NEWSLETTER 
No 6, 2015

Chairman: 		David Whale
Secretary: 		Rosy Pugh

All correspondence to the secretary at the registered office
Registered office: Stonewold, Berrick Salome
Wallingford, Oxfordshire. OX10 6JR
Telephone & Fax: 01865 400845
Email:  secretary@fbhvc.co.uk.

About FBHVC

The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs exists to uphold the freedom to use old vehicles on the road. It does this by representing the interests of owners of such vehicles to politicians, government officials, and legislators both in UK and (through membership of Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) in Europe.

FBHVC is a company limited by guarantee, registered number 3842316, and was founded in 1988.

There are over 540 subscriber organisations representing a total membership of over 245,000 in addition to individual and trade supporters.  Details can be found at www.fbhvc.co.uk or sent on application to the secretary.

EDITORIAL

The historic vehicle movement is in rude health and very engaged with the important issues of our times. This was my conclusion following a record turnout of club officials at this year’s Federation Annual General Meeting. More than 120 delegates crammed into the conference room at the headquarters of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club in Paulerspury and lunch was taken wherever you could find a space as the dining facilities were overwhelmed.

As a national federation of clubs, this depth of support is very gratifying. We face a number of challenges to our freedom to use the highway and the knowledge of your support lends us tremendous encouragement as we engage politicians and civil servants. The extent of this support is most apparent when we meet colleagues from overseas federations and realise that in terms of the number of enthusiasts represented we are only second in the world to the USA. This fact, and the significance of the trade and industry surrounding our ‘hobby’, gives us considerable lobbying power.

So with the changes to Roadworthiness legislation just around the corner and ‘process re-design’ taking place at DVLA perhaps the packed house at Paulerspury should be no surprise. Having said that however, the quality and topicality of the afternoon conference talks was also a clear attraction. You can read more of this in our report in this issue so suffice to say that the issues of soaring auction values and the challenge of acquiring rare parts are also high on your agenda.

As this is the last issue of the Newsletter for 2015 we wish everyone and very happy Christmas and New Year.

UK LEGISLATION 
Bob Owen

Registration Matters 
In his section, Ian reports on the September meeting at Swansea. As he implies, while the meeting served to explain the position and approach of DVLA well, it did not go far towards settling some fundamental disagreements between the Federation and DVLA.

But the meeting did serve to explain the route by which the changes, of which those of you who are dealing with live applications are very much aware, have arisen. 

DVLA insist, and we have no reason to disbelieve their sincerity, that policy has not changed. Only the application of policy has been tightened.

But we found out at Swansea that the internal processes which DVLA applies under V765, Dating Certificate based registrations and Reconstructed Classics have, in the modern jargon, been subjected to a ‘redesign’. This has clearly been done for operating efficiency reasons. We can’t object to that. In times of austerity we must agree that DVLA should do what it does for our movement in the most efficient manner.

We have not actually seen the redesigned internal processes. We do honestly wonder what source material DVLA has used to come to its conclusions as to what its new process should achieve.

Such has been the concern of our members, especially over bodies for cars and frames of motorcycles, that we have had to research the basis on which the current policies are based. I have to confess that since I took over this task from David Hurley I have not done this. I relied, as we all tend to do, on the variety of guidance notes DVLA have produced. 

The first thing we need to understand is that the whole process is not set out in legislation or regulations, but is a set of working arrangements arrived at on the basis of discussions between DVLA and our various representatives, including at the outset the RAC. So we are properly stakeholders in the workings of the process. It should not just to be passed down by DVLA as a given. 

We have found a set of discussions which set the whole thing up in the Eighties and some consultation in the Nineties, but most importantly a formal Consultation on DVLA and VOSA (now DVSA) Inspection Procedures in 2004/2005.

This Consultation is very interesting. I shall try to make this as straightforward as possible. I shan’t waste ink by quoting from the detail of the Response to the Consultation in 2005. But it refers in several places to ‘chassis/monocoque bodyshell’. Sometimes the reference is also to the ‘frame’ of a motorcycle. 

It is obvious from the context that these are regarded as alternatives. In each case a vehicle under consideration will have a chassis (which in all but early cases will be numbered), or a monocoque bodyshell, (which will essentially always be numbered) or, if it is a motorcycle it will have a frame (which will usually have a number). It can’t have more than one. One, and only one, of these three alternative components, constitutes the identity of the vehicle. That is why it is regarded as vital. This important point seems to have got lost.

In respect of vehicles other than motorcycles, it rather looks as if the importance of the words ‘monocoque’ and ‘shell’ has not been recognised and assessments are being made on the basis of the body. Nothing in the consultation justifies examination of the body style or construction of a vehicle whose identity is contained in its chassis. It is mechanical components which are supposed to be identified.

On motorcycles, there appear to be confusions, which we have not yet quite got to the bottom of, between restored and reconstructed vehicles, ‘reconstructed’ in this context meaning built up from a random set of bits.

Anyone with active applications knows that the bar has been raised impossibly high on originality of bodywork and that some really bizarre proposals to offer Q plates for historic vehicles have been made by DVLA.

At the same time applicants with motorcycles are being told they must erase the genuine frame numbers if a new VIN number has been allocated to the complete machine, despite the historic importance of frame numbers.

Discussions on our unhappiness at what is happening have continued without much success until now. We came to the conclusion that detailed discussions at a working level were not going to change the fundamental DVLA approach.

But now that we understand the DVLA process, we have approached the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group. The Group’s chairman, Sir Greg Knight, and FBHVC chairman, David Whale, have presented our arguments in a meeting with the Minister, Andrew Jones MP. We have briefed him that the history of these arrangements, and the fact that the differences between our understandings of them and those of DVLA have reached such a level, means the time has come for a full Consultation on the whole question.

If we get anywhere with this approach we will clearly be asking what public interest is served by this new obsession with originality where it was previously not required.

We will obviously keep you advised of progress.

