1953 Swallow Doretti Prototype [1000]

1953 Swallow Doretti [1000] in Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry, Documentary, 2021

Class: Cars, Convertible — Model origin:

00:42:10 Minor action vehicle or used in only a short scene

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dsl ◊ 2021-06-06 00:37	A significant moment in the history of Standard-Triumph "Sir John Black’s Car Accident, 3 November 1953 at Banner Lane. Sir John Black and Ken Richardson were testing the Swallow Doretti Prototype (Registration 623E). Suddenly a Works van came out of a turning unexpectedly. Ken swerved the car to avoid killing them both in a headlong collision. The van driver had to be treated for shock after his vehicle spun round with the impact while Ken himself sustained serious injuries to his forehead resulting in having 47 stitches and nearly losing an eye. Arthur Luson, the personal assistant, who actually saw the van lift off the ground, and Frank Golding, the chauffeur, pulled Black from the wreckage believing that he was dead. On 1 December 1953 a memo stated Black was in the south of France for a short period of recuperation. A press release of 5 January 1954 simply related: “Sir John Black of Longfield, Bubbenhall, has resigned as Chairman and Managing Director of the Standard Motor Company as a result of injuries sustained in his accident of the previous November.”" - from here. The 623 E plate is puzzling - 123 E series started in Staffordshire in April 53 (the first reversed series to be issued) but seems to have launched with numbers of 1000 and above, as if 1-999 were never used. Alternatively it was a white-on-red trade plate. The Doretti, with TR2 mechanicals, was launched in 1954.
johnfromstaffs ◊ 2021-06-06 08:54	It’s a trade plate for sure. A Staffordshire trade plate. What, you ask, is a Staffordshire trade plate doing on a prototype car that was wrecked by a Coventry industrialist? Is jfs totally off his Staffordshire trolley? No, I haven’t got that far yet, but I’m working on it with the aid of products from yet another Staffordshire centre of excellence, Burton upon Trent. (Marmite of course!) The Swallow Coachbuilding Co was a descendant of the company originally formed in Blackpool, Lancashire, by Sir William Lyons. By the time of this car, the company belonged to Tube Investments Ltd, a conglomerate, and was located at Walsall Airport. Aldridge, just outside Walsall, was, before the infamous 1974 local government reorganisation, located within Staffordshire, so the minutiae of registration documents and application for trade plates would have involved the County of Stafford headquarters. So, although the connections with Coventry are substantial, the connection with Staffordshire, although bent and twisted, cannot be denied. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walsall_Aerodrome Link to "www.tripadvisor.co.uk" https://www.unilever.co.uk/brands/food-and-drink/marmite.html http://www.doretti.co.uk/index.htm Look at an untwisted Swallow Doretti via the link above. You have to admit it was a lot better looking than the pug-ugly TR2. -- Last edit: 2021-06-07 08:39:29
dsl ◊ 2021-07-18 17:02	Chassis 1000. "According to Frank Rainbow, this LHD Doretti was prepared for Sir John Black and extensively soundproofed and trimmed in rich red Connolly hide made up specially to match Sir John's Bentley, from which Frank had obtained a small sample of leather from under the seat. Its Docker's metallic silver paint was also the same as the Bentley. The car was checked over personally by Frank and he also carried out the road testing and final acceptance for delivery. Sir John Black was of course delighted with the Doretti. The 623E number plate was a Staffordshire trade plate. On Tuesday 3 November 1953, Sir John Black asked Ken Richardson (Competition Manager at Standard-Triumph) to take him for a trial run in the new Doretti and give his opinion. Unfortunately as they drove down Banner Lane, Coventry, a works pick-up truck turned across their path to enter the factory gates. There was no hope of stopping and Sir John Black and Ken Richardson were badly hurt in the resulting accident and the car was a complete write-off. The only redeeming feature of this accident is that in a car less strongly built they may have been killed. Very shortly after this, Sir John retired from Standard-Triumph."

