More snaps from the South Wales area (mid-1980's)

[The Main]

I used to see this Ford Anglia regularly being driven around the Neath area in the mid-1980's. As a ten year old with a burgeoning obsession with 'old' cars, I found the scruffy, DIY looks strangely beguiling. It's seen here on a Saturday morning in January 1986, outside a yard which belonged to it's owner in Hill Street, Briton Ferry . A tatty old banger (and no doubt an eyesore) to most people's eyes, but I thought it oozed character. And from today's perspective, you just don't see cars like this on the road anymore.

 

Only last year I spoke to the owner (he'd parked the Anglia in a shed in his yard about 20 years earlier, with the intention of one day restoring it). To my surprise, he told me it was still there and that he hoped his son would take it on as a project. I personally hoped he'd be interested in selling it, as I remembered it fondly from my childhood and would have loved to have had a go at restoring it. But he seemed happy for it to remain locked away.

 

Fast forward to this week, I was passing through Briton Ferry and once again saw the Anglia's owner, painting the fence on the street. I introduced myself and enquired as to what progress he'd made with the car. ''Gone'', he said. ''I've scrapped it''.

 

I know. His car, his prerogative and entirely his business. But I did feel sad to learn of it's demise after all those years.

 

[The Main]

This 105E belonged to the bloke who drove the maroon example in the previous picture. Bought for spares I think. Took this photo through the yard fence sometime in 1985/86. Nice CA van too!

 

[The Main]

Here's the same yard, again this picture was taken through the fence/gate - one evening during summer 1987.

 

[The Main]

And this Mark 1 Zephyr/Zodiac was also sitting around the same yard in Hill Street, Briton Ferry. I hope it survives. I haven't seen it since that Saturday morning in January 1986.

 

[The Main]

This Farina-shaped MG Magnette was seen somewhere in the Swansea area (Landore, maybe?) in the mid-1980's

 

[The Main]

Used to see this Oxford saloon regularly bombing around Briton Ferry (near Neath) in the mid to late 1980's. Took this picture in Osterley Street, Briton Ferry in 1988.

 

[garethj]

My Grandfather used to have a Farina MG Magnette, but his was cream and black.I don't remember the Anglia in particular, perhaps it never ventured beyond Briton Ferry but you could always find something interesting parked outside the car parts shop at Stockhams Corner in Neath, or outside Skewen Auto.I think there's a PC Cresta a few doors up from Skewen Auto that must have been in the same position on an axle stand for 20 years now!

[Guest Tony Hayers]

I think there's a PC Cresta a few doors up from Skewen Auto that must have been in the same position on an axle stand for 20 years now!

As you go up the hill its on the right hand side - still there

[Guest]

Superb period shots, well done for having the foresight to take them at the time! A much more expensive pursuit than today of course.Thats a shame about the Anglia, you would have thought that even a derelict example with a non-dating plate would have been worth far more to the OSF crowd than whatever he got for it at the metals yard.

[The Main]

I think there's a PC Cresta a few doors up from Skewen Auto that must have been in the same position on an axle stand for 20 years now!

As you go up the hill its on the right hand side - still there

I know the car you mean. It was/is owned by a local guy called Dean Richards. He bought it in the early/mid 1980's for about 30 quid. But it was (then) a really tidy car, it used to appear at various classic car shows around the Neath/Skewen/Swansea area. Here it is at the Skewen Classic Car Club gathering in (I think 1989). It sure as hell doesn't look like this anymore!

 

[trigger]

It sure as hell doesn't look like this anymore!

That's a shame, Looks like it was quite stunning back in the day, Love the white walls on it!.

[The Main]

''This car may be old.....but it's in front of you!!!'' Singer Gazelle, spotted somewhere in suburban Cardiff, April 1986.

 

 

Re-winged Anglia estate seen outside the Miners Arms, Skewen one Sunday lunchtime in early 1986.

 

 

Tatty (but quite sound-looking) Zodiac parked up (and 'For Sale') on derelict land adjacent to Stadium Garage, Skewen one evening in (I think) September 1985. With it's exhaust dumped on the back seat, the asking price was £75. I remember trying to persuade my Dad to let me buy the old Ford out of my birthday (and Christmas!) money. I definitely remember him saying no. The Zody belonged to a bloke who lived in a house across the road, and I've no idea what became of it.

