Category: Centenary

17^th June 2023 is a highly significant date in the Alvis story, and an occasion to be celebrated, marking as it does exactly one hundred years since the first public appearance of the incomparable 12-50, the model which did so much to establish the marque’s enduring reputation, and a car still recognised today as one of the very best and most practical products of the vintage years. Its debut took place at the Rally at Brooklands organised by Henlys, the London agents. In the words of the Coventry Evening Telegraph, ‘After the racing events, Major Harvey gave an exhibition performance on the track of the Alvis Company’s latest product, a super-sports model, fitted with an overhead-valve engine of their latest design, which created a very considerable amount of interest.’

The first OHV cars were fitted with very sporting 2-seater coachwork with a small additional seat in the pointed tail, a style popularly known for obvious reasons as the ‘duck’s-back’. As can be seen from this example, the earliest advertising emphasised the sporting aspects of the car. From later in 1923, the new overhead valve engine was also offered as an alternative across the range of body styles on the then current staple 12-40 chassis, plus a particularly handsome light 4-str sports tourer as seen in the catalogue illustration below, and the 12-50 rapidly gained a reputation as one of the very best sporting light cars of its day. Discerning motorists were quick to recognise the appeal of the model’s outstanding qualities, most notably performance in relation to its engine size, reliability, relative ease of maintenance and build quality. This ensured that many examples continued to be used and enjoyed by successive owners over the years, enhancing its reputation and ensuring that today the 12-50 still retains an enthusiastic following.

Thanks to Register Historian Greg Wrapson for the article and period images.

We are also pleased to welcome Greg as a trustee of the Archive Trust following our AGM in April.

Another new trustee is Brian Hartley, a former Stalwart owner, Brian writes “I had half share (actually sole ownership when repairs were needed) of a Stalwart with Neil and could write a small book about our adventures with it. Ranging from having to use a JCB to remove my portly brother from the cab after he had a stroke, to my near death experience when we (I) took to the water for the first time, with Neil safely on the lake bank! “

Our page on Fighting Vehicles is not as comprehensive as it could be so we were pleased to receive a note from Mark Ellis alerting us to his new website for the Stalwart, see Fighting Vehicles

________

I discovered an hour long documentary film on YouTube here about the short lived marque I bought after my first TD21 in 1972. It includes a talking head with former Alvis racer Brian Chant. I wonder if Alvis considered taking up the Giugiaro design and producing it?

But of course someone did get part of the idea, Jim Burns, but too late.

On 23rd May 1917, T. G. John registered his own company with £3000 of his own money. He was the Managing Director with E. F. Peirson, an accountant, as Chairman, W. Maddocks, a solicitor and C. H. White, a gentleman of independent means from Criccieth, as other Directors. John’s brother-in-law, a successful businessman in the Pembroke area, held the first share. (Source: K R Day 4th Edition Alvis – The Story of the Red Triangle)

On 23rd May 1967, one of the last Alvis cars was despatched from the works to Sleaford dealer W. P. Maidens and sold to a Lincolnshire farmer, R P Watts – a TF21 saloon with automatic transmission – to be “F” registered LCT 329F in August

This TF was owned for almost thirty years by the English rugby player R.W.D. Marques (1932-2010) who was a serial Alvis owner having previously owned a Speed 25 and a TD21.  David Marques wrote in Bulletin 293 of July 1978 “… our family had a 1939 Sp 25 Alvis saloon GPU 146 which I believe was owned before the war by Billy Cotton. We bought it about 1947 and gave it away to be raffled at a Harlequin Football Club ball in about 1958 – how short sighted could we be!”

Martin Boothman wrote in Bulletin 527 about David Marques and John Currie who played together in the English second row a record 22 times in succession during a wonderful period for English rugby.  David also wrote in Bulletin 313 of July 1980:
“In 1957 I was using a Speed 25 and if the car had been left for any time the sound of the petrol pumps ticking away on starting to refill the three carburettors, used to hurt me, so I fitted a switch to the petrol pumps on the dashboard so that I could turn off the petrol approximately 1½ miles from home so that when I next started the car I had used the petrol in the carburettor instead of having it evaporated – in those days it worked out at a price of a bar of chocolate!
The sequel to my meanness was on one occasion asking a friend to drive the car into London from Twickenham. He arrived two hours later in a harassed state, the car having broken down 1 ½ miles from the ground and he could find no way of starting it and in desperation had come in by taxi – the explanation was simple. As he got in his large duffle coat wrapped round his knees had switched off the petrol pumps – the cost of the taxis on that one night outweighed all the savings I had ever made by a long, long way!
Yours etc
David.”

On 23rd May 2017 the Alvis Archive Trust starts its tenancy at Bowcliffe Hall. With luck, someone will be remembering that in 2067.