by teething problems and reliability issues, mostly consisting of the fact that the tilting mechanism wouldn't work properly or there would be just general train faults. Coupled with the winter of 1981, the worst winter for many years, and the train's image was damaged beyond repair. Even while developments were looking promising, and with only a few million Pounds required to complete the project, the British Government pulled the plug and the APT was axed in 1986, with only one complete set remaining as a rather sorry museum piece. The train of the future had become a thing of the past.

But the developments of the APT were picked up by none-other than Fiat Ferroviaria', who, following the failure of their British rival, developed their own and much more successful tilting train, the ETR-401 Pendolino, which began operations in 1988. This was later translated into a fleet of 15 ETR 450 production units where became the first revenue earning tilting trains.

In 2000, Fiat Ferroviaria was acquired by Alstom, who has been building their legendary tilting trains ever since. This coincided with the formation of Virgin Trains following privatisation of British Rail in 1994. As part of Virgin Trains' franchise requirements in 1997, the company intended the replacement of the ageing BR stock of the 1960's with a new fleet of high speed trains that would reduce journey times and up travel quality. As such, Virgin turned to Fiat Ferroviaria and later successor Alstom to provide them with a derivative version of the company's latest tilting Pendolino, the ETR 460.

Fiat Ferroviaria supplied much of the content of the Class 390 units, including the bodyshell and the bogies, while final assembly was carried out at Washwood Heath. The tilting technology was developed by SIG Switzerland (later Fiat-SIG, today Alstom). Two electromechanical actuators are used per car to achieve the desired tilting angle on curved stretches of track. The train can tilt to a maximum of eight degrees, at which point one side of the cabin train is 380 mm higher above the track than the other. In contrast to other Fiat Ferroviaria tilting trains which use hydraulic tilting actuators, the electromechanical systems offers lower maintenance cost and higher efficiency.

The new trains were intended to run at 140mph, but the West Coast Main Line modernisation programme, which was an upgrade to the infrastructure to allow faster line speeds, ran over budget. Consequently, plans were scaled back, and in a manner reminiscent of the introduction of the InterCity 225, the lack of signalling upgrades resulted in the maximum line speed being restricted to 125mph. Although this (and 140mph) are well below BR's hopes for APT of 155mph, it does match the maximum speed of 125mph for the APT in passenger service (although one APT set reached 162mph in testing).

The fleet was introduced into passenger services from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on 23rd July, 2002, to coincide with the opening of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Over the next few months they took over the Manchester services, and were soon introduced on routes from London to Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Preston.

With the start of Class 390 operations, the writing was very much on the wall for the ageing sets of trains it was replacing, and thus the Class 390's image began to be somewhat tarnished amongst the railway purists. First to go were the Class 86's of the 1960's, proud high-speed locomotives that were once the mainstay of the WCML, withdrawn from service in 2003 following both the introduction of the Class 390's, and the Class 220/221 Voyager units on Cross-Country services. Next were the newer Class 90's of 1989, replaced in 2004 once Class 390's had been allocated to routes north of Preston. The final locomotive hauled trains were provided by the Class 87's of the 1970's, which held strong until final replacement in 2005, bringing an end to locomotive hauled services on the West Coast Mainline. From then on, the Class 86's have mostly been scrapped, whilst Class 90's were transferred to Anglia to replace their Class 86 fleet. Class 87's on the other hand have since been exported largely to Bulgaria, the few remaining here in the UK either being scrapped, placed in storage, or made into museum pieces. This left a great deal of animosity towards the Class 390's by the railway enthusiast community, who, even after 10 years, still have a strong hatred towards these trains.

The service improvements however are something that can't be taken away from the Class 390's as these trains have taken the original and comparatively sluggish 110mph top speed and translated it into the extremely fast 125mph running speed that BR had dreamt of for years. In September 2006, the Pendolino set a new speed record, completing the 401miles length of the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow Central to London Euston in 3 hours, 55 minutes, beating the 4-hour-14-minute record for the southbound run previously set in 1981 by the Class 370 APT. The APT however retains the ultimate speed record for this route, having completed the northbound journey between London Euston and Glasgow Central in 3 hours 52 minutes in 1984 which included a 5-minute delay due to a signal fault.

Since then the Pendolino has become very much a staple of high speed train travel in the UK, and still looks good even 15 years after the first ones hit the test tracks back in 2001.

The Class 390 was put to the test however with 390033 'City of Glasgow', which was written off after the Grayrigg derailment of February 23rd, 2007. The accident had been caused by a points malfunction, which, after a failure to inspect by Network Rail, changed the direction of travel from normal and thus resulted in the entire set derailing and plummeting down an embankment at 95mph. The sturdy design and robust nature of the Class 390 has been attributed to the fact that only one person, an elderly lady, was killed in the disaster, whereas if the previous MkII carriages had been involved, the death-toll could have been much higher. As said, the unit was written off, and the less damaged rear carriages of the set now reside at the Crewe Training Centre and are used for the instruction of drivers and train crew. The subsequent destruction of one of the units led to Virgin Trains reinstating a loco-hauled service to cover its diagrams, this being in the form of a hired Class 90 (usually from Freightliner), a set of 9 MkIII coaches, and a Driving Van Trailer. This train operated covering diagrams until November 2014, when it was retired and transferred to Greater Anglia.

Since 2007 the Class 390's have had their fleet enhanced from the original 53 sets to 57 with the addition of 4 new units between 2011 and 2012. The introduction of these new sets coincided with the extension of 31 sets to 11-cars, with new carriages built and imported from Alstom's factory in Italy, the first routine 11-car InterCity train to operate in the UK since the 1970's.

Today the Class 390's continue to ply their merry trade, and remain vital parts of the UK's high speed network, bringing Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London closer together than they've ever been before.

Direct Rail Services class 57/3 no. 57301 'Goliath' passes Hinckley on 08th March 2015 with class 37s no. 37059 and 37405 in tow working 0Z42 Norwich Crown Point-> Crewe Gresty Bridge light locomotive move.

I chose to head to Hinckley for a photograph as I fancied a change from the usual shots at Nuneaton.

The first Class 57s were built in 1997 for Freightliner, a Class 47 bodyshell was taken, stripped, rewired and then fitted with an EMD engine. In 2002, 12 further Class 47s were converted to 57s for Virgin Trains, these were numbered 57/3 and fitted with ETH. In 2003, four additional locos were ordered for dragging Pendolinos, these were fitted with Dellner couplings from new and the remainder of the fleet was retrofitted with Dellners in the same year. DRS now operate the majority of the class 57/0 and 57/3. First Great Western operate the Class 57/6 fleet and West Coast Railways operate a fleet of 57/0, 57/3 and 57/6.

Event: NEC Classic Motor Show

Location: National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK

Camera: Canon EOS 5

Lens(s): Canon EF 50mm f/1.4

Film: Ilford HP5+

Shot ISO: 400

Exposure: f/2.8 or f/2 - 1/60 mostly

Light Meter: Camera

Lighting: Overhead LED

Mounting: Hand-held

Firing: Shutter button

Developer: Ilford DD-X(1+4) for 10 mins

Scanner: Epson V800

Post: Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop (dust removal)

156414 approaches Attenborough station heading for Leicester, 19th March 2008.

Unit History

Built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in 1988 the class 156 is based on the Mark III bodyshell, and is powered by 6-cylinder Cummins NT855-R5 diesel engine through Voith automatic transmissions. 156414 is one of eleven class 156 units currently operated by East Midlands Trains although it still retains its Central Trains livery.

Ford Escort (5th Gen) RS2000 (1990-97) Engine 1998cc S4 DOHC EFi

Registration Number J 751 PAD (Glocestershire))

FORD EUROPE

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The Escort MarkV (and Mark III Orion saloon) arrived in September 1990 with an all-new bodyshell and a simplified torsion beam rear suspension (instead of the Mark III's fully independent layout). This model however was poorly received by the motoring press, and was panned by journalists for its mediocre driving dynamics and unremarkable styling. n early 1992, an all new Zetec 16-valve engine was launched bringing improved driveability, while also marking the return of the XR3i which was available with two versions of the 1.8 L Zetec

Stung by the criticism of the original Mark V, which had remained popular with the motoring public Ford facelifted the Escort and Orion in September 1992, giving the revised cars a new grille, bonnet and, in the Escort convertible and hatchback's case, a new rear end. A new 1.6 L 16-valve 90 bhp (66 kW) Zetec engine was introduced, replacing the previous CVH. Fuel injection was now standard on all petrol models, and Ford introduced a four-wheel-drive variant of the RS2000,

Thankyou for a massive 54,754,413 views

Shot 03.07.2016 at Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 121-148

Rolls Royce Silver Seraph (1998-02) Engine 5379cc M73TUB54 V12

Production 1570

Registration Numner 191 KM

ROLLS ROYCE SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690651737...

Designed by Steve Harper under Graham Hull Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph was unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Motorshow, replacing the Silver Spirit, in the Rolls Royce line up. The car had been developed alongside its Bentley stablemate, the Bentley Arnage which aside from badges and wheels, was externally identical, with both models sharing the same platform and bodyshell. It was powered by the BMW M73 engine, a 5.4L aluminium alloy V12 engine coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission, making it the first twelve-cylinder Rolls-Royce since the 1939 Phantom III. Mechanically the Bentley differed, powered by twin turbocharged V8 of its own design and firmer suspension. The Seraph was known for its relatively limited acceleration and comfortable handling but still had a top speed of 140mph. All Seraphs were hand-built at the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, England. The car had a base price of £155,175.

Silver Seraph production was discontinued in 2002 when the licence to use the Rolls-Royce marque was sold to BMW

Diolch am 73,659,256 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pawb yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr, Gan ddymuno Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb

Thanks for 73,659,256 amazing views, everyone is very much appreciated, Happy New Year everyone

Shot 06.05.2019 at Gawsworth Hall, Classic Car Show Ref 141-443

Lada 1200 (VAZ-2101) (1970-82) Engine 1198 S4

Registration Number VOY 414 L (London C.)

