Miscellany, February 2003

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Following closely on Brian Demaus’ picture book of motor vehicles in rural England comes Bob Montgomery’s The Irish Roadside Camera: The Years of Growth, 1907-1918, illustrating 165 such scenes in Ireland (Dreoilin Specialist Publications, Garristown, ISBN 1 902773 02 X, 125.00). It is the second of its kind, Vol 1 covering 1896-1906. The rural scenes are nostalgic, the accident chapter unusual, and there are some rare makes depicted, like Burke, Chambers, Loris and Silver Stream, and many Edwardian Daimlers, favoured by Ireland’s wealthier motorists. Two minor comments is the car in picture 24 really a Daimler? And the caption about a Deperdussin aeroplane being towed in 1912 by a Model-T Ford mentions the use by the Hon CS Rolls of a Rolls-Royce to tow his balloon; but wasn’t this a Rolls-Royce with a balloon rear compartment? But don’t let this put you off this enthralling, informative and stylish browse.

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After a bit of a sabatical, Brooklands Books of Cobham, have published the Road &Track Porsche 911 Portfolio (ISBN 1 855 20607 2, £13.95) covering these delectable cars from 1990-1997 and the same magazine’s Mazda MX-5 Miata 1989-2002 Portfolio (ISBN 1 855 206080, £13.95). Another of their latest is Morgan RoadTests, 1968-2001, 320 pages with colour (ISBN 185 5205777, £24.95) for which cooperative magazine publishers have permitted reproductions of their reports to be used.

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WB would like to thank the many readers and acquaintances, too many to respond to individually, who kindly sent Christmas cards over the festive season.