ROYAL VISIT 1954 and landrovers

[hodgo]

My wife was given a copy of the Sydney Telegraph newspaper dated 31st January 1954 while looking through it I came across this article that mentions her landrover

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=31752&stc=1&d=1292111854

Hodgo

[real]

Hi

I wonder where that Land Rover is today. It was only right of the news paper to give the landy its own spot in the foto :)

[Tank]

I seen that Landrover (with Liz and Phil the Greek) driving around the wilds of (I think) Randwick Racecourse or the SCG with a couple of 100,000 sweating school kids. Left an indelible impression (the L/R that is), I couldn't get over how shiny and tidy it looked, I was cheering for the Land Rover (still am) and not the Royals, can see it clear as a bell, **** I was only 7 years old, would love to know what became of it, Regards Frank.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi

I wonder where that Land Rover is today. It was only right of the news paper to give the landy its own spot in the foto :)The 1954 86" Land Rovers for the 1954 Royal Tour were dismantled, re-painted and rebuilt as basic models then sold. The chassis numbers were: 47160021 - Sold to G.A Bailey
47160022 - Sold to Leeton Safety Centre
47160023 - Sold to H Ryves
47160024 - Sold to Genges GeorgeNote the vehicles were UK assembled Export Models. It seems that a colonial assembled vehicles were not appropriate for Her Majesty! :D

[JayBoRover]

When I was recently looking at a '53 80" a short while ago the current owner made reference to the '54 Royal tour. He claimed the 80" in the barn was "the sister car" of the Royal tour car used in WA. I suspect this was based purely on it being a '53 80" and no closer link than that.
Did the Royal tour use different LRs in each state visited?

[460cixy]

my old man told me one the service trucks for the work shop he did his aprenticeship at in bega was a land rover from her tour

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Unfortunately the records for WA no longer exist.

There were some differences in the 80" fitted with the ceremonial bodies. The most noticeable is the windscreen hinge brackets on the upper edge of the firewall protrude much further forward than the usual brackets. The windscreen has corresponding extensions on it's hinge brackets and the reason for the modification is that the windscreen can fold flat over the spare wheel on the bonnet.

[Jeff]

I used to work for the Department of Admin Services in the early 90s at Alexandria and they had two royal tour Series 1s. I think they were 86" or 88". One had 2500 miles on it and the other had 4500 miles and both drove like new, but the tyres were the originals so you wouldn't want to go quick, they were like wood. They were a dark purpleish colour, but they had been black. We also had three royal tour Rolls Royces, one about 1950, one about 1956 and one later like 1970. One of my jobs was to keep them clean and I gave each of them a little drive around the yard before and after a wash. The Rollers were massively heavy and the seats more like lounges, even the driver's, the Land Rovers tought me that the steering didn't have to wander.

Jeff

:rocket:

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Jeff those vehicles would have been the 88" Series 1's used for the 1958 Royal Tour there were three Auctioned off by the Shannon's Auction in Melbourne a couple of years ago. It is also likely that the Series 1 ceremonials held by the Army also came from the same Royal Tour or possibly from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1123.jpg

[123rover50]

The 1954 86" Land Rovers for the 1954 Royal Tour were dismantled, re-painted and rebuilt as basic models then sold. The chassis numbers were:

47610021 - Sold to G.A Bailey
47610022 - Sold to Leeton Safety Centre
47610023 - Sold to H Ryves
47610024 - Sold to Genges George
Note the vehicles were UK assembled Export Models. It seems that a colonial assembled vehicles were not appropriate for Her Majesty! :D

Happened on this old thread and put the numbers through CalVIN. They cam out as CKD Home Market not Export.

On the REMLR site it quotes the Royal Tour 86,s as 4716 0045 to 0050
not the same numbers as the post above.
Can anyone clarify this?

Didiman

[460cixy]

What's this calVin you speak off how can I run the number for my 86"

[123rover50]

Try this
http://www.google.com.au/url'sa=t&rct=j&q=calvin%20the%20land%20rover%20vin%20calculator&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clifton.nl%2Fcalvin.html&ei=14shUNvLJbCXiAeGiIDoDQ&usg=AFQjCNF_uGBYPWYhErLaPYQBRmvf_v9C8A

[460cixy]

One never knows what they might have sitting in the yard hey thank you

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Happened on this old thread and put the numbers through CalVIN. They cam out as CKD Home Market not Export.

