Newcastle On Tyne - Ford Consul Estate and Others
Discussion
I grew up in the North East, lucky because I lived in a "Posh Toon" where the neighbour’s choice of car extended from Alvis, Aston, Bentley, Bristol, Jag, Jensen and so on. Those aforementioned were all within walking distance of my house and a lucrative car wash round; I was lucky, and I acknowledge it.
To a young Petrolhead, further afield afforded many other interesting avenues, one of my best friends had a fixation upon 1600E's, another a 3.3 Ventora FD and another an aspirational Wood and Picket Mini with twin VX4-90 headlamps.
Travelling to school, offered the opportunity to explore Rossleighs of Newcastle where in the upper showrooms I saw my first Rolls Shadow 2 ( lucky enough to own today) and a Panther Rio. The lower body shop held a particular fascination and I still recall the ongoing restoration of a coach built Bentley, similar in style to a ’55 Mulliner Continental but most definitely a Dutch coach built body; I believe it belonged to someone in Alnwick; a car I’ve never been able to track down to satisfy my curiosity.
So, what brings me to today’s post? Well from time to time I drop in on Newcastle’s Chronicle which, I have to say, offers a fantastic photographic archive of days gone by and I think it is a real credit to them.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/
What piqued my interest was a Ford Consul Estate. I don’t really know anything about these cars, the name Fairey comes to mind, I’ve only ever heard of Zodiac Fairey’s (lol!) but why not Consul’s as well?- no doubt the pic will float someone’s boat.
Blenheim Street, around the corner from Rossleighs was a serious extension of a WW2 car sales bomb centre.
A real treat was going with Mike, the father of one of my friends, in his Daimler SP250 or perhaps his Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire; a really lovely guy, a serious petrolhead. It was Mike who, despite owning a beautiful S Type Jag in navy blue told me that a Merc was a better car... An absolute affront to an adolescent teen who’s Dad owned a Mk10 and grew up in a jingoistic era lol! .. many. many, many…years later…choke…. choke…. choke… I think he might……. possibly…. have a point… ??
Ogling or just nattering about an occasional selection of Americana and occasional “classic” before a meander up Westgate Road where the Bikers collected and parked their bikes, horizontally kerb; bikes never really floated my boat apart from the peanut tank Bonneville in candy read and pearl white.
Pics for your consumption.
To a young Petrolhead, further afield afforded many other interesting avenues, one of my best friends had a fixation upon 1600E's, another a 3.3 Ventora FD and another an aspirational Wood and Picket Mini with twin VX4-90 headlamps.
Travelling to school, offered the opportunity to explore Rossleighs of Newcastle where in the upper showrooms I saw my first Rolls Shadow 2 ( lucky enough to own today) and a Panther Rio. The lower body shop held a particular fascination and I still recall the ongoing restoration of a coach built Bentley, similar in style to a ’55 Mulliner Continental but most definitely a Dutch coach built body; I believe it belonged to someone in Alnwick; a car I’ve never been able to track down to satisfy my curiosity.
So, what brings me to today’s post? Well from time to time I drop in on Newcastle’s Chronicle which, I have to say, offers a fantastic photographic archive of days gone by and I think it is a real credit to them.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/
What piqued my interest was a Ford Consul Estate. I don’t really know anything about these cars, the name Fairey comes to mind, I’ve only ever heard of Zodiac Fairey’s (lol!) but why not Consul’s as well?- no doubt the pic will float someone’s boat.
Blenheim Street, around the corner from Rossleighs was a serious extension of a WW2 car sales bomb centre.
A real treat was going with Mike, the father of one of my friends, in his Daimler SP250 or perhaps his Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire; a really lovely guy, a serious petrolhead. It was Mike who, despite owning a beautiful S Type Jag in navy blue told me that a Merc was a better car... An absolute affront to an adolescent teen who’s Dad owned a Mk10 and grew up in a jingoistic era lol! .. many. many, many…years later…choke…. choke…. choke… I think he might……. possibly…. have a point… ??
