V-E-V Odds & Ends., October 1973

Information is sought about the history and testing at Brooklands of the Godsal Special which was apparently made of 1926-1936 components and is almost ready to take the road again, with its original Reg. No. From No. 1 issue of the Texaco Star, Journal of the Texaco Oil Co., we learn that the Texaco 13 monoplane with which Capt. F. M. Hawks broke the Los Angeles – New York record in 1930 with a time of 12h. 25m. is preserved at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and that a 72″-Span, 1½ hp model of it has been used for making a recent Texaco film. The AA of Rhodesia has commemorated its 50th Anniversary with a special 1923-1973 badge and a booklet which contains some interesting material, including an account of the first car, a 1902 6½ hp Gladiator, to be imported, an article about the first lady taxi driver in Rhodesia, who used a new 1920 Buick tourer after learning to drive with Siddeley-Deasy in Marylebone, in London, and stories of long runs, in a new Model-A Ford sports-roadster and an Essex bought for £16 in 1927. The Western Morning News recently carried a feature about the first railway ‘bus services, operated by the GWR between Helston and Lizard in 1903 with a Milnes-Daimler. More of these were purchased and a depot was opened in Wellington, Salop, for their assembly. By 1923 a solid-tyred AEC ‘bus was among the fleet. A plaque was unveiled at Helston Station in 1953 to recall the able work of the West Country ‘bus pioneers. Quest, the Duckhams magazine, illustrated an AC Six standing in the Thames Dillon showroom beside a modern AC 428 in its current issue.