Charawacky Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 (edited) I thought I would put this up although not a military vehicle it shows the origins of the 20/25 Crossley Tender and Staff Car. In 1909 Crossley brought out the 20 Hp car which was preeminent in hill climb competition before the introduction of the new Vauxhall 30/98 in 1913. 1912 was a very successful year in motor sport for Crossley, the 20 hp held the Brooklands test hill, recording 24 mph at the top, along with Caerphilly and Aston hill climb records amongst many others. The 20 hp design was little changed throughout its life from 1909 through to 1926 and a variant of the bi-block engine was produced in serious numbers throughout WW2 for RAF lorries. Here is the sole existing 20 hp 1912 Crossley in the course of restoration. Edited March 2, 2015 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rewdco Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Just "discovered" this picture in a 1996 issue of The Automobile: Is it a Crossley...? Regards, Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Not seen this image before, It is without doubt a Crossley 20/25 RFC Staff Car and looks like it is on single rear tyres, probably as a result of the economy drive after the war as often seen in Ireland. If you look behind the spare you will see a bracket which held the spare self-generating headlamp, earlier cars had this in front of the spare. Here are a couple of images for comparison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 What have those two chaps done with their windscreen? Was it detached and hidden in the back, alternatively did this vehicle not have a windscreen? - even though it has canvas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Oh. And a subsidy Leyland in the background! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 I hope this will be of interest, Jack Sparshatt was a great friend of mine, he was a pioneer in the collecting of early commercial vehicles. Being in the commercial vehicle trade in a big way his salesmen were always out and about and through a network of contacts came up with some amazing finds in this early period 1955 - 64. I walked into his office one Saturday morning at Hilsea ,Portsmouth, probably 1963/4 to immediately taken through to the workshop to be shown the laterst acquistion, the RFC Crossley tender. I am sure he told me it came from a small garage around Basingstoke and was painted red/ yellow, very original except for the small Harvy Frost crane in the back. Jack was very pleased with it. It was subsequently restored , painted all over grey,and as you say appeared at Brighton. Somewhere I have a picture of it there. Jack by now had a large collection mostly on solids or of Dennis manufacture. A business amalgamation with Wadham Stringer didn't agree with him ! and after a great falling out almost overnight he sold the collection so it did not fall into other hands.The Crossley went to Charlie Russett at Southampton, another dealer in lorries and old friend. I last saw it when I went to see Charlie to try and buy it, must be 20 years ago, after Charlies death it passed to his son and I assume it is from whom you have bought it.Regards, Richard Peskett Amazing things happen! A letter was received in the post today which confirms the above and predates the purchase by Jack by a decade! It would seem I will be the fourth owner in 100 years. But which garage was the original purchaser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Wonderful! Steve:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Peskett Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Fantastic letter confirming its history , amazing what turns up !, anyhow herewith 'Buy now while stocks last' . Richard Peskett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 I now have been contacted by a member of the Crossley Register who's sister in law typed this letter in 1954! Hopefully the original owner may be identified soon! And it tentatively looks like a very well known Basingstoke personality. If confirmed, I will advise. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 Central Paris in May for lunch when traveling down from London / Dover/Calias via the Somme to the Montlhery Race Circuit transporting a motorcycle On the way back to the Calais Ferry we visited the Flesquieres Tank, Cambrai, and Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Lovely pics. It really does look good! Are you coming to Old Warden on 5th July for the Airshow and WW1 day? We are praying for a drier day this year! As well as the same lorries as last time, the Vauxhall D type and Prince Henry are coming and, hopefully, an original Fiat 15TER and the Hendon Crossley. Should be a good do! Cheers! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi Steve, After a busy start to the year driving through France to Montlhery I have not been out very much, spending my spare time working on a restoration. So having recuperated I would very much like to come down to Old Warden to see Old Bill! Plus the other old lorries of course. Hopefully time and work will allow. Here is a video of the Montlhery Revival, I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Mechanics, it is none competitive and run for enthusiasts, not the public! This should give a flavour: In addition to the motorcycle we also ran the Crossley around the track and found ourselves a little bit to high on the banking resulting in the passengers all scrunched up against the driver on the bench seat and it felt like we were going to fall over! A Crossley Tender was driven on the Brook-lands track fitted with a Hispano Suiza engine! Extract from Motor Sport: 'Mr. Marsh had just put an Hispano Suiza V8 acre-engine into an ex-RFC Crossley tender at Farnborough after the war when he was posted to India and never saw it again' It was said the clutch had to be changed as the Crossley clutch would not take 200 HP. No pictures that I know about. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Looks like a good 'do'. I don't think I would get far up the banking in the Dennis though! LT Museum are bringing their bus to Old Warden too! It will be great to see you. Cheers! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) Here we are on the banking trying not to fall over. The yellow bike is the machine we took there and back in the back of the Tender! Edited June 5, 2015 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I love the way you're enjoying your Crossley adventures, and really getting the most out of owning it, not sure I'd take on some of your trips in something quite that old! Thanks for sharing and keep it coming :thumbsup:, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BosunAl Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 There are some nice photos in this thread which makes me remember seeing some photos of RN vehicles that appeared to be Crossleys with wooden spoked wheels. Did such vehicles exist or am I imagining things (again)? Bosun Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 Yes there were some Crossleys with what could be wood, or possibly steel wheels for the RNAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BosunAl Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Thanks . . . have added the image to my collection! Yes there were some Crossleys with what could be wood, or possibly steel wheels for the RNAS[ATTACH=CONFIG]104906[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QL Driver Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Those wheels look very much like the ones on our Manchester Truck (built by Crossley, using Willys-Overland components imported from the USA). On the Manchester, they are definitely steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 These wheels appear to be what were known as 'artillery wheels" in Britain at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Although not strictly correct to post this, here is a 1912 20 hp Crossley Works hill climb car, part restored, about to be sent to the body builder. This is the car from which the RFC Tender and Staff cars were derived. It is interesting to consider before the war of the two Crossley models the 15 and 20 hp, the 15 was the commercially successful model, however the situation reversed because the military did not want low powered vehicles. So from 1914 it was the 20 hp which was commercially successful and 15 hp production was virtually stopped. If the larger model had not been produced pre war Crossley Motors would most likely have been diverted to other war work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 That looks good, pray tell me who is the body builder.........? I may need the services of one, I am 20 odd miles to the south of you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 Hi Bob I have sent a personal message Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packard17 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Hi if anyone knows of a tender for sale in any condition, I would dearly love to obtain one, any price. Any information would greatly appreciated. Regards Donal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinC Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Did Charlie Russett have a place at Upham, Southampton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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