Having watched all the episodes of "All Creatures grunt & smell" several times (we get a lot of repeats repeated down here) I would say that apart from a brief view of a Big Seven and an Austin 10 there was no saloon used. There was one episode where a fair was being held as a back-drop, but at a long distance and very briefly. I only recall Chummys in the line-up, but there may have been a saloon. If so, one could hardly say it starred! I've read all the books including a large Volume of stories that I have, and no illustrations or photos of a Seven appear in them either. Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia

perhaps it was the one the goat ate when accidentally left out in the garden...

Thanks for that Bill
I will make some more enquiries with the owner.
Sounds like he is attempting to hike the price to make a few quid more.
He also stated the car is on its original registration but he is thinking of selling that separately.
I've tried to reason with him that splitting the car and registration is wrong but he can only see it as an opportunity to make more money.
Sadly it looks as though the registration will end up on retention for ever more instead of being on the correct vehicle.

I have a recollection of an episode that I thought had a Ruby. In it, James was repeatedly going on at Siegfried about the condition of the brakes and wanted them to be fixed. At one point, the car rolls backwards and ends up in a stream!

Ring a bell with anyone?

I remember it, but wasn't that a Morris?

Location: Richmond, Texas

There is a light blue long wheelbase saloon to be seen in the background of the 1975 film. From the shape of the dark blue painted moulding at the scuttle Id say an RP. You cant see the registration number

"I will make some more enquiries with the owner.
Sounds like he is attempting to hike the price to make a few quid more.
He also stated the car is on its original registration but he is thinking of selling that separately.
I've tried to reason with him that splitting the car and registration is wrong but he can only see it as an opportunity to make more money.
Sadly it looks as though the registration will end up on retention for ever more instead of being on the correct vehicle."[/quote]


Dermot, I have read this thread with some bemusement, admittedly a regular experience for me nowadays but I digress.

If I understand you correctly the owner of this saloon sees its alleged film stardom as adding to its monetary value. In my small experience, a car that has been used for film making has probably been abused, thus reducing its value.

Leaving that aside, for the great unwashed to identify this car as a film star surely all they have to go on that is specific to the car is its registration number? Stardom is surely a function of public recognition. If the "at a glance" identity is removed from the car, at the very least it must negate any price hike related to its history.

Unless the whole telly thing is very important to you (which I freely admit is beyond me) It would seem easier to look for another car!

I wish you luck but I remain bemused!

Regards,Stuart

Referring to my earlier post, I have uncovered this from the website http://www.jamesherriot.org

I now suspect that the car in question was the cowled-rad tourer, AJO 71.

Chapter 49
The brakes in the Austin are shot, and Herriot has to drive it for some time like this, since Siegfried always forgets to have it done. Finally Siegfried has to drive the car, with Herriot along, and he has a very hard time stopping the car. Afterwards, he chides Herriot for “not telling him” about the brakes. Herriot just remains silent.

Try referring him to the sad case of the pre-war Morris Minor that was featured extensively in the film 'Ladies in Lavender'; the owner misguidedly sold the registration number before selling the car, only to gross an amount significantly lower than an earlier offer!

Dermot, I have read this thread with some bemusement, admittedly a regular experience for me nowadays but I digress.

If I understand you correctly the owner of this saloon sees its alleged film stardom as adding to its monetary value. In my small experience, a car that has been used for film making has probably been abused, thus reducing its value.

Leaving that aside, for the great unwashed to identify this car as a film star surely all they have to go on that is specific to the car is its registration number? Stardom is surely a function of public recognition. If the "at a glance" identity is removed from the car, at the very least it must negate any price hike related to its history.

Unless the whole telly thing is very important to you (which I freely admit is beyond me) It would seem easier to look for another car!

I wish you luck but I remain bemused!

Regards,Stuart[/quote]

Stuart
The whole TV thing does nothing for me whatsoever, in fact if I could prove him wrong it would assist me, I simply want to save the car which I know has been sitting in his barn for quite a few years, the owner,a farmer is more interested in tractors and the Austin is being neglected.
If I can tell him his car being a "TV star" doesn't make it worth any more than any other Austin 7 then hopefully I can persuade him to keep the registration number and the car together for the sake of history.
If he sells the registration the value of the car falls but he will profit from the sale of the registration.
It's a mess really unless I can convince him having a bit part in a TV series or film is not worth anything.
Regards
Dermot.

I don't remember an Austin 7 saloon being used in the tv series. The main car was a red Morris 8 Tourer that belonged to a pal of mine called Ken Nichols who lived in Bedale. I have ridden many a mile in it but decided to stick to Austins. I think the grey ORT in the Herriot museum in Thirsk had nothing to do with the tv series or the film, it was simply an available open Austin 7. It suffered dreadful abuse by having large American tourists sitting in it to have their photos taken. I don't think the suspension had been uprated in any way. They wanted somebody to come forward and restore it again a couple of years back but I kept my head down! If cars have souls you have to pity the poor little beggar!

Maybe so in the book, but not in the TV series. It was a Morris 8.

