A panoramic view of Saturday’s line-up of J-vans. Photo by Annette Pijpstra
The 65th Anniversary Rally is over, and there are already those who are talking about the 70th!
A really impressive display of vans was achieved. A mixture of J-types, J/Bs and an Austin 101. We had a GPO Planning van or three, a Royal Mail van, an ex-Australian van, an ex-New Zealand van, a coachbuilt pick-up, a van driven over from Sweden, a van attending a rally for the first time in probably 30 years, and more.
It was also a chance for owners to meet and greet. And marvellous to see the signs of another generation of J-enthusiasts coming through. Ken Cookes’s daughter Debbie’s enthusiasm for the van shows that she’s a ‘chip off the old block’. MYH 238 would perhaps not have made it to the Rally were it not for the help that Will Southard gave his father Graham over the months leading up to the event, and Abi Pitcher created the J-type cake for the occasion, and insists that 5003 NX will be hers one day!
It was wonderful to see J-owners Andrew and Susan Trollope and John Brooksmith and partner Annette, all four over from Melbourne Australia and able to attend the event.
Our thanks to the BaMMOT museum staff who helped make the Rally as enjoyable as it was, and who went out of their way to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Peter Bateman is organising a get-together of as many Js as possible in Melbourne on April 27th, 2013. Peter would like any owner who might be able to take part to contact him via jtypesaustralia@gmail.com.
The location for the 65th J anniversary photograph in Melbourne is at the old Harrington Bakery site at 499 Canterbury Road, Vermont, 3133, on Saturday April 27, 2013. Please arrive around Mid-Day to be ready for photography at 13.00 hours (1PM). There is heaps of parking for a trailer or tow car.
Contact Peter Bateman – jtypesaustralia@gmail.com
Peter also tells us “The 100 year anniversary of Morris is being celebrated in Australia with a National Morris rally in Canberra on April 19, 20 & 21 and there are some J’s being organised by moi which intend to be at the display day on Saturday, April 20. Considering it is a 600Km round trip of which about 100 K HAS to be on a Motorway, this is a heart in mouth and deafening experience which I will be enjoying in full… …after/when I have returned!”
There will be the largest assembly of road going Morris J type vans in Australia for many years at the CARnivale Car display to be held on Macquarie street Sydney on January 26, 2013. The vans will be beside the Hyde Park Barracks facing Hyde Park. All welcome & make yourselves known.
Also of interest was a visit to Novgorod, syd’sKnee last weekend by JB 43247’s custodians, Andrew Trollope and Susan Hunt. Mr Cholmondeley’s minder was having a working bee and Andrew was pleased to see JB 43570 arrive for a show & tell then Kelly Ashton arrived with his took kit and multimeter. After spending a very hot afternoon at Novgorod J HQ he went off to Dee Why with Kelly to see the V8 J and the restoration J which is Kelly’s reason d’etre at the moment. On the Sunday Andrew & Susan revisited Novgorod for a nibble and a “tour of the Syd’sKnee sights”. First was a look see at one of the winning Appliances vans then on to Watsons Bay, via Bondi beach, to see the Doyles van.
A pleasant time was had by all.
Also of note is that Andrew & Susan have their tickets for the journey to Birmingham for the 65th.
By contrast we include a photo sent by Roland Turner of his van, which he has been using to get to and from work, in the snow. And just when we thought it was thawing, it’s started snowing again!
There was a HISTORIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW here in Melbourne Australia 18.11.12 (An annual event)
We managed to get 7 Vans to the show – not a bad effort ( 2 on trailers and 5 roadworthy and driven).
John Brooksmith
Front view, Far left to Right
Nick Fuller Dark Green, A J with a J/B Engine
John Heir Black primer (he borrowed our J/B grill for one picture). He has a roller door at the rear
John Brooksmith Blue ( We have a J/B grill and a 101 grill but it is registered as a J/B because my initials are JB) http://aq62uumrcool.blogspot.com.au/ Now registered as 07450H
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.
Yet more from our intrepid Oz photographer and reporter of all things J-type. Peter Bateman writes:
“The attached are of Ian Booth’s old van from Christchurch, NZ. Now owned by Ben Doyle of the famous Sydney fish shop family at Watsons Bay, the van has found a new home. Any J enthusiast who wants one of Sydney’s best presented fish dinners can now enjoy their feed whilst looking at a J. After coming across the Ditch (the Tasman Sea for those geography pedants) the van was given the correct documentation for road registration by the local mechanical firm IFIXEM. Then a short transport stage to Bathurst for sign writing before another transport stage back to sunny Watsons Bay.
Not looking too bad for a van which was restored about 8 years ago. Now Iain has a reason to visit the Big Island!”
We have added the photograph and three others to MORIS J’s gallery page.
Peter Bateman forwarded this photo of E Hayes Hardware’s J-type van, in Invercargill, New Zealand. The photo was taken by Andrew Blacklock, whilst in NZ.
And why is it in great company? Because E Hayes and Co also own ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ – the much modified Indian Scout that Burt Munro took to Bonneville Salt Flats and on which he gained a world record – that stands to this day, apparently! Also owned is a 1936 Velocette MSS, again much-modified by Burt, and thought to be the fastest Velocette in the World!
We have added the photograph and three others to MORIS J’s gallery page.
