This fascinating article, originally published in The Alvis Register Bulletin, offers a glimpse into the motoring adventures of local vintage car enthusiasts.

The journey culminated in a visit to Hook Norton, where the group enjoyed breakfast and the opportunity to admire Managing Director James Clarke’s beautiful Alvis Silver Eagle. Written by Sam Whittaker, the piece vividly describes their wintry drive and the impressive performance of these classic vehicles.

A NEW YEAR MEET-UP
By Sam Whittaker

In front of the Hook Norton Brewery. Sam’s tourer, 16. 95 saloon of Marcus Creaser, Silver Eagle beetle-back of Matt Bedda/1

Following a very enjoyable trip to the Alvis gathering at the Phoenix in the summer, and a super evening on the Nightjar Inter-Register Rally, a plan was hatched. As a bunch of vintage car owners living within easy travelling distance of Bicester, we would try and use our cars more for different days out whatever the weather, looking for an excuse to get together with enthusiastic owners who enjoy driving.

We decided to have a run out into the Cotswolds on January 5th, 2025. Little did we know that the weather was going to be the worst of the winter with the UK grinding to a halt amid ice, snow and floods. It’s credit to this bunch of friends that the only cry-offs were one crew who couldn’t get out of their village and one who couldn’t drive following an operation.

And so it was that under a gloomy darkness with snow-covered ground, our band set off cheerily to Hook Norton and the excellent Malthouse Kitchen for breakfast – and to have a good nose around brewery proprietor James Clarke’s lovely Silver Eagle. In our band were a 1923 12/40 Saloon, a 1924 Super Sports Tourer, an Alvista saloon, no less than three Silver Eagles (Saloon, Tourer and beetle-back) plus an ex-RAC Rally and Le Mans Morgan, a lovely Singer Le Mans, a Sunbeam 16.9 and an MG.

The vintage cars made great progress through the snow, although some road-users in modern cars were completely oblivious to the snow they chucked up all over my tourer!

After an outstanding breakfast, we then battled through fog, floods and freezing rain. We hit a deep flooded patch of road near Chipping Norton, travelling nose to tail after responding to passing motorists flashing their lights at us with a cheery wave. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the flood water got into every orifice on the cars.

We then warmed ourselves at the excellent Bell Inn at Lower Heyford before all travelling our separate ways to rinse the salt off and dry out.

It really is a testament to these old cars that all made ii home under their own steam with very few problems despite everything that was thrown at us. The longest distance travelled by one of our band was 130 miles, and we are planning our next adventures already.