On the REMLR site it quotes the Royal Tour 86,s as 4716 0045 to 0050
not the same numbers as the post above.
Can anyone clarify this?

DidimanOne of the many errors with CalVIN. There are no such models as Home Market CKD, although part of the reason for the error is a transcription by me where I transposed the "1" and the "6". The numbers therefore are 47160021 through 47160024 all the other information is correct.

Given the similarities with the numbers on the vehicles in the REMLR records, and understanding the pace of the 1954 Royal Tour with 2,000 miles by road in 207 individual trips and visits to all capitals excluding Darwin. It is therefore likely that there were a set of Royal Tour Land Rovers pre-positioned in all capitals and handled by each of the Master Distributors . Nevertheless the picture at the head of this thread refers to the Sydney Daily Telegraph article so likely depicts one of the Grenville Motors vehicles mentioned.

Whether the image below taken at the MCG is of one of the same Land Rovers delivered to Regent Motors for the 1954 tour is unknown. It could be the event where 70,000 ex-servicemen were presented to the Queen during the tour or a later image taken at the 1956 Olympics.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1296.jpg


CKD are all export models the code for a 1954 86" CKD RHD is 4766????

[123rover50]

OK . Thanks for that.Where do those numbers come from? The 47160021 through 24 ones?
Didiman

[Lotz-A-Landies]

They come from the Grenville Motors Allocations Books. These were the hand written registers of all vehicles distributed by the NSW master distributor Grenville Motors, the sister company of Regent Motors in Melbourne. Both were LNC Industries companies, as was the PMC factory at Enfield NSW.

The books were saved from destruction by Arthur Garthon a Land Rover dealer in Penshurst NSW. (Also owner of one of the vehicles in the Peking to Paris reinactment on TV. AULRO member "Mr LR Jnr" is his grandson)

I have a copy with Arthur's permission but he was unhappy about copies being widely distributed, although a number of other copies exist.

[clubagreenie]

I recall a brown one existing at the rear of a certain workshop/parts outlet in Sydney in the 80's.

[bob10]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1296.jpg


CKD are all export models the code for a 1954 86" CKD RHD is 4766????
Is that Barry Humphries in the passenger seat? Bob

[123rover50]

Dont you love the way everyone wore a hat.
Why dont they wear hats now?
I do.

Didiman

[Lotz-A-Landies]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1296.jpgDont you love the way everyone wore a hat.
Why dont they wear hats now?
I do.

DidimanHmmmmm :confused:

Not sure which photo you are looking at?

Mr Phil Queen Elizabeth and Barry Humphries :D aren't wearing any and none of the girls/women lining the track seem to be either.

[clubagreenie]

Just in general, look at news reels of the times and Men wore suits, ties and hats, Ladies (not that we can apply that term to many of the female species out there these days) wore tasteful dresses, gloves and hats. People took pride in their appearance, the world was a simpler place and Series 1's were in plentiful supply.

[drifter]

I like that front bumper

[fc110]

Given the similarities with the numbers on the vehicles in the REMLR records, and understanding the pace of the 1954 Royal Tour with 2,000 miles by road in 207 individual trips and visits to all capitals excluding Darwin. It is therefore likely that there were a set of Royal Tour Land Rovers pre-positioned in all capitals and handled by each of the Master Distributors . Nevertheless the picture at the head of this thread refers to the Sydney Daily Telegraph article so likely depicts one of the Grenville Motors vehicles mentioned.

There were a number of LRs supplied by Rover for the 54 tour. They were converted in the UK & some (prob 6) were supplied to AU. The log of the position of each vehicle each night during the tour is in the NLA. They were the property of Rover, just lent. They were moved around in mostly in pairs, because every use needed a backup. They returned to Grenvilles after the tour & were sold. One at least was advertised for sale in Canberra.

Attached article that I have written tells some of the story, but needs updating as I now have more info.

