An AD negotiates the Christmas snow - as does a Ruby

[Tony Griffiths]

An AD negotiates the Christmas snow - and a Ruby, too.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Love the postman in Victorian hat and gaiters!

[Dave Mann]

that AD seems to have been stretched like the Austin promotional pictures of the era.

[Steve kay]

Brilliant! The first convincing image of the car, the lengthy bonnet of which suggests that it may well be the Flying Whelk  Special. The Midland and Great Northern Railway decided that a a last gesture, it would build a very fast train. Long before the Bugatti Autorail or the Flying Hambuger, a couple of ex WD Wolseley Viper engines were purchased. Sadly grouping happened before work had begun, and instructions were sent from Doncaster to abandon the project. One of the engines were “disposed of” out of the back gates of Melton Constable for a small consideration, and rapidly fitted under the Brooklands length bonnet shown in the picture.

Julian Hunt records  TFD at Ringland in May 1924 being taken by Hurrel in his Gwynn 8. What he does not note is the apocryphal story that the Flying Whelk left the line very quickly indeed, but attempts to slow 200 hp with even seven inch brakes were wholly unsuccessful, and a pair of Fowler ploughing engines had to be send to drag it out of a field three quarters of a mile away the following morning. Mick Hobday assures me that tinplate models are available, and  once he has stopped doing Santas, Tony Griffiths will undoubtedly produce some faded sepias of the event. These could accompany a more detailed article if Howard were to commission one. April edition next year, obviously.  Sadly any Flying  Whelk recreations will not be eligible for LCES events, quelle surprise! 

This is best read with a large glass of Sherry next to a roaring log fire.

[Tony Griffiths]

that AD seems to have been stretched like the Austin promotional pictures of the era.

It's hard to find one that isn't, Dave - but the one used is an exact copy of the original taken from a catalogue. Longer is possible of course, as with the V8 Ruby.