This lovely picture of a Daimler breakdown lorry towing in a crashed Rolls-Royce was reproduced in the magazine of the Colchester Vintage Motor Club and Michael Ware likes to thank Ken Sheppard for supplying him with a copy. He then found out it had been used as well in Arthur Judge's book "The Modern Motor Engineer" . The illustration reproduced here was taken from that book.
It was not uncommon for large old motor cars, when their bodywork became tired or outdated to be turned into break down lorries, known at the time as motor ambulances. Anders Clausager (previously of Jaguar Heritage Trust) believes this one to be a c1912 30hp 6 cyl Daimler. Stewart Skilbeck (Bonhams) adds that the electric horn on top of the bonnet is probably an "Apollo" klaxon – this type of horn was often seen on Daimlers and he added that its position was very awkward bearing in mind that the bonnet is hinged from the rear. The curled horn on the scuttle is another original Daimler feature.
This Daimler was written up in Commercial Motor of 13th April 1926 when newly converted, under the title "A useful salvage outfit". It tells us that the chassis has been reinforced because of the addition of the crane "with extra stays coming well forward in the front of the frame so as to distribute the stresses...the vehicle carries a portable oxy-acetylene welding plant, a Pyrene fire extinguisher, a Red Cross outfit, trenching tools for digging cars out when bogged and a towing bar and stretcher. The salvage equipment is the product of Harvey Frost and Co".
Now the Rolls-Royce is interesting and according to expert John Fasal, BO 2007 is a 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Originally bodied as a limousine by the Regent Carriage Company of Fulham and later re-bodied as a tourer by John Marston of Birmingham. Is the car still around?
I have not been able to find out much about Kingston Hill Engineering Works and believing this was Kingston on Thames I sent a letter to local paper but had no replies. The name W.E. Castello has not given us any clues. Patrick Collins at the National Motor Museum told me that according to the 1928/29 RAC members handbook Kingston Hill Motor Engineering Works were at 37 – 39 Kingston Hill, Surrey, telephone 1101, he also adds that this useful book tells us there was an 18 hole golf course at nearby Coombe Hill!
I sent a copy of the picture to Alan Chandler (www.petroliana.co.uk) for his opinion of the petrol pump. He says it's a Wayne Model 276 originally built in the USA but then made under licence in UK. On this the outer casing slides up assisted by weights that run inside the structural tubular frame, to secure the pump when not in use. He added that the wording on the enamel sign on the front of the roof of the truck is "AA and Motor Union- Agents Road Aid Car". The other sign on the Daimler featuring a white cross had a number of us guessing till Richard Peskett found an advertisement in the 1920 copy of the "Motor, Marine and Aircraft Red Book" for The White Cross Insurance Association Ltd.(White Cross Motor Policy) . In the foreground is a covered over vehicle inspection pit.
Now as to the date of the picture, there is nothing to give an exact date in the photo itself. Arthur Judge's book is unfortunately undated, but possibly no later than 1930. The credit under the photo is to Harvey Frost who for many years were well known for supplying garage equipment, jacks, lifts and break down cranes. This picture would appear to have been taken for Harvey Frost publicity . However the picture that appeared in Commercial Motor in April 1926 is a different view of the Daimler and the AA and Motor Union sign is missing. The best I can suggest at present would be c. 1928.
Words and photo courtesy: Michael E Ware