Blog
Out in the rain
Tuesday 25th April 2023
My first wedding of the year took place recently. It was great to be out and about again but it wasn't so great to be out in the rain. And it wasn't just a light shower or two; it was torrential rain throughout the day. There was nothing we could do about it, so everyone made the best of it. What else can you do? I usually stay with the car whilst the ceremony takes place but, this time, it was so chilly and miserable outside that I sought refuge in the church. It was a large building, with a separate foyer at the entrance. I found a seat and was about to settle in when a lady came over and…
Do you work in the NHS?
Thursday 15th December 2022
If you are a worker in the NHS, I want to let you know that I am offering a special discount if you hire one of my vintage wedding cars. This offer was launched in 2021, as my way of saying "Thank you" for their outstanding efforts during the Covid epidemic. Time has gone by and I think it is now an appropriate time to post a reminder of the offer. Today is the first day of the nurses strike and I want to show my support. How can anyone with an ounce of integrity urge everyone to go out and applaud NHS workers in 2020 but then treat them with contempt in 2022? I am delighted that two nurses have…
Whoops! I've been slacking.
Saturday 10th December 2022
As 2022 draws towards its close, I have suddenly realised that I haven't posted a single blog on this website during the entire year. So I am rushing to make amends. Looking back, it has been a fairly quiet year but nevertheless, it has been great fun. Most of the weddings have been local which suits me perfectly. I love driving the vintage cars but longer runs do require more effort. Without power steering and servo-assisted brakes, you have to work harder. Having said that, I did take one of the cars on an extra-long journey last June. The Vintage Austin Register held a big rally, near Leicester, to celebrate the centenary of the Austin 12/4 coming into production and we…
Thank you NHS
Thursday 25th November 2021
Just a quick reminder that I am offering a discount to any customer who works in the NHS. It is my small way of saying "Thank you" for your outstanding efforts and bravery over the past two years. So far, only two people have taken advantage of the offer. Hopefully, there will be a few more in 2022.
Pestilence in St Albans
Saturday 30th October 2021
Last week I drove a bride to her wedding in St Albans. It was a bright autumnal day and the car was drawing a good deal of attention from the shoppers as they walked past the Churchyard where I was waiting. I am always happy to chat about old cars and show off my lovely Austin Twelve so it was an enjoyable afternoon. There were a good number of guests at this particular wedding, which is in stark contrast to the meagre congregations earlier in the year. As they spilled out of the Church for photographs, an old woman sidled up to me and said "It's so nice to see a proper wedding with so many guests." I politely agreed,…
Peering over the parapet
Saturday 21st August 2021
Well, the past year has been a tough time for the wedding industry. I didn't have a single job in 2020. With everything being cancelled and nervous customers re-scheduling their weddings multiple time, I simply shut up shop and returned deposits regardless of whether they were officially non-refundable or not. I was able to weather the storm because Heritage Classic Cars is a micro business with few overheads. In fact, it is basically a vintage car enthusiast (me) and some back-up drivers, loving every minute of using two wonderful old cars to enhance peoples' wedding days. It doesn't provide me with a living, so I have been quite cautious about opening up again, particularly as I slipped past the ripe…
Whatever happened to 2019?
Sunday 29th December 2019
I knew I had been neglecting the blog lately, but I was quite shocked to discover I haven't yet posted anything in 2019. In my defence, I have taken on the role of editor of the Vintage Austin Register's magazine, so the Heritage Classic Cars website has been somewhat overlooked. So, what has been happening? Well, there were a good number of weddings, the cars were as reliable as ever and we had some fun. What more could you ask for? The cars haven't required any significant work this year, just the normal, ongoing maintenance such as oil changes, new antifreeze, lubricating the grease points and various other bits and pieces. I did notice that one or two people seemed to…
Happy New Year
Sunday 30th December 2018
Well, another year gores flying past! The vintage cars were out and about last year and I thoroughly enjoyed driving numerous brides to their weddings. But now is the time to dust them down and start getting ready for next Spring and Summer. In anticipation of another Beast from the East, I have 10 litres of antifreeze at the ready and this will go into the cars next week. After that, each vehicle gets an oil-change and thorough service with the grease gun. In addition to all of that, I usually take on a winter project. Last year I removed the gearbox from the Kiwi car, had the internal gears totally replaced with brand new ones and then replaced the…
Stamina
Saturday 13th October 2018
I recently drove at weddings on consecutive days. The Friday wedding was a lively affair in St Albans. Everything went well and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves when I left. The Saturday wedding in Hemel Hempstead was going smoothly and I was waiting with the car whilst photographs were being taken. One of the guests came over and started chatting. "Were you at a wedding in St Albans yesterday" he asked. I confirmed I was and he said he was a guest there too and thought he recognised me. It turned out he had been partying with the Friday wedding group until 5 o'clock next morning. He managed a few hours sleep before setting off for the Saturday wedding. Oh…
Squeak!
