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[ SVVS Lunchtime Meeting - The
Wattenden Arms, Kenley - May 2002]
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The new SVVS 'Summer Season' commenced again this
year at the historic Wattenden Arms in Kenley near the famous wartime
Aerodrome. The following text 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 on an 800 x
600 setup.
The old 'RAF Station Kenley' is on the North Downs just south of
Croydon and was together with Biggin Hill part of a ring of 'sector
centres' used by the RAF to defended London and central England during
'The Battle of Britain'. Because of their importance, both were heavily
bombed by the German Luftwaffe . In 1943 it became the base of the RCAF
Canadian 'Kenley Wing' flying Spitfire Mk Vs. Today suburban
housing is closing in on all sides of the old airbase. The main runway
is still in reasonable repair and is still in regular use by local
glider clubs. The taxi-ways and the lush green grass fields are used as
a local park. Of the many hangars and other buildings that were part of
the airbase, only the boarded-up Officers Mess still remains. In August
2000 a monument was erected on the north-west side of the field to
commemorate the vital role RAF Kenley played in the war. The Wattenden
Arms pub has a historic feel and was much in use by the wartime
Airmen.
The SVVS visit to Wattenden Arms was the first of the 'Summer Circuit'.
Weather is normally not too good when we come here and this was no
exception. It was cool and drizzly and hence, as usual, a rather low
turnout. Historically the oldest Car present was Desmond Peacock's 1921
Amilcar CC. This is one of oldest Amilcars anywhere now resplendent with
is newly refurbished engine. Adjacent was Tony Russell's Ford 7w who
left early and promptly to return to welding up the floor of son
Phillip's recently purchased ex Mohacek son Megasprogs Morris Minor
Saloon.
Amongst the earliest to arrive were Messrs Picnic Organisers and the
1936 Morris 8 Tourer and were already ensconced in the Restaurant, as
was Hon Editor Julian Alderton and the 1947 MG Y Saloon. Also early was
Don Bingham in the 1933 Singer Le Mans Open 2 Seater Prototype. Don, now
well into his retirement is manfully struggling to get to grips with the
new fangled electronic computers and Internet. Hon Editor Alderton is
still finding lots of excuses why not to bother. New to me was the
early white 1963 MG Midget of Ron Smith, which was next to the trusty
1934 Mike Gorman Morris 10/4 Tourer. A couple of pozers came next; the
white thing is the Clive Bracey 1950 XK 120 cheese grater, now with
pooffy new seats, and the rather magnificent red thing is the Bozi
Mohacek 5.3 litre 12 cylinder governed to 156mph M25 central reservation
demolishment device.
Still looking gorgeous after its recent refurb was the David Lilley 1958
Jaguar Mk 8; what, no new project ? Also seemingly still sorted out was
Mike Fay's1933 Armstrong Siddeley LWB Saloon. Mike had just come
from an autojumble victorious with two car manuals for which he had
browbeaten the unfortunate seller to 25p each!! Adjacent was the
perfect Gordon Self 1924 Bentley Vanden Plas Tourer. Also smart and
perfect as usual was the Don William's 1927 Trojan Droptail
Tourer.
I don't seems to have records of either of the MG B's, but I am reliably
advised that the white 'Batmobile' is the unashamed daily transport of
one Bruce Glover who having about four proper cars has no excuse for
having arrived in it. The last pickie is that of Hon Editor Julian
Alderton who is a retired bomber pilot and came to this historic RAF
Public House in full smart gear resplendant with squadron badges to
upstage Hon Chairman, who however failed to make an appearance.
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