Ilkeston - Classic Memories
w/e 20 August 2017
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
It might seem odd to say that the town centre was closed to through
traffic last Sunday when it was actually full of vehicles but
it was to enable the Classic Car and Heritage Vehicle Show to
take place. The event was very similar to previous Shows but
here are a few of the vehicles that caught my eye.
There were big American cars, this Buick being just one of them.
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In direct comparison to the Buick and parked quite close to it
was a much smaller Italian Fiat. Strange to think that despite
their size difference they both serve to get from A to B.
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Bigger than both the Buick and the Fiat together were some of
the military vehicles on display. Impressive but hardly economical
to nip down to the supermarket for the weekly shop!
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At the other end of the scale were a selection of Motorbikes.
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And I'm not quite sure how to classify this vehicle complete
with trailer/caravan but the sign in the windscreen said Bond
Bug and Wikipedia tells me "The Bond Bug is a small British
two-seat, three-wheeled automobile which was built from 1970
to 1974, initially by Bond Cars Ltd and subsequently by the Reliant
Motor Company."
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As well as all the vehicles there was a marquee outside the Library
full of "Arts, Crafts and Gifts".
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Entertainment was not in short supply either with Ilkeston Brass
in the morning providing live music outside the Town Hall and
Rocks and Frocks (pictured) in front of the Memorial Garden in
the afternoon. Erewash Sound were in attendance all day broadcasting
from outside the Town Hall.
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Commercial and agricultural vehicles were grouped on the Pimlico
Car Park, sports cars both old and brand new could be seen at
various places and steam engines garnered a lot of interest on
Wharncliffe Road.
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Most vehicles were in their original livery but others like this
Ford van were highly decorated.
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Such decoration though on cars like this 1926 Ford Model T Four
Door Sedan would have looked totally out of place.
There were various stalls at the event and some local businesses
that normally close on Sundays opened their doors to serve the
large contingent of sightseers and enthusiasts that attended
the event. Among the many vehicles these three brought back many
memories of my Dad. In 1960 he didn't have a car of his own but
borrowed one like the Austin on display at the Erewash Museum
to take us on holiday to Devon. That was before the advent of
motorways and with me navigating it was such a lengthy journey
and, suffering as he did with rheumatoid arthritis, he had to
take a break from double de-clutching for a nap by the roadside.
Although he worked for Barton Transport (and there was a selection
of Barton's vehicles at the Show) we would often catch the Swingate
bus run by rival company Midland General to visit his sister
and her family for Sunday afternoon tea.
The third vehicle that reminded me of him was a Ford Anglia with
the distinctive cut back rear window. He eventually owned one
of these and I took him, my mother and my wife out one Sunday
evening for a drive around the local area. It was the first time
I'd been behind the wheel of his "new" second hand
car and he had only owned it a few days. Whilst driving slowly
along a country lane a local farm boy in a pick up truck drove
head on into us. I braked, stopped and my life passed before
my eyes as we sat waiting for the impact. I'm surprised he ever
let me borrow the car after that but he knew it wasn't my fault
as he was sitting next to me.
Classic vehicles and classic memories.
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