First, some sad news from Peter Bateman in Australia:

“Sadly we have to report the passing of Lloyd Harrington. Over the years Lloyd owned about 70 J vans, many ex-Melbourne Gas & Fuel and a fleet of 55 Js delivered bread from the bakery at 499 Canterbury Road, Vermont.
We pass our thoughts to his family. One day a Harrington’s Bread van will be restored in his memory.”

Gaydon came and went yesterday, 6th August. We managed 5 J-types at it, although one of the vans was on display in the Post Office vehicle line-up!

Many nice light commercials and lots of good conversations. It is turning into a great show.

The Register has organised the manufacture of a small batch of the chrome hoops for the grille panel of a J-type. We have not so far managed to organise the remanufacture of the centre strip, but enquiries are ongoing. The hoops are made from chrome-plated brass to the correct section. Having such a limited market, it is unlikely we will be having more made once these have been sold. The cost for the left-hand and right-hand hoops is £80 for the pair, plus post/packing which is yet to be established.

They are difficult items to package, so it would be preferred if members/purchasers might pay and reserve a set and collect them at the Classic Van and Pick-up Show at Gaydon (Sunday August 6th) or at the NEC show (10th-12th November) where we will have a stand in Hall 3. Otherwise, by prior arrangement they could be picked up from Register HQ in Moseley, Birmingham.

The Classic Van and Pick-up Show will be only the second outing for 5003 NX with its new paint finish. We are hoping to change the wheel colour to silver, but so many other things are getting in the way at the moment!

We think that this is the only example of a J-type immortalised in a tattoo, send a photo if you know otherwise!

Thanks to Peter Bateman for the photo!

Thanks to an email from its owner, Edson Eduardo Neuwald, we have updated info on this van in Brazil. The van was for sale in Uruguay a few years ago, looking a little shabby but certainly restorable.

It has now gone from being probably the only surviving J-type van in South America, to being almost certainly the only J-type ice cream van in South America! Either way, it’s still the 8th oldest surviving van.

In our archives there is a photo of a fleet of J-types and PVs which were in the service of the Columbian Post Office, so we do know that Js were exported to South America, but in what quantities we will never know.

Edson has sent the Register a little of the recent history of the van along with some photographs, which will provide a welcome article for the next issue of the Review, No. 44.

Members can expect the latest issue of the J-type Review to drop through their letterboxes over the next couple of days.

It’s another fab issue with lots of interesting content, from both sides of the globe.

JB/MR 43570, the Pipe Perfection Plumbing JB has been seen around Sydney’s inner west recently. Peter Bateman sends this image taken of Singapore Airlines A380 Airbus – 9V-SKD on final approach to Sydney airport.

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Ray Binelli, a long-time Register member.

Ray, like his father before him, was a knife grinder. His van was an ex-grocer’s van, with the high-roof conversion being carried out by Ray and his father Lino. The van was on the road from 1955 through to 2001 – 46 years! Lino and Ray had prestigious customers such as The Grosvenor House Hotel, The Dorchester Park Lane, The Mayfair and The Ritz.

Between 1956 and 1970 Ray was also working as a European tour guide in the summer seasons. He spoke Italian, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese as well as English!

Aged 39 he graduated as an IEE engineer at the Polytechnic of Central London. It took him nine years as a mature evening student, as he was still grinding knives during the day. The Polytechnic had a special celebration as no one else had obtained this degree on a part-time basis.

In 2011 Ray was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and recently was also in constant pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis. He passed away on 27th June, and his funeral service was held at St Peter’s Italian Church in Clerkenwell, on 12th July.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

Gray Southard adds: Sad news about Ray. Very fond memories of seeing the van out and about the back streets of the West End, Holborn and even Camden Town.

A few photos to show what has been happening J-typewise!