One made 50lbs but they lost their Queen & my attempts to replace her didn’t work this year so next year I will revive them with a new Queen.
a very productive year with 2 hives producing 80 to 85lbs of honey
July 2020 – an update from Gavin:
Dear John,
An update on the alternative ‘classic’ activity due in part to the pandemic lockdown.
The bees I collected in April & May & set up in new hives & my original hive have been so very busy since then, the 2nd new hive produced 25lbs of honey in 16 days & my original one has produced 64 lbs since April !!! Today I extracted a lot of honey from 24 frames ( 3 supers) and it looks to be a big quantity. It’s all settling in the tank now & I will bottle it once I’ve filtered it tomorrow night.
The photos are of capped frames waiting to be uncapped & put in the spinner & one which I had just uncapped with my hot elec knife & one of the frames in the spinner with some honey visible at the bottom. It is now much fuller & looks like I may have aprox 50 lbs + that which drips out of the cappings too. Busy job now to filter & bottle it.Quite amazing what these little busy bees can produce from flowers 💐 & trees etc. Nice to have a hobby that can produce enough to cover expenses & sometimes a bit more !!!
I hope you are both fine & all other Alvis members are well & free of the Covid 19 virus.
It will be nice to get the ‘ old timers’ back out on the road again soon.
With best wishes
Gavin
This April was the first for some years that I have not driven the Alvis on the open road to meet fellow Alvis owners. However, there is some consolation in knowing that if I pick up the phone to call one, they are likely to be home, answer the call and have time to chat. It is also the first time for some years that I have been able to observe the garden in spring on a daily basis, hear the birds sing, and see a blue sky with no planes (except the Red Arrows, but I don’t mind that). So for something completely different….
From Gavin Wiggins-Davies
Dear Alvisarchive,
No I haven’t quite gone off my trolley after 5 weeks of isolated lockdown ! You asked for ‘Drive Day photographs’ and as I was not able to drive old Sybil out anywhere I thought I could try to share with you all my other weekend activity and some photographs and two videos!
25800 TC21/100 – Sybil
I keep a bee and was told of a swarm last Thursday nearby so drove down , no not in Sybil, & collected the big swarm and brought them home and popped them into a spare old hive that evening.
Next day my new hive arrived (only ordered it 5 days earlier) & I rehoused them into their new des res on Friday. I went into my original hive on Saturday to make sure that the swarm had not come from that hive but I was relieved to find only 6 newly started Queen cells in it so no chance that they had ‘buzzed orf’ ! In fact I thought it unlikely as the new colony of bees are much larger and darker, a little more like the old English Black bee which is somewhat in decline.
I collected a full honey super* out of my original hive a week before the swarm arrived and I have never had honey ready for collection in April before nor have I ever seen a swarm before May !!
Apologies for breaking the Club trend and sharing activities other than Alvis related but as I was unable to drive anywhere but I was able to do something worthwhile with my time I thought I could try to share it with you all.
I only hope that you don’t ‘blackball’ me for some sort of Alvis heresy ?
Thank you all for the email posts which are helping to keep me and I expect all the other AOC members keen and raring to get going.
With my best wishes to you all and do stay safe,
Gavin
* a bee super is a container the super frames into which the bees put/store their honey. Bees live in a larger box at the bottom of the hive called a Brood box & make & store their honey in a Super positioned just above the Brood box.( I have 3 x Supers on my original hive as they are working very busily and with the early season and a full super already I am giving them lots of room to work in, They are already working in all 3 supers ! )
A new page has been added on a small run of Alvis by Offord
Thanks for sending these photos which span 1924 – 1965 and the globe….
from Tasmania, Gary Guiver’s 1924 12/40, chassis 2817
from Scotland, Chris Chilcott’s 1926 12/50, a field not a drive….