NOVA 
With reference to the piece in last Newsletter on contact addresses for HMRC on NOVA, DVLA assure us that while handling of applications has indeed moved to Salford, the HMRC policy people are still in Dover. We are just getting clarity on how we contact them and will let you know when we hear more. 

Asbestos 
As anticipated in the last Newsletter, our application to HSE for issue of a Certificate of Exemption from the effect of the application of REACH Regulations, so that we can not only use our vehicles but legally put them on the market as well, was successful. We have now received a draft Certificate and have offered some amendments with a view to complying with the Regulations with the minimum of complexity, given the tiny quantity of asbestos usually in the vehicle, the fact that most of it is hidden away safely and the fact that most vehicle owners are neither experts on asbestos not do they have ready access to experts in asbestos. Hopefully we will achieve as un-bureaucratic solution as possible. But at the minimum, you should expect, if you put a vehicle ‘on the market’ which is wider than you might think, to have to produce some sort of paperwork referring to the possibility or (if you know) certainty of there being some asbestos in the vehicle and its likely location.

When we finish this task, it will be important to all of you with older vehicles. While the rules were not in place, HSE was not actively policing the apparent illegality of historic vehicle sales. Once the Certificate is issued we really will have to comply. Again, I promise, we will try to get it as reasonable as we can.

Consequences of Discontinuance of the Tax Disc 
Sometimes we think we have a visible win. For some time we have been nagging at DVLA that they were talking on their publicity about ‘selling’ a vehicle, when the actual legislation was about transfer of Registered Keeper, which could include, for instance, the gift of a car. We never got any actual feedback but last month the website changed. It now makes clear the existing tax will end even in such cases. Maybe we can chalk it up as a tiny success.

Insurance Values and Write-Offs 
At the end of September, the little lamented Vehicle Identity Check process came to an end. First initiated at the request of enthusiastic policemen who thought it would expose many stolen and ‘cut and shut’ vehicles, it has proved remarkably unsuccessful. It is a justified victim of the Government’s war on Red Tape. But a little known consequence is that DVLA has announced that any vehicle which is a Category A or B write-off under the Insurance Industry’s Code of Practice will never be able to be re-registered. You can understand why, on safety grounds, they might decide to do so. 

The problem for us is that the Code somewhat confuses safety and cost of repairs. It is all too easy to find that the cost of repairs of a cherished vehicle could exceed by some margin the actual market value of the vehicle. As we know, this might be not only a matter of love and affection for the vehicle, but have a real relationship to the perceived historic value of the vehicle now, or in the future. We have been looking into this issue with DVLA and the Department for Transport. It is early days yet, but one simple piece of advice seems apt.

Until you agree a settlement with the insurance company, the vehicle is yours. 

It is your property and they cannot scrap it without your consent. Many specialist insurance policies allow for the return of the vehicle remains (which may in fact be very little damaged). It is important to ensure, if you intend to rebuild the vehicle at your own cost, or at a cost above the insurance company’s valuation, that it does not nevertheless get involved in being ‘written-off’. Not all inspection engineers are ‘historic aware’ and they do sometimes wrongly apply modern and inapplicable approaches to their inspections. You might be left with a bag of bits you can’t use again as a vehicle. 

Insurance companies and brokers are picking up on this problem and the best of them should not fall into the trap. But sometimes the solution for a damaged vehicle might actually be to refuse the settlement and let the insurance company walk, while you keep your beloved vehicle and fix it entirely at your cost. Not easy, but be aware it is a possibility.

Vehicle Enquiry System
We are all getting familiar with the VES and it is proving useful. But, we identified some time ago that its introduction means that it is ever more important that the vehicle V5C properly identifies the make. Because if you don’t know the ‘Make’ exactly as set out on the V5C and enter the wrong one, you may get a nil return. Where you might need to demonstrate to someone, say - a garage taking the vehicle off for a test run or a loan to a relative - this may be a real pest if you don’t have your V5C with you.

The reasons for a wrong make are mostly lost in the past. They might arise from original errors by a dealer or local authority clerk, from transcription errors when the local records were transferred to DVLC, from actual misunderstandings at that time or from decisions made to deal with the archaic systems onto which the data was originally saved. It doesn’t matter, but it ought to be easy to put right what is almost always a simple matter of fact. 

It has however been amazingly difficult, especially for the owners of some vehicle, to get the ‘Make’ corrected, even when it was obviously wrong. In other cases there are sometimes confusions, which can be as simple as whether a ‘Make’ has a hyphen or not. 

In April, Ian and I were able to speak directly to DVLA systems people. It was obvious that there is no reason why wrong ‘Make’ identities in V5Cs cannot be corrected. But when we asked if make clubs could offer generic explanations of the most common errors, so that people with erroneous V5Cs could simply write in, we were told no. There had, we were told, to be evidence specific to the actual vehicle. 

At the meeting in Swansea in September we were assured that changing of V5Cs will be easy.

Following the meeting and in response to the request for specific evidence, I produced a draft letter to provide that evidence. DVLA have not accepted the letter as a template, but have encouraged me to think that it might do the trick. 

The letter text is as follows:

Club Letterhead

DVLA

Dear Sirs

		Vehicle Registration Number XXX111

On its current Form V5C this vehicle is shown as being MAKE [and, where relevant, MODEL].

This description is factually erroneous, and its identity is misdescribed. The error may have originated at the time of first registration by a local licensing authority or at the time of transcription of the records from the local licensing records to those of the DVLC. As most licensing authority records are destroyed the circumstances in which the error arose cannot in the absence of a Form VE60 or RF60 readily be established. [If the logbook description is possessed and is correct provide a copy instead.]

At the time of first registration or transcription the error may not have been regarded as of any significance, but application of the record to the Vehicle Enquiry Service database now renders the error significant as the Service requires entry of the MAKE and Registration as the search drivers.

The vehicle carries the visible ‘MAKE’/ trade mark and (where relevant MODEL) see photographs. [And any other evidence; sale or repair invoices.]

