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The
Standard Motor Club at the NEC Classic Motor Show
Chairmans all, left to
right, - David Hanson, Peter Lockley and Paul Newsome. Brown shoes must be a
pre-requisite qualification for the job!
Covering 6 enormous halls at the National Exhibition Centre,
the Classic Motor Show is the biggest and best Show of it's kind in the UK.
Your Club simply has to be there. Its a four day commitment: There's a
requirement to set up the stand on the Thursday then a need for volunteers to
man the stand over the three days of the show, Friday through Sunday following
by breakdown on the Sunday evening.
| But what is going on the Standard stand? Whilst
others are busy polishing their cars, the Standards are being sprayed
with water and gravy browning. Why? It's to make them look like they are
in the middle of desert tour!
As the theme was record breakers, the Organisers decided on a
recreation of the Cape Town to Tangiers proving run for the Triumph
Herald - a record- breaking run of over 9000 miles across Africa in
1958. We were able to bring together the main elements of the run.
These were:
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All thumbprints can be clicked on to see an
enlargement:
Atlas Caravanete |
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The Vanguard Estate, with crouching Camel and prayer
mat
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Due to space restrictions we were unable to display a
representative Herald Saloon that also made the 9000 trip.
The Stand was completed by a Gazebo decked out to look
like a Bedouin Camp, complete with camels and a camp bed. This (the
tent, not the camp bed!) was also used to entertain visitors to our
Desert Encampment and to sell them Regalia, DVDs and the like.
Under the experienced guidance of Show Organiser, Peter
Lockley, the whole weekend was superbly organised, which as always can
only benefit the Club. Though we only recruited 7 new members ( as
compared to 13 last year) there can be no doubt that your club created a
great deal of interest amongst the thousands of Classic Car fans
that attended |
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Another guest on 2 days was Nick Black, who was
launching the biography of his Father, (Triumph and Tragedy
- for more information or to purchase, go here)
Another visitor was David Hanson, the first Chairman of
our Club in the 1970's with his wife Sally - now leading the good life
in West Wales - good to see them looking so well. With no fewer
that 2 ex and the current Chairman on the Stand it was an ideal
opportunity to photograph all three together for the first time.
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Above: Standard 10 Companion, with desert snake |
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A great vote of thanks must go to the
owners who donated their cars and time to support the Club's efforts.
They are Mark Wootton who brought both the Atlas and the Herald Coupé
from Stoke on Trent. Harry Ahesston-Smith who brought the Vanguard from
Manchester and Steve Brookes who brought the Companion from Leamington
Spa. We were visited by a large number of members over the weekend -
thanks for supporting your Club. Thanks also to the team of volunteers,
too numerous to list for fear of missing someone - and to Nick Price of triumph-herald.com
for supporting material.
The Club has already registered for a Stand next
year, if you would like to volunteer to help, please contact any
committee member in the first instance.
Left. Stand Organiser Peter Lockley gets into the swing
of things with his desert dress and headgear.
Below, The Herald Coupé representing the Coupé and
Saloon that were the subject of the proving run. Note that the car is
covert in "desert dust"
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Phil Homer
(November 2010)
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