LADA SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623795811036...

The VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" , commonly nicknamed "Kopeyka" (for the smallest Soviet coin, 1/100 of the Ruble), widely exported to West under the Lada name. The car was a heavily modified and licence-built version of the Fiat 124 tailored for the Soviet Union and much of the Eastern Bloc. The lightweight Italian Fiat 124, had won the European Car of the Year award in 1967, sold under licence for Soviet production it was heavily modified to survive Russian driving conditions Among many changes, aluminium brake drums were added to the rear, and the original Fiat engine was dropped in favour of a newer design made by NAMI with a modern OHC, its suspension was raisedand the bodyshell made of thicker, heavier steel with reinforcement in key chassis areas

The VAZ-2101 (1970–1982) was the first of the Lada variants, powered by an 1198cc engine of 59bhp, a maximum speed of 140 km-h (87 mph) nd 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in about 20 seconds, the cars had soft suspension for local road conditions. The 2101 (and its first modifications) opened a new era in Russian motoring. Unfortunately, the Togliatti plant could not supply the consumer demand and people had to wait for years to get a chance to buy the car. Exports began 21 February 1971, to Yugoslavia, followed by Finland, Holland and Belgium. Cars were also exported to Cuba, where Raul Castro used one as his personal transport until 2006, Angola and Canada.

The 21012--right-hand drive saloon with the 1,198 cc (73.1 cu in) four, entered production 22 May 1973, for export to Japan, Australia, and Britain (which proved a very successful market). Production of the 1300cc version continued into 1988 when it was replaced by the updated Lada Riva

Diolch yn fawr am 71,291,168 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 71,291,168 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 21.04.2019 at the annual Weston Park, Easter car show Ref 138-388

This very special runabout with its wooden bodyshell covered in sheet steel and room for just the driver and one passeger in fronto of him was built between 1911 and 1914 by the small firm of Bourbeau and Devaux. It has a two-speed gearbox and bilateral chain drive, but no clutch nor reverse gear. To get out of mesh, you have to shift the rear axle forward with a lever so that the slackened chains could pass from one pulley to another and so change the gear ratio.

1.056 cc

V2

9 hp @ 2.400 rpm

Vmax : 60 km/h

210 kg

Museo dell'Automobile

Corso Unità d'Italia 40

Torino - Turin

Italia - Italy

January 2019

156413 ambles down the Up Slow at Kegworth with the 12:30, Lincoln – Leicester service, 11th September 2009.

Unit History

One hundred and fourteen class 156 units were built between 1987 and 1989 by Metro-Cammell at their Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham. I first saw this unit over twenty one years ago at Derby on the 16th May 1988. The class 156 is based on the Mark III bodyshell, and is powered by 6-cylinder Cummins NT855-R5 diesel engine through Voith automatic transmissions. 156413 is one of eleven class 156 units currently operated by East Midlands Trains on local duties and has received the Stagecoach corporate “suburban” livery branded for East Midlands Trains.

Mini 1000 Mk.III (1969-76) Engine 998cc S4 Tr OHV

Registration Number FOB 148 L (Birmingham)

MINI (BL) SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623797597842...

The Mark III Mini had a modified bodyshell with enough alterations to see the factory code change from ADO15 to ADO20 (which it shared with the Clubman). The most obvious changes were larger doors with concealed hinges. Customer demand led to the sliding windows being replaced with winding windows—although some Australian-manufactured Mark I Minis had adopted this feature in 1965 (with opening quarterlight windows). The suspension reverted from Hydrolastic to rubber cones

Production at the Cowley plant was ended in 1969, and the simple name Mini completely replaced the separate Austin and Morris brands. In April 1974, a heater became standard equipment on the entry-level Mini 850, as well, having by then already been included in the standard specification of the other models for some time

Diolch yn fawr am 67,790,751 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 67,790,751 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 02.09.2018 at Himley Hall, Wolverhampton Ref 136-185

Ford Escort Mk.II 1.3L (1975-80)l Engine 1298 S4 Crossflow

Production 631,828 (in the UK - over 2 million worldwide)

Registration Number VOL 127 S (Birmingham)

FORD of BRITAIN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The Escort Mk.II was launched in 1975, redesigned with a more square shaped body on the existing Escort underside and running gear. Built in Britain at Halewood and a number of other countries. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, The car used a revised underbody, which had been introduced as a running change during the last six months production of the Mark I. Rear suspension still sat on leaf springs

The "L" and "GL" models (2-door, 4-door, estate) were in the mainstream private sector, the "Sport", "RS Mexico", and "RS2000" in the performance market, the "Ghia" (2-door, 4-door) for a hitherto untapped small car luxury market, and "base / Popular" models for the bottom end.

A cosmetic update was given in 1978 with L models gaining the square headlights (previously exclusive to the GL and Ghia variants) and there was an upgrade in interior and exterior specification for some models. Underneath a wider front track was given.

In 1979 and 1980 three special edition Escorts were launched: the Linnet, Harrier and Goldcrest.

As with its predecessor, the Mark II had a successful rallying career. All models of the Mark I were carried over to the Mark II, though the Mexico gained the RS badge and had its engine changed to a 1.6 L (1,593 cc) OHC Pinto instead of the OHV. A "Sport" model was also produced using the 1.6 L Crossflow. A new model was released, the RS1800, which had a naturally aspirated 1,833 cc. The works rally cars were highly specialised machines. Bodyshells were heavily strengthened and characterised by the wide wheelarch extensions, and fitment of four large spotlights for night stages. The Mark II Escort continued its predecessor's run on the RAC Rally, winning every year from 1975 to 1979 and racing in a variety of other events around the world.

Diolch yn fawr am 67,361,022 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 67,361,022 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 02.09.2018 at Himley Hall, Wolverhampton Ref 136-073

Taking a day off at Butterley is preserved British Rail Class 141 Pacer unit, 141113.

The Class 141 has often gone down in British Railway history as one of the worst trains to ever be used on the UK network, a cheap alternative to replace ageing stock that turned out to be more trouble than it was worth.

The concept of Pacer units goes back to a multitude of prototypes created during the late 1970's and early 80's through a partnership between British Rail and nationalised car manufacturer British Leyland. The concept was to create a set of diesel multiple units that would be based on the bodyshell of the highly successful Leyland National bus with the underpinnings of redundant 4-axle goods wagons fitted with Leyland engines.

The first mainstream prototype of the Pacers were early railbuses known as LEV1 and RB004. LEV1 was built in 1978, and was, for all intents and purposes, a Leyland National bus on train wheels. This was followed by several other LEV (Leyland Experimental Vehicles) derivatives until 1984, when single railcar RB004 was built, its external design matching that of the Class 141. At the same time, a boxy two-car prototype designated Class 140 was launched and operated between 1980 and 1981, being only a proof of concept and not intended for mass production.

The Class 141 was designed between 1983 and 1984, taking the external styling of the RB004 railbus and combining it with the two-car bodyshell and layout of the Class 140. The primary intention of the Class 141 was to replace the many ageing DMU's from the early 1950's, with their main area of operation being in the West Yorkshire region around Leeds, York and Sheffield. Seeing as British Rail were very short on cash, having suffered the lowest year for rail ridership ever in 1982, the Class 141 was deemed the only option for replacing their extensive fleet of increasingly tired trains.

The units were formed of semi-permanently coupled two-car sets, each powered by a Leyland TL11 engine producing 205hp, whisking the Class 141 to a top speed of 75mph. As mentioned, the units were built of lightweight bodies placed upon what were essentially repurposed four-axle chassis donated from redundant freight wagons. The trains had a total capacity of 94 passengers.

The Class 141 was launched on services out of Leeds to York, Huddersfield, Halifax, Doncaster, Wakefield and Sheffield from mid-1984, with an eventual 20 units being built for the task. Originally, units were outshopped in a tasteful version of the BR Blue and Grey, but, as sectorisation began to take hold, the units were repainted into a variety of colours, including the rather dreary Green and Buttermilk, before eventually being repainted into the West Yorkshire PTE (Passenger Transport Executive) Red and White.

However, almost immediately, the quality issues of the Class 141's did nothing to help the already very low opinion of the railways. These trains were noisy, slow, underpowered, uncomfortable and highly unreliable. Their four-axle design, with the axle attached directly to the chassis rather than on separate bogies like on other trains, meant that on jointed track the trains would bump violently up and down, making the train riding experience similar to that of a 8.5 earthquake!

The engines on these units made the carriages vibrate and resonate with an irritating humming, and the poorly fitted panels and other parts of the unit's interior meant that the train would squeak and rattle as it went along.

There were other issues too, primarily with the gearbox. These were prone to failure after only a few hundred miles of service, which meant that many of the units were out of service being repaired. The continuous unreliability of these mechanisms eventually saw the entire fleet stored in 1988, with units sent north to the Andrew-Barclay Ltd workshops in Kilmarnock for refurbishment. The refurbishment also included the addition of BSI couplers, so as to make the units more compatible with Class 142 and 143 derivative Pacers, as well as the newer Sprinter units such as Class 150's and 156's. The units eventually returned to work in 1989, but their careers weren't exactly long in the grand scheme of things.

By the mid-1990's, it was apparent that these units, that weren't even 10 years old, were in no way fit for purpose, and in 1997 all units were retired from operation, being replaced by the aforementioned derivative Pacer variants, the Class 142, 143 or 144, or by Sprinters such as Class 150, 153, 155, 156 or 158. One unit, however, was converted into a weedkilling train for Serco, its seats being removed and replaced with tanks to spray weedkiller onto the line so as not to be overgrown.

One would've hoped that the Class 141's were just quietly sent to the scrapheap like they deserved, but the trains did somehow get themselves a new lease of life in Iran of all places!

This wasn't the first time Pacer units had been considered for export, the original LEV1 had been offered for sale in the USA, and RB004 was sent to Canada for a while. One Class 141 was trialed in Malaysia in 1984 before being later sent to Thailand, but neither country was impressed by its performance.