The vehicle carries the chassis number *******.

This number is one of a series commencing *******and finishing ****** which were issued between (DATE) and (DATE) by (name of manufacturer) as ‘MAKE;MODEL’.
The manufacturer’s record/contemporary brochure/other contemporary document demonstrates this.

The correct description of this vehicle is therefore in fact without question (MAKE) (if relevant MODEL) and the Form V5C ought to be amended to show this description.

Yours faithfully

Even if you have done something very like this before, do try again. It might work this time.

In doing this make sure that 
•	Such matters as hyphens are properly represented (they matter to computers).
•	You are not submitting any brochures etc, which might be inconsistent or create confusion.
•	You are really asking for the right MAKE. (Some vehicles changed the MAKE identity during their production run as a result of changes in their manufacturer’s identity or structure).
 
If anyone follows this process and it still results in a refusal, please let me know. I am trying to do this one to leave Ian free on his other tasks. I would also really like to know of successes so I can feed back our thanks if this long-standing sore point is at last fixed.

DVLA 
Ian Edmunds
The major event on the DVLA front since our last edition has, of course, been the meeting with club representatives held in Swansea on 23 September. This was the first opportunity that clubs have had to meet DVLA staff face-to-face since a meeting held at Theale in Berkshire in 2011 and a great many clubs expressed interest in attending; in fact DVLA received 260 applications. Unfortunately the building available to DVLA could only comfortably hold 80 delegates so many would-be attendees were disappointed.

Correspondence received by the Federation shows some resentment on the part of clubs whose applications were not successful. Given that the event was seriously oversubscribed DVLA obviously had to make a selection and this was done with the objective of covering the widest possible range of vehicle interests and, from my perusal of the list of invited clubs, I feel that was achieved. On the other side of the coin, seven clubs who were invited did not attend on the day. 

Due to the timing of this Newsletter you may well have read reports of this meeting elsewhere, not least on our website http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/about-us/news/_article/82/dvla-historic-vehicle-event/. All that I have read, supported by verbal reports and my own impression on the day, are very positive. We know that DVLA staff also felt that it had been a valuable exercise. As a result it is highly probable that a second event will be held next spring to accommodate those whose applications were not successful this time. More details as soon as we have them.

As FBHVC has frequent correspondence with a designated contact at DVLA and regular face-to-face meetings we adopted a policy for this meeting of just listening and leaving the questioning to the attending club representatives. 

The following is adapted from the news item on the Federation website which was written by Geoff Lancaster and is a composite of notes taken in the meeting by Rosy Pugh, Bob Owen and myself. 

The DVLA Vehicle Registration Policy team leader, John Vale, opened the meeting with a general introduction. He stressed that many of the issues currently being experienced had arisen following the closure of regional offices and the centralisation of services at Swansea. He explained that this had not led to any change in policy but that increased consistency in the application and interpretation of the existing rules may have led to a perception of change in some cases. In relation to the recent cases of letters being sent to owners requesting verification of their entitlement to age related registrations, Mr Vale emphasised that these requests would only be made where DVLA had good reason to doubt the veracity of information provided.

Julie Riseley of DVLA’s Vehicle Service Design explained that the Agency had redesigned their entire internal process on the registration of historic vehicles and that what they would be explaining were the redesigned processes now being applied.

With regard to the conduct of the day, Mr Vale said that they had examined the questions provided by the invited clubs prior to the meeting and had accordingly split the audience into three break out groups to discuss three of the top issues. Group 1 considered the V765 process and late conversions, Group 2 considered reconstructed classics and Group 3 considered dating certificates.

In all these areas, due to their complexity, there is considerable scope for interpretation and these sessions gave the clubs a unique opportunity to gain clarifications on detailed interpretations going forward. We will not go into a listing of these here other than to say that this opportunity was welcomed by the clubs and served to offer a degree of reassurance after the many issues that had arisen following the closures of the regional offices.

Notwithstanding this, FBHVC is very aware that despite the number of issues clarified there remain a great many outstanding and indeed only time will tell how well this works in practice. The Federation will continue to monitor the situation, represent the interests of its members and make such representations at regular face to face meetings with DVLA. DVLA made it clear at this meeting that it was impossible to provide specialists on its enquiry line and that historic vehicle owners would only have recourse to their general enquiries line. Appeal to FBHVC therefore remains the most effective way of having your case taken up by specialists directly with senior officials within DVLA.

We need to emphasise that in the view of the Federation some of these issues, which may affect a fairly small number of vehicles, are nevertheless fundamental, and that in our view, while DVLA may have explained their position on them, they did not establish their justification. We are continuing to work on these issues.

We therefore urge all clubs and affiliates to advise us of any issues that arise in their dealings with DVLA.

At the recent FBHVC AGM Conference there was a strong suggestion that clubs could and should work together in the sourcing and manufacture of otherwise no longer available spares. I very much agree but it is outside my remit here, however I would like to touch upon another aspect of clubs working together, or at least refraining from undermining each other. I do understand that there is competition between clubs, sometimes it is friendly competition in organised events, sometimes it is competition to attract members and their money and sometimes a club is formed as a breakaway group because of some dispute. However it should be remembered that some of the problems we face are shared by most, if not all, and that in these cases co-operation between clubs can only be beneficial. 

Against that background I am very concerned to hear of clubs actively lobbying against the use of Glass’s Check Books to provide vehicle dating evidence for DVLA. These books were compiled by Glass’s from data supplied by the manufacturers or official importers and in almost all cases are a totally valid source of information. Your club may have better data for the vehicles they cater for and may choose not to use the Check Books, that is entirely their privilege but please do not attempt to poison the well for others who may not be so lucky.

In similar vein we would suggest that clubs who are campaigning to discourage the conversion of saloon cars into more valuable sports versions refrain from involving DVLA in the process as any rulings made by them will affect all registrations. There can be many totally legitimate reasons why an original body style is not retained and Government Agencies should not be encouraged to restrict that choice. 

