This photo was for sale on ebay recently. It shows a Kenning’s-built J-type ice cream van, registration number LVR 340, in Levaggi’s fleet. Hand-written on the back of the photograph is the date July 10th 1954, which means that these two bridesmaids will be in their mid- to late sixties! Tempus fugit.

A great archive shot seen on BBC 2′s programme ‘Britain’s Best Drives’ – where Richard Wilson is seen driving an old Austin car in the Wye Valley.

Please note:  Photographs on this website have been watermarked, not to imply ownership in any way but to indicate this website as the source.

Iain Booth (ex owner of the Doyles van featured in the previous post) sends this image of the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch, taken in 1960. Despite every effort of the recent earthquakes, the Bridge survives. The Bridge’s foundation stone states “Laid 25th April 1923 by His Excellency Viscount Jellicoe Governor General of the Dominion”. Originally built in grateful remembrance of Canterbury’s Sacrifice in World War 1, the monument now pays tribute to those who served in more recent military activities too.

Posting the photo sent in by DF set me thinking that I’d seen this scene before. A search through the archives has brought this photo to light, taken from virtually the same spot, this time on a known date – 13. 07. 1956, almost 55 years ago. Well worth comparing with the previous photo, now on the ‘Blog’ page – see button on bar above.

A Register member who also subscribes to ‘Steam World’ Magazine has sent in this copy of a photo that appears in the April 2011 edition. It is a view of Launceston SR station, showing a Standard 2-6-4T at the platform. A Royal Mail J waits outside, parked alongside a couple of lovely advertising hoardings. It’s got to be worth nipping out to your local newsagents and handing over less than £4 to add this to your collection. Thanks DF for sending this!

Driving home the other day I heard something on the radio about the South Bank putting on some celebrations to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Festival of Britain. This apparently includes trying to find the remains of the Skylon, a futuristic, cigar-shaped steel structure that became the abiding symbol of the Festival.

Two brightly-painted Forte’s Festival Food J-types (registration numbers OBH 118 and OBH 745) worked as supply vehicles in the Festival Pleasure Gardens at Battersea Park. Wouldn’t one of these be a great thing to recreate…