A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PART ONE
Commercial vehicles have been very much part of my life with my family being wagon/trailer, car and principally lorry body builders at Paddock Wood, Kent from the 1880s until 1955. Some of the staff moved to Ellis and Son of Five Oak Green, who carried on the local body building art, and which still carries on there today. In fact, well known Halley laundry van owner and HCVS member Bryan Sharp worked for this company until his retirement. Bryan, who along with his wife Sue, were doing their bit at the finish of the Run at Madeira Drive, Brighton on the day.
My first HCVS London to Brighton Run was in 1963 at the age 10, when father, and I think my uncle accompanied us, from Tonbridge, Kent to Bolney on the A23 to watch the steady stream of vintage and veteran commercial vehicles come by. This included John Butler in his, pneumatic tyred at the time, 1928 Scammell YX7608 12-ton chain drive tractor unit with its 40hp petrol engine, who we had come to watch and cheer on. We then went off to the, exclusive at the time, Beech Hurst Park, Haywards Heath to take in the miniature railway as members of the local model engineering club steamed their engines in the early afternoon, while we eat a late lunch.
I was to take part in