We have received a number of questions and reports that suggested it was not always obvious when a change of tax class to Historic could be carried out by the Post Office and when it had to be processed by DVLA themselves. In some cases this confusion appeared to extend to the Post Offices as well. I am indebted to DVLA for this very concise response:
‘If the pre-75 date is held on the vehicle record the change of tax class can be carried out by the Post Office and the INF 34 is now being revised to reflect this. A change of tax class can only be carried out when a licensing application is made, not when a SORN declaration is made. However the Post Office can re-license a vehicle in the Historic tax class if it has previously been under a SORN. Where a vehicle has to be transferred from the obsolete tax class ’Exempt’ the Post Office system will allow the change to be processed. All applications from other obsolete classes would have to be sent to the DVLA.’

Following an enquiry from a member we have also recently learned from DVLA that when a vehicle was first registered by means of a V55/1 the date of manufacture shown on the record cannot be amended, even if the vehicle had been held in stock for some time prior to registration. The reason for this is that the V55/1 form is a secure document only available to manufacturers and official importers and acts as a declaration that the vehicle is new and unused at the point of registration. The V5C for such a vehicle will contain the statement ‘Declared new at first registration’. 

AGM 2015 
Geoff Lancaster
Directors of FTSE 100 companies dread the Annual General Meeting. They are arraigned before their shareholders and called to account for their stewardship of their company, their fiduciary prudence and horror of ultimate horrors, the excessiveness of their remuneration! Fortunately no such forbearance haunts the directors of the Federation as they file into the auditorium at the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club to report progress during the ensuing year to the members, the assembled club officials. We must be wary of self-congratulation, however by any standards it has been a year of great achievement particularly in the area of skills training and encouragement of young people. Regarding financial performance a small surplus was reported for the second successive year, and as for remuneration of directors, this can never be an issue as we all give our time freely as willing volunteers!

Attendance has been growing over the years, and this year saw us reach capacity for the excellent RREC facilities. No doubt with a full political agenda there are many pressing issues on which the members want updating but it seems that the chosen topics for the afternoon conference also pressed the right buttons. But first let’s have a look at the morning highlights.

Chairman David Whale opened the meeting by presenting a touching tribute on the recent passing of our president, Edward, Lord Montagu. Much has been written and said in praise of his contribution to our movement. Suffice to say that nobody, probably in the world, has done more to promote the preservation and enjoyment of historic vehicles. The audience were invited to spend a moment of reflection on a life which has touched all of us. 

The Federation is very much a people driven organisation so an important part of the morning’s formal proceedings involved addressing changes to the Board. We are fortunate to have an experienced and talented Board so it is pleasing to note that the changes this year will support our forward programme. Andrew Burt retired after a distinguished career serving both the Federation and FIVA. His duties regarding international liaison will be assumed by the chairman and Andrew accepted the Board’s invitation to join the ranks of our vice-presidents. (Note to members: vice presidents in FBHVC fulfil a similar role to that of non-executive directors in FTSE 100 companies.)

Paul Chasney has filled the role of research manager since joining out team last year. Research plays a pivotal part in our programme as the statistics the programme reveals are the ammunition we use in our lobbying activity in support of our hobby. Paul has made a considerable impact and with the prospect this year of repeating and updating our single most important piece of economic impact research, the national survey, it seemed entirely appropriate to elevate him to the Board as research director. All other directors requiring re-election were duly adopted by the meeting and there were no other resignations. We therefore embark on another twelve months of high activity with a strong, experienced and cohesive executive team.

Each of the directors reported on progress in their areas of responsibility, with Paul Chasney standing in for the finance director, Mike Young, who was unable to attend. Legislation director, Bob Owen, updated members on the progress with the UK implementation of the EU Roadworthiness Directive. Dialogue has commenced with the Department for Transport and is likely to proceed all the way to the deadline for enactment in 2018. Clearly a crucial time for our movement. For heritage, Keith Gibbins reported a closer relationship with The Heritage Alliance and this organisation’s recognition of the heritage value of historic vehicles was highlighted by a visit, facilitated by Keith, to Bicester Heritage. The Alliance’s president, Loyd Grossman has accepted an invitation to be our keynote speaker at next year’s AGM. 

As has already been reported this has been a very successful period for our training initiative and in his report trade and skills director, Karl Carter, was able to present the news that North London Garages will be running courses both at their own premises and contracted to Rolls-Royce specialists P & A Wood. (More in his report in this issue).

The afternoon conference session proved very popular with two highly topical subjects offered for presentation and debate. David Holden of the Riley RM Club and the Federation’s Paul Chasney jointly presented the subject of club spares and parts remanufacture. This was a very wide ranging discussion taking in as diverse elements as insurance, public liability, reverse engineering and availability of engineering drawings and their use. This is clearly an issue for which long term solutions are required and no doubt we will be returning to it.

Angus Forsyth and Marcus Atkinson of Hagerty International gave a very enlightening and entertaining talk on classic car values, a subject with which we can all relate. In particular they have tracked values and plotted them against the FTSE 100 All Share Index and the rise in the price of gold. You may not be surprised to learn that classic car auction values have out-performed each of them!

To conclude the meeting there was a showing of the Federation’s new apprenticeship promotional video which has been produced with the help of a grant from the Galashan Foundation. It is available to view through the Federation’s YouTube channel via the homepage of the website www.fbhvc.co.uk

OXFORD BUS MUSEUM AND MORRIS MOTORS MUSEUM 
Rosy Pugh 
Since 1967 buses and coaches that once provided public transport in Oxfordshire have been passing into the care of the Oxford Bus Museum, which tells the story of bus, coach and tram travel around the county over the last 130 years. The collection is housed at a site beside Hanborough railway station, near Woodstock, north of the city of Oxford. Since 2004 the Morris Motors Museum has also been housed there charting the story of William Morris and his motoring empire.