From Monaco, Guido Cantele’s Speed 20 SA chasis 9878 (but not yesterday)From New Zealand, Doug Dickson’s SB Speed 20 VDP chassis 11154From Australia, Jonathan Gill’s 13686 Speed 25 Charlesworth…and Max Houston’s 14314 4.3
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while Tim Perks is getting there with his 4.3 Charlesworth 14327
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From Switzerland, Dieter Schaetti’s McMullen Woody 14
20750 1946 TA14 McMullen
Norman Blundell’s TA14 chassis 23308
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From Scotland, Peter Martin’s TA21 Tickford “KAA went to the local Morrisons to pick up a click and collect order. PongoNo the new hound went also and was admired almost as much as the car which looks a bit butch as temporarily without a front bumper .Bruce Cunningham’s 25272 TC21 Mulliners saloon taken in 2019 at the Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Open Day (coinciding with Australian National Motoring Heritage Day). The actual location is in Menangle, a little village about 12,000 miles from UK, approx. 5 miles from Campbelltown, NSW, AUST. Here it won a “lucky door” prize.Doug Dickson’s TC21/100 25676Lottie’s Graber 26081
Lottie is missing her rides in the Graber, complete with original fitment chain restraint
Peter Brown’s TD21 26107
From California, Andres Martinez TD21 26294
Robin Willmott’s 26295 TD21 Dhc…
Doug Dickson’s TD21 26670
Deborah Gold’s TE21 Dhc 27034
From Germany, Frank Nestmann’s TE21 27022Nick Wells’ 27134 TE21 which was far too grumpy to emerge from its den despite a promise to attend the Kop Hill Climb in September!
Never grumpy, Mark Seligman’s fine TE21 Dhc… 27242It’s not too late to send your photo.
Coen van der Weiden wrote to say “today is King’s Day in Holland so we have an extra long weekend.
A certain Mr. Paul Wouters created an extra link on Alvis in his website.
Until December 19th, 2019 he didn’t know much about Alvis, but with the help of the Dutch Centenary book and his camera he created a nice impression. The text is from the book, but then in his own words.“
The FBHVC have created a new website for Drive it Day memories and invite photos of past events, click here.
In the spirit of isolation, why not send us your Alvis photo in your drive, a sort of Drive _ Day event? Here is mine anyway…Send yours attached to an email to alvisarchive@btinternet.com
An update on the exhibition in Frankfurt is that it will be extended when it eventually opens – Central Garage
The lockdown has encouraged some restoration activity and correspondence on regaining original registration numbers. Brian Davies sent his photos of DRF 437, a Cross & Ellis tourer he has owned for a very long time.“I thought you might like some before and (almost) after pictures of the Firebird. As you can see, the before pictures give an idea of the state of the car when it eventually arrived in Southsea, Portsmouth in late 2007 after around 40+ years being stored in garages, barns, warehouses etc. This pic is the current state shortly before the start-up of the engine after around 50 years of inaction. By the way it runs beautifully after having started almost with the first press of the ignition switch – all very gratifying and a great relief!
The car is now awaiting bodywork which is, of course, somewhat on hold as a result of Covid-19.
It was very interesting talking to you this morning and great to hear that you already have some background info on the car and its owners. I will, of course, be delighted to hear/receive any additional info you have on the car.
Many thanks for your help in this matter.”
With the help of DC and WB we were able to piece together the history of the car, the first owner in Staffordshire and the story of how Brian and his friend acquired the car from Ron Harrison who had been a neighbour of the late Apsley in Cornwall. Tony had published a photo of Ron in the AOC Calendar in 1999.AOC Calendar, April 1999, Page 11, photo of Ron Harrison in Firebird DRF 437 circa 1954 or ‘55 & comments by Tony Phillips-Smith: My next-door-neighbour (1/4 mile across the field!) Ron Harrison lent me the photograph below which shows him, just out of the RAF, with two jolly ladies, in the summer of 1954 or 5, probably in Droitwich, Worcestershire, at the wheel of Alvis Firebird Cross and Ellis Tourer, reg. no. DRF 437 (Chassis 13466), then painted metallic silver (!) with black wheels. The indefatigable Dave Culshaw can trace the car as far as Gosport in 1977. Does anyone have any later news? Ron (and Dave, and I) would love to know. Incidentally, Ron “sold” the car at the time of the first Suez crisis, for four pints of beer. Those were the days when men were men, and a pint was really worth something!
“Again, your photo of Ron Harrison at the wheel of the Firebird has really sparked off much interest from friends, neighbours and relations. For many years they’ve been hearing about this mystery car locked away in a garage that has long been keeping me busy, and short of ready cash, so, to see a picture of the car “in the flesh” is a real treat for all of us.
As I may have mentioned, my friend Mike and I were given the car by Ron, (probably around 1961/2) when Ron was living in Clevedon, Somerset, in exchange for some DIY/gardening work that we were doing for him. For the next few years Mike and I did a complete demolition job on the car in the mistaken view that we were conducting a restoration.
