:: [ SVVS Evening Meeting - The Six Bells, Horley - June 2003 ] ::

The following text is based on the SVVS Magazine report by Chris Cuss and the photos are by Bozi Mohacek. Please click on any thumbnail picture below to see the full size picture. To return to the thumbnails please click the Explorer "Back" arrow (top left of screen). Pictures have been prepared for speed of loading, and the page has been sized to be viewed at 800 x 600. Being evening, photos were taken with very little light so have been  lightened for easier viewing.

 

This was a new venue for the writer although I believe we have had Sunday lunchtime meetings here in the past. But what an outstanding venue it was. An old world pub situated at the end of a narrow lane, adjacent to a church yet within sight of the Gatwick hotels. There were tables behind the pub on a lawn that ran down to the River Mole. Another bonus for us was that the car park had space for about 150 cars so for once we did not cause parking chaos. And to round things off it was a beautiful summer’s evening. Inside the height of the bar’s ceiling caused some discomfort for our less vertically challenged members. From the number of diners it would seem that the pub does much food business and to a fairly upmarket clientele to judge from some of the modern exotic cars outside. However  it was our members’ cars that created the most interest.

     

Gordon Self had forsaken his 1924 Bentley in favour of something more modern, a T type saloon boasting the registration number G 5ELF. Another member who favours personal plates was the owner of a Jaguar XJS, BDZI 67. On this car the position of the screws fixing the number plate cause the D to read as an O. Not to be outdone our chairman had brought his V12 engined dog kennel complete with dog but not dog’s lead hence the said chairman’s trousers were hanging lower than normal whilst the belt that should have been holding them up was attached to the dog. Next to Gordon Self’s Bentley was an earlier S3 saloon - the name of its owner escapes me. Other cars that I failed to link with their owners were an MGB GT; an MGB drophead that wore an SVVS badge; an Austin 7 saloon and a Hillman tourer that we saw at the Skimmington Castle in May.

     

Moving rapidly to more familiar ground I have now identified the large perpendicular Austin saloon as part of David Smart’s fleet. I am getting to know the flat nosed Morris Cowley saloon as belonging to Chas Moody. This car has been back on the road for a year now and still looks as good as ever. Chris Geary was in his 1953 Alvis TA21 and Desmond Peacock brought his oldest Amilcar, the 1921 Type CC. Keith Piper had a notice on the windscreen of his 1934 Aston martin sports saloon asking for a volunteer to drive it to Silverstone the following weekend for the AMOC meeting. Sadly this event clashed with the Riley Register’s weekend in Coventry otherwise I would have been first in the queue. I enjoyed driving north in the company of several Astons on Saturday morning as far as Buckingham where our routes diverged. Mike Fay had the bonnet up of his 1933 15hp Armstrong Siddeley and was explaining the curious inlet heating arrangements. David Cole reminded me that his 2 seat and dickey Austin was a 10/4 and not a 12/4 as I had previously reported. The younger member of the Bowers family arrived in a very stark Austin 7 special together with Simon Bishop who was in his Singer 10/26 tourer. John Sheldrake had left his Austin 7 special at home and come in his very potent Vauxhall Corsa.

     

Tony Russell’s hot rod remains in its garage as he brought his well known 1937 Ford 7W drophead; the head of which is never dropped. Another familiar car was the Humber 8 of John Kirkby its owner sampling the pub’s cooking. One vehicle that I have not noted for some time was the Mark IV Jaguar owned by Mick Goodson. This dates from 1948 and has a 1½ litre engine. Bruce Glover was in his delightful 1928 12/50 Lea Francis; everything that a vintage car should be. Julian and Thelma Alderton travelled in their M.G. Y type saloon and Derek and Jacqui Wright were in their TC that was parked next to something very similar whose owner eludes me. 

     

Moving to safer ground I recorded the Mercedes 280SL owned by Geoffrey Hewitt and four assorted Morrises. They were the 1934 Oxford belonging to Frank Hayter, the 1934 10/4 of Mike Gorman and a couple of post war Minors, the saloon of Peter Sowerby and the Traveller of Roy Welch. Rileys put in a good showing with my 1930 9 hp tourer, John Manvers’ 1934 12/4 Falcon, Brian Lloyd Jacob’s 1935 12/4 Lynx and a pair of 1936 12/4 Kestrels belonging to Robin Vince and Stuart Owen. Raymond Hobbs had his 1972 Rover 200TC back on the road after a seven year lay-up. Graham Martin brought his 1931 Standard Big 9 and Linda and Fraser came in their 1938 Wolseley 14/56 saloon. Finally, as I was leaving the car park on the way home, I was passed by Tony Tester entering in his 1926 Chrysler Imperial. If anyone else arrived later, they missed being in this report.

     

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