12 units were eventually exported to Iran to work commuter trains out of the nation's capital Tehran, the first units being sent there between 2001 and 2002. Once these units had left our shores, little was known about what became of them. Two were noted to still be in service as of 2005, while another two somehow wound up in the Netherlands and are now in storage somewhere. It is largely assumed that the Iranian units have all been withdrawn and put into storage following the introduction of newer DMUs.

Here in the UK, 3 units are preserved; one at Butterley, one on the Colne Valley Railway, and one at the Weardale Railway, while the remains of another unit are also at the Weardale but has been stripped for spare parts. Two units are known to have been scrapped, one of which due to accident damage. 141104 was involved in a head-on collision with a Class 156 at Huddersfield in November 1989, resulting in 33 injuries. While the 156 was returned to work in 1990 after minor repairs, the lightweight 141 was apparently so badly damaged that it was written off and promptly scrapped.

So there we are, the Class 141, the pioneering Pacer that let lose a slew of underpowered, cheaply built little railbuses onto the UK network. There is nothing much redeemable about these trains, they were slow, unreliable and unpleasant to ride one. Perhaps as a novelty you can travel aboard the few preserved units, but for an everyday commute, these trains could induce seasickness the likes of which you'd never seen before!

See more car pics on my facebook page!

From 1974 to 1982, Lotus produced the 4-seat, considerably larger Type 75 and later Type 83 Elite.

Lotus' first saloon car was front engined with rear wheel drive. Like all production Lotuses since the Elan, the Elite used fiberglass for the hatchback bodyshell, mounted on a steel backbone chassis evolved from the Elan andEuropa. It had 4-wheel independent suspension using coil springs. The Elite was Lotus' first car to use the 907aluminium-block 4-valve, DOHC, four-cylinder, 1973cc, developing 155 bhp. (The 907 engine had previously been used in Jensen-Healeys.) The 907 engine ultimately became the foundation for the 2.0 L and 2.2 L Lotus Espritpowerplants, the naturally aspirated 912 and the turbocharged 910. The Elite was fitted with a 4 or 5 speed gearbox and from January 1976 automatic transmission was optional.

The Elite had a claimed drag co-efficient of 0.30 and at the time of launch it was the world's most expensive four cylinder car.

Elites were available in 4 main specification variations, 501, 502, 503, and later on 504.

501 was the 'base' version.

502 added air conditioning to the specification of the 501.

503 added power steering to the specification of the 502.

504 added automatic transmission to the specification of the 503.

The Elite was the basis for the Eclat, and the later Excel 2+2 coupes.

Regarding performance, the Elite and the related Éclat are notable in that the stock kerb weight is not much over 2,000 lb (907 kg). Once the motors reach their power band, both acceleration and handling are impressive for cars of the era.

(Wikipedia)

On 30 April 1939 Ford Cologne began to manufacture the Taunus, a mid-size car intended to slot into the range between the little Ford Eifel and the company’s big V8 models. The car was presented to the public in June 1939. Although the structure of the car did not follow the revolutionary monocoque structure heralded by the Opel Olympia, the Taunus did have its body welded to the chassis rather than having the two elements simply bolted together. Essentially, the platform was a stretched floorpan and frame inhereted from its predecessor Eifel. The advertised price at launch was 2870 Marks, but customers had the option of paying an extra 22 Marks for a shatterproof windscreen.

The body

Stylistically the new car followed the 1930s fashion for streamlining, but with a North American flavour inspired by the Lincoln-Zephyr of the time. Design work was carried out at the Ford headquarters in Detroit mainly between the then recently appointed chief of design E.T. "Bob" Gregorie and Lincoln-Mercury division manager Edsel Ford, the son of Henry Ford. The bodyshell was supplied from the Berlin plant of pressed steel experts, Ambi Budd. Like the Eifel, the Ford Taunus came with rigid axles, but with the innovation of hydraulic brakes.

The engine

The Taunus was designed to take a 45 PS (33 kW; 44 hp) 1.5-litre side-valve engine developed from the 1.2-litre unit used in the Eifel. However, in March 1939 the government, anticipating war, introduced restrictions whereby Ford were permitted to produce only a single standardised engine in the class of cars covered by engine sizes between 1.2 and 2.0 litres, and so the Taunus used the smaller 1,172 cc engine (a k a known as English Sidevalve) carried over from the Eifel model. This was essentially the same unit that Ford would fit in the Ford Taunus P1 (and, at their Dagenham plant the Ford Anglia) until 1959.

In the 1939 Ford Taunus the car’s 1,172 cc unit delivered a claimed 34 PS (25 kW; 34 hp), married up to a three-speed transmission controlled with a centrally mounted lever. Drive was transmitted to the rear wheels.

The war

The German auto industry did not undergo the same very rapid switch-over to war production as that experienced in Britain, but passenger car production in Germany was nevertheless restricted by government policy, and there was never more than a single prototype to represent the company’s original intention to offer a cabriolet version of the Taunus G93A. The pre-war car was produced only as a two-door saloon/sedan with rear-hinged doors.

As the war continued, Ford became increasingly important as a producer of light trucks to support the war effort, and in February 1942 passenger car production came to an end at the Ford plant. Only 42 of the cars were assembled at the Cologne plant in 1942, but production had held up well through much of 1940 and by the time passenger car production ended 7,100 Taunus G93As had been produced.

Wikipedia

Vauxhall VX1800 Estate FE (1976-78) Engine 1758S4 OC Production 25,185 (incl. VX 2300)

Registration Number RPG 83 R

VAUXHALL SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623863172810...

The 1972-76 Victor FE was updated for 1976 dropping the Victor name, the new car had a number of trim changes but bore the same bodyshell and running gear as the FE Victor. Available also as the VX 1800 or VX 2300 and in both saloon and estate form. Originally designed independently at Luton but with the demise of the VX and arrival of the Carlton ( a rebadged Opel Rekord) German design prevailed

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 27,059,500 views

Shot 07:07:2014 at on Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 102-1097

Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk.2 (1983-92) Engine 1781cc S4 8v Production 6,000,000 (all Golf Mk.2's)

Registration Number G 622 HCC )Bangor, Camarthanshire)

VOLKSWAGEN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...

Note this car has had its inner pair of headlamps removed

The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in Europe at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.and launched into the British marketplace March 1984. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options than the Mark 1 and a more rounded style.

The successful hot GTi model was continued with the Mk2 as a sporty 3- or 5-door hatchback. , it featured a naturally aspirated Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injected 1,781 cc Inline-four engine developing 110bhp, joined in 1986 by the Golf GTi 16v with output increased to 137bhp the model was marked by discreet red-and-black "16V" badges front and rear In 1990, like the Golf, the GTI was given a facelift, and the "Big Bumper" became standard on all GTIs

1990 also saw the arrival of GTi G60 featuring the 8v 1.8 with a G60 supercharger

Thankyou for a massive 53,510,836 views (Flickrs latest count adjustment)

Shot 29.05.2016 at Curborough Sprit Course, Curborough, Lichfield REF 119-222

Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.I (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012

Entrant Jeremy Carr

Race Number 193 Desmond Small

FORD (UK) SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

Marriage of the Ford Cortina with the Lotus twin-cam, twin-carburettor 105bhp engine. Lotus principal Colin Chapman had been looking to build his own engine for Lotus racing cars, primaryly because his present supplier Coventry Climax engines were so expensive. He commissioned Harry Mundy a designer at Coventry-Climax to design a twin cam unit, much of the work was done on the Ford 997cc engine with a 1340cc engine bottom end but in 1962 Ford released the 116E five bearing 1,498 cc engine and work centred on this. Keith Duckworth, from Cosworth, played an important part in tuning of the engine. The engine's first appearance was in 1962 at the Nürburgring in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark

Lowered with coil rear springing and servo disc/drum brakes. Wider rim wheels and normally white with green flashes. Almost as soon as the engine appeared in the production Lotus Elan it was enlarged to 1558cc in order to get the car closer to the 1.6 litre classes in Motorsport

Whilst the engine was being developed, Walter Hayes (Ford) asked Colin Chapman if he would fit the engine to 1,000 Ford saloons for Group 2 homologation. The Type 28 or Lotus Cortina or Cortina Lotus (as Ford liked to call it) was duly launched. Ford supplied the 2-door Cortina bodyshells and took care of all the marketing and selling of the cars, whilst Lotus did all the mechanical and cosmetic changes. The major changes involved installing the 1,557 cc (105 bhp (78 kW; 106 PS)) engine, together with the same close-ratio gearbox as the Elan. The rear suspension was drastically altered and lightweight alloy panels were used for doors, bonnet and boot. Lightweight casings were fitted to gearbox and differential. All the Lotus factory cars were painted white with a green stripe (although Ford built some for racing in red, and one customer had a dark blue stripe due to being superstitious about green). The cars also received front quarter bumpers and round Lotus badges were fitted to rear wings and to the right side of the radiator grille. Interior modifications were limited to a centre console designed to accommodate the new gear lever position, different seats and the later style dashboard, featuring tachometer, speedometer, oil pressure, water temperature and fuel level gauges. A wood-rimmed steering wheel was fitted. Suspension was drastically altered, the chassis stiffened, battery relocated in the boot the Cortina Lotus gained was the new braking system (9.5 in (240 mm) front discs) which were built by brake specialist Girling. This system also was fitted to Cortina GTs but without a servo of the Lotus models Initially, the engines were built by J. A Prestwich of Tottenham and then Villiers of Wolverhampton. In 1966, Lotus moved to Hethel in Norwich where they had their own engine building facilities.,

This very historically significant Lotus Cortina is the ex Alan Mann Racing Lotus Cortina,

This car raced at Silverstone in the Warwick Banks Trophy Race for 2 litre tourind cars

Many thanks for a fantabulous 43,586,049 views

Shot at the Silverstone Classic 14-15 July 2015- Ref 109-392

See more car pics on my facebook page!

