C s elebrating 30 Year The Magazine of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs Issue 6 • 2018 Inside TheFastest World’s Jensen Plus The Federation’s biggest and best show to date New Year… New Format Want to borrow a classic car for a year? www.fbhvc.co.uk The UK Member of FIVA The Magazine of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs www.fbhvc.co.uk President: Lord Steel of Aikwood Chairman: David Whale Editorial Secretary: Emma Balaam Federation of British Historic Politicians ignore pressure groups at their boned corset to 19th and early 20th century Vehicle Clubs Ltd peril. Such power and influence that female suffragists. PO Box 295, Upminster, the Federation can bring to bear in our Essex, RM14 9DG So what has all this got to do with preserving lobbying depends on this. Clearly you, the our rights to use the highway, I hear you Email: [email protected] members also play your part in the power Phone: 01708 223111 saying. Well, we shall certainly never wield broking game. It’s a numbers game. Our sufficient lobbying power to make the front The Federation of British Historic 255,000 associates represent a pretty potent page of the Sun. And it does sometimes Vehicle Clubs exists to uphold constituency. If ministers get it right, there feel like we are lone voice trying to turn the freedom to use historic are votes to be won. If they get it wrong, the clock back in the teeth of progress. So it vehicles on the road. It does this there will be noise and even possibly is encouraging when another lobby group by representing the interests embarrassment if there are irregularities of springs up with compatible interests to our of owners of such vehicles to process involved for example. own. And so here is the link that almost politicians, government officials, A snippet of news caught my ear on makes all the foregoing relevant! and legislators both in the UK the penultimate day of the embattled and (through membership of Michael Gove, yes he of the nappy ban, has Conservative party’s conference. Fédération Internationale des a proposal out for consultation which if Environment Minister, Michael Gove hinted Véhicules Anciens) in Europe. that the next household item to be banned eventually passed into legislation will ban There are over 500 subscriber Insurance that in his current bandwagon dash to banish the burning of domestic coal. I must admit organisations representing a total plastics from this (blue?) planet could well I mused on reading this that draft 1 of this membership of over 250,000 in be disposable nappies. Really, Michael, as proposal might have said “all coal” until addition to individual and trade an ex journalist you ought to have known an apparatchik pointed out that we would supporters. Details can be found better than to threaten the mighty hoard need a means of generating electricity to at www.fbhvc.co.uk or sent on fits the bill for that is the nation’s mothers. The Sun charge up all the electric cars that were application to the secretary. devoured the comment… its headline (a about to flood onto the roads, and since Sun speciality) trumpeting, “Gove’s Nappy there had been little or no investment in FBHVC is a company limited by Clash”. Mum’s Net, surely one of the our power infrastructure, several large guarantee, registered number most powerful and influential internet power stations still relied on coal! 3842316 and was founded in 1988. based lobby groups called the proposal classic car clubs Enter stage right our new ally, The Heritage Subscriber clubs and organisations “borderline insulting”, which was for them Fuels Alliance. This alliance of Railway, can reproduce the text of items I thought quite restrained. Shipping and Road vehicle preservationists from this publication in their own But why such a strong reaction. Well Mr will carry the torch for heritage steam- publications provided that FBHVC is When it comes to securing the right credited. Images may be reproduced When it comes to securing the right Gove clearly needs more female advisers powered transport. The Federation will give only with specific permission. All insurance for your club, we can help. checking his speeches because, as nearly full support to our member, The National insurance for your club, we can help. articles are available via email, for everyone else knows, the disposable nappy Traction Engine Trust in this endeavour. With a product endorsed by the FBHVC more information please contact With a product endorsed by the FBHVC is as symbolic to 20th century female [email protected] and only available to member clubs, liberationists as the abandonment of the Geoff Lancaster you can be confident that we have the product you need at a competitive price. Contents 10 Heritage, Culture & Museums 18 Skills & Engagement Anniversaries Call For teaching aids Call 01252 888379377546 4-6 Legislation & Fuels 11 Research 19-21 Secretarial News Or emailemail [email protected]@astonlark.com Update on legislative activities Survey time Classic Motor Show 2018 8 DVLA 12-13 Club Expo 22-25 Club News Including Festive Opening Hours News of next year’s event A round up from the clubs 9 Technical & Events 14-17 The World’s Fastest Jensen 26 Books YOUR WORLD IS OUR FOCUS Looking back on the year Taking on Bonneville salt flats Celebrating the Morris Minor www.astonlark.com Creative and design by Fire Creative (07795 030885). Printed by the ABC Print Group (01432 760700). Issue 6, 2018 FBHVCnews 3 Legislation & Fuels Bob Owen General Status Insurance – The Effect of Vnuk In a strictly legislation sense this has been a quiet period, though there seems little actual let–up in our activities. What appears on the face of it to be a fairly simple protection for FIA approach on competition. The position is not so clear on the the consumer raised two big issues, with which the Federation is question of road vehicles not permitted to be used on the highway, concerned. many of which will of course be incapable of movement. This is Environment • The potential major effect on competitive motorsport, very peripheral to FIA, but not to us, so FIVA has made direct While a number of consultation processes continue to roll Magazine, is developing. Given the obvious need we have to use which is what also concerns the MIA, and responses to the Committee “Rapporteur”, Dita Charanzova of the Czech Republic, and sought reciprocal FIA support. through, and there will inevitably be more, there is nothing our rights reasonably and responsibly, we have so far treated • The possibility that vehicles currently held to be exempt Both the FIVA approaches were informed by the work the specific I need to report in this Edition. In general we continue these proposals as akin to pedestrianisation, to which we do not from compulsory insurance because they are not entitled to Federation had already done on the UK domestic context, so I am to receive sympathetic consideration when we raise our specific be used on the road (in the UK that mainly means on SORN), take objection. sure our arguments were properly presented. concerns. By the way, we put all our consultation response up on should nevertheless be insured. the website, so if you wish to see if we have responded in respect But aspects of some of the proposals, such as that for the City of The proposals are, at the time of writing this, at a sensitive stage You will also recall that the Vnuk case caused the UK Government of your local area do check. And please let us know if you spot a London, appear, at first sight, to be potentially on such a scale as awaiting completion of consideration in the Committee. to consider urgent changes to the law. They consulted, and local consultation you think we might have missed. to create genuine problems to owners of historic vehicles living in We await the imminent publication of the report from Ms the Federation submitted a response putting our arguments Charanzova. That report will be followed by other Members’ The effective closure of limited streets to all but electric powered the areas affected. We have already applied to be included in the on both aspects, but the Government never responded to the reports which will take account of her report. It is this stage which vehicles, to which I made reference in the last Edition of the list of consultees when the City of London goes to consultation. Consultation, for whatever reason. has caused Mr Aylett to make his most recent appeal. I also raised the matter more generally in the Legislation When we have seen the report of Ms Charanzova and other Roadworthiness Commission of FIVA. But at that time, as no other Member members of the Committee we will know the extent to which State was actively considering changes to the national laws, the our arguments have been taken into account and how next to We know the system is settling down, though there are a few limitations of the database in respect of the correct indication of question rested. approach this matter. issues of concern. Not least is the reduced functionality of the makes and models may be solved at or after migration. What is now happening is that the EU Commission, which was Be assured I am closely involved on your behalf in the FIVA efforts Vehicle Enquiry System (VES), which now provides no record, as already working on a redraft of the existing Motor Insurance and actions in this regard.