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Austin A30 Van found,purchased and its life story.
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:09 am    Post subject: Austin A30 Van found,purchased and its life story. Reply with quote



The above photo shows the garage in Hartington nr Ashbourne Derbyshire where this van started its life in 1956.




As found after a twelve year slumber in a garage.
She ran and drove.!!!
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COMMAD



Joined: 12 Dec 2011
Posts: 176
Location: Gold Coast. Australia

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool Cool Really nice find, good luck with resto. Smile Smile
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks pretty good under the rust treatment stuff, reminds me of the A35 I had some years back.

R
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Roger-hatchy



Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 2135
Location: Tiptree, Essex

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What's with the 'push'hook on the front.

Nice find again.
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote




On the afternoon of Sunday 24th February my latest purchase arrived at my property an Austin A30 Van 1956.

The above photo shows the location of Bassetts Garage Hartington Derbyshire where on the 11th April 1956 the life of this little van started its life and travels with its different owners..

Initially registered by the garage on the 4th April 1956 (they all did this in those day`s)
Sold on the 11th April 1956.
Make...Austin.
Colour ... Cream.
Type of body...Van.
Propelled by....Petrol.
Chassis number....AV4-185036.
Engine number...185036
803cc.

This was later removed by the 3rd owner and a larger engine of 948cc fitted...engine number 186002.
The reason being that he took to continental touring towing a hand crafted crafted caravan behind the van,hence the fitment of towbars front and rear.

The speedometer reads 94357 which I am told is correct. A nice figure for a 1956 vehicle,used but not abused..


She was sold to the Rev Robert Orpe Higginson a local clergyman who lived in Westfield Leek Staffs.
On the 1st Oct 1956 he moved to Horncastle to take up a local posting.
Later in September 1960 he moved back to Wetton Nr Hartington and brought the van along with him.
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote





On the afternoon of Sunday 24th February my latest purchase arrived at my property an Austin A30 Van 1956.

The above photo shows the location of Bassetts Garage Hartington Derbyshire where on the 11th April 1956 the life of this little van started its life and travels with its different owners..

Initially registered by the garage on the 4th April 1956 (they all did this in those day`s)
Sold on the 11th April 1956.
Make...Austin.
Colour ... Cream.
Type of body...Van.
Propelled by....Petrol.
Chassis number....AV4-185036.
Engine number...185036
803cc.

This was later removed by the 3rd owner and a larger engine of 948cc fitted...engine number 186002.
The reason being that he took to continental touring towing a hand crafted crafted caravan behind the van,hence the fitment of towbars front and rear.

The speedometer reads 94357 which I am told is correct. A nice figure for a 1956 vehicle,used but not abused..


She was sold to the Rev Robert Orpe Higginson a local clergyman who lived in Westfield Leek Staffs.
On the 1st Oct 1956 he moved to Horncastle to take up a local posting.
Later in September 1960 he moved back to Wetton Nr Hartington and brought the van along with him.
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



Seen here being loaded up outside the property where she had been garaged for the last twelve years.







This afternoon when she arrived at my property after a 100 mile journey on the back of a transporter.
She has spent the last twelve years sleeping in a garage.
Surprisingly she starts and drives as the owner moved her in and out of the garage on a regular basis.

As can be seen she has that Wallace and Grommit look,perhaps carried out long before the other van was created.
Under the brown waxoil she is very solid and original (I wish the previous owner had left the paintwork alone)
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote




Carrying on with her story she was then sold to a Mr Arthur Clowes of Folly Rest Leekfrith Nr Leek Derbyshire on the 13th June 1963 obviously surviving the hard winter,especially in Derbyshire.

You can imagine her slipping and sliding up and down those hilly roads taking the Rev Higginson on his travels before he parted with her in the summer.

On the 11th February 1964 she moved onto the ownership of a Mr Christopher Bayliss,an engineer and what seems to be a constructor of all sorts of things.

He built a small caravan to tow behind the van.

I think he may have been a member of the Austin A30/A35 club as there is an old looking club badge on the front grill.
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gresham flyer



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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote










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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote







Mr Bayliss fitted the towbars front and rear. As an engineer he built all types of things.
The towbar was for a small caravan he built and towed with the van all over Europe. the towbar on the front was used when the mountain roads got too steep and he would reverse up them towing his caravan.

I have found under the carpet a receipt for items purchased in France on the 15 -08-1966,some wine labels etc.
This ties in with his travels abroad

Many other gadgets are fitted to the van.
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having the history makes all the difference to something like this, doesn't it!?

RJ
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Greg



Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Location: Dreamland Margate

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely Austin, and as Rick says, great to have the history of the vehicle.
Good luck with it and will look forward to seeing more of it.
All the best,
Greg
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RUSTON



Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 144
Location: Matlock.

PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting, I thought that Bassetts only had the old garage on the opposite side of the road to that one (now a sheepskin shop I believe) but as always you learn something new. One of our Club member's works at that garage now, and I own a powered hacksaw that Mr Bassett and a Walter Birch used to construct a Flying Flea aircraft before the last war! Smile

Pete.
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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote










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gresham flyer



Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 1435

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr Bayliss fitted the towbars front and rear. As an engineer he built all types of things.
The towbar was for a small caravan he built and towed with the van all over Europe. the towbar on the front was used when the mountain roads got too steep and he would reverse up them towing his caravan.

I have found under the carpet a receipt for items purchased in France on the 15 -08-1966,some wine labels etc.
This ties in with his travels abroad

Many other gadgets are fitted to the van.





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