Mike Costigan Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Over the years I have acquired a number of period photos of Triumphs. My main interest has always been Heralds and Rallying, but there's lots more besides, which I will share with you in this thread. To start things of, and just to be different, here are some shots of TRs: I have no information on this first one, which shows a 1959-registered TR3A (VKV 626), presumably on a local Club rally; what fascinates me most about this shot is what has just happened up the road? It looks like it was pretty dramatic! The next shot is of my uncle, Max Creamer, in his TR2, competing in the Scott-Brown Trophy Race at Snetterton in 1960: And finally for this post, three TR2s on the 1955 Birmingham Post Rally: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFL Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Great Photo's Mike Is the other car in the Second Photo a Turner Sports Car? Looks like the 3rd Photo must be in Deepest Wales somewhere PS - Can I ask are you the same Mike Costigan who wrote the Guide to Originality book on the Herald/Vitesse? Regards Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Hi Gary, yes to all three! At least, I'm pretty sure the third photo is in Wales, but I would welcome someone positively identifying the location. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2022 One more TR, and a couple of Bonds: First we have Keith Ballisat and Alain Bertaut in WVC 250 on the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally Next, John Cuff in a Bond Equipe GT on the 1964 Welsh International Rally and finally the Bond Equipe GT of John Cuff and John Lambert after the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted February 10, 2022 Report Share Posted February 10, 2022 Oh.. that is a little nicer than the Equipes I had seen to date... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2022 Another three for your delectation, all from the Tulip Rally: First, from the 1960 event, we have the Halmi and Kennedy entry. Bob Halmi was an American who had taken advantage of the Standard-Triumph scheme whereby purchasers could visit the UK and collect their new car from the Works, where it would be supplied with a temporary UK registration. Unfortunately his entry in the Tulip resulted in retirement. Next we have J R G Dance and M E Chandler on the 1961 event in possibly the only entry of a 948cc convertible in an international rally; they were classified 114th in the final results. Can anyone identify the nationality of the registration number? And finally an early 1200 saloon in the 1962 event. H Watson and F C Mitchell finished the event in 84th position: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 I was trying to figure out which country OY41B might’ve come from (my initial suspicions were all wrong…) and stumbled across an online photo archive https://www.motorsportimages.com/photos/?race_type_id=0&search=Triumph+herald which was pretty interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 The Alpha-Numerical layout is not unlike the French plates of an earlier period?. If so, I THINK, the OY is a "Department".?? Not unlike the UK, back when all Registrations where issued locally EG. HULL was among others *KH **** But Beverley 10 miles away Issued *AT ****. Famously, at One time HRH1 belonged to Prince Philip The Lord Mayor of HULL Had KH1 on the "official" Car for many years. (useless Information!🙃) Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 28 minutes ago, PeteH said: The Alpha-Numerical layout is not unlike the French plates of an earlier period?. If so, I THINK, the OY is a "Department".?? Sorry but no. Except that each department did issue their own. The format before the current one was: My previous Skoda: 6872 VE 61 Where the 4 numbers went up in order. The 'VE' were a block and the '61' is the department number, in this case L'Orne. I guess in theory there could have been a 6872 VE 72 issued in the Sarthe. Paris (75) and the departments around it where far more numbers were issued had to resort to 123 ABC 75 to cope. Back then if an owner moved to another department with the same car he would have to get it re-registered. Not only that but back when I first moved here and road tax still existed each department set its own rates . . . The new format, as per my Current Skoda EL 308 ZB My Triumph which I imported from the UK had to be issued with the new format, but as I have had it registered as 'collection' I can use old fashioned black and silver plates. Lesson over, play time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 My thoughts immediately were French, Dutch or Belgian. But none of those formats match for a 1961 ish car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 44 minutes ago, Josef said: My thoughts immediately were French, Dutch or Belgian. But none of those formats match for a 1961 ish car. I agree, the search goes on . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 Yup, you're going through the same suspect as I have done. Chris is correct that it is definitely not French, I thought it might be Belgian, but then discounted that option. The identity of the crew is no help - according to the official entry list they were both British! The Motor Sport link that Josef provided is interesting; the first photo showing car number 37 is the same Robert Halmi seen in my first Tulip Rally photo. Here he is competing on the 1962 East African Safari Rally in a 1200 saloon prepared at the Works by Ray Henderson. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 I’ve actually now looked up the reg styles of the period for all of Western Europe, Scandinavia and Poland, nothing matches the pattern… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 I've cracked it! At that time British Forces stationed in Germany who ran privately-owned vehicles were issued registration numbers in a special sequence of two letter, two numbers and a B suffix... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Taylor Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 On 09/02/2022 at 16:31, Mike Costigan said: And finally for this post, three TR2s on the 1955 Birmingham Post Rally: This gives the entrants in the Birmingham Post Rally of 1955: Birmingham Post Rally - Historical Research, in memory of David McKinney - The Autosport Forums And I'm amazed to think I might know this, but might the location be the top of the Senni Valley in the Brecon Beacons? You have to admit, the hill on the left (Fan Ghirych?) looks pretty similar... My photo is taken from a similar position, just behind where the cars are. Am I imagining it, or is there a hairpin bend behind the cars in the b&w view? If so, I am pretty certain that's where is is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Mike Costigan said: I've cracked it! At that time British Forces stationed in Germany who ran privately-owned vehicles were issued registration numbers in a special sequence of two letter, two numbers and a B suffix... Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Mike Costigan said: I've cracked it! At that time British Forces stationed in Germany who ran privately-owned vehicles were issued registration numbers in a special sequence of two letter, two numbers and a B suffix... I was thinking it must be some sort of ‘special’ issue that might not be well known, though I was mainly thinking along the lines of temporary import / export plates from somewhere. Interesting to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 50 minutes ago, Patrick Taylor said: Thanks Patrick, that link has enabled me to identify the first of the three TRs, PAC 555 driven by G C Hull and K P Tallett to 9th overall. Your photo of the Senni Valley certainly looks promising - the field pattern and shape of the hill on the left are a very close match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Mike Costigan said: British Forces I thought that the moment I saw your mention of both the crew being British, but of course that was long after you'd posted the answer. Well deduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 Three more, this time featuring cars being serviced during a rally - a far cry from today's international rally servicing! During the 1959 RAC Rally, Keith Ballisat and Peter Robert's Herald receives attention from the Standard Triumph service crew in the grounds of the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham (note the Standard Atlas service van on the left): Next we have the private TR4 entry of the Misses Walker and Davies during the 1962 RAC Rally: and finally another Works service crew, this time during the 1963 Marathon de la Route; here Jean-Jacques Thuner and John Gretener receive instructions from Team Manager Graham Robson: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Some rare colour shots for you today. Tiny Lewis in his early 948 coupe (commission no Y5) on the 1959 Alpine Rally: Next we have Cyril Corbishley and Peter Roberts on the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally: and finally Tiny Lewis, Rob Halmi and Geoff Mabbs refuelling on the 1960 Tulip Rally 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerH Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Excellent stuff Mike. keep them coming Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 There's lots more, this has only scratched the surface! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Works Spitfires Posted February 17, 2022 Report Share Posted February 17, 2022 16 hours ago, Mike Costigan said: There's lots more, this has only scratched the surface! Any of the car I bought from you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Costigan Posted February 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2022 I think I've got a couple, I'll post them next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now