Some of the oldest exhibits are a reconstructed 1882 horse tram and the restored chassis of a 1915 Daimler Y Type double-deck bus. Horse trams were introduced to Oxford in 1881 and continued long after electric trams were in service elsewhere, mainly because of opposition to the visual effects the overhead wires would have on the public’s enjoyment of the High Street architecture. In 1913 William Morris (who later became Lord Nuffield) introduced the first motorbus service in Oxford with a local politician, Frank Gray. It was an illegal venture but it forced the local tramway company to introduce its own motorbuses. William Morris sold his enterprise to the tramway company in 1914 and all horse drawn trams had disappeared a few months later.

There are a number of fascinating exhibits showing the development of design and construction of buses and coaches and the limitations imposed by regulations drafted to safeguard the travelling public. The earliest motorbuses were derived from wooden horse-tram bodies mounted on a lorry chassis but from the 1920s bus chassis design had become a specialist product in its own right.

The 1932 AEC Regent in the collection illustrates the 1930s design, which remained very similar for another 30 years: front engine, open entrance platform at the rear. Two other AEC Regent double-deckers illustrate this similar design in the 1950s. These buses had both a driver and a conductor.

In the late 1950s to early 1960s there were some significant design changes. The development of a lower chassis double-decker, which reduced the overall height of the bus, allowed it to navigate under Oxford’s railway station bridge. An AEC Regent in the collection is the last double-decker of this design delivered to the Oxford fleet in 1967. Moving the engine on single-deck buses to the middle of the chassis, or to the rear on double-deck buses, allowed the passenger entrance to move to the front. The collection has an AEC Regal IV coach and a 1960 AEC Reliance which are early examples of one-man operated vehicle single-deckers, and a Daimler Fleetline, Leyland Atlantean and Bristol VRT illustrate the first of these rear-engines double-deckers.

Some of the youngest exhibits, from the 1980s, include three minibuses based on van chassis showng the return to the engine and gearbox at the front once more.

In all the Bus Museum has 32 vehicles. The Trust will only acquire vehicles that worked within around 30 miles of Oxford for some time in their operational life. One unique vehicle is the Morris FF of the Morris Motors Band. A few years ago this wonderful bus was displayed at the NEC on the Morris Commercial Club stand. There are also cut-away buses to show their construction, with details such as the different layers of paint applied – this was still done by hand until 2003 in Oxford. There are tickets, uniforms, timetables, and histories showing the complete story of the local bus transport system. Much of the memorabilia had to be rescued by the museum’s volunteers at 24 hours’ notice when the Longwall Street site in Oxford was being cleared.

The museum site does have even more to offer than this. The Faulkner Cycle Collection again shows the influence William Morris had in Oxford (he began repairing and building bicycles) and the museum’s own modest collection together with the Faulkner Collection has exhibits from the mid-1800s. The display is expected to evolve over the years to include many accessories and advertising material.

The Morris Motors Museum is a treasure trove of exhibits relating to the 100 years of car production in Oxford and the thousands of people it employed. The development of the works from its beginning in 1913 at the old Military College and the later expansions are followed in detail. The wartime production exhibit is fascinating – a number of utility specials, Crusader and Centaur tanks were among the factory output. The Nuffield Press was needed to provide handbooks and technical publications as well as publicity material: this company is now privately owned and based in Abingdon. Exhibits have been collected showing how the work force was looked after: athletic and social club trophies; Morris Motors Band music, photos of neatly dressed production workers in collars and ties; bullion scales used for wage packets; works fire engines; everything in fact that could possibly relate to this vast empire. The museum also had a visitor’s book for old employees.

There are also links with Nuffield Place, Lord Nuffield’s home near Henley, which is another site well worth visiting, now owned by the National Trust.

The museum is entirely run by volunteers, under chairman Chris Butterfield, but there is never enough voluntary labour – a familiar scenario to many FBHVC clubs. Anyone who has ever had been daunted by the thought of a car or bike restoration should spare a thought for this dedicated band of 30 volunteers that do everything from restoring double-deckers to baking cakes for the tea-room. 

HERITAGE 
Keith Gibbins
Heritage Alliance Relationship Development 
Following a meeting at the Heritage Alliance office in London that included David Whale and Kate Pugh, which discussed areas we could work together, we took Matthew Rabagliati, HA’s policy and communications officer to Bicester Heritage, courtesy of Daniel Geoghegan, Bicester’s managing director.

Daniel gave an excellent overview and tour of the site. Bicester Heritage is a splendid location which aims to help secure the future for historic motoring and aviation. A former RAF base, the 50 buildings have been being kept in the 1920/1930s period. The latest development is the availability of four ‘crew rooms’, each named after a RAF officer, for overnight use by visitors to the site. 

Afterwards, Matthew used his modern social media knowledge to ‘tweet’ about how much he had enjoyed his visit.

Drive it Day 2016 
As usual our lead co-ordinator Ken Coad is available for Drive it Day advice, contact via the secretary.

Heritage Open Days 2016 
The second heritage event with dates to remember is Heritage Open Days from 8-11 September. Monitor the HOD website at http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory for available locations. 

TECHNICAL AND EVENTS 
Tony Davies

The HRCR Open Day at Gaydon is on 16 January and I recommend that you go if you are at all interested in participating in any events in 2016. HRCR’s calendar of scenic tours has some very enjoyable low-key pleasurable and scenic driving if that is what you are after. As it won’t be long before the longer days are with us again now is the time to arrange your calendar for 2016. A visit to the HRCR website http://www.hrcr.co.uk/Scenic Tours/ will provide you with further information. I know the HRCR have been updating their website so if the above link doesn’t work try putting this into your browser: https://tony938.wordpress.com/scenic-tours/.

If you feel a little more adventurous you could always try to get a late entry into HERO/CRA’s Winter Challenge to Monte Carlo in February 2016. This is always an enjoyable event and, as well as visiting some of the famous roads frequented by the WRC Monte Carlo Rally, you could get the opportunity to practice your driving on snow. A real adventure and should not be missed; I hope I’ll see you there.