Sunday 15th July 2018
I have been plagued with annoying squeaks recently. Well, to be exact, the cars have been squeaking and I have been annoyed. The first unwanted noise started on a wedding a few weeks ago. The car behaved perfectly on the drive to collect the bride, but after she, her Mum, her Dad and flower girl all got in and we set off to the Church, the dreaded squeak raised its ugly head. There was no loss of power so I carried on and delivered the customers safely to the wedding and the reception. The strange thing was, that driving home without any passengers the noise disappeared. In fact, it was absent during the following few days whilst driving around. After…
Off and running
Monday 2nd April 2018
We are off and running! The first Heritage Classic Cars wedding of 2018 took place on Saturday. Both ivory cars were on show, attracting plenty of attention, parked together outside the Church in Harpenden High Street. It was a chilly day but the rain held off and everyone seemed to have a great time. Chatting to the bride, the wedding guests and the members of the public who stopped to look at the cars reminded me of why I so enjoy driving at weddings. I must admit to a few fleeting moments of anxiety as this was the first real outing for the New Zealand car since I fitted a refurbished gearbox, changed the prop-shaft and replaced the rear axle oil…
A winter's project
Sunday 11th March 2018
All of the money I make from the weddings is re-invested in the cars and each year I undertake a little project. Previously, I have upgraded the electrical systems, fitted indicators and brake lights, had an engine re-built, re-sprayed a car in old English white as well as having new leather upholstery fitted to a car. Over the past six months or so I have been attempting to sort out the noisy and clunky gearbox in the New Zealand car. The chap from whom I bought the car had fitted a gearbox from the early 1920s and, although it worked in a 1927 car, it was not the correct unit and it wasn't in the best of condition. The thing…
Bookings
Saturday 20th January 2018
The new year has brought an increase in hits on the website and there have already been new enquiries. In an ideal world the bookings would be spread evenly throughout the year but these things never seem to go to plan. Last year July was quiet and August was extremely busy. This year the bookings seem reasonably well spaced out through the year apart from May; that month is a complete blank in the diary. I am not at all concerned about this as I don't need the income to make a living ( I would starve if I did! ) but I do like to keep the cars active during the warmer months. They benefit from being used and…
Winter weddings
Sunday 24th December 2017
I tend to avoid winter weddings, mainly because the cars do not have heaters and it can get quite uncomfortable in cold weather. Warmth from the engine can filter up through the wooden floorboards but, generally the passengers and the driver get very chilly when temperatures drop. The other reason for wanting to leave the cars in their garages during the winter months is that the salt which they put on the roads when there is ice about causes corrosion in the bodywork. This means I have to jet wash the underside of the cars after a winter run. Despite all of this, I can be persuaded to take the cars out in exceptional circumstances and that is what happened this…
Visiting Basel
Sunday 5th November 2017
I have been in Switzerland recently, visiting my son who lives in Basel. We have seen all of the usual tourist attractions but this week the annual Herbstmesse is in full swing. This is their autumn festival, with fairground rides, craft stalls and all sorts of food vendors dotted around in various squares throughout the city. It is a fantastic event and draws in huge crowds; the main squares were packed yesterday and it was quite amusing to see trams trundling along with children's helium balloons bobbling about inside. The main attraction is an enormous wheel, set up outside the cathedral, which is a bit smaller than the London Eye but gives wonderful views over the city. We had to…
Redbourn Classic Car Show
Wednesday 20th September 2017
Last weekend I took the two ivory and black cars to the Redbourn classic car show. It is the first time this show has been held and we hope there will be many more. Sadly the weather was awful with heavy showers sweeping across the common. Nevertheless, a good number of exhibitors turned up and a pleasing number of spectators braved the elements. Many people stopped to admire the Austins and have a chat so, all in all, it was a success. I am sure the Redbourn show will never rival Classics on the Common at Harpenden for sheer numbers of visitors but it was a lovely village event and I am sure it will go from strength to strength.
Harpenden - Classics on the Common
Friday 28th July 2017
The trusty Austins spend most of their time on wedding hires but I do enjoy taking them to a few classic car shows during the summer. There is a lovely little show in the walled garden at Luton Hoo every July but I think my favourite is Classics on the Common in Harpenden. This year's show took place this week and I must admit I was looking at the rain clouds and checking the weather forecast on Wednesday morning debating whether or not to go. Luckily, the rain abated and the sight of patches of clear blue sky persuaded me to get the New Zealand car out of its garage and head off to Harpenden. The crowds weren't exactly out in…
Tanks a lot
Thursday 4th May 2017
The wedding season has started but the car maintenance carries on. The blue car has been suffering with an intermittent fuel supply problem for a while now and I have taken it out of service for the time being. In the past, I have taken bookings for both white cars and used the blue car as a reserve. But this year, I have decided to play safe and reduce the number of bookings and use a white car as reserve. In the meantime I have been investigating the blue car's annoying little fault. Occasionally, the car cuts out and an inspection of the carburettor revealed that, on these occasions, no fuel is getting through to