International Alvis Day celebrated in style

Events
 | 14 Sep 2012

The Alvis Owner Club celebrated its 57th International Alvis Day in and around Cardiff, from 7-9 September.

Its first visit to Wales featured a trip to the birthplace of Thomas George John, from Pembroke Dock, who founded Alvis in 1919.

The meet, which has evolved into a weekend event, attracted more than 90 Alvises including (left to right above) Mike Hemming’s 1948 Tickford-bodied TA14 DHC, Graham Keighley’s TC21/100 Grey Lady DHC, Mike James’ VdP-bodied Speed 20 Tourer and (below) Ann Bradnum’s one-of-a-kind 1936 3.5 Litre with pillarless Gurney Nutting coachwork.

Joachim Epperlein’s German-registered Speed 25 VdP Tourer (below) demonstrated the marque's worldwide appeal, with members from Italy, Switzerland, Malta and Australia also attending.

Central to the gathering was the Longstone Tyres tour, which attracted 60 cars on a 130-mile trip around Blaenavon and the Wye Valley. The route took in sites such as the Big Pit mining museum and Earley Engineering’s workshops in Abergavenny – suffering only minor mechanical problems on the way – before lunch at the Crown in Pantycelli.

The group then moved down the valley to Tintern Abbey for a lesson in ancient monument restoration.

Members of the club used the occasion to celebrate the pre-war 12/70, which was designed by George Lanchester in 1936.

John Rattcliffe’s Speed 20 SC VdP Sportsman Tourer picked up an award at Sunday’s concours and the adjacent field played host to a series of gentle driving tests broken down into classes for pre- and post-war cars.