Eight is a momentous number.
Australia Day in Sydney was damp but it did not stop eight J-type vans driving to the annual CARnivale display in Macquarie Street Sydney. The Hyde Park Barracks was the backdrop to a record number of fully road going J-type vans in Australia for many years.

“Mr Baker”, the recently restored van sporting the livery ‘The Upholsterer’, had been in Sydney for a few days, following a seven hour tow from Cobargo on a hot 35C day. It was driven to the display on the chilly, damp Australia Day and was dripping water droplets all day. Its custodians capped off a great day with a concert at the Opera House.

Winning Appliances supplied two of their vans, a J and a J/B. Doyles of Watsons Bay, the famous Sydney restaurant, sent their J/B as did Sydney Packaging and Pipe Perfection Plumbing. J/B 41717, the ex ABBCO Bread van, was there and the Bellette family’s V8 J type Rat Rod kept the crowds captivated all day long.

We were impressed to meet a Welshman who told of driving J-types for the Wales Gas Co and another British holiday maker telling J-type tales of driving J-types for an electricity company in the South East of England. They did not seem to mind the damp conditions and neither did we. It is very noteworthy that every J-van on display has it’s own personality. Every custodian has treated their Jubilant creation individually and the public react with Joy.

That must be why they are called the Morris J van! J for JOY!
Peter Bateman. Sydney January 28, 2015

2015 Australia Day Carnivale: J-type display 5