Whilst at Gaydon have a look at the Knutsford and District Motor Club’s Tour of Cheshire. This National B event is always worth doing. No deviously tricky navigation together with some fun tests on private land. This one-day event on 7 March is always good fun – go on, have a look at the website; http://www.tourofcheshire.co.uk/index.html. Hopefully you may still be able to get an entry but this event is usually oversubscribed within a few days of entries being announced.

The 2015 FIVA General Assembly and Extraordinary General Assembly have been and gone. This year again not smooth and enjoyable events but at least FIVA now has some new Statutes and Internal Rules that give it the opportunity to make progress and become more professional in the way it operates and does business. The result was a very narrow victory by only 7 votes and unfortunately I was unsuccessful with my nomination for vice-president Events. A result due in some respect, I suspect, because I was the architect of the new statutes and rules that were definitely not favoured by some!

The new FIVA Technical Code, with its revised FIVA ID Card application procedures, is now almost finalised with one or two IT issues left to resolve. I understand the new code will be operative from early February next year and that Retromobile in Paris will be the launch pad.

On the FIVA Events Commission work plan for next year is an update to the Events Code that was last updated circa 2010. So watch this space if that is of interest to you.

Finally on the FIVA front, FBHVC has a new member on the FIVA Events Commission: Malcolm Grubb. Malcolm is very experienced in all things motorsport, involved with the Brooklands Trust and will, I’m sure, be a great asset to the Commission.

Moving on, it won’t be too long before the lighter nights are with us once again and we can enjoy our historics in the better weather. Meanwhile make the most of your time in the garage; we have enough time to make sure our vehicles really are fit for purpose when we take them out for their first outing in 2016.

DIARY DATES 
2016

Clubs please note that there will not be a Club Expo event in 2016.

5-6 March, Practical Classic Restoration Show, NEC
24 April, Drive It Day
3-4 September, International Autojumble, Beaulieu 
8-11 September, Heritage Open Days. See www.heritageopendays.org.uk

TRADE AND SKILLS 

Vehicle Restoration Apprenticeship Scheme 
It is the start of the second year for our historic vehicle apprenticeship and Bicester College have continued to see significant interest in both apprenticeship and extended learning training. Discussions are now ongoing about how we expand the training facility to cope with the increased demand and also how Bicester could offer short training courses to car club members.

I have agreed to help them with some marketing of the short courses and we will be asking both clubs and club members to register their interest in this type of initiative.

The marketing will be at the NEC Classic Motor Show in November and if there is sufficient interest we would hope to start these in the New Year. Any views on subjects and length of course are very welcome and will encourage Bicester to invest in this exciting development.

For those who attended the NEC Classic Car Show and came to the FBHVC stand I hope you were impressed with the apprentices from P& A Wood who were with us each day of the show. The apprentices are being trained by staff from North London Garages and P & A Wood who also attended the show together with some very interesting cars! Pictures in the next newsletter.

North London Garages are still looking for restoration businesses in London and the Home Counties who would like to train an apprentice at their Enfield facility so if you are interested their contact details are T: 0208 805 6967 E: recruitment@nlggta.co.uk

CLUB NEWS
David Davies

Firstly a seasonal message to all our members – we wish you a very happy Christmas and New Year and thank you for your support, without which we would not be here.

Congratulations to the Austin Counties Car Club on their 40th birthday and to the Pre-1950 American Auto Club on its golden jubilee. Congratulations also to the Vincent HRD Owners’ Club on the 800th edition of their journal.

The journal of the Cumbria Steam & Vintage Vehicle Society contains the welcome news that there are now two steam shovels in working order. The Ruston No. 6 shovel which has been mouldering away at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life has been re-housed to the Threlkeld Quarrying and Mining Museum and brought back to life. There is also an Erie shovel at large and pottering about in the Beamish Museum complex.

There is an aerial photograph of the Mintex test track in the magazine of the Imp Club. Where was it and what became of it? There is also an extraordinary photograph of some 80-plus Imps waiting to experience the Middlesbrough transporter bridge as part of Imp 2015.

We are informed by the journal of the Wolseley Register that the first and the last Wolseleys were in attendance at this year’s National Rally which had as its theme 120 years of Wolseley.

The unwanted brake servo effect generated by the Anstey Link rear suspension is discussed at great depth in the Ariel Owners’ Club magazine.

The Fiat 500 Club News has a photograph of a Fiat 500 on the roof above the entrance of the Luton Icon Hotel. Can anyone tell us why? Staying with licensed premises, the magazine has a feature on a ‘500 Bar’ in Tenerife.

The National Street Rod Association can be relied upon for striking photographs of remarkable vehicles and the centre spread in the August issue really stands out: Sean Milsom’s 1947 Morris van is something else. The photo-reportage of the 2015 Fun Run at Billing featured an impressive turn-out of ‘Tot Rods’ to add to the impressive turnout of vehicles.

The British Made Car Club magazine has an interesting article on the pioneers of spark ignition.

An extraordinary story in the Bentley Drivers’ Club review relates the sad end for a 1938 DHC which was catapulted from HMS Hermes in 1962. So, somewhere off Portland is a DHC Derby Bentley awaiting salvation.

The magazine of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club reminds us that 2015 is the 80th anniversary of the launch of the 2.5 litre saloon with an in-depth copiously illustrated feature article. Another edition of the same publication has a photo-feature on a barn find XK140 that has lain undisturbed since 1971. And, finally, for those of you who cannot leave things alone, there is a detailed and very informative article on distributors.

The Swansea Historic Vehicle Register for July has an atmospheric photograph of Bluebird at Pendine and a reproduction of a Gamages advertisement for 1958 for ‘essential’ accessories for the motorist.

An article in the Triumph Razoredge Owners’ Club magazine on the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu concentrates on the collection of terrifying world land speed record holder cars on display.