The Jensen Interceptor was a sporting GT-class car hand-built in the United Kingdom by Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1976. The Interceptor name had been used previously by Jensen for an earlier car made between 1950 and 1957. The car broke with Jensen tradition by having a steel bodyshell instead of glass-reinforced plastic and by having the body designed by an outside firm, Carrozzeria Touring of Italy, rather than the in-house staff. The early bodies were Italian-built, by Vignale, before production by Jensen themselves began – with subtle body modifications – in West Bromwich.

- - -

(Wikipedia)

Porsche 993 (911) Carrera Cabriolet (1993-98) Engine 3600cc Flat 6 282bhp

Registration Number P 974 NOX (Birmingham)

Production 68,029

PORSCHE ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...

The 993 designation is the companies internal name for this generation 911. The external design of the Porsche 993, penned by Englishman Tony Hatter, used the basic bodyshell architecture of the 964, but with changed external panels, with much more flared wheelarches and a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing, teardrop mirrors, but keeping the doors and roof panels.

The Carrera represented the base model of the 993, and was available in rear and all-wheel drive versions. It was equipped with the naturally aspirated 3.6 liter M64 engine, further developed from the 964 and combined with a new dual-flow exhaust system now incorporating two catalytic converters. In contrast to the 964 were the numbers Carrera 2 or 4 were used to differentiate between two and four wheel the numbers have been dropped and the models are simply referred to as C2 and C4.the cars can be distinguished by the Carrera 4 having clear front turn signals and rear red lenses instead of orange on the 2W

Diolch am 82,556,170 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 82,556,170 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 05.06.2021. at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon. 146-390

For 1961, Mercury underwent a major transformation of its model line. In a transition from 1957 to 1960, Mercury again shared a bodyshell with a divisional counterpart, shifting from Edsel to Ford, with the Monterey becoming the equivalent of the Ford Galaxie. The Montclair and Park Lane were discontinued, shifting the Monterey from the base-trim Mercury sedan to its flagship, slotted above the newly introduced Mercury Meteor (as with the Comet, intended as an Edsel before the discontinuation of the division). One of the first examples of downsizing, by adopting a common chassis and body with Ford, the Monterey lost six inches of wheelbase, nearly two inches of width, and over 4 inches of length; dependent on powertrain, the 1961 Monterey shed over 300 pounds of curb weight. At 120 inches, the Monterey was given a 1-inch longer wheelbase than the Galaxie.

The Monterey was offered in four bodystyles, including two and four-door hardtops, a four-door sedan, and a two-door convertible. Sharing its roofline with the Galaxie (except for the Starliner fastback), the Monterey differed primarily by its grille; in place of two large taillamps, Mercury used six small taillamps. While slightly more adorned than its Galaxie counterpart, the Monterey continued to adopt more subdued styling, shifting chrome trim nearly entirely to the front and rear fascias and the roofline.

Shared with the Ford Galaxie, the Monterey again received the 292 cubic-inch Y-block V8 (175 hp), with the option of 352 and 390 cubic-inch FE V8s (220 hp and 300/330 hp, respectively). As before, 3-speed manual and 3-speed automatics were offered, with a 4-speed manual becoming an option.

Ford Escort (5th Gen) XR3i (1990-97) Emgine 1796cc S4 Fi Zetec

Registration Number K 920 YTX (Cardiff)

FORD EUROPE

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The Escort MarkV (and Mark III Orion saloon) arrived in September 1990 with an all-new bodyshell and a simplified torsion beam rear suspension (instead of the Mark III's fully independent layout). This model however was poorly received by the motoring press, and was panned by journalists for its mediocre driving dynamics and unremarkable styling. n early 1992, an all new Zetec 16-valve engine was launched bringing improved driveability, while also marking the return of the XR3i which was available with two versions of the 1.8 L Zetec

Stung by the criticism of the original Mark V, which had remained popular with the motoring public Ford facelifted the Escort and Orion in September 1992, giving the revised cars a new grille, bonnet and, in the Escort convertible and hatchback's case, a new rear end. A new 1.6 L 16-valve 90 bhp (66 kW) Zetec engine was introduced, replacing the previous CVH. Fuel injection was now standard on all petrol models, and Ford introduced a four-wheel-drive variant of the RS2000,

Thankyou for a massive 54,754,413 views

Shot 03.07.2016 at Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 121-142

Pontiac Catelina (3rd Gen) 4 door Sedan (1965-70)

Engine 389 cu in (6400cc) V8

Registration Number HFX 226 E (Dorset)

PONTIAC SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690516561...

The full sized Pontiac Catelina was completely revised for the 1965 fourth generation with more flowing sheetmetal featuring "Coke-bottle" profiles and fastback rooflines on two-door hardtops. With wheelbases increased to 121 inches The 389 and 421 cubic-inch V8s received a number of revisions including thinner wall block castings. The standard engine for Catalina models is the 389 two-barrel rated at 256 horsepower, with three speed transmission, or 290 horsepower with Turbo Hydramatic transmission and higher compression Optional engines include a four-barrel 389 rated at 325 horsepower, with Turbo Hydramatic or 333 with stick shift, a Tri-Power 389 rated at 338 horsepower, a four-barrel 421 rated at the same 338 horsepower, 353 hp with Tri-Power or the 421 HO with Tri-Power and 376 horsepower

The 1966 full-sized Pontiacs received minor a facelifting of the '65 body with new grilles and taillight treatment and upgrade interiors

For 1967, Catalinas and other full-sized Pontiacs received a heavy facelifting of the '65 bodyshell with more rounded wasp-waisted body contours and fuller fastback rooflines, along with concealed windshield wipers Replacing the 389 and 421 V8s of previous years were new 400 and 428 cubic-inch V8s. The standard Catalina engine was a two-barrel unit rated at 265 horsepower with three-speed manual transmission or 290 horsepower (220 kW) with Turbo Hydramatic. For 1968, Catalinas and other full-sized Pontiacs received a minor facelifting of the '67 body with a new beak-nose split grille along with a return to horizontal headlights, and revised taillights. Engine offerings were similar to 1967 with revised horsepower ratings including 340 for the four-barrel 400, 375 for the 428 four-barrel and 390 for the 428 HO

The 1969 Pontiacs received a major restyling with more squared off look

Diolch yn fawr am 66,794,039 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 66,794,039 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 01.07.2018 at the American Car Show, Tatton Park, Manchester Ref 135-237

Coachwork by Henri Chapron

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Sold for € 218.500

Zoute Grand Prix 2017

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2017

Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in top-of-the-range models until earlier this year. The DS's original 1,911cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox.

Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. (Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën, but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing). Henri Chapron started his career in the motor industry as an upholsterer's apprentice, working for various coachbuilders in the Paris area. In 1919 he started his own business in the well-to-do Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine where his main activity was re-bodying cars that had been requisitioned in wartime by the French Government. Chapron moved to larger premises in Levallois-Perret in 1923 and became the official builder of coach and convertible models for Delage and Delahaye, going on to body many of the most elegant French and European automobiles of the inter-war period.

Despite a much-reduced demand for bespoke coachwork after WW2, Chapron survived thanks to his exemplary creations for Delahaye, Talbot and Salmson, switching to offering bespoke versions of unitary construction models when motor manufacturers began to abandon the traditional separate chassis frame. The arrival of the Citroën DS in 1955 presented Chapron with a fresh opportunity that would result in his name being forever linked with this remarkable car.

Citroën's own Décapotables were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate) but the model was never produced in England, where Citroën's right-hand drive cars were assembled at its Slough factory up to 1966. In total, 1,365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.

According to the Henri Chapron Attestation on file, this car was built by Citroën in November 1966 and sent to the Charon Factory in Levallois Perret on the 24th of that month. Production number '9088', this car was built in the Chapron workshops as were all the convertibles marketed by Citroën at this time. It was completed on 28th February 1967 and returned to Citroën to be sold by one of the company's concessionaires. Citroën had introduced the superior green Light Hydraulic Mineral (LHM) fluid on all hydro-pneumatically suspended models in September 1966, making this car one of the first to benefit from this advance. Having the pre-facelift nose and the green LHM system makes this car particularly rare; indeed we are advised that only 42 DS21 Décapotable models were completed to this specification.

On 27th March 1967 the DS was sold new via the Citroën dealer in Nice to its first owner, Mr Jean Thore of Eze in the South of France. Mr Thore and Mme Dominique Thore enjoyed the car for 34 years. They always kept it at Eze and covered approximately 90,000 kilometres during their ownership.

In 2001, Australian Mr John Plooy was looking for a 'green fluid' DS21 Cabriolet and chanced upon this car. He wanted to keep the Citroën in the Netherlands and use it for annual trips to Italy. When the car arrived in Holland, Mr Plooy immediately sent it to marque specialist Bart Kocken; it turned out to be in excellent original condition, with no rust or evidence of past accident damage. Mr Plooy commissioned a mechanical overhaul of anything that required it, and had the car repainted and a new convertible top fitted.

This Décapotable retains its original chassis, body panels, interior, Jaeger dashboard, carpets and FM radio, and is in excellent original condition overall, something seldom encountered with these cars. Mr Plooy drove the DS only some 10,000 kilometres over the years, and in 2017 decided to sell it, having reached the age of 80 years. Offered with its original tools, jack, Chapron paperwork, etc, this rare and ultra-desirable soft-top DS is ready for the next owner to use and enjoy.

Porsche 993 (911) Carrera Cabriolet (1993-98) Engine 3600cc Flat 6 268bhp

Registration Number P 610 UAF (Truro)

Production 68,029

PORSCHE SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...

The 993 designation is the companies internal name for this generation 911. The external design of the Porsche 993, penned by Englishman Toni Hatter, used the basic bodyshell architecture of the 964, but with changed external panels, with much more flared wheelarches and a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing, teardrop mirrors, but keeping the doors and roof panels.