Location: Richmond, Texas, USA

I think you got the colour wrong Malcolm, it was actually Ken's wife Hilary's blue 1935 Series I Morris 8 Four Seat Tourer BAF 892 that was hired for use as James Herriot's car in the the long running TV series. However as you rightly say Ken's daily driver to work was his red 1938 Series II Morris 8 Two Seat Tourer.

I knew Ken and his wife well, he was north east regional secretary of the Morris Register when I first joined the club in 1973 having also bought a 1936 Series I Morris 8 Four Seat Tourer - which I still have to this day.

I was in touch with Ken's daughter early last year and she was telling me she'd tracked down BAF 892 to Wexford in Ireland where the new owners have had the car professionally restored. The DVLA database shows it was last taxed in the UK at the end of April 2002.



Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

I have it at the back of my mind somewhere that I have read that selling and or transferring reg numbers has been/was to be stopped.
Am I wrong yet again?

Location: Bristol

While onSafari on the Isle of Man with Malcolm, Steve and Colin for some classic hillclimbing( Steve) Colin and I found the Dads Army Chummy in a spliffy new giant Motor Museum at the North of the Island.

Well worth a visit if you are on the IoM.

This huge private collection of cars and commercials, plus a piston engine which developed nearly a quarter of a megawatt! is housed in a spectacular shed with exceptionally friendly staff.... look out for the unusual collection of Yank Flower cars.....( they follow the Hearse! But all seemed to be muscle cars , also much loved by surfers I suspect.

Have A7's ever mounted a mass invasion of the island? Great roads but some steep hills?

Regards
Bill G

Location: Scottish Border

There was a big A7 Rally there in 1977 Bill. The Scottish A7 Club visited a few years back also - organised by Charlie Carpenter I think.

I am sure it was the red Morris 8 Tourer that I have been in, but it was about 35 years ago!
I believe that the Lincolnshire Group of the PWA7C are organising a trip to the IOM this year that will coincide with the Manx Classic. There are no hills that compare with Sneck Yat on my doorstep, Steve and I did Tholt-y-Will last year and it was brilliant, even in the saloon.
The IOM is a truly magical island.

Hi

The late cowled rad tourer AJO 7, which is grey, was used at the begining of the first BBC TV series for a while - this is the one that is/was suffering at the museum in Thirsk.

The books talk about an 'ancient Austin Seven saloon' as the first car given to JH, but do not seem to specify further what it was - even floor boards are mentioned at one point so the detail is a bit fuzzy!

As above, the original film featured the Chummy UX 187, which I presume hasn't survived? Or has it lost its number?

Regards
Colin

Colin,

Luckily the registration UX 187 is shown on mycarcheck as still attached to an Austin Tourer first registered 29.03.1927 colour maroon although it doesn't feature on the A7CA chassis register. The DVLA database has it on SORN at the moment - so it's obviously been taxed at some point in the last 19 years.

The UX prefix was first issued by Shropshire in March 1927.

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

Thanks - that's good to know - even though it looked a little worse for wear in the film, it would be a shame for the car to have made it to the 1970s only to vanish from history, Colin

Thought you all might like to see this!

Location: Hertfordshire

Looks great - was there a fashion for brass radiators at one time, or was it by default?
Colin

When the plating or paint wore off (depending on age of car) some chose to paint or just polish the rad' shell.
Remember also, there was a time when these cars were just considered as semi disposable 'bangers' or starter cars for those of modest means.
For some it was not thought either financially viable or sensible to lavish too much on the car and may have been cheaper to just go and buy another - it was ever thus and the reason why at one time you could sometimes find one lying forlorn in a hedge!.
Those with more money would buy a better condition one for just a bit more or buy something newer.
Steve V.

Location: Polegate, East Sussex, United Kingdom

Dermot, thanks for your explanation of the 16th, I am less bemused in consequence. I think I had better wish you luck again, though, I suspect your path will not be easy. Well done for trying!
Regards,
Stuart

Changing the thread slightly has anyone seen the episode of the Avengers with the glammed up box saloon,what was amusing was the amount of "luggage" that the porter brought into the hotel that had been packed into the car!

Location: Channel Islands

And another....
The Goodies circa 1974 had a race on a race track. There was an AH tourer on the grid that stalled and was 'hit' when the field lapped the tourer...who remembers the car? I think it was either light blue or grey...

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Well it seems the "starring role" played by the Austin 7 was in fact a background vehicle in the 1975 movie of the same name.
So far from being a movie car it appears it was simply placed in the background.
It makes me laugh that people attempt to flower up a sale.

For those interested in Austin 7's which have appeared on the telly there is one coming up for auction on 8th March with Brightwells. It is a late '29 tourer registered YC 8194 and it was in a series called "Sam" from 1973 to '75. Sam was played by the late Mark McManus of Taggart fame and the programme was set in Yorkshire pre WW2. I have a cutting from the Radio Times from when I used to collect such things which pictures the car. The auction catalogue makes no mention of the telly stardom and the car is not on the A7CA chassis register.

Location: Stretham, just south of Ely.