HIGH SOCIETY
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The long, lazy days of summer bring many joys; the sound of leather on willow, warm beer, croquet on the lawn. These are just some of the things that the Hawk will be avoiding as he loads up his trusty Reliant Robin and heads off in search of the many vehicle rallies taking place up and down the country. In July he was lucky enough to be invited to The Leyland Society's first rally, held at the Leyland Trucks plant in Leyland, Lancashire. The sun shone down all day on more than 100 trucks and buses, some of them dating as far back as 1908. They included a 1954 Comet that had served its working life with Armstrong Cork Co in Tyne and Wear, which was brought along by its owner Stephen Hunter of Hetton-le-Hole, near Durham; a Leyland EC0.2/4R, believed to be one of only two 1953 experimental vehicles with underfloor engines and forward-control cab, accompanied by owner Peter
Wright of Wakefield; and what is said to be the oldest preserved British-built bus, a 1908 35hp four-cylinder petrol-engined Leyland X2, owned by Mike Sutcliffe of Dunstable, secretary of The Leyland Society. On top of all this visitors could use a free bus to
the nearby Leyland-based Commercial Vehicle Museum. Who could ask for any more A top day out indeed, made possible by Port Petroleum of Wigan—take a bow for sponsoring the rally. For those folk unlucky enough to miss the fun this year, fear not, The Leyland Society is organising a two-day event to take place near Swindon next July. Anyone interested in taking part should ring 01257 427762.