There does seem to be some sort of synergy between historic vehicles and breweries. This is brought to our attention by a feature article on a visit to the National Brewery Centre at Burton-upon-Trent by the Rover Sports Register as part of their 2015 National Rally.

The Dellow Register Gazette has a striking photograph depicting Roger Hodgson’s confidence in his water-proofing as he attacks the Alham Water Splash in the course of the 2015 Kimber Trial.

There is a brief ‘biography’ of the FWD Ferguson P99 in the Manchester Historic Vehicle Club magazine. What became of it? 

The Pre-war Austin Seven Club magazine features the Austin pedal cars which have now become quite collectable. How many of the Pathfinder version survive?

The magazine of the Mini Cooper Register has a photo-reportage on the 60th anniversary commemoration of the BMC/BL Competitions Department at Silverstone MG Live in June. In addition to the impressive collection of cars, an equally impressive collection of personalities had been brought together – maybe for the last time?

Members of the Southern Daimler & Lanchester Club paid a private visit to the London Ambulance Storage depot. It seems to be a great pity that circumstances do not permit regular access to the collection. The extraordinary story of a dismantled Bentley which had been dismembered and squirreled away in a three-story London suburban house for more than 50 years is also recounted.

The Morgan Three-Wheeler Club bulletin’s back cover photograph displays the tools, etc. that a prudent two- or three-speeder owner should carry with him at all times (despite looking most carefully, I cannot see the essential lump hammer).

A striking photograph of a TD MG at the summit of the Furka Pass graces the front cover of Safety Fast, the MG Car Club magazine. This expedition is described in detail in an article within.

The Sunbeam Lotus Owners’ Club magazine has an informative article on unsprung weight – well worth a close study.

Plenty of prior notice: the AJS & Matchless Owners’ Club journal gives us the dates for the 2016 International Rally as 13-16 May, to take place in Holland. There is also speculation on the future direction of the club (and other clubs) in the digital age.

The magazine of the Austin A30/35 Owners’ Club contains a very comprehensive report on their International Rally which was held at Wortley Hall, Sheffield.

Thoughts to remember from the magazine of the H & H CVC: ‘The body of every organisation is structured from four kinds of bones. There are the wishbones, who spend all their time wishing someone else would do all the work; there are the jawbones, who do a lot of talking and nothing else; there are the knuckle bones who criticise everything others try to do. Luckily, all organisations have backbones who carry the load and do the work.’

There is a photo-reportage of members wrestling with their cultivators, and having a splendid time, at a working weekend in the newsletter of the Vintage Horticultural & Garden Machinery Club.

There is a description of what now must be a very elusive beast indeed. 2015 is the 30th anniversary of the MG Montego Turbo – then the fastest production four-door saloon - in the Maestro and Montego Owners’ Club magazine. Do any of the rather swish Customer Presentation Packs survive, I wonder?

A striking photograph of Peter Brook’s 1934 Minor posed outside the Redcar Blast Furnace graces the cover of Morris Monthly, the magazine of the Morris Register. Sadly, Morris Motors are no more – and neither is the Redcar Blast Furnace. The September issue carries a reprint of a 1935 article on an exploratory drive from London to Istanbul – in 21 and 25 hp Morrises.

The magazine of the Humber Register puts forward an intriguing theory that the very first Bentley (EX1) was actually the prototype engine in the chassis of a 1914 TT Humber.

The illustration on the front of the magazine of the Bullnose Morris Club is of a delightful car mascot in the form of a Lifeboat Coxswain. Inside is a photograph and a brief description of Viscount Nuffield’s statue located outside Guy’s Hospital. This is one of very few London statues to be unveiled whilst the subject was still alive.

NECPWA News has a report on a visit to the CM Booth collection in Kent. Well worth a visit, it seems, if you are in that neck of the woods. At (almost) the other end of the country, the Sledmere House rally in North Yorkshire looks like a grand day out.

The Scottish Vintage Bus Museum magazine reports that the Fife Historic Vehicle Club Festival of Transport at Lathalmond attracted more than 400 exhibits, including 200-plus cars. Put it on your list for 2016?

BSA motorcycles used to be famous for the quality and accuracy of their component parts – which led to ease of interchangeability between models and years. A remarkable example of this is recounted in the official journal of the BSA Owners’ Club where gears from a 250cc C12 were substituted for components in the gearbox of a 650cc A10.

There are some useful ruminations on 18mm sparking plugs for mature motor cycles in Fishtail, the journal of the Velocette Owners’ Club.

There is a progress report on the resurrection (there no other description that is appropriate) of a B2 Citroen by Clive Hamilton-Gould in the magazine of the Citroen Car Club.

The comprehensive photo-reportage of the Land Rover Series One Club in Ashbourne which would appear to have enjoyed excellent weather – which no doubt contributed to the very high turnout of the beasts.

The DAF Owners’ Club magazine has a critique of keyless cars and the opportunities that have been created for larceny. 

The Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register Newsletter reminds us that 2016 sees the 90th anniversary of Segrave’s land speed record at Southport. The celebrations will take place on 16 March and Tiger, the four litre V12 Sunbeam, will be in attendance.

A nice little story in the magazine of the Jupiter Owners’ Auto Club: a certain Dr Harry Brierley sought to retain the registration mark FNL 300. He had failed to register his Jupiter by the cut-off date of 30 November 1983 and was informed by DVLA that he would have to accept a different mark unless he could justify exceptional circumstances – such as association with famous persons. Rising to that challenge, Dr Brierley assembled a portfolio of endorsements for his cause including well-known personalities associated with Jowetts as well as a hand-written letter of support from Raymond Baxter. The coupe de resistance was writing to Lord Rievaulx – probably better known as Harold Wilson - and securing his support. So, that’s what you need to do to secure your registration mark.

The magazine of the Gay Classic Car Group has a thought-provoking article on electrically powered transport and informs us that the emissions from diesels in Paris are now drifting across the Channel and polluting the South of England.