Ogling or just nattering about an occasional selection of Americana and occasional “classic” before a meander up Westgate Road where the Bikers collected and parked their bikes, horizontally kerb; bikes never really floated my boat apart from the peanut tank Bonneville in candy read and pearl white.
Pics for your consumption.
Edited by Carsie on Saturday 28th November 18:59
Edited by Carsie on Sunday 29th November 10:35
Born North Shields 1953, non of yer posh cars around our way.
Dad had IIRC, an Austin 8, Hillman Minx (dreadful car) a Morris Minor EDC141, a Ford Popular 100E - a 1961 car in Ambassador (?) blue bought in 1964ish, i went with him to pick it up from the garage in N Shields (I would have been about 11). (EFT761 IIRC). That was followed by a 1966 Minx in white with rust stained front wings (that would be about 4 year old and already rotting.
Went to Charlie T's in 1970-75, used to regularly trawl up and down the used car lots on Westmoreland Road and Westgate Hill bikes.
A different time, long long ago.
Dad had IIRC, an Austin 8, Hillman Minx (dreadful car) a Morris Minor EDC141, a Ford Popular 100E - a 1961 car in Ambassador (?) blue bought in 1964ish, i went with him to pick it up from the garage in N Shields (I would have been about 11). (EFT761 IIRC). That was followed by a 1966 Minx in white with rust stained front wings (that would be about 4 year old and already rotting.
Went to Charlie T's in 1970-75, used to regularly trawl up and down the used car lots on Westmoreland Road and Westgate Hill bikes.
A different time, long long ago.
cjb44 said:
I believe that to be a Farnham Abbot conversion, but those with specific knowledge will be along shortly to give you all the correct information. They were certainly an approved by Ford conversion with the Zodiac Farnham being the top of the range and a decent load carrier to boot.
This is correct. Farnham Abbot did the conversions on all Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac Mk1/2/3/4 and Corsairs. They were Ford approved and were available special order through Ford dealers. Consuls would have been rarer as it was quite an expensive conversion so although they'd do whatever you paid for, why would you do it to the bottom of the range car? Many years ago my brother had a Mk4 Zodiac Executive Estate, a great thing that unfortunately was broken up as an abandoned restoration.The Fairey connection in the opening post is "mis-branding" as Fairey did similar conversions on the PA Cresta and possibly other Vauxhalls - I know a lot less about those.
The gap to the right of the Trent pub in your pics is now filled by the flat I rent out, and behind it is the house I live in. In happier times I spend a lot of weekend time in that pub.
Westgate hill where the bike shops are was my mecca in the 80s and 90s, I had bikes for years and worked in a shop called Custom Lids, where bikes were given Kenny Roberts rep etc paint jobs. Some of my best days.
Westgate hill where the bike shops are was my mecca in the 80s and 90s, I had bikes for years and worked in a shop called Custom Lids, where bikes were given Kenny Roberts rep etc paint jobs. Some of my best days.
..the World Famous Trent House no less, was in there over Summer between lockdowns - I used to knock around with the owners brother back in the day!
As an old Low Fell lad these pics are so evocative - I spent many weekend trawling around the toon and it's hidden drinking dens.
I went to the 'Charlie T' on day relase in the early 80's and the Broken Doll was a favourite haunt for a pint or two of Mattie Browns.
Back to the subject, the most glamorous car on the Fell back in the 70's was a Jensen Interceptor owned by a chap who's missus owned an up market ladies boutique - he always wore a black polo neck and looked a bit like Commander Straker!
As an old Low Fell lad these pics are so evocative - I spent many weekend trawling around the toon and it's hidden drinking dens.
I went to the 'Charlie T' on day relase in the early 80's and the Broken Doll was a favourite haunt for a pint or two of Mattie Browns.