The Carrera represented the "base model" of the 993, and was available in rear and all-wheel drive versions. It was equipped with the naturally aspirated 3.6 liter M64 engine, further developed from the 964 and combined with a new dual-flow exhaust system now incorporating two catalytic converters. In contrast to the 964 were the numbers Carrera 2 or 4 were used to differentiate between two and four wheel the numbers have been dropped and the models are simply referred to as C2 and C4.the cars can be distinguished by the Carrera 4 having clear front turn signals and rear red lenses instead of orange on the 2W

Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 62,399,647 oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd

Thanks for a stonking 62,399,647 views

Shot 30-07-2017 exiting the 2017 Silverstone Classic REF 129-587

Porsche 911 Carrera RS (1973-74) Engine 2687cc HO6 OC Production 1580

Registration Number 77 SSK (Wick)

PORSCHE SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...

The Carrera name was reintroduced to in 1973, originally applied to the 356 Carrera and in turn came from Porsche class victories in the Carrera Panamerica races accross Central America in the 1950's. The RS was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded that a certain minimum number of production cars were made. Compared with a standard 911S, the Carrera 2.7 RS had a larger engine (2687 cc) developing 210bhp. With revised and stiffened suspension, a "ducktail" rear spoiler, larger brakes, wider rear wheels and rear wheel arches. In RS Touring form it weighed 1075 kg, in Sport Lightweight form it was about 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell and also the use of thinner glass. In total, 1580 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be required to qualify for FIA Group 4 Class.

49 Carrera RS cars were built with 2808 cc engines

In 1974, Porsche created the Carrera RS 3.0 with K-Jetronic Bosch fuel injection producing 230 PS It was almost twice as expensive as the 2.7 RS but offered a fair amount of racing capability for that price.

Many thanks for a fantabulous

50,826,310 views

Shot 23.04.2016 Shot at VSCC Spring Start Meeting, Silverstone REF 115-642

Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole (1988-95) Rngine 1756cc S4 16v

Registration Number D 15 TPO (On a personalised number, originally allocated for Portsmouth)

FIAT SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665060711...

The Fiat Tipo was designed by Ercole Spada at the I.DE.A Institute design house and unveiled in January 1988, going on sale in Europe in June 1988 to LHD markets and to RHD markets in July 1988.

Initially available five door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a completely new Fiat platform, which was later used on Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia models

In 1989 the Fiat Tipo was awarded European Car of the Year.

The United Kingdom market initially received only the 1.4 and 1.6 versions of the Tipo, with the 1.8 and 2.0 petrol engines and the diesel powered units not being imported until the early 1990s. The top of the range available in the UK was the 2.0 Sedicivalvole (16 valves).. The Sedicivalvole gained its engine from the Lancia Thema, and with a much smaller and lighter bodyshell to house it, this power unit brought superb performance and handling, and a top speed of around 130 mph

The Tipo was facelifted in 1993, and a three door version was added, as well as minor exterior changes (the two evolutions of the car can be differentiated by their slightly different radiator grilles and headlamps) and improved specifications; safety features like stiffer bodyshells, driver's airbag, and side impact bars were added to the range. This included the new S, SX, and SLX trim levels, as well as a new eight valve 2.0 GT model..

Shot 29.05.2016 at Curborough Sprit Course, Curborough, Lichfield REF 119-209

Class 180 Test Train No DB999601 stabled at York Station. It was built in 1987 using the Class 150/1 bodyshell and was originally classified as a Class 180 test unit, it has been reclassified into the departmental series and now carries the set No 950001 with the individual carriages numbered 999600 and 999601.

Photo details

Colour Slide scan

Fuji 100ASA Film

Camera Canon EOS300

Lens Canon 28-90mm

Ref No 09907.

Copyright © Keith Long - All rights reserved

'Networker Classic' prototype, what would of been the BR class 424 seen here stored at Litchurch Ln Works in Derby.

This vehicle was originally a 4-CIG driving trailer 76112. The "Networker Classic" concept involved rebuilding Mark 1 design Southern Region EMUs of Classes 411, 421 and 423 to meet current crash-worthiness standards. This involved building a new bodyshell on the existing chassis, but keeping the original electrical and motor equipment. Therefore, the aim was to produce a 'new' unit at one quarter the cost of manufacturing a train from scratch. The rebuilt units would have had a life of at least fifteen years, thus saving considerable amounts of money when replacing old stock. However, for some reason the project was not successful, and train companies turned to new-build trains of Classes 375, 376, 377, 444, 450, 458, and 460 from various manufacturers.

The GT 1300 Junior Zagato was a limited production two seater coupe with aerodynamic bodywork by Zagato (Ercole Spada) of Milan. The model evoked the earlier, race-oriented Giulietta Sprint Zagatos which featured aluminium bodywork and had a very active competition history. However, the Junior Zagato featured a steel bodyshell with an aluminium bonnet and aluminium doorskins (on the earlier 1300 JZ's). The 1300 JZ was not specifically intended for racing and did not see much use in competition. The 1300 JZ was first seen in public at the Turin Motor Show of 1969. In total 1,108 units were constructed of which 2 were destroyed during production because the bodyshells were not within specification. The 1300 was based on the floorpan, driveline and suspension of the 1300 Spider. However, the floorpan was shortened behind the rear wheels to fit the bodyshell. The last 1300 Junior Zagato was produced in 1972 although in 1974 2 more cars were built according to the records.

In 1972 the 1600 Zagato came out of which 402 units were produced. In this case the floorpan was unaltered from the 1600 Spider, so that the normal fueltank could be left in place. As a consequence, the 1600 Zagato is approximately 100 mm (3.9 in) longer than the 1300 JZ. This can be seen at the back were the sloping roofline runs further back and the backpanel is different and lower. The lower part of the rear bumper features a bulge to make room for the spare tire. The 1600 Zagato has numerous differences when compared to the 1300 Junior Zagato. If you ever see two side by side, have a look at the details. The last 1600 Zagato was produced in 1973 and the cars were sold until 1975.

(Wikipedia)

W111

Chassis n° 111.027-12-004473

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2020

Estimated : € 300.000 - 350.000

Sold for € 299.000

"If you feel obligated to ask about the price you not only will never understand the car, you have branded yourself incapable of ever appreciating its virtues even if someone gave you one." – Car & Driver on the Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5.

The fact that the esteemed American motoring magazine felt compelled to remark on the 280SE's price is understandable when one considers that at $13,500 in 1970 it was not only $3,500 more than that of the equivalent Mercedes-Benz sedan but also more than double that of a Cadillac Deville Coupe!

The 3.5-litre version of the 280 SE typifies the resurgence of larger-engined Mercedes-Benz models that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the progressive easing of fiscal constraints, which had dissuaded customers from buying cars with large capacity engines, encouraged the German manufacturer to offer bigger, more potent power units. Thus, the ultra-luxurious 280 SE Coupé/Cabriolet and 300 SEL saloon were the models chosen by Mercedes-Benz to launch its magnificent new 3.5-litre V8 engine in September 1969. An over-square design featuring a cast-iron block and aluminium-alloy cylinder heads, each equipped with a single overhead camshaft, this all-new, state-of-the-art power unit produced 200bhp courtesy of Bosch electronic fuel injection and transistorised ignition. The new V8 engine had particularly smooth-running characteristics and endowed the 280 SEs with performance superior to that of many out-and-out sports cars. Thus equipped, the Coupé/Cabriolet was good for 125mph (200km/h) with 60mph (97km/h) reachable in 9.5 seconds, a substantial improvement on the six-cylinder version's figures. As befitted top-of-the-range luxury models, the 280 SE 3.5 Coupé and Cabriolet came equipped with automatic transmission, air conditioning, power windows, and a stereo radio as standard.

Although the equivalent SEL saloon used the 'New Generation' bodyshell, the 280 SE Coupé and Cabriolet kept the elegant coachwork that had debuted back in 1959 on the 220 SE. Nevertheless, there had been some refinements made: the radiator shell was lower and wider, with a correspondingly flatter front end to the bonnet, a characteristic that has led to enthusiasts referring to these face-lifted cars as 'flat radiator' models, while the bumpers were now fitted with rubber strips. Significantly, the 280 SE 3.5 was to be the final model featuring this long-established and much-admired body style, and today these last-of-the-line classics are highly sought after by discerning Mercedes-Benz collectors.

One of 1,232 Cabriolets produced, this Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 has the desirable floor-shift gearbox. This car was delivered new to the Cremer family in Schwarzenfeld, Germany and was first registered on 6th July 1971. The car later changed hands officially but stayed in the family, moving to Dr Gottfried Cremer in 1982 while keeping the same registration, 'NAB-L403'.

Sold to renowned collector Heiko Seekamp of Bremen in 1987, the Mercedes was purchased in 1999 by a Mr Wolfram Kruse, remaining in Germany. In 2007 the car was re-sprayed in a darker shade of blue and then in 2014 was sold to the current owner who returned it to its original and striking light blue colour scheme.

The accompanying DEKRA inspection/taxation report of 2017 confirms the Cabriolet's excellent condition and makes the following observation: "The car seems to have been restored to a very high standard with a recent professional re-spray in the original colour scheme, seemingly to excellent standard. Paint is hard to fault with a very good finish, paint thickness shows uniform results."

The report found the interior to be "lovely presented, with beautifully patinated seats and new carpets. Original dashboard and revised/restored correct switch gear (in working order). The dark blue soft top is new."

The engine started and ran instantly with no heavy smoke, and the report's overall conclusion was that the Mercedes had been restored to the highest standards, was presented in excellent condition, and was ready to be used.

Working a light engine movement from Felixstowe to Peterborough North Yard are GBRf Class 66's, 66711 'Sense' and 66742 'Port of Immingham', stopping for a red light at Peterborough.

One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.

But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?

By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.

Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.

Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.

Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and companies such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders.

Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.

Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.

Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.

The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.

The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.

The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.

Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.

However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.

TVR Tasmin (1981-84) Engine 3272cc

Registration Number A 390 JFC (Oxford)

TVR SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...