 

 

This rather desperate Standard Vanguard was also snapped next to Stadium Garage, it may well have been the same evening - I can't quite remember. Also for sale. And very cheap. And no, Dad wouldn't let me buy that one either! Anyone know what happened to it?

 

[The Main]

Humber Hawk, seen in Sebastopol Street, Swansea (just off Fabian Way) sometime in early 1986.

 

 

This elderley Sunbeam Rapier was often to be seen puffing around the streets of Mumbles, Swansea in the mid-late 80's. I took these pictures one evening in summer 1987 - I don't think I ever saw it again.

 

 

[The Main]

and here it is again - anyone know what happened to WBX 159?

 

 

E-reg Saab, I think this was also in Mumbles c.1987

 

 

Well-used Anglia, seen in the Bonymaen area of Swansea during Winter 1988

 

 

[trigger]

The Sunbeams been untaxed since 1988 but the saab lasted well untill 1999.But amazing the 105E is still shown as SORN until 2010 so they maybe hope for that yet!.

[The Main]

Interesting stuff, Trigger. I'll keep adding the pictures anyway...

 

Nice, unusual Fiat which belonged to a neighbour in Alexander Road in the Rhyddings area of Neath, South Wales. It was her daily driver and is pictured here one evening in summer 1986. The red Volvo 1800S belonged to her son.

 

 

Despite being only 11 years old when I took this photo, I desperately wanted to rescue CLU 233B. It had been in use a few years earlier, but failed it's MoT and was parked on the lawn where it remained for at least 4 years. The car made a big impression on me (I had been treated to a few laps around the block in it as a car-mad 7 year old) and I was very sad to see it towed away one day in the winter of 1986/87. I think someone bought it for spares. No coincidence then that I have a 1964 Volvo 1800S in the same shade of red (with a black interior identical to the car in the picture) in my garage at home. Awaiting restoration, of course.

 

 

Daimler Sovereign 420 seen in Tonna, Neath in November 1987.

 

 

[The Main]

Rare Alfa owned by Ron Gillard, proprietor of Central Garage on Bridge Street, Neath. It's seen here parked on what was then derelict land behind the garage, sometime in early 1986.

 

 

There was a kind of compound at the rear of the aforementioned Central Garage. It contained about 7 or 8 cars (in various states of disrepair) and as an interested 10/11 year old I asked Mr Gillard the owner if I could go in and have a look. I took only two pictures that day, one of the F-Type Victor you see here, the other of a black C-reg Humber Hawk (which I cannot find anywhere).

 

I regret not capturing the other motors in the compound, which included a 1966 Mercedes 220 SE auto saloon in white with black trim (LYO 102D, I remember!), a D-reg Sunbeam Rapier saloon (a Series 5, 1725cc in gold with a black flash and roof, and a black interior) and a Citroen DS Safari. Plus assorted Vivas, Hunters etc. The Hawk was returned to the road, the Rapier was sadly scrapped (a shame, it was a rare 1725cc car and the last of the 'finned' Rapiers) and I've no idea what happened to the Merc or the Citroen. The F-Type Victor was bought by a local lad who wanted to 'do it up'.

 

[CortinaDave]

Ran ost of them through the DVLA site (saddo that I am) almost all were gone by the end of the 80's apart from the saab and anglia mentioned before... £75 Zephyr never saw the road again - is showing as last taxed 1982 and the Vanguard as 1984 so looks like they both ended up off to the scrappy.Looks like you just caught the P reg Fiat in time too.. its last disc was cashed in in august 86 so when you took that pic it was in its final weeks.

[michiel]

What a great set of pics (in all your threads)! I love the black and red Gazelle on p1.

[Mash]

These are amazing pics, many thanks for sharing. I was same age as you back then but sadly never had the foresight to do this It's funny isn't? These cars were 20 years old at the time and now we're all taking pics of the modern stuff in the background which is now the same age! Scary passage of time

[garethj]

Rare Alfa owned by Ron Gillard, proprietor of Central Garage on Bridge Street, Neath.

When I was 17 I almost bought a car from there, it was a 1967ish Zodiac Hearse which would have been ideal for carrying all my DJ stuff around. The body was a bit scruffy (see what I did there?) but it started and ran. The bloke tried to persuade me it had a 5 speed gearbox, but actually it was just a very vauge column change, I think they were 3 speed?The gold 1600E brings back a few memories, my next door neighbour had one, as did the bloke living opposite when I was a kid. I'm sure there was one with slotmags and a jacked up rear end around Neath too.

