Pall Mall, the Rotunda: Tuesday 2 to Monday 15 May
From the Royal Collection at Sandringham: Alvis TD21, 1961 & MGC GT, 1968
Imperial I Two-Stroke Racer & Citroën/Daimler Children’s Car
His Majesty The King’s late father, HRH Prince Philip, had long been a keen driver when he decided to purchase an elegant Alvis TD21 in 1961. As Prince Philip intended to drive himself in the car, he had precise ideas about its detailed specification. So, in contrast to the standard TD21, this one was fitted with a windscreen some three inches taller, an electrically-operated soft-top, and a leather-covered dashboard to cut down on reflections.
During the car’s life, it was constantly updated at Alvis’s Coventry factory to enhance its performance. Four-wheel disc brakes, a revised cylinder head for more power, and a five-speed gearbox were all added. Prince Philip drove some 60,000 miles in it, including to Germany and back, commuting to polo fixtures and picking up HRH Princess Anne from school.
The blue MGC GT fired up our King’s enthusiasm for driving, when as HRH Prince Charles he received the car as a gift from his parents shortly after he started university in Cambridge in 1968. This blue-painted example of the 2.9-litre, six-cylinder coupé came with plenty of desirable period extras, including wire wheels, a heated rear window and an electric aerial. It is rare with less than 5,000 examples made, and is a cult car among MG collectors celebrating 100 years of the marque this year.
The then– HRH Prince Charles loved driving it, but he received his Aston Martin DB6 Volante as a 21st birthday present from his mother and still remains his pride and joy.
The ‘Imperial 1’ miniature racing car was a gift to HRH Prince Charles in 1955 and is a scale replica of an American Midget race car and, with its petrol-powered two-stroke engine, it was capable of a rather hair-raising 40mph.
An even earlier fun car for Royal offspring is the electrically-powered 1920s children’s car that the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret enjoyed playing with. Originally a pint-size replica of a 1920s Citroën C4, the car was given a new identity as a rather more patriotic British Daimler in 1953 when it was refurbished for a five-year old HRH Prince Charles to ‘drive’.
All these unique vehicles are kindly on loan courtesy of the Sandringham Collection and on display in Pall Mall from 2 until 15 May.
Woodcote Park, the Motor House: Tuesday 2 to Monday 15 May
From the Royal Collection at Sandringham – Ford Zephyr MkII Shooting Brake, miniature Aston Martin DB5 convertible, Austin J40 & Humber tricycle
The impressive Shooting Brake you see displayed here is one of a long line of similar vehicles that have seen use by the Royal Family on the Sandringham Estate. It’s a tradition stretching back to the dawn of motoring – capacious vehicles that are, literally, ‘estate cars’, used to take a shooting party and everything it needed for the day to the ideal spot.
King George VI had had a Ford V8 Pilot specially modified for such use in 1951, and the theme was then continued for this Shooting Brake in 1956, using as a basis the then-brand new Ford Zephyr MkII.
Strictly a one-off vehicle conversion, its lofty contours and exterior wood panelling hid an interior that could accommodate up to nine people (a standard Zephyr estate could only manage six at a push) including a driver. Meanwhile, the two-piece tailgate could be opened to serve a picnic lunch. Prince Philip was seen at the wheel several times while hosting shooting parties.
The small-scale Aston Martin DB5 convertible was a gift from the manufacturer to the Royal Family, presented to HM The Queen when she visited its factory at Newport Pagnell in April 1966, and intended for Prince Andrew to drive. The revolving front number plate celebrates the DB5’s appearance in the James Bond films. It has a handmade steel body but is powered by 12-volt batteries, for a top speed of about 10mph. Thirty Aston Martin craftsmen spent 10 weeks building it.
The Austin J40 pedal car shown here has spent its life at Sandringham, making its way around the garden paths. The J40s was built in a factory in Wales that was sponsored by the Austin Motor Company, and offered employment to workers who had sustained life-changing injuries during the Second World War.
The bodywork is in pressed steel shaped to resemble the contemporary Austin A40, and it features working equipment such as a horn and electric lights, as well as the completely enclosed pedal-drive system. J40s are so popular with collectors that the original design has recently gone back into production.
King Edward VII’s tricycle was made by the Humber company of Beeston, Nottinghamshire, shortly before it made the transmission to producing motorised vehicles. It would have made a very strongly-built and stable method by which to enjoy the fresh air of Sandringham – quicker than walking but less hassle than a horse…
All these unique vehicles are on loan courtesy of the Sandringham Collection and on display in the Motor House at Woodcote Park. Members and their guests can view them on the following dates and times:
Wednesday 3 May 2023, 9.00am to 12 noon
Thursday 4 May 2023, 9.00am to 4.00pm
Friday 5 May 2023, 9.00am to 5.00pm
Tuesday 9 May to Friday 12 May 2023, 9.00am to 5.00pm
Saturday 13 May 2023, 9.00am to 1.00pm
For any enquiries, please call Motoring on 01372 229 288.