[drifter]

I like the hub caps, too :D

[123rover50]

That was interesting. What are your updates?
Referring to post 23 by fc110

[Lotz-A-Landies]

There were a number of LRs supplied by Rover for the 54 tour. They were converted in the UK & some (prob 6) were supplied to AU. The log of the position of each vehicle each night during the tour is in the NLA. They were the property of Rover, just lent. They were moved around in mostly in pairs, because every use needed a backup. They returned to Grenvilles after the tour & were sold. One at least was advertised for sale in Canberra.

Attached article that I have written tells some of the story, but needs updating as I now have more info.Thank you for that article! :)

As I mentioned before it seems that not all the Land Rovers came through Grenville Motors and there is a possibility that the others were not dissassembled and re-painted.

The vehicles listed for Hobart would have come through Regent Motors in Melbourne and carried Commonwealth plates C*75979 and C*75980 with chassis and engine numbers included in article.

The vehicles for Brisbane would have come through Annand & Thompson and those for Perth through Fauls.

If the REMLR chassis numbers are correct and at least 2 are confirmed by the NAA records for Hobart and there are an additional 4 vehicles in the Grenville Motors records, (which have been confirmed by an engineer manager at Grenville's working there at the time), then the list of 10 different vehicles in Australia are most likely correct.

I have updated the info in my original post with the additional information from the Grenville records.
The 1954 86" Land Rovers for the 1954 Royal Tour were dismantled, re-painted and rebuilt as basic models then sold. The chassis numbers were: 47160021 engine 47100175 C*75921 - Sold 31/5/54 to G.A Bailey
47160022 engine 47100173 C*75918 - Sold 4/5/54 to Leeton Safety Centre
47160023 engine 47100174 C*75919 - Sold 4/5/54 to H Ryves
47160024 engine 47100176 C*75920 - Sold 26/5/54 to Genges George....

[easo]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1249.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1250.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1251.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1252.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1253.jpg

[easo]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1240.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1241.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1242.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1243.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1244.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1245.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1246.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1247.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1248.jpg

Regards Easo

[UncleHo]

G'day Folks :)

During the VP95 festivities in Brisbane there was a reveue of military vehicles at Mt.Gravatt Showgrounds which was reveiwed by a retired Brigadier in which I took part,parked up beside the main building was a Royal Reveiw Series 1 80" Rover in "Royal Claret" from memory I think it may have been 174-696 as it also had red interior.

I think that 123rover50 was also at that display.

cheers

[Lotz-A-Landies]

... parked up beside the main building was a Royal Reveiw Series 1 80" Rover in "Royal Claret" from memory I think it may have been 174-696 as it also had red interior....Except that 174-696 isn't an 80"

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I recall a brown one existing at the rear of a certain workshop/parts outlet in Sydney in the 80's.Bobslandies speaks of that same event, or at least one of the doors from one hanging on the wall.

[UncleHo]

Well, it may have been an 86,it was 17 years ago.

[fc110]

That was interesting. What are your updates?
Referring to post 23 by fc110
Attached is a sampler of whats turned up, a lot of stuff wont upload, I'll get around to rewriting if I get some more info.

I perhaps don't make it clear that the 86" 1954 were owned by Rover & were moved to different states at their expense & they then passed them out thru the dealer network. I believe, but don't know for sure, that some were "deconverted" & other(s) sold as is. At any given time during the tour, the Royal Car Company only had a maximium of 6 in their posession. The same design conversion was used in other countries during this trip.

The 6 88" 1958 were owned by CofA (dept supply then dept admin services). DAS were very helpfull.

After the 1992 QE2 tour, they decided that from a security point they were no longer suitable & 2 were sold, although when the 2 in Bandiana migrated I don't know, although the army rego used seems to indicate it received them at the same time possibly as 113800055 was sold.

I have no idea why 113800055 was sold to private hands earlier than the others. It was unfortunately deconverted, tho I have recovered some of the wandering bits, from a previous owner & employee.

Unfortunately the supply of the complete ex-UK 1954s & the conversion of the 1958s in Aus, were very close together timewise & the former employees of Rover/Pressed metal corp that I tracked down tend (as indeed did Admin Services) to mix the two versions up.


As the NLA put more stuff on the net, I might find some more.

[123rover50]

You have put a lot of time into this. Thanks for sharing.

