How we used to drive IV

The collection of glamourous limousines has gone now but there's still plenty to draw in the workshop. There are lots of Frazer Nashes in various states of being rebuilt. It's fascinating to see the ash frames, aluminium bodywork and various mechanical parts laid bare...


Outside there was also a very nice Austin Seven...

Brasier WIP 01

I've tried to work up one of my recent sketches in colour. I don't want to do too much more to this because I like the looseness but I will define the people and generally tidy it up a little - perhaps add something to the background...

How we used to drive III

Today most of the cars left for the Bonhams auction later this week. I managed to get a few last sketches in. Luckily there's still a terrific looking vintage car garage to sketch.

Today I have a 1947 Allard (with a Bentley radiator on the floor before it)...

... a 1837 Riley (with the Delahaye behind)...

... a Berliet. Windscreen wipers have really come a long way since 1906. This had a single wiper at the very top of the screen, about 4 inches long. It is operated manually by wiggling a lever on the front pillar...

A very imposing Rolls Royce. It had some interesting repairs to the front wing involving tin snips and a rivet gun...

And finally a beautiful 1932 Delage...

How we used to drive II

Returned to sketch a bit more of the collection before it's all gone. Here's a longer study (1.5 hrs) of a Brasier Grand Prix Special from about 1908/09...
I still think the longer drawings look a bit too finished for my liking - I prefer them a bit loose and sketchy so I went back to my A5 sketchbook for a few half-hour 'quickies'. Here's a stunning 1935 Bentley with the most amazing aerodynamic coachwork by Freestone & Webb of North London...

This is a very sorry looking 1929 Daimler 35/120. It sits in a corner, partly on bricks and is surrounded by spares. On the dented front wheel arch sits a newspaper from 1984 with a headline announcing Diana is to have a child...


Lurking behind a 1906 Berliet and a 1932 Delage is a very elegant Delahaye 135M Coupe from 1947...

A few day trips to various places whilst visiting my parents in Hampshire. Firstly the new 'Mercedes Benz World' on the site of the Brooklands race track. It was very impressive with a small selection of historic cars and plenty more besides - it's free too. I'm pleased with how this W154 came out...



I did this sketch of the W196 bodywork (a fibreglass copy) first. It's a bit heavy handed...
Visited the Natural History Museum which was rather busy but still amazing. I've just finished reading 'The Dinosaur Hunters' - an excellent book covering the early days of dinosaur discovery and study. Here's an Icthyosaur - the creature Mary Anning found that started the whole thing off...

I also revisited the Weald and Downland Museum. I first went 30 years ago on a school trip. I remember I already had quite a keen interest in old buildings - a wonderful big tudor house called 'the Bayleaf' in particular. This isn't it but it's similar...

This is a wind-driven water pump...

How we used to drive

Here's a 1935 Studebaker Commander. I was looking for more old cars to draw and photograph and it turns out there's a huge collection only a mile from where I live. Unfortunately most are going to be sold at auction in a few weeks. I'm going to try to get back and do a few more before they leave.

This sketch was done at A3 instead of the usual A5. I'm not entirely happy with it. It took much longer to do and doesn't have the looseness of the smaller sketches. Perhaps I should have used an even bigger pencil...

How we used to live

These reconstructions were in the Peat Moors Centre in Westhay. They had a fire going inside and it was really quite cosy...

Camping Holiday in Dorset

We spent a few days relaxing on the south coast. Lots of very picturesque villages and beaches - but also quite a lot of people this time of year.

Here's Lulworth Cove...


Dancing Ledge...



Wareham...
and Studland Bay...

Blagdon

Went for a nice pub lunch on saturday and walked it off around Blagdon - a very picturesque town on the slopes of the Mendips. Here's a very quick one of the church...

And here's one of the beam engines at the reservoir pumping station - it's open must sunday afternoons through the summer. I'm not entirely happy with this one - I think I'll go again sometime and have another go...

VSSC Hillclimb - Prescott

Went to the VSCC 75th anniversary Hillclimb and did lots of sketches instead of the usual photos. I really enjoyed it - I'm definitely going to do some more. Highlight of the day was a brief ride on the Stanley Steam Car.

My favourite machines are the Specials - particularly the GN's. Unfeasibly large engines - sometimes from aeroplanes - bolted onto spindly cyclecars. They were the cars to have for hillclimbing in the 20's and 30's...
Thanks to Alan Cox I now know this is the Grannie Special...
The Thunderbug has a thumping great 4.3 litre V-Twin. There's a clip of it here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcsoQi7C0gs

This was a beautiful machine - with stunning details and patina. Wooden chassis, V8 aero engine, offset seating, stylish lettering - everything about it is perfect...

Mike Clark's Stanley steam car - the one I was lucky enough to go for a ride in. 70mph and almost silent - the perfect vehicle to mow someone down in...

I'm hoping this is a Brescia Bugatti - I'm not so good on my Bugatti models...

As I was saying - not sure of the model that this was in - perhaps someone could help fill in the details...

Whoever built this definitely had a Meccano set when they were younger. It looked fast and frightening, all in black with a huge 6 cylinder AC engine in the front. Here's a clip too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E007fxpW3X0

Hay Tor - Dartmoor

Went on a landscape photography outing to Dartmoor and managed to squeeze in a quick sketch too. It's a bit too clinical I think - should have used a pencil.

Post Office Building

Just a quick one while waiting for a train the other day. This abandoned building used to belong to the post office I think...

Cardiff Bay

I don't just hang round Bristol docks you know. I can hang round other docks too...

Of Monsters and Beavers

I was asked to do a few quick monster designs last week. Turned out what they actually wanted was beavers. Easy mistake.

Bristol and Clifton Oil Gas Company

Here are the remains of the old gas works on the other side of the docks. Apparently they date from 1870 and used to produce gas from whale oil.

Boats and Chimneys

Another quick one of the docks - this time the boat yard alongside the SS Great Britain (on the left). The second sketch is of a building I spotted from the rooftop which has lots of chimneys - my sketch is actually 4 short - there ought to be 19 along the top row...

Bristol - it's not like it used to be.

Ever since one sold for £1m the whole of the floating harbour seems to be being covered with apartments. Some are ok to look at, some are hideous and some are blocking out the view we used to have of the SS Great Britain.

Dorset

Spent a very enjoyable weekend camping in Dorset. This was the nearest pub to the campsite...

Reverends, thousands of 'em

Here's a couple from the Mendips - I live on the edge of them. The first is the Rock of Ages - there's a song about it. The Rev. Toplady once sheltered there in a storm and later wrote the song. He was a bit dim I reckon as there's a perfectly huge cave just opposite. I'm afraid I didn't capture it very well and got bogged down in the detail. I'll have to try again some time...

In the woods nearby are the ruins of Mendip Lodge - built by Rev. Thomas Whalley in 1787. It was once a very grand Italianate house but sadly there's not much left of it now...

Clarke Bond Building

Another nice building just around the corner. I have a vague recollection that this might have been something to do with Brunel or the SS Great Britain - which is just around the corner, but I might be wrong...

Not sure if adding the streetview thing is a good idea but here it is anyway...


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Pens, lovely pens

My replacement pens arrived today so in celebration here's some interesting industrial buildings near where I work.




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