Back to the subject, the most glamorous car on the Fell back in the 70's was a Jensen Interceptor owned by a chap who's missus owned an up market ladies boutique - he always wore a black polo neck and looked a bit like Commander Straker!
Lotobear said:
..the World Famous Trent House no less, was in there over Summer between lockdowns - I used to knock around with the owners brother back in the day!
As an old Low Fell lad these pics are so evocative - I spent many weekend trawling around the toon and it's hidden drinking dens.
I went to the 'Charlie T' on day relase in the early 80's and the Broken Doll was a favourite haunt for a pint or two of Mattie Browns.
Back to the subject, the most glamorous car on the Fell back in the 70's was a Jensen Interceptor owned by a chap who's missus owned an up market ladies boutique - he always wore a black polo neck and looked a bit like Commander Straker!
We had possibly one of the more unique offerings in the family in Newcastle in the early 70s, a '65 Gordon Keeble, which resided in Dunston at the time.As an old Low Fell lad these pics are so evocative - I spent many weekend trawling around the toon and it's hidden drinking dens.
I went to the 'Charlie T' on day relase in the early 80's and the Broken Doll was a favourite haunt for a pint or two of Mattie Browns.
Back to the subject, the most glamorous car on the Fell back in the 70's was a Jensen Interceptor owned by a chap who's missus owned an up market ladies boutique - he always wore a black polo neck and looked a bit like Commander Straker!
Heaveho said:
The gap to the right of the Trent pub in your pics is now filled by the flat I rent out, and behind it is the house I live in. In happier times I spend a lot of weekend time in that pub.
Westgate hill where the bike shops are was my mecca in the 80s and 90s, I had bikes for years and worked in a shop called Custom Lids, where bikes were given Kenny Roberts rep etc paint jobs. Some of my best days.
You'll know the late 'Gerry Moran' and his partner 'Anny' The Nurse who lived opposite the RVI entrance.Westgate hill where the bike shops are was my mecca in the 80s and 90s, I had bikes for years and worked in a shop called Custom Lids, where bikes were given Kenny Roberts rep etc paint jobs. Some of my best days.
I spent a lot of time in The Strawberry as well as the Trent !
Heaveho said:
We had possibly one of the more unique offerings in the family in Newcastle in the early 70s, a '65 Gordon Keeble, which resided in Dunston at the time.
Lovely things - a little know factoid is they share their windscreen with the Consul Capri, Elan Plus 2 and early Scimitar..spent many a Saturday morning at Clockmill scrappie in Dunston!
Lotobear said:
As an old Low Fell lad these pics are so evocative - I spent many weekend trawling around the toon and it's hidden drinking dens.
Well, there's now two of us; we lived in Cedar Crescent from 1957 to 1966.Lotobear said:
Back to the subject, the most glamorous car on the Fell back in the 70's was a Jensen Interceptor owned by a chap who's missus owned an up market ladies boutique - he always wore a black polo neck and looked a bit like Commander Straker!
In the early sixties, the owner of the Central Garage had something swanky (Bristol? - can't remember) that his wife used to pose about in.littleredrooster said:
In the early sixties, the owner of the Central Garage had something swanky (Bristol? - can't remember) that his wife used to pose about in.
I recall a Bristol used to park on a driveway at the bottom of Belle Vue Bank in the early 80's with it's back end to the pavement - a fairly innocuous looking semi, the car seemed oddly out of place!Lotobear said:
....spent many a Saturday morning at Clockmill scrappie in Dunston!
The b4st4rds at Clockmill set the scrapyard littleredrooster said:
The b4st4rds at Clockmill set the scrapyard dog wolf onto me once. A Viva gearbox I bought from them was knackered but they refused a refund saying that I'd brought a different box back. When I stood my ground, he uttered the words "Jimmy - gan an' get the dog..."
Aye, a rough old spot was Dunston...better pickings were to be found six cars up in the big shed where the Pitcher and Piano is now on the Quayside. All changed since I were a lad!
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