WHILST SHELTERING THE OTHER EVENING FROM THE BARRAGE OF FOOTBALL TV MANIA, I WATCHED A REPEAT "INSPECTOR LYNLEY" PROGRAMME. THE CAR THAT HE DRIVES COUPLED WITH THE NOT GOOD NEWS FROM MERSEYSIDE TRIGGERED THIS ARTICLE. I LOVED THE OTHER ITEMS ABOUT VANISHING CORNER SHOPS IN BARLICK AND THAT WILL BE A FUTURE SUBJECT, I KNOW THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND NOT THE PAST, BUT IT IS NOT AS MUCH FUN. THE CAR IS A "BRISTOL 410" AND A VISIT TO THIER W/SITE REVEALED THAT THEY STILL MAKE THEM AT FILTON. FOR A MERE £159,000 THEY DO A VERY NICE SPORTSCAR. BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE GONE!  ARMSTRONG SIDDELY, ALVIS, ALLARD, MR. HEYWORTH WHO USED TO HAVE THE NEWSAGENTS ACROSS FROM THE FIRE STATION HAD ONE OF THESE.  AUSTIN, BSA, DAIMLER,  DELAGE, E.R.A. HUMBER, HILLMAN, INVICTA, JOWETT, LEA FRANCIS, MORRIS YOU CAN STILL SEE DOZENS OF OXFORDS AND  ISIS IN NEAR SHOWROOM CONDITION AFTER 30 ODD YEARS IN ASIA. RILEY, STANDARD, SUNBEAM, TRIUMPH & NO DOUBT OTHERS THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN. A ROLLS ROYCE OR BENTLEY CHASSIS COULD BE BOUGHT AND FITTED WITH A BODY OF YOUR CHOICE AND LATER UPDATED. CARS WITH BUILT IN JACKS AND ONGOING SERVICE POINTS. I REMEMBER ROY LAYCOCK HAVING A BENTLEY IN WHICH HE HAD INSTALLED A PERKINS DIESEL ENGINE, THE GEAR LEVER OF WHICH COULD SMASH THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS RIGHT KNEECAP IF THE REVS DROPPED OFF, HE HAD ALSO REPLACED THE FLYING "B" MASCOT WITH A SODA SYPHON TOP.

LORRIES. WHEN DRIVERS GRADUATED FROM SMALL ONES TO LARGE, AND WERE KNOWN AT THAT TIME AS "KNIGHTS" OF THE ROAD. IN THIS CATEGORY I AM NOT INCLUDING THE "BADGE ENGINEERED VERSIONS, BUT THE ORIGINALS, ALBION, AEC, COMMER, DENNIS, DODGE, ERF, FODEN, FORDSON, GUY, KARRIER, LEYLAND, MAUDSLEY, MORRIS COMMERCIAL  & THORNEYCROFT. THIS HAS TO BE STANLEYS DOMAIN & I HAVE MOST LIKELY MISSED SOME OUT.

AIRCRAFT, THE KIND THAT MADE MANY YOUNG LADS WANT TO BE PILOTS, INCLUDING ME. AVRO, BRISTOL, BOLTON PAUL, BLACKBURN, DE HAVILAND, ENGLISH ELECTRIC, FAIREY, GLOSTER, HAWKER, SUPERMARINE, SOPWITH & WESTLAND.

SHIPS AND BOATS JUST A FEW HERE, I HAVE THEM ALL ARCHIVED & BELIEVE ME THERE ARE A LOT! ARMSTRONGS, BROWNS, BARCLAYS, DUNCAN, FAIREY,  HARLANDS, HENDERSONS,  McMILLANS,  NAPIER, RUSSELS, SUPERMARINE, THORNEYCROFT, VICKERS, VOSPER, WHITES & WILLIAMSONS.

MOTOR CYCLES BY AJS, ARIEL, BSA, DOT,  EXCELSIOR, FRANCES BARNETT, GREAVES,  INDIAN, JAMES, MATCHLESS,  NORTON, NORMAN, OEC, ROYAL ENFIELD, TRIUMPH, VELOCETTE & VINCENT.

AND THEN THERE'S THE EVERYDAY STUFF, ANGIERS EMULSION, DUTTONS OLD ALE, EGGS THAT DIDNT SMELL LIKE GRIMSBY DOCKS ON A HOT DAY, GIBBS TOOTHPOWDER, HOWARTHS POP, HORLICKS TABLETS, KB TVs, KEPPLERS MALT EXTRACT,  LANRY BLEACH, MILK OF MAGNESIA YUK!  MASSEYS PALE ALE, PEACE & QUIET, ROLLS RAZORS, RISHY CRISPS, TATTIS CRISPS, UV FRIENDLY SUNSHINE & THE WINDMILL DURING THE TELLY INTERLUDE.

RIGHT!  I HOPE THAT I HAVE INVOKED A FEW MEMORIES. I WILL POST PICCIES OF SOME OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ITEMS AS THEY COME TO LIGHT. IF YOU FIND THE FOREGOING BORING, THEN YOU CAN BLAME IT ON MY PASSIONATE HATRED OF THE "BEAUTIFUL GAME", THE RESULT OF HAVING IT THRUST DOWN MY THROAT FROM BIRTH. AS SOON AS I LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE WHATEVER INTEREST HAD BEEN GENERATED WENT, WHOOSH.

BICYCLES.  BSA, CLAUDE BUTLER,  DAWES, ELSWICK, ENFIELD, HETCHINS, HIGGINS, HILLS, RALEIGH & SUN.