[The Main]

Rare Alfa owned by Ron Gillard, proprietor of Central Garage on Bridge Street, Neath.

When I was 17 I almost bought a car from there, it was a 1967ish Zodiac Hearse which would have been ideal for carrying all my DJ stuff around. The body was a bit scruffy (see what I did there?) but it started and ran. The bloke tried to persuade me it had a 5 speed gearbox, but actually it was just a very vauge column change, I think they were 3 speed?The gold 1600E brings back a few memories, my next door neighbour had one, as did the bloke living opposite when I was a kid. I'm sure there was one with slotmags and a jacked up rear end around Neath too.

I remember the hearse! Metallic Silver, wasn't it? I wanted to buy it too, but couldn't offload my Super Minx in time. I'll post some pics of that later. How long did you keep the hearse - it'd be interesting to know what became of it! Any pictures?

[Richard]

He didn't buy the hearse.

[aled]

is it the same gillard that had the scrap yard in neath?

[garethj]

I remember the hearse! Metallic Silver, wasn't it? I wanted to buy it too, but couldn't offload my Super Minx in time. I'll post some pics of that later.

I didn't buy it, but it was black when I saw it. Perhaps he painted it because it didn't sell?

[The Main]

I remember the hearse! Metallic Silver, wasn't it? I wanted to buy it too, but couldn't offload my Super Minx in time. I'll post some pics of that later.

I didn't buy it, but it was black when I saw it. Perhaps he painted it because it didn't sell?

Oops, I think I must've read your post a touch too eagerly. Yes, I remember him telling me he'd just sprayed the hearse silver (from it's original black, a grave mistake IMHO) so he must have tried to flog it to me some time after you walked away.

 

He also tried to sell me a metallic green Mark 2 Cortina deluxe (''I shouldn't think it'll give you all that much trouble'') and a few months earlier he'd tarted up a Saluki Bronze Corsair 2000E automatic which ended up with a bloke who lived in Dynevor Road, Skewen. There was also a late model (and distinctly ropey) late model Mark 2 Jaguar (a 240 I think, the one with the 'slimline' bumpers). And a split-screen Minor.

 

I don't think I truly appreciated that garage for what it was back then. Even by the mid-1980's, places like that were getting thin on the ground and you just don't see them (or those sort of cars) anymore. I went past there a few months ago and the garage was derelict.

[Guest Tony Hayers]

is it the same gillard that had the scrap yard in neath?

Now that was a fantastic place! Top place and Mike was a great guy always up for a chat. Plenty of old stuff in the yard at great prices - never concentrated on the new stuff but anything that was between 10-25 years old that was the first port of call.It got smaller in the last few years it was open as they turned the lower part of the yard (the bit down the bank) into what looked like some sort of oval, but when the ELV guidelines came in the cars had to be depollouted they still sat on the grass/dirt It closed because Mike had health problemsMuch, much missed yard

[blackbird]

These are amazing pics, many thanks for sharing. I was same age as you back then but sadly never had the foresight to do this It's funny isn't? These cars were 20 years old at the time and now we're all taking pics of the modern stuff in the background which is now the same age! Scary passage of time

I was thinking the same thing that's its the "modern" stuff in the background that we are all excited about seeing now !So do we all have to start photoing cars fornm the 2000's to talk about in 20-30 years time !!!!

[Spottedlaurel]

Please keep posting these marvellous pictures! Love the little stories behind them too.

[aled]

I think there's a PC Cresta a few doors up from Skewen Auto that must have been in the same position on an axle stand for 20 years now!

As you go up the hill its on the right hand side - still there

I know the car you mean. It was/is owned by a local guy called Dean Richards. He bought it in the early/mid 1980's for about 30 quid. But it was (then) a really tidy car, it used to appear at various classic car shows around the Neath/Skewen/Swansea area. Here it is at the Skewen Classic Car Club gathering in (I think 1989). It sure as hell doesn't look like this anymore!

 

i can't see the number on this car but there was 1 parked up(may still be there) in skewen painted pink a few doors up from the motor factors opp the police station. the guy also had an a60 van in black.