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dsl

◊ 2021-06-06 00:37

A significant moment in the history of Standard-Triumph "Sir John Black’s Car Accident, 3 November 1953 at Banner Lane. Sir John Black and Ken Richardson were testing the Swallow Doretti Prototype (Registration 623E). Suddenly a Works van came out of a turning unexpectedly. Ken swerved the car to avoid killing them both in a headlong collision. The van driver had to be treated for shock after his vehicle spun round with the impact while Ken himself sustained serious injuries to his forehead resulting in having 47 stitches and nearly losing an eye. Arthur Luson, the personal assistant, who actually saw the van lift off the ground, and Frank Golding, the chauffeur, pulled Black from the wreckage believing that he was dead.

On 1 December 1953 a memo stated Black was in the south of France for a short period of recuperation. A press release of 5 January 1954 simply related: “Sir John Black of Longfield, Bubbenhall, has resigned as Chairman and Managing Director of the Standard Motor Company as a result of injuries sustained in his accident of the previous November.”" - from here.

The 623 E plate is puzzling - 123 E series started in Staffordshire in April 53 (the first reversed series to be issued) but seems to have launched with numbers of 1000 and above, as if 1-999 were never used. Alternatively it was a white-on-red trade plate. The Doretti, with TR2 mechanicals, was launched in 1954.

johnfromstaffs

◊ 2021-06-06 08:54

It’s a trade plate for sure.

A Staffordshire trade plate.

What, you ask, is a Staffordshire trade plate doing on a prototype car that was wrecked by a Coventry industrialist? Is jfs totally off his Staffordshire trolley?

No, I haven’t got that far yet, but I’m working on it with the aid of products from yet another Staffordshire centre of excellence, Burton upon Trent. (Marmite of course!)

The Swallow Coachbuilding Co was a descendant of the company originally formed in Blackpool, Lancashire, by Sir William Lyons. By the time of this car, the company belonged to Tube Investments Ltd, a conglomerate, and was located at Walsall Airport. Aldridge, just outside Walsall, was, before the infamous 1974 local government reorganisation, located within Staffordshire, so the minutiae of registration documents and application for trade plates would have involved the County of Stafford headquarters. So, although the connections with Coventry are substantial, the connection with Staffordshire, although bent and twisted, cannot be denied.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walsall_Aerodrome
Link to "www.tripadvisor.co.uk"
https://www.unilever.co.uk/brands/food-and-drink/marmite.html
http://www.doretti.co.uk/index.htm

Look at an untwisted Swallow Doretti via the link above. You have to admit it was a lot better looking than the pug-ugly TR2.

-- Last edit: 2021-06-07 08:39:29

dsl

◊ 2021-07-18 17:02

Chassis 1000. "According to Frank Rainbow, this LHD Doretti was prepared for Sir John Black and extensively soundproofed and trimmed in rich red Connolly hide made up specially to match Sir John's Bentley, from which Frank had obtained a small sample of leather from under the seat. Its Docker's metallic silver paint was also the same as the Bentley. The car was checked over personally by Frank and he also carried out the road testing and final acceptance for delivery. Sir John Black was of course delighted with the Doretti. The 623E number plate was a Staffordshire trade plate. On Tuesday 3 November 1953, Sir John Black asked Ken Richardson (Competition Manager at Standard-Triumph) to take him for a trial run in the new Doretti and give his opinion. Unfortunately as they drove down Banner Lane, Coventry, a works pick-up truck turned across their path to enter the factory gates. There was no hope of stopping and Sir John Black and Ken Richardson were badly hurt in the resulting accident and the car was a complete write-off. The only redeeming feature of this accident is that in a car less strongly built they may have been killed. Very shortly after this, Sir John retired from Standard-Triumph."

1953 Swallow Doretti Prototype [1000]

1953 Swallow Doretti [1000] in Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry, Documentary, 2021

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