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MG MG Y Type - Coventry Shakespear Run

For anyone who might be interested there is a procession of mainly classic and some modern cars starting from Coventry Memorial Park Tomorrow at 10 a.m., routed mainly to the north of the city for about 30 or forty miles. There may or not be Y-Types, but certainly M.G.s will be taking part, definately at least one T.C. and many pre war cars. I would hope to see a few Ys because there are 750/800 taking part.

Route plan is available by googling Coventry Festival of Motoring.

Clive Evrall
J.C. Evrall

Good stuff Clive though I think that dear old Will would have prefered his name spelt correctly!

The Event in a few different guises has been run for many years and you do see a huge range of classic cars. I haven't entered it for some while - as it was just as you described 'a procession'. It's good that the event is so well supported by Coventry Museum of Transport who do some sterling work.

The last time that we took part was probably around 2001. On the event the route passed through Henley in Arden and thence onto Warwick. We stopped up at 'The Crab Mill' near Lowsonford, which you may well know Clive. The Museum had a former Coventry City Double Decker Bus parked up. We went to have a look and I mentioned that when I was about 4 my dad converted a Daimler into a home and that it was parked in a farm near Warwick.

Quick as a flash the guy overseeing the Museum bus brought out a photo of my fomer home and said 'Is this it?' He then produced about three photos that I had never seen and when I said that I had a few which he might not have seen and that I would copy them for him. He then ssked if he could come round and collecr them, which he did. He went on to provide me with more background about the vehicle and that it was likely that the bus was still complete!

I know young Paul B has an amazing resource - but this guy was quite remarkable, and moreover without a PC or any sophistcated storage systems!

So that's one Event I will always remember. As a footnote for any of you who live in Warwickshire or Coventry and beyond then do find about the route and choose a spot to watch what is going by. It really is an experience. The police used to close the streets and flag the first 150 or so vehicles through the lights - whether they still do I am unsure.

If you cant see it then do visit Memorial Park on the south of the city where the event finishes. Some truly amazing vehicles.

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Hello Jerry

Unfortunately I didn't get to see it myself owing to the heavy rainfall in the morning, but hopefully our messages might have inspired others to turn out. Does anyone know if there were any Y-Types? When the rain stopped I did potter off up the road in the hope of seeing some stragglers but was too late.

The Fleur de Lis is the only pub I once knew at Lowesenford, I wonder if they have changed it's name. I should think it was interesting livung in a bus. An uncle and aunt did live in a railway carriage parked in their garden until shortly after the war, presumably having been bombed out.

Old Will did spell his name in different variations so lets call it poetic licence!

Regards

Clive
J.C. Evrall

I know when i am beaten Jerry!

LOL

Paul
Paul Barrow

Yes I also completed this run for a number of years starting when it was at Coombe Abbey then a couple of times when it moved to Coventry Memorial Park, but like Jerry have not done it for a while, there was always 2 or 3 Y'types there and always enjoyable to be with so many other fantastic cars.

The Fleur De Lys pub is still there serving real beer and good food.

ps: Is living on a bus like being a posh Gypsy?
stephen randle

I guess that perhaps you too Steve found that procession driving becomes a bit tedious after a few times. Both you and Clive are spot on about the Fleur de Lys at Lowsonford. However, the Crab Mill PH is on the Warwick - Henley in Arden road, between Claverdon and Henley.I believe the church to the east of Henley is known as Lowsonford though I stand to be corrected!

Posh Gypsies is a nice thought and I suppose it was a little like that, although the bus was sited on a Farm and never moved until it was finally condemned as 'unfit for human habitation in 1967!It was then acquired for preservation (as a bus .. not a home!)

I never realised that bus conversions were not uncommon after the War. Indeed I came across an article that my father had kept from the time, which discussed examples of conversions and included contributions by several owners. I sent the article to John James (he of Totally T Type and erstwhile editor of the Octagon Car Club Bulletin).

The bus was quite a neat conversion and included a living area and kitchen on the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first floor. The loo was a 2 seater elsan in the farm - bit of a treck in the winter, when the snow was deep!

I like the idea of 'posh gypsies'!!

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

I went to Memorial Park to see the cars after the run.

If I remember correctly there was a YB there with indicators set into he front wings.

Quite a few cars that you don't often see at the old car events I go to.
David Witham

This thread was discussed between 04/09/2010 and 01/10/2010

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