Wigan Album

With having all that and other information in your diary's at hand Ernest you could write a book.

Ernest..you're meticulous aren't you..my word..I used too have a little Morris Minor and give anything to have it back..the first three digits on the number plate were MLG,and my father-in-law said they stood for Mo's Little Jalopy...I loved it.

Well I never! My very fist car was an Austin A40 Devon bought in 1959 what a load of c... I only had it a week took it back and got a refund, I then bought Morris Minor, split windscreen, 803cc 1955 model flat out 65mph worth quite a bit now I believe.

I did only put one 'o' in 'to'it's this silly tablet..sometimes it puts it's own letters in.

On Sat.morning 12th July 1958 I went to H H Timberlake in Library St.(where Wallpaper Supplies are now) who were one of the main dealers for the British Motor Corporation. Said to a salesman that I wanted a brand new Morris Minor 1000. He replied " Yes sir, we can get you one six months delivery."
That afternoon I went on my Royal Enfield `Bullet` to Loxhams in Preston, another BMC main dealer. A salesman took me for a run in a second hand Standard and on return I said "I don`t want second hand, I want a brand new Morris Minor 1000". He rang their Barrow showroom and they had one in stock!
Mick, you are not the first who have mentioned a book!
Maureen, no need to apologise, as my laptop types a letter twice at times.
Harry, Walker Bros.(Wigan) Ltd., where I worked, had an Austin A40 staff car. Later, they had 2 Jaguar Automatics and the two chaffeurs called them Jaguar Autobuggeries!
My Somerset farmer uncle had an Austin A30, you needed a shoe horn to get in!

Is that your bullet behind the car?

Well spotted Gerry!
Look in Album, People, PYKE FAMILY and you`ll see my `Bullet`
Extract from my MOTORING folder:-

My third vehicle was a ROYAL ENFIELD "BULLET" 350 c.c.MOTOR CYCLE. Reg. No. CEK 796.
Bought it brand new at Miller`s in Scholes, Wigan on Sat.26 May`56. Detls.of bill:- R.E. Bullet £210--16--0, Q.D.rear wheel £3--2--0, Chr.pl.tank panels £1--0--8, Alloy plates £1--5--0, Taxed to end of yr.£2--12--6. Total £218--16--2. Less £125 for R.E.Clipper. Paid £93--16--2. Milage on 27 May was 25. Paid 4/9d per gall.for first petrol. Had panniers fitted free, they cost £7--15--0+ 500 ml check F.O.C.,oil change, oil cost £0--7--0 on Thurs.14 June`56 for £8--2--0. Summary of running expenses to end of 1956 :- Milage 3060. Petrol £9--7--0. Oil £1--5--1. Tax £3--15--0. Ins.£4--10--0. Sundries £1 say. Total £19--17--1. Petrol Consumption 76.5 ax.mpg. Cost/mile 1.557d. Last petrol was bought on Mon.15 Oct.`58 at 11,723 mls. Desmond Lowe bought it on Wed.09 Sept.`59 for £100. Owned it for 3yrs.3 1/2 mths.

Morris Minor in production from 1948-1971, the early minors had a split windscreen. I see this car has Semaphore indicators, a common sight around that era.

Colin, It was very easy to accidentally break a semaphore arm, but only cost 2/4d each for a new one!
I built a pit in my garage and could do all the servicing myself. The engine in those days needed de-coking and I fitted new piston rings, new valves and big end shells when they were required. Can`t do a thing except check tyre pressures, oil and water levels on my Honda Jazz.

The semaphore indicator arms were easily broken on the two door model, and the leather seats weren't up to much either.

my morris minor 1949 had headlights in the grill and 5 studs in the wheels

Harry C, what did you find wrong with the seats? I`d no trouble and can`t remember if they were leather - mine was a de-luxe model.

Ernest, my MM was nearly four years old when I bought it, I found the seats a bit slippy so I put seat covers on, I had it for about three years then bought a 1961 Ford Zephyr Six 2.5 litre Lowline, heavy on petrol but a nice car. H.
P.S. It had seat belts.

My father had a MM when he was stationed at Burtonwood AFB from 1951-1954. He gave my Mom a ride home in it - and romance bloomed! He later sold the card for travel money to go to Norway to meet his Norwegian family ... thanks for sharing the information and photo.

Hello Cloie: I`m intrigued, was your father Norwegian then? I was 11 yrs.old when the 1939-45 war started. A gang of us used to cycle from Wigan to Burtonwood to see all the activity there.

I worked at Mansfield motors in 1980. it was then opec garages Datsun agent, I think prior to 1973 it was an opel dealers, anyone know what they were agents for in the sixties?

Stephen,
My fifth vehicle was a MORRIS `1100` SALOON CAR. Reg. No.BJP 904D.
Bought it brand new from Mansfield Motors at Springfield, Wigan--Ordered it on Wed. 02 Mar.`66. Collected it on Sat.05 Mar.`66. It was a 4--door, de-luxe & smoke grey. Milage 13, it had come from Chorley. First petrol was 5/2d/gall. COST :- Car £644--7--11. Dely.£12--10--0. Plates £3--5--0. Tax £17--10--0. Total £677--12--11. Less £138 allowed on Morris Minor `1000`. Balance £539--12--11. Summary of running expenses for 1967:- Milage for yr. 8051. Petrol £55--11--9. Oil £2--1--6. Tax £17--10--0. Ins. £12--19--0. Driving license £0--5--0. Repairs £1--9--2. Total £92--17--6. Petrol consumption 36.93 mpg. Cost/mile 2.78d. Last petrol was bought on Sun.03 Mar.`68 at 5/1d/ gall at 14,150 mls. Traded it in at HH Timberlake`s in Wigan on Sat.17 Feb.`68 for £510 with milage 14,300. Owned it for 1yr.11 1/2 mths.

Stephen, I remember having a trial run in a second hand Opel from Mansfieid but don`t know what year! I didn`t buy it.

thanks Ernest, im sure someone must know. I know the opel franchise went to Gathurst when Datsun took over.

Stephen, I very nearly bought a brand new Datsun, shortly after they were first available here. I went to Newton-le-Willows and the Datsun dealers garage was near to the railway bridge. Don`t know what year that was.
Have a look at :-
http://www.ratdat.com/?tag=datsun-history

That would be A&B at newton le willows,that was massive showroom, the one near the railway bridge was A&B volvo, A&b took over the old Gordon Ford showroom on Wallgate when they moved further up, it was Vauxhall then for a short time. dont know what happened to them they were a big company around 75 to 86.

I remember my dads first ever car was a morris minor reg no 620 guy we rode the the wheels off it, but never let us down till the very end.