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mk1_4dr

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3 minutes ago, martc said:

Good spot. I stand corrected.

I thought it was a 1950s Iso Isetta but although the proportions were similar there were too many detail differences.  Somewhat baffled, I kept digging and found that the French also licensed the Isetta, namely the Velam Isetta - which I'd never heard of - and the styling details matched your photo.  Thanks to you, I've learnt something new today.  Remembering it tomorrow is my problem.  I'm getting to that funny age!  

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image.thumb.png.fddd143846a8059b97d93229d3eaeac5.png

Spoiler

After applying a freight livery (coal sector) to his Reliant Robin, Ken in 1992 painted his other one in an InterCity livery. There was media attention from the press and television (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad_zQx7kRTs), this being an example of where someone's railway enthusiasm becomes a media curiosity because it goes further than what is usually expected.

BR did (I think) initially threaten court action but ultimately accepted his homages. According to the news report, they were "very impressed with Ken's obvious enthusiasm for their trains," just hoping he used them some time.

Privatisation happened, Ken thought it would ultimately be a good thing, and so wanted to show his support. A fan of Richard Branson (according to the Grantham Journal) in 1998 he painted one of his cars in Virgin's colours. Its legal advisers told him to remove the paintwork. I'm not sure what happened thereafter.

I do however want to quickly take you back to 1992. BR saw an opportunity to take advantage of the attention given to Ken's cars and popped out a newspaper advert on 25 July. It did not however cast the vehicles in a positive light. Indeed, BR's initial ambivalent or negative reaction to the liveries is perhaps reflected in the tagline:

"It's nothing new. We've been making cars look stupid for years."

 

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