You say in the email that you last had news of the car in Gosport in 1977 but, although I moved to Gosport in ’72 when I joined the Royal Navy, as I recall I never actually moved the car to Gosport but that it was eventually moved from the Clevedon area, where it was languishing in a barn, directly to a furniture storage company in Chard in South Somerset in the late 70s when I was firstly appointed to Devonport based ships, then BRNC Dartmouth and later with the Royal Marines at CTCRM Lympstone. I then moved back to the Portsmouth area and it wasn’t until 2007 that I finally managed to obtain a suitable lock-up garage and moved the car from its long term home in store in Chard to the garage in Southsea.
Work on the car started shortly thereafter and, as of today, it awaits clothing in bodywork as much of the original has, over the years, been lost, stolen or deteriorated. The car has been restored from the barest chassis up and the engine, brakes, rear axle etc. refurbished, replaced or renewed and the ash framing completely replaced as the original Cross and Ellis woodwork was either rotten or eaten away by woodworm. The engine, however, having been silent for around 60 years, started last August and runs beautifully.
That, in summary, is the history of the later years of the “Firebird” as I know it and, prior to this, the Duplicate Registration Book (RF 60A) shows details of 2 previous owners in the Midlands before Ron Harrison comes on the scene in the mid 50’s.
I hope this fills in some of the detail of the “missing years” but if there is any further information you think I may have please let me know. Also, if there is any chance of contacting Ron Harrison I would be delighted.
Again, many thanks for your help in this matter,
Regards
Brian
As Apsley is no longer with us does anyone know if Ron Harrison is contactable?
Oh, yes, a comment below led to this from Ron…
My son, Lee has somehow found your archive and sent me a copy including the photo of what was once my Firebird! I bought it for £200 about 1954 when I was working at Oldbury, Birmingham.
I was then transferred to Portishead and lived in Clevedon, and was a member of the rugby club. Suez and petrol rationing put me off the road and Albright & Wilson wanted me back at Oldbury. The car needed minor attention. I needed to rehouse.There were two lads, whose names I can’t remember, in the team who were engineering apprentices that took an interest in getting the car roadworthy and on that promise I gave them the car for a couple of beers (each). In 1977 I moved to Cornwall and a few years later met Tony Philips Smith , a near neighbour ! We did a few Greatwestern runs and scrutineered some Le Jogs, and – the main reason for this missive – the Commemoration meetings for Major Harvey at St.Keverne. I have the 2003 programme which you are welcome to – where should I send it? Happy Memories !
Dave Culshaw has also been sent an old Firebird picture:and written another PPS – click on The Saint and the Sleuth
We have also updated the Firebird page with a new listing, click Firebird
Robin’s TF with special antenna
Robin Willmott wrote:
With the sun shining the Alvis all polished up and the Waxoil removed from the chrome the TF 21 was all ready for a drive, but with Covid 19 preventing all events, Bar meals or social meet-ups we were left with only one alternative, a run to our local Supermarket for a bit of social isolation. Whilst l waited reading the paper a BMW Mini owner drove by giving the thumbs up which which was most uplifting . So if the sun is shining in ten days time when we do our next shop we will definitely be travelling by Alvis.
When the Century of World Motoring was celebrated at Silverstone in 1985, Alvis were there in force.The moment I remember most vividly of this display was when Mike Smith asked for some information on the Grey Lady so he could so a piece to camera. He listened and looked and then without hesitation, in one take, did a superb description of the car to camera. A true professional.
In this year of the centenary of the first Alvis car, it is also fifty years since the death of Hermann Graber. It was he who was largely instrumental in extending the then life of Alvis car production of 35 years by a further 12 years.
35 years ago we took some twenty or so Alvis to visit Wichtrach where Graber had lived and built his cars. A new page which includes the contemporary report and previously unpublished photos is now available – click 1985 Swiss Tour
A TA21 radiator assembly seeks a new home, currently in Scotland…….leave a reply if you are interested.
Quite amazing what these little busy bees can produce from flowers 💐 & trees etc. Nice to have a hobby that can produce enough to cover expenses & sometimes a bit more !!!
I keep a bee and was told of a swarm last Thursday nearby so drove down , no not in Sybil, & collected the big swarm and brought them home and popped them into a spare old hive that evening.
Next day my new hive arrived (only ordered it 5 days earlier) & I rehoused them into their new des res on Friday. I went into my original hive on Saturday to make sure that the swarm had not come from that hive but I was relieved to find only 6 newly started Queen cells in it so no chance that they had ‘buzzed orf’ ! In fact I thought it unlikely as the new colony of bees are much larger and darker, a little more like the old English Black bee which is somewhat in decline.
I collected a full honey super* out of my original hive a week before the swarm arrived and I have never had honey ready for collection in April before nor have I ever seen a swarm before May !!
Alvis Archive 