Didiman

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Well, it may have been an 86,it was 17 years ago.17 years ago I could easily drive an 80" now even an 86" with more space behind the wheel would be a squeeze! :D

On the deconverted ones at Grenville Motors, we know happened because the engineer who did it is still alive in Sydney and kept a screw that Her Majesty may have stepped on. We are trying to get him to write down his memoirs. Like Arthur Goddard, he also worked at the Lode Lane factory, although in this case he completed his time at Grenville Motors, was then seconded to Solihul for journeyman experience. He was there during the 2 litre diesel development and eventually the introduction of the Series 2.

[clubagreenie]

Bobslandies speaks of that same event, or at least one of the doors from one hanging on the wall.

It was there, along with a number of 101's. I was in single figures back then and old George run the place. But I knew what I would be driving for the rest of my days.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Thank you for that article! :)

As I mentioned before it seems that not all the Land Rovers came through Grenville Motors and there is a possibility that the others were not dissassembled and re-painted.

The vehicles listed for Hobart would have come through Regent Motors in Melbourne and carried Commonwealth plates C*75979 and C*75980 with chassis and engine numbers included in article.

The vehicles for Brisbane would have come through Annand & Thompson and those for Perth through Fauls.

If the REMLR chassis numbers are correct and at least 2 are confirmed by the NAA records for Hobart and there are an additional 4 vehicles in the Grenville Motors records, (which have been confirmed by an engineer manager at Grenville's working there at the time), then the list of 10 different vehicles in Australia are most likely correct.

I have updated the info in my original post with the additional information from the Grenville records.
The 1954 86" Land Rovers for the 1954 Royal Tour were dismantled, re-painted and rebuilt as basic models then sold. The chassis numbers were: 47160021 engine 47100175 C*75921 - Sold 31/5/54 to G.A Bailey
47160022 engine 47100173 C*75918 - Sold 4/5/54 to Leeton Safety Centre
47160023 engine 47100174 C*75919 - Sold 4/5/54 to H Ryves
47160024 engine 47100176 C*75920 - Sold 26/5/54 to Genges George....Info has arrived from our UK based Aussie ex-pat mate.
The 4 Grenville vehicles:
47160021 engine 47100175 dispatched 'In' and 'Out' 20/8/53,
47160022 engine 47100173 dispatched 'In' and 'Out' 28/08/53,
47160023 engine 47100174 dispatched 'In' and 'Out' 20/8/53,
47160024 engine 47100176 dispatched 'In' and 'Out' 26/8/53, supplied in primer.
... these vehicles were also sent to Hoopers Coach Builders of London, for trimming. They were the Royal Coach builders up to 59.Now for the other vehicles in question.
The 2 vehicles in Tasmania
47160046 engine 47100532 to Grenvilles 11/09
47160049 engine 47100688 to Faulls 22/10 And finally the other four vehicles also noted in the REMLR list
The 4 vehicles in dispute
47160045 to Grenvilles 10/09
47160047 to A&T 7/10
47160048 to A&T In 7/10 out 8/10
47160050 to Regents 26/10 of interest is that the two vehicles #0045 and #0046 recorded as being dispatched to Grenville's from the UK are not recorded in the allocations books, this may mean that they were not returned to Sydney (and allocated to a customer) but retained in the Royal Car Company or disposed of through other master distributors.

[123rover50]

This is all interesting info. Thanks.
I purchased 4760049 and bought her home this weekend.
I will start a thread in the SLOw forum.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/225.jpg

Didiman

[clubagreenie]

Thats criminal, better not tell me who let it get to that stage.

[williampp]

There was one of the Royal Land Rovers around Longreach for a while in about 1955, 56, 57. It belonged to a dogger (dingo trapper). It was well used when he left.

Bill.

[series1buff]

During the late 1970's the army held open days at the Watsonia barracks in Melbourne's Northern suburbs .

At the time, sitting in storage in a shed was a ceremonial series 1 . It had the hand rail for a person of importance to hang on to . It may be the vehicle now at the army Bandiana museum near Wodonga ? Anyway it was in immaculate condition when I spotted it at Watsonia all those years ago. It could have been a 86" but I'm not certain Mike

[Landy Smurf]

Is that the right Royal Land Rover? (http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/is-that-the-right-royal-land-rover-20120426-1xntj.html)