Lagonda ALJ 292 - Spyders Web TV series 1972
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Lagonda ALJ 292 / Spyders Web tv show 1972
Just discovered this little known & sadly forgotten espionage tv show which appears to have been first shown from January 1972.
It stars the lovely Late Patricia Cutts R.I.P. the equally lovely Veronica Carlson, Roger Lloyd Pack in an early role and Anthony Ainley, who plays an eccentric agent who happens to own a simply gorgeous Cream 1934 Lagonda Sports Saloon ALJ 292, which was first registered in November 1934 in Portsmouth.
A huge fan of Lagonda, but not knowing much about them & a quick look through my copy of Lagonda a History of the Marque, doesn t pull anything up, but I believe that ALJ is a pre Meadows ? powered car.
Can anyone tell me more about this Lagonda & this show ?
Just discovered this little known & sadly forgotten espionage tv show which appears to have been first shown from January 1972.
It stars the lovely Late Patricia Cutts R.I.P. the equally lovely Veronica Carlson, Roger Lloyd Pack in an early role and Anthony Ainley, who plays an eccentric agent who happens to own a simply gorgeous Cream 1934 Lagonda Sports Saloon ALJ 292, which was first registered in November 1934 in Portsmouth.
A huge fan of Lagonda, but not knowing much about them & a quick look through my copy of Lagonda a History of the Marque, doesn t pull anything up, but I believe that ALJ is a pre Meadows ? powered car.
Can anyone tell me more about this Lagonda & this show ?
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Tuesday 25th August 13:14
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Tuesday 25th August 13:19
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Tuesday 25th August 14:04
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 08:14
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 08:16
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 13:08
uk66fastback said:
It s ALJ, not P! I don t remember this series at all and have before now, not even heard it mentioned. Available on DVD though.
There s no mention of it on the Reelstreets website which was a surprise as it wasn t all studio-based.
Typo error re the reg number and not sure how to correct it. There s no mention of it on the Reelstreets website which was a surprise as it wasn t all studio-based.
Edited by uk66fastback on Thursday 27th August 00:29
Very little info appears to be available re this program.
I ve not looked on Reelstreets, but surprised it’s not mentioned on there.
I have been trying to work out some of the exterior locations, but the Beacon Hill Cafe is maddeningly familiar from somewhere ?
Currently watching it on YT and the latest episode has some very cool cars in it, one of which a S.2 E Type has also amazingly survived !
Tragically sad that the lead actress the lovely Patricia Cutts committed suicide in her flat in Chelsea, in 1974, aged just 46.
I ve not read anything re why she decided to end her life. She had not long appeared in Coronation Street.
Both her & Anthonly Ainley ( The Master in Doctor Who ) & Veronica Carlson are very good in this show, if it had been given a bigger budget, better script & story line, it could have been an exceptionally good show.
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 08:16
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 08:20
uk66fastback said:
I ll try and grab a look on YT if I get a minute. There s a Wiki page for it as well. Reelstreets generally have all the hardly-known TV series and films so I was surprised it wasn t mentioned
Yes, please try take look if you get time, this show really does need way more credit. So frustrating not knowing where it was filmed.It is a bit hard going watching the black & white episodes 1 - 6, as they are very faded, but E 7 appears to be in colour.
Its sad that this show could have been Hugely better, as the 2 very talented, lead actors bounce off of each other really well, Patricia Cutts was obviously a very funny & hugely charismatic lady.
The limited ( due to £ budget constraints i imagine ) exterior location scenes have many of our favourite cars & discovering this morning via XKE Data, that the E Type 2+2 from E6, although re painted Primrose, has survived was a very pleasant surprise !
Quick update, it appears that it s a Model M35 R ( Rapide ) fitted with the factorys " Silent Travel " pillar less saloon coachwork.
Weighing in at 35.5cwt / 1804kgs
And it may have had a replacement engine at some stage, as it s listed as having a 2,300cc engine, which apparently is incorrect as its original engine was of 3.619 c capacity and with 88bhp @ 3,000rpm.
Incredibly rare car, as its estimated that just 81 or 65 3 1/2 Litre cars were built, in both Roadster & Coupe form, with production ending in 1935.
This engine was the final version of Lagondas Big Six, arriving in 1934. Said to be capable of 90 mph.
Now This is the interesting part, 1934, had been a good year for Lagonda sales, about 250 Rapiers 200 or so M45s plus about 50 16/80s and 3 Litres, but never the less, the company was running perilously close to financial disaster.
Then Disaster, the Gov of the day, bought in the 30 mph s[eed limit in built up areas & over night, nobody wanted a sports car ! Sales tapered off and the bank, as debenture holders, panicked & called in a receiver at Easter 1935....
Weighing in at 35.5cwt / 1804kgs
And it may have had a replacement engine at some stage, as it s listed as having a 2,300cc engine, which apparently is incorrect as its original engine was of 3.619 c capacity and with 88bhp @ 3,000rpm.
Incredibly rare car, as its estimated that just 81 or 65 3 1/2 Litre cars were built, in both Roadster & Coupe form, with production ending in 1935.
This engine was the final version of Lagondas Big Six, arriving in 1934. Said to be capable of 90 mph.
Now This is the interesting part, 1934, had been a good year for Lagonda sales, about 250 Rapiers 200 or so M45s plus about 50 16/80s and 3 Litres, but never the less, the company was running perilously close to financial disaster.
Then Disaster, the Gov of the day, bought in the 30 mph s[eed limit in built up areas & over night, nobody wanted a sports car ! Sales tapered off and the bank, as debenture holders, panicked & called in a receiver at Easter 1935....
Edited by SS427 Camaro on Thursday 27th August 12:17
williamp said:
...famously, Lagonda team won Le mans in 1935 whilst bankrupt and possibly, technically not in existance as a company!!
Literally just read that as well ! Many famous people owned and raced Lagondas, inc Lord De Clifford & his wife Lady Clifford, who also had her own Lagonda & which driven by a Miss Naish, won the Ladies Cup in the 1931 RAC rally.
It was In 1935, that Lord De Clifford who was famously tried in the House of Lords, in December 1935, for manslaughter, after being involved in a fatal head on smash, in another make of car, he stated that the other car, came at him at speed, on his side of the road, De Clifford swerved to the other side & so did the other driver.
Superb advert from “ Warwick Wright Ltd dating from October 1934.
Had no idea that W W had been established for so long & to have had premises in New Bond St, must have given them great prestige.
Fascinating how they talk of “ Speed “ & the swipe at other manufacturers cars being unstable at speed.
Roy C said:
Warwick Wright was an early motoring pioneer, racing driver, power boat driver & pilot. He also fought in both World Wars as a Navy pilot. Unfortunately his business failed in the 1930s and he sold out to the Rootes brothers.
That’s really interesting, had no idea about him. Edited by Roy C on Saturday 29th August 06:46
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