Motoring in the early 1950’s

Motoring in the early 1950s with David Brown

While the motor industry struggled to get going again post-WW2, it was the early 1950s when motoring was really re-established.

Petrol rationing, introduced in September 1939, finished in 1950 – celebrated with long queues at petrol stations – but was back for a spell later in the decade when Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal.

Road standards generally were improving and there was talk of motorways, but these took longer to be established.

Many people drove second-hand pre-war cars such as Ford’s first Dagenham-designed model the Model Y, introduced in 1932. Before that Ford had built British versions of American vehicles at Trafford Park, Manchester. Other small family favourites included the Morris Eight Series E and Ten Series M, produced 1938-48, likewise the Standard Eights. There was a degree of making do with what was available, but there was room for improvement. The Morris Minor Traveller estate car with structural wood framing – ideal for travelling salesmen but also great for going on picnics! Car companies were not modest about their vehicles as with this advert from Morris for ‘The World’s Supreme Small Car’.

The Morris Minor

The original Minor MM Saloon and Tourer models were produced between 1948 and 1953, joined by the Series II 195256, then followed in 1953 by the Traveller, featuring its ash framework. The Series II vehicles had an 803cc engine and the Minor 1000 upgrade (1956-62), with a 948cc engine, was an improvement. The old-fashioned semaphore trafficator arms were replaced by flashing indicators from late 1961.

The Morris Minor still has a strong following until this day with an enthusiastic owners’ group very active in the Peterborough area. Former ‘Jimmy Deeping’ resident Russ Smith ran a 1952 MM for a number of years. Russ, who now lives near Cambridge, subsequently sold this but recently fell for the charms of a 1954 saloon.

Goodbye to the old Austin 7 – here’s the familyfriendly A30 saloon.

Austin A30

First shown to critical acclaim at the 1951 Earls Court Motor Show, Austin’s A30 was promoted as the ‘New Austin Seven’, replacing the old square styling of the long-in-the-tooth ‘7’ with stylish curves and a new combined body structure.

It was intended to take on the popularity of the Morris Minor and undercut the latter’s price. Introduced as a four-door model saloon, a twodoor saloon followed the next year, followed by a van and ‘Countryman’ estate in 1954.

The A30 was replaced by the A35 in 1956 which had a bigger engine, larger rear windows and contemporary indicators replacing the original trafficators. Your writer’s first car in the late 1970s was a later 1950s model Minor 1000, with single-panel windscreen – sadly all that remains of this car is its original front registration plate displayed on the kitchen wall!

Light commercials

Away from the family-orientated saloons, the car-based light commercial vans were very much part of the scene on our roads in the 1950s, with commercial concerns big and small keen to promote their services with sign writing on the sides of their panel vans.

Deliveries around towns and, long before home freezer use became common, out into country communities, compact vans would deliver the goods for bakers, butchers, grocers and countless other business concerns.

Among the most common varieties were the Bedford CA models and Morris J-Types, plus Austin and Morris-badged vans with the familiar, friendly cab face of the Morris Minor.

As well as the panel vans, pick-up truck versions were a familiar sight on farms and construction sites. Surviving light commercials are always well received at classic vehicle events with examples of the sign writers’ art continuing to spread their messages.

We are fortunate to have several events in the area where you can see fine examples of classic vehicles from across the decades. One of the most popular is the Maxey Classic Car and Bike Show that has raised large sums over the years to support local causes. This year’s Show is scheduled for Saturday 13 August.

The J-Type was a 10cwt van launched by Morris in 1949 that continued to be built until 1961. An Austin 101 version appeared in 1957 with different badging and grille style.

Thanks to Richard Gunn for his help and providing some suitable images.