Transport

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Visitors to the Willbore Engineering Company at East-the-Water, Bideford, could be forgiven for thinking that the clock has been turned back over 40 years.

First thing to catch the eye is the massive gleaming bonnet of a 1931 Delage, one time aristocrat of French motoring, parked outside the main entrance.

Proud owner of the vehicle is Mr John Boyd, of North Saltern, Old Barnstaple Road, Bideford, who is the owner of the Willbore company.

Inside the workshop there is another sight to gladden the heart of any motoring enthusiast.

Mr Cyril Davis, of Morwenna Park, Northam, has come out of retirement especially to rebuild a 1931 two-litre super-charged Lagonda which is also owned by Mr Boyd.

For enthusiasts of two-wheeled transport there is a remarkably well preserved BSA motorcycle.

Mr Boyd has long been an enthusiast of vintage machinery and is a member of the Delage and Vintage Sports car clubs. He bought the Lagonda from the son of former Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Reg Maudling.

Gazette article dated 25 January 1974

Car Turned Over

But Only A Scratch Bideford Driver’s Escape In Autocross Race

When his little Austin A35 turned completely over and ended up back on its wheels at the North Devon Motor Club’s Autocross meeting at Fremington on Easter Monday, W J Blight escaped with only a scratched hand.

Mr Blight was lying fourth when his car hit an oil drum marking the course. As the car rolled over Mr Blight put a hand against the roof to brace himself and as the car came to rest back on its wheels ambulance men raced up only to find Mr Blight uninjured. “I could have carried on in the race if the battery lead had not come off” said Mr Blight, who is a former stock-car driver. His car suffered only a damaged wing and Mr Blight later drove it into third place in another race for small saloons.

M Fishleigh, of Buckland Brewer, driving a Jaguar Mark VII, finished third in the large saloon class and later won the non-winners event. W J Elliott, of Bideford, finished third in one of the special classes driving his Ford special and in a similar event J Kivell, of Bideford, in a Dellow, was first over the line.

Gazette article dated 11 April 1958

First Round To Parents

No Hartland schoolgirls come by bus to Bideford

First round in the battle between parents of children attending Hartland School and Devon Education authority over the authority’s plan to send senior girls by bus into Bideford, 14 miles away, one day a week for domestic science lessons, went last Friday morning to the parents.

In a biting wind supporters of the protest gathered around the school entrance with eight School Managers who were headed by their chairman, Mr H Mitchell. When the bus due to make the trip to Bideford drew up, the cars of two managers, Mr H Harris and Mrs W Turner, were parked immediately behind and in front of it. After waiting some time the bus driven by Mr W L Heard, went off empty.

Parents outside the gates pointed out that the travelling by bus to school and then on to Bideford and back would mean a round trip of about 50 miles a day for some girls, and that they considered the move was the thin end of the wedge towards the closing of Hartland School altogether.