The TVR Tasmin was designed by Oliver Winterbottom as the first of TVRs wedge shaped cars which formed the basis of its 1980's model range launched in 1980 as a 2=2 Coupe and a chassis by Ian Jones, both engineers were ex-Lotus employees. The Tasmin was the first production car in the world to have both a bonded windscreen and also to incorporate the aerial in the rear screen heater element. As with all TVRs, the running gear was located in a tubular spaceframe steel chassis which was powder coated for extra corrosion resistance, cars had disc brakes all round and electrically actuated pop-up headlamps. Much of the running gear was sourced from Fords of the period. The suspension and steering was sourced from the Ford Cortina, with TVR engineered trailing arms at the rear,

In 1981 a series II car appeared, incorporating various improvements or modifications over the Series I. These included a front suspension redesign, returning the tie-rods to the tension mode used by Ford rather than the compression mode into which TVR had initially installed them addressing the complaints of bump steer A bodyshell restyle also altered the proportions of the car (largely by tilting the previously-vertical glass tail panel) so it appeared shorter in the nose and longer at the rear; this coincided with the launch of the convertible/drophead version

Initially the only engine available was the fuel-injected Ford `Cologne' V6 which displaced 2792cc (hence 280) and developed an unstressed 160bhp, with other engines added to the range later. The 5-speed all synchro gearbox was also of Ford manufacture, and the car featured a Salisbury final drive unit. Bodywork was moulded in GRP and fitted to a tube and square-section steel chassis. Convertibles benefited from standard-fit electric windows

Many thanks for a fantabulous

46,751,062 views

Shot Brooklands New Years Day Gathering, 01.01.2016 - Ref 111-424

Chassis no. 439 12134

One of the most gifted automobile engineers of all time, Vincenzo Lancia did not live long enough to see his final creation enter production, although the exacting parameters he set out would shape what many consider to be the true ancestor of the modern motor car. Launched in 1937, two months after his death, the Aprilia set new standards in production car design. Vincenzo Lancia had specified that this new small saloon should weigh less than 900 kilograms, be less than 4 metres in length, seat five adults in comfort, possess independent suspension, be capable of attaining 130km/h, and consume fuel at a rate of 10 litres per 100 kilometres. Faced with these challenging demands, the design team had little option but to abandon conventional thinking.

Presaging post-war developments, the Aprilia saloon broke away from the traditional 'three-box' layout and incorporated Vincenzo's specified all-independent suspension and hydraulic braking, while the unitary construction bodyshell and overhead-camshaft narrow-angle V4 engine were advances Lancia devotees had enjoyed for many years. Allowed little space to work with, Lancia's designers concentrated on packaging the drive-train as effectively as possible; the differential, brakes, suspension and wheels being assembled separately for inclusion as a single unit. Rather than being merely a styling device, the Aprilia's streamlined shape had been determined by wind tunnel experimentation, one of the very first instances of the science of aerodynamics being applied to a production car. This meant that despite having only 1,351cc (later 1,485cc) at its disposal the Aprilia was indeed capable of 130km/h, while the advanced running gear ensured that it stopped and handled better than anything in its class. 'Mirror-image' doors and pillar-less construction ensured that for ease of passenger access the Aprilia was unrivalled.

This Aprilia Farina Cabriolet was presented at the Torino Motor Show 1948 and sold there new to its first and only owner. The car was rewarded ‘Best Post War Car 1946-1969’ at Essen Techno Classica in 2016. Noteworthy feature is the ‘Plexi & Paglia di Vienna’ dashboard.

Zoute Concours d'Elegance

The Royal Zoute Golf Club

Zoute Grand Prix 2016

Knokke - Belgium

Oktober 2016

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Estimated : € 175.000 - 225.000

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2018

- Totally original and in 'like new' condition

- The desirable more powerful 4.9-Litre version

- Fully matching numbers and colours

- Believed-genuine circa 2.700 miles (approximately 4.300 km) from new

- Last serviced in 2013 (cost $ 25.000)

'For a man who wants the last word in sports cars, a mid-engined machine is essential. Racing single-seaters are built to this configuration and so the mid-engined car must be right!

'It is thus of great interest that the famous Maserati firm, which has tended to be somewhat conservative in recent years, has now placed an advanced mid-engined coupé on the market.' – John Bolster, Autosport.

The highlight of 1971 Geneva Salon was undoubtedly the sensational new Maserati Bora. With the Bora's introduction, the great Modenese manufacturer followed other supercar constructors in going mid-engined while at the same time abandoning its traditional tubular chassis technology in favour of unitary construction. Named after an Adriatic wind, the Bora was the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro's Ital Design, at least as far as its bodyshell was concerned; the mid-mounted engine was Maserati's familiar four-cam V8 in 4.7-litre form, the five-speed transaxle came from ZF and the all-independent double-wishbone suspension was penned by Giulio Alfieri, co-designer of the legendary 250F Formula 1 Grand Prix car. One of the first 'new generation' models to appear following Maserati's acquisition by Citroën, the Bora used the latter's hydraulic technology to adjust seats and pedals, raise the headlamps and operate the excellent power-assisted brakes. A slippery shape plus 310 bhp made for a very fast car - top speed was over 160 mph (258 km/h) - and the Bora had acceleration, handling, and braking to match.

By January 1976, Maserati's management apparently had discussed shelving the Bora but later that year decided to continue, though with an enlarged 4.9-litre V8 engine. Only some 25 Boras were made that year, and the total produced from 1971 to 1978 was only 564. The type was finally phased out in 1979. Motor magazine concluded its March 1973 road test thus: 'The Bora impressed us as one of the best and most civilised mid-engined exotics we've tried, better developed than most of its ilk and immensely rewarding to drive, especially to drive fast on cross-country roads.' What more could any enthusiast want?

The Bora was a stunning supercar by any standards, both then and now.

Supplied new in the USA, this desirable 4.9-litre example was delivered via Grossman Motor Car Corporation in West Nyack, New York to its first owner, Mr Gerald Lustig, on 11th October 1973. Mr Lustig kept the Maserati until 2001 when it was acquired by collector, Carl Lopp, who owned it until 2013. The next owner commissioned marque specialist, Auto Turismo Sport of New Milford, Connecticut to carry out a thorough re-commissioning and preparation for concours display. Completed towards the end of 2013, these extensive works included replacing the cooling system hoses, hydraulic brake lines, and the exhaust system. Related invoices (for $ 25.000) are on file and the car also comes complete with all its original Maserati instruction books, guarantee card, service booklet, tools, and service records from 1973 to date. The file even contains an original Grossman Motor Group business card and operating manuals for the radio and Varta battery!

Imported into the Netherlands in 2016, this superb Bora has covered a believed-genuine circa 2.700 miles (approximately 4.300 km) since delivery and is presented in 'like new' condition, running and driving without fault. A rare find indeed.

Speeding south with the Garston Car Terminal to Dagenham Dock empty car-flats is GBRf Class 66, 66712.

One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.

But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?

By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.

Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.

Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.

Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and companies such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders.

Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.

Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.

Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.

The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.

The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.

The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.

Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.

However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.

Ford Escort 1300 (Mk.1) 2 door Base (Mexico replica) (1967-75) Engine 1298cc S4 OHV Production 1,076,118 all UK Mk.1's)

Registration Number BUJ 59 K (Shropshire)

FORD (UK) SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The first Escort is bigger and more roomy than the outgoing Anglia and availble in 2 or 4 door saloons. Massive seller, designed in the UK but manufactured in Britain and Germany. MacPherson strut front end cross flow head engine.

There was a 1300GT performance version, with a tuned 1.3 L Crossflow (OHV) engine of 63hp against the standard 1300cc models 51hp, with a Weber carburetor and uprated suspension. this was uprated to 71hp for model years 1970-74 the same as the Escort 1300 Sport that also featured flared front wings from the AVO range of carsbut with a lower range of trim This version featured additional instrumentation with a tachometer, battery charge indicator, and oil pressure gauge.

,

Later, an "executive" version of the Escort was produced known as the "1300E". This featured the same 13" road wheels and flared wings of the Sport, but was trimmed in an upmarket, for that time, fashion with wood trim on the dashboard and door cappings.

This car is an excellent replica of a Mk.1 Ford Escort, albeit with a 1300cc engine. The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s / early 1970s, and arguably the Escort's greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally, driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola and Swedish co-driver Gunnar Palm. This gave rise to the Escort Mexico (1598cc "crossflow"-engined) special edition road versions in honour of the rally car. Introduced in November 1970, 10,352 Mexico Mark Is were built using bodyshells using additional strengthening panels in high stress areas making them more suitable for competition

Diolch yn fawr am 71,151,323 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 71,151,323 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 21.04.2019 at the annual Weston Park, Easter car show Ref 138-312

1972 Range Rover.

Heavily modified to resemble a newer Vogue with a 4-door bodyshell and the 3947cc engine.

Previously registered WRG 222L.

TVR Tasmin (1981-84) Engine 2792cc V6 Ford Cologne

Chassis No: 2FH5345F1

Registration Number DWX 737 Y (Leeds)

TVR SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...

The TVR Tasmin was designed by Oliver Winterbottom as the first of TVRs wedge shaped cars which formed the basis of its 1980's model range launched in 1980 as a 2=2 Coupe and a chassis by Ian Jones, both engineers were ex-Lotus employees. The Tasmin was the first production car in the world to have both a bonded windscreen and also to incorporate the aerial in the rear screen heater element. As with all TVRs, the running gear was located in a tubular spaceframe steel chassis which was powder coated for extra corrosion resistance, cars had disc brakes all round and electrically actuated pop-up headlamps. Much of the running gear was sourced from Fords of the period. The suspension and steering was sourced from the Ford Cortina, with TVR engineered trailing arms at the rear,

In 1981 a series II car appeared, incorporating various improvements or modifications over the Series I. These included a front suspension redesign, returning the tie-rods to the tension mode used by Ford rather than the compression mode into which TVR had initially installed them addressing the complaints of bump steer A bodyshell restyle also altered the proportions of the car (largely by tilting the previously-vertical glass tail panel) so it appeared shorter in the nose and longer at the rear; this coincided with the launch of the convertible/drophead version

Initially the only engine available was the fuel-injected Ford `Cologne' V6 which displaced 2792cc (hence 280) and developed an unstressed 160bhp, with other engines added to the range later. The 5-speed all synchro gearbox was also of Ford manufacture, and the car featured a Salisbury final drive unit. Bodywork was moulded in GRP and fitted to a tube and square-section steel chassis. Convertibles benefited from standard-fit electric windows.