The splendid tome that is the magazine of the Bristol Owners’ Club gives us details of the relationship between Bristols and Vincent-HRD. Firstly, owner Philip Vincent drove a Bristol 400 and, secondly, the Bristol Aeroplane Company manufactured the L40 aluminium alloy front fork blades for Vincent motor cycles.

Another anniversary! The Riley Motor Club Magazine informs us that 2015 is the 80th anniversary of the Riley Sprite. In the same magazine we are enlightened as to the connection between Spitfires and Rileys. R.J. Mitchell – the designer and Cpt. Joseph Summers, the first test pilot, were both keen Riley owners.

The journal of the Fire Service Preservation Group tells the sad tale of the demise of Dennis, once the country’s leading manufacturer of fire appliances: an all too familiar story of financial manoeuvrings. There is a reference to the collection of fire appliances kept at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln. The collection is not readily accessible, but organised visits can be arranged.

The newsletter of the Colchester Vintage Motor Club tells us that in 1984 only 15% of India’s population had ever ridden in a car, the country had 23,000,000 bikes, 17,000,000 bullock carts, but only 1,000,000 cars (who counted them?)

The Wolseley Register informs us that Lady Nuffield’s Wolseley Eight is up and running once more at Nuffield Place in Oxfordshire. There is also an article on the Wolseley restaurant in Piccadilly, London, built in 1921 as the London showroom for Wolseley Motors. There is also an intriguing story concerning BSM 923 – a 16 hp Super Six Wolseley which emerged from a long hibernation – only to disappear once more. Where did it go?

Staying with Wolseleys for a moment, there is detailed account of a car re-engineered to two litres in the magazine of the Wolseley Hornet Register. At the club’s AGM recently, their registrar speculated that an estimated 400 Hornets survive.

There is a detailed description of an Arrow Competition 75 in the London Austin Seven Owners’ Club magazine – and staying with Austin, there is a reprint of a 1950 article which appeared in Picture Post on the rigours of a taxi driver’s lot - very topical with the appearance of Uber in the City in the Vintage Austin Register journal.

The Armstrong Siddeley Owners’ Club magazine takes us back to the International Motor Show of 1957 and the launch of the new Vauxhall Cresta, reminding you how easy it was to crack your knee-cap on the wrap around windscreen as you entered or exited the front seats.

A thought provoking observation in the newsletter of East Anglian Practical Classics: if you are silly enough to turn a Gullwing Mercedes on to its back, the doors were impossible to open - just imagine a fire.

There is an account of a visit to Shelsley Walsh in the journal of the Buckler Car Register, highlighting continuing programme of improvements to the venue and the restoration of the watermill and its conversion into a restaurant.

Rumcar News, the periodical that ventures into areas of motoring that others fear to tread for the Register of Unusual Microcars has an in-depth article on Aixam microcars, products of a French company which take advantage of some of the arcane French laws relating to cars with very small engines.

There are several suggestions for preservation and cosmetic treatments for canvas roofed cars in the newsletter of the Vauxhall Owners’ Club. A product sold under the name Storm appears to solve leakage problems whilst both black boot polish and black emulsion paint have been recommended to restore colour - but not on a vinyl roof!

An interesting little tip in the Historic Caravan Club newsletter. One of those cook’s torches, the ones that are used to brown crème brûlée and the like, are ideal sources of heat to free off seized components whilst minimising the risk of excess heat setting things on fire. 

Two useful articles in the magazine of the Land Rover Series 2 Club magazine: suggested procedures to follow in recommissioning a dormant vehicle and where you ought to be able to find engine, chassis, gearbox and rear axle numbers on your pride and joy. 

We tend to overlook the existence of historic road rollers powered other than by steam. The Road Roller Association magazine corrects any misapprehensions with a series of articles in the latest issue – including brief biography of the famous engineering name, Peter Brotherhood.

There is a thought-provoking article on steering wheels in the magazine of the Midget and Sprite Club which provides a sound argument for retaining the original sizes.

The Bristol Austin Seven Club bulletin has an article describing the Tapley meter, a 100 year old design which is still in use in the MoT test for vehicles that are unable to use a rolling road.

The Light Industrial Truck Club magazine recounts the unusual origins of the Roses chocolate brand name.

The journal of the Ford Sidevalve Owners’ Club makes interesting reading: there a brief account of the rescue and restoration of Lancing-Bagnall tow tractor, which used a Ford engine. (There was a nest of Lancing-Bagnall trucks serving the late lamented New Holland-Hull Ferry. Did any survive?)

The Austin Healey Club journal tells us that there were 21 Healeys in this year’s Mille Miglia Historica with a total of nine different models covering some 22,000 miles on 1,222 gallons of fuel and 168 pizzas. 

An interesting (and very inconvenient) phenomenon is described in the Traction Owners’ Club magazine: galling, the process by which metal surfaces cold weld under load. 

Making a change for all the stories of exporting to foreign climes, the Routemaster Association magazine recounts the repatriation from France of RM 28 from a gruesome fate of being used as a Pizza Bus. 

The Chiltern Vehicle Preservation Group magazine has a description of the concept tyre produced by the Kumho Company that not only is airless, but which is designed to switch between a number of different surface configurations to cope with anything from dry to snow covered roads (I doubt that it will cater for idiots, however.)

The magazine of the Preston and District Vintage Car Club tells us that a recent survey carried out by a classic car insurer indicated that the Lancashire area has the most dense population of owners of classic cars in the whole country. There are also brief histories of the curious Seal, a sort of cross between a motorcycle combination and a light car - an example of which is in the National Motor Cycle Museum, the origins of the Vulcan company which had its origins in Southport and the ‘Bell’ made in small quantities in Ravensthorpe, near Dewsbury. 

WELCOME 
Welcome to following clubs who have recently joined:
Historic Volkswagen Club
Lotus Cortina Register

Welcome to the following new trade supporters:
The School Garage
ECAS 2CV Parts Ltd
Historic Promotions Ltd
Bonhams 1793 Ltd
Specialist Automobile Services