This car was offered with a low recorded mileage of 61,000 with MOT certificates dating back to 1985, it has also been the subject of a body off restoration

This car was offered for sale at the H and H Buxton Pavilion Gardens sale of 10th April 2019, selling for £ 5,625 inc. buyers premium

Diolch yn fawr am 70,005,268 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 70,005,268 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 10.04.2019 at The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire Ref 138-289

26/9/2015 Langford Crossing

The British Rail Class 317 alternating current electric multiple units (EMUs) were built by BREL York in two batches, from 1981–82 and 1985-87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the "PEP"-aluminium design which had spawned the earlier Class 313 to Class 315. The Mark 3 bodyshell was also the basis of Class 318, Class 455, and the diesel Class 150.

The first batch of 48 units, built in 1981-82, were classified as Class 317/1. Units were numbered in the range 317301-348, and had a maximum speed of 100 mph. Each unit consisted of four carriages; two outer driving 2nd class only vehicles, an intermediate trailer with both 1st and 2nd class, and a motor vehicle with 2nd class seating, roof mounted Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph and four GEC G315BZ traction motors. The technical description of the formation of the units is DTSO(A)+MSO+TCO+DTSO(B). Individual carriages were numbered as follows:

77000-77047 - DTSO(A)

62661-62708 - MSO

71577-71624 - TCO

77048-77095 - DTSO(B)

These units were built to operate services on the newly electrified London St. Pancras to Bedford route. They replaced the elderly and unreliable Class 127 diesel multiple units. However, they did not enter service immediately due to an industrial dispute with the unions over Driver only operation, and the diesel units lingered on until finally being replaced in mid-1983. Units were delivered in the standard livery of BR blue/grey.

In 1986, the route came under control of the Thameslink subsector of newly created Network SouthEast. From 1987, new dual-voltage Class 319 units were introduced on the route, allowing the creation of a new cross-London service, from Bedford to Brighton, via Farringdon and City Thameslink station. The Class 317 units were displaced to outer-suburban services on the WCML out of London Euston station, to Milton Keynes and Northampton. They replaced the slam-door Class 310 units, which subsequently transferred to the London, Tilbury and Southend railway.

However, the use of Class 317 units out of Euston again proved to be short-lived. In 1989, the second batch of new Class 321 were introduced onto WCML services. The Class 317 units were again displaced, this time to the Great Northern and West Anglia routes out of London King's Cross and London Liverpool Street, where they joined the second batch units. Therefore, for the first time, the entire Class 317 fleet was operating in the same place.

Class 317/2[edit]

Class 317/2 in BR Blue and Grey livery

The second batch of 20 units, built in 1985-86, were classified as Class 317/2. Units were numbered in the range 317349-368. In 1987, a further four units were built, numbered 317369-372. Each unit consisted of four carriages; two outer driving 2nd class only vehicles, an intermediate trailer with both 1st and 2nd class, and a motor vehicle with 2nd class seating, roof mounted Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph and four GEC G315BZ traction motors. Thus, each unit was formed DTSO(A)+MSO+TCO+DTSO(B). Individual carriages were numbered as follows:

77200-77219 and 77280-77283 - DTSO(A)

62846-62865 and 62886-62889 - MSO

71734-71753 and 71762-71765 - TCO

77220-77239 and 77284-77287 - DTSO(B)

The second batch units were built to operate outer-suburban trains on the Great Northern route from London King's Cross to Stevenage, Cambridge and Peterborough. Like the first batch units, they were delivered in BR Blue/Grey livery. The units replaced the slam-door Class 312 units, dating from 1975, which subsequently transferred to the Great Eastern Main Line and London-Tilbury-Southend routes. Like the DC class 455 units, several aspects of the exterior were modified, with metal hopper ventilators replaced with larger panes of glass and the 'headcode indicator' flat front replaced with a rounded design.

In 1986, the route came under the control of the newly created Network SouthEast, which introduced a bold new blue, red and white livery. The extension of the overhead line equipment soon allowed the units to work services on the West Anglia route from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge. In 1992, electrification spread north from Cambridge to Ely and King's Lynn, allowing the replacement of locomotive-hauled trains.

The closely related Class 318 units which were built for the Ayrshire Coast electrification in Scotland, are effectively a 3-car version of the same design, but with a lower speed capability of 90 mph and are fitted with Brush traction motors in place of GEC traction motors.

Former operations[edit]

With the privatisation of Britain's railways, the Class 317 fleet was incorporated into the West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) franchise. Since then, various changes have occurred to the fleet, as units have been swapped and franchises have changed. The following companies operated Class 317s after privatisation but are no longer involved or no longer exist.

West Anglia Great Northern Railway (WAGN) & First Capital Connect (FCC)[edit]

Refurbished WAGN Railway Class 317/6 No. 317663 at London Liverpool Street. This batch of Class 317 were refurbished during 1998-99 at RailCare, Wolverton Works.

WAGN used the Class 317 fleet on various services, including all London Liverpool Street to Cambridge services on the West Anglia route, and many stopping services to intermediate destinations. The fleet also worked services on the Great Northern route, from London King's Cross to Cambridge, Peterborough, Hertford, Stevenage and King's Lynn, plus at weekends when the line to Moorgate was closed, the units operated inner suburban services from London King's Cross to Letchworth Garden City, Hertford and Welwyn Garden City.

The refurbished interior of Standard Class accommodation aboard Class 317/6 EMU

In 1998/99, WAGN started to refurbish its Class 317/2 fleet. The work was carried out by Railcare (now owned by Alstom) at Wolverton Works, and involved the fitting of Chapman bespoke high back seats in the 2+2 layout, and a small area to the 3+2 layout in the PTSO under the pantograph. The TCO vehicle became TSO as first class was moved to a cabin aboard a DTSO vehicle, which is now known as a DTCO vehicle. The units were outshopped in a new livery of white, with a grey band across the window area, blue and yellow bands on the lower half of the body, red doors, and a grey sweep at the cab ends. The Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph was replaced by the industry standard Brecknell Willis High Speed design. Units were reclassified as Class 317/6 and were renumbered into the range 317649-672.

Many of the WAGN Class 317/1 units still wore the Network SouthEast (NSE) blue and red livery dating from 1986. In 2001, a new livery of metallic purple with lilac doors was introduced. The first unit so treated was 317 312, which had recently returned from loan to LTS Rail. The livery was progressively applied to the Class 317/1 fleet, with the final NSE examples (317 328 & 317 345) disappearing by mid-2004. By April 2004, the only units not repainted were 317301-307, which were hired to Thameslink and remained in LTS livery. The livery has also been applied to Class 313 and Class 315 units.

In April 2004, the WAGN franchise was split into the Great Northern and West Anglia routes. The latter became part of the new National Express East Anglia franchise, which operated under the title of One Railway. The Great Northern was temporarily operated independently under the WAGN brand name, until it was merged with the Thameslink franchise in April 2006. These changes resulted in the Class 317 fleet being divided among First Capital Connect and National Express East Anglia.

LTS Rail & c2c[edit]

In 1996, LTS Rail began to hire Class 317/1 units from its sister Prism Rail franchise WAGN for use on the London, Tilbury and Southend railway. At first only two units were hired, but by mid-1997 this had increased to a total of 18 units. Units were maintained at LTS Rail's main East Ham Depot.

The Class 317 units enabled LTS Rail to replace the elderly Class 302 slam-door EMUs, the last examples of which were withdrawn in 1998. The Class 317 units also replaced some of the Class 310 fleet on off-peak workings, pending introduction of new Class 357 "Electrostar" units.

Many of the units hired to LTS Rail were repainted in a variation of the existing Network SouthEast blue, red and white livery. The red stripe was replaced with a green stripe, and both the blue band and green stripe extended to the cab ends.

The units were slowly returned to WAGN from 1999, with the introduction of the new "Electrostar" units. The last examples were returned by 2000. However, unreliability of the "Electrostars" meant that four units were still hired on a daily basis until 2002. These units were maintained as part of the main WAGN fleet, and therefore the specific units involved changed when units required maintenance at WAGN's Hornsey TMD depot.

Thameslink[edit]

In 2002, Thameslink began hiring four Class 317/1 units from WAGN to allow it to run additional Bedford to Moorgate services. Unlike when units were hired to LTS Rail, specific units were not involved. Instead, units were still maintained by WAGN and only hired for a fortnight. Two units each week were transferred in each direction, generally being hauled over the non-electrified route by two Class 31 locomotives provided by Fragonset Railways or Class 47 locomotives with barrier vehicles at either end of the Class 317.

In 2004, when the WAGN franchise was split, twelve Class 317/1 units were transferred to Thameslink from the Great Northern route. This was because a planned route blockade for engineering works meant that extra units were required for Bedford services. The Class 317 units were replaced on Great Northern by Class 365 "Networkers", themselves displaced from South Eastern Trains by new Class 375 "Electrostars".

The Class 317 units transferred to Thameslink were maintained at the newly built Bedford Cauldwell depot in Bedford. They were restricted to services on the Northern half of the franchise only, as only dual-voltage or DC units can operate South of Farringdon. All of the units were returned to National Express East Anglia following the end of the blockade.

Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!

One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!

When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!

Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!

In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.

On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.

However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!

But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.

Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.

But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.

However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.

Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.

But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.

However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!

So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.

The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D

Well I had expected to spend the evening watching New Tricks with a pint but, when I saw that 9G41 was going to produce this, I couldn't help but go out for a photo.

Direct Rail Services class 57/3 no. 57309 'Pride of Crewe' stands at Birmingham International with Virgin Trains class 390 no. 390118 'Virgin Princess' dead in tow working 9G41 London Euston-> Wolverhampton. The Pendolino had a fault with its drivers door, usually this would necessitate the train being cancelled, but, control were a little more imaginative and this was the result. Well, if you can use a 66 and 67 on the sleeper, you can drag a Pendolino down the London-Birmingham! The working arrived into Wolverhampton 40 minutes down and ran ECS to Oxley Car M.D. as 5G41 before the snatcher returned light locomotive to Rugby as 0A60. For the return working, 1B45, 390118 was substituted with another Pendolino that arrived ECS from Liverpool Lime Street as 5B45. A great evening.

The first Class 57s were built in 1997 for Freightliner, a Class 47 bodyshell was taken, stripped, rewired and then fitted with an EMD engine. In 2002, 12 further Class 47s were converted to 57s for Virgin Trains, these were numbered 57/3 and fitted with ETH. In 2003, four additional locos were ordered for dragging Pendolinos, these were fitted with Dellner couplings from new and the remainder of the fleet was retrofitted with Dellners in the same year. DRS now operate the majority of the class 57/0 and 57/3. First Great Western operate the Class 57/6 fleet and West Coast Railways operate a fleet of 57/0, 57/3 and 57/6.

Bristol 401 (1948-53) Engine 1971cc S6 OHV Production 650 (all 401s)

Registration Number UMC 315 (Middlesex)

Bristol SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759876288...

The 401 was the second model produced by Bristol, after the 400. It may have been the first to use wind tunnel testing in its design, resulting in a remarkably low 0.392 drag coefficient. The car was light, with the use of an all alumium bodyshell, it was a larger car than the 400 and seats 5 passengers in comfort, and its body was built using a 'Superleggera' matrix of steel tubes, mounted on the same open 'A' frame steel chassis, but with different outriggers at the rear to accommodate a lower mounted fuel tank.

The first series is identified by a distinctive ridge along the lower edge of the body., a recognition point of the 401 is that the front grille inserts were painted black, whilst the surrounds were chromed.

A few of the cars were idependantly bodied, most noteably the 1947-48 Farina Drophead, the Beutler saloon and this car the Touring Superleggra Saloon

Touring Super Leggera Saloon

A few early chassis were sent to Touring of Milan as developement excercises for the 401

As with other special design excersises under evaluation, the Touring Saloons were built on early chassis. The styling is simular to other work from the Milan based styling house, particulary the Alfa Romeo 6C-2500. the design was both stylish, lightweight and produced a fast car , but was also considered a little noisy. Construction favoured the patented Superleggra (super light) method used by Touring, involving building a body support matrix of wire-tied tubular or lightweight metal rod frames on which to mount the body panels. In the detail, however, it did not meet the standards of construction set by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. However the benefits of the lightweight construction method was not dismissed by the Bristol evaluators and the Touring Superleggra method was refined to a more sophisticated though more expensive level, by use of cruciform joints rather than the crossover of wire tied metal rods. thus forming a stronger support matrix, on to which the body shaped skin panels could be jig mounted and then and then welded together. Another Bristol modification was to cover the matrix with sound muffling materials, prior to fitting the outer panels. Further insuulation with the likes of Wilton carpets and Bristols wind cheating body shape, made the Touring Superleggra the chosen developement of the 401. The car was debuted at the 1949 Geneva Motorshow

This car was part of the concours at the Chataeu Impney meeting

Many thanks for a fantabulous 40,322,005 views

Shot at the Chateau Impney Hill Climb, Chateuu Impney, Droitwich 12 July 2015 - Ref 108-086

Coachwork by Zagato

n° 96 of 99

Chassis n° SCFAE22353K700096

Estimated : CHF 380.000 - 500.000

Unsold

The Bonmont Sale

Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams

Golf & Country Club de Bonmont

Chéserex

Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz

September 2019

Co-judges at California's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2001, Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, and Andrea Zagato of the eponymous Italian design house, conceived the idea of an exclusive sports car recalling the beautiful DB4 GT Zagato, a mere 19 of which were made in the early 1960s. (Arguably the most desirable of post-war Aston Martins, the DB4 GT Zagato captured the imagination of enthusiasts like few cars before or since, a state of affairs that led to its resurrection in the late 1980s/early 1990s when a further six cars were sanctioned by the works). The model chosen as the basis for the two companies' new joint venture was the DB7 Vantage supercar.

Like its illustrious predecessor, the DB7 Zagato has a shortened wheelbase and only two seats, but unlike the DB4 GT Zagato, which was a lightweight 'homologation special' for competition use, its 21st Century equivalent was conceived as a luxury grand tourer. The DB7 Zagato was styled at the Italian carrozzeria's Turin base by Nori Harada, a pupil of the famous Ercole Spada, designer of the DB4 GT Zagato. Given the extent of Zagato's planned alterations, the car was based on the strengthened open-top bodyshell of the DB7 Volante. Bodies were despatched to Turin for shortening and altering to incorporate Zagato's trademark 'double bubble' roof before returning to Aston Martin's Bloxham factory for trimming and finishing. Sleek and muscular, the DB7 Zagato, with its referential grille, long bonnet, and truncated tail, marked a return to the styling that made the DB4 GT Zagato an all-time classic.

Shorter, lighter, and with its 6.0-litre V12 engine delivering a maximum output of 440bhp, 20bhp more than the standard DB7 Vantage, the Zagato offered superior performance. The suspension and brakes were upgraded also, while the interior - Spartan yet comfortable like that of the DB4 GT - boasts unique untreated leather upholstery, designed to wear and age around the owner.

In July 2002 the DB7 Zagato was unveiled to selected potential customers at an exclusive preview at Savile Row tailors, Gieves & Hawkes. Production was limited to only 99 units for delivery in 2003, thus guaranteeing their status as collectible classics of the future.

Number '96' of the 99 cars produced, this very late example was built in June 2003 and first registered in December of that year. A desirable manual transmission model, the Zagato was delivered new in February 2004 by Kroymans Aston Martin in Holland to Mr Mak Van Waay (see pre-order correspondence on file). In 2006 the Aston moved to Germany where it was registered by a Mr Berthold, and in 2012 found its way to Switzerland. The current owner bought the car to add to his distinguished Aston Martin collection. Used sparingly, this beautiful Zagato is untouched and remains highly original. Presented in excellent condition, this exclusive and exotic Aston Martin is offered with a Certificate of Conformity, Swiss registration papers, Abgas-Dokument, and its personalised DB7 Zagato book with badge ('DB7 Zagato, car 096 of 099').

Class 47/0 Nos.47295 + 47079 come out of Ipswich yard with a freightliner for Felixstowe 20th October 1998.New as D1997 3rd June 1966,withdrawn in March 2002 and moved to Brush Traction,Loughborough for partial stripping 27th January 2003.Whilst at Brush she was sold to the Brush Type 4 Fund in February 2003 and the bodyshell moved to MOD Ashchurch for secure storage,then on to Long Marston.Cutting up took place at EMR Kingsbury in July 2011.

Continuing my theme of titling my photos after Meghan Trainor songs- why not?

Direct Rail Services class 57/3 no. 57301 'Goliath' accelerates through Nuneaton on 19th April 2015 with 1Z57 Liverpool South Parkway-> Wembley Central for the Aston Villa game. Partner class 57/3 no. 57306 was dead on the rear.

For those of you that know don't know Nuneaton, the charter was sent bang road through the station and is here seen travelling up the down main. This is common for a Sunday morning and bidirectional running usually continues until around lunch time.

The first Class 57s were built in 1997 for Freightliner, a Class 47 bodyshell was taken, stripped, rewired and then fitted with an EMD engine. In 2002, 12 further Class 47s were converted to 57s for Virgin Trains, these were numbered 57/3 and fitted with ETH. In 2003, four additional locos were ordered for dragging Pendolinos, these were fitted with Dellner couplings from new and the remainder of the fleet was retrofitted with Dellners in the same year. DRS now operate the majority of the class 57/0 and 57/3. First Great Western operate the Class 57/6 fleet and West Coast Railways operate a fleet of 57/0, 57/3 and 57/6.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PCkvCPvDXk

This picture is of a Danish Railways DSB locomotive class MZ is by Hobbytrade and numbered 1456. The Roco also produce a MZ but the Hobbytrade model is of a later seriesIV model with a completely different bodyshell.

When we reached Cape Neddick Light in the evening to catch a glimpse of its famous lighthouse, this Reliant car, parked in the parking lot, grabbed the spotlight instead. It became an instant star attraction next to the main one.

The Reliant is a small three-wheeled car formerly manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England.

One of its models - Robin was first manufactured in October 1973, a direct replacement for the Reliant Regal. The final original version of the Robin rolled off the production line in 1981, when the model was replaced by the restyled Reliant Rialto. The vehicle was also produced under license in Greece by MEBEA between 1974 and 1978. It was also manufactured in India by Sunrise Automotive Industries Limited as Badal.

In 1989, Reliant revived the Robin name, producing a new and totally revamped Robin featuring a new fibreglass body, and increased engine power. The Rialto continued in production alongside the new Robin until 1998. This Robin was facelifted again in 1999 when the final version was launched that had its biggest change since originally launched with completely new panels, and Vauxhall Corsa front lamps.

Designed as a hatchback-only model it lasted until February 2001 when Reliant announced the end of production. The final sixty-five Robins designed in 1999 manufactured by Reliant formed a Special Edition known as the Robin 65, featuring leather trim, walnut interior, and a numbered plaque, and sold for approximately £10,000. Manufacturing of the Robin resumed under licence by a company called B&N Plastics in July 2001, but stopped in October 2002.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

September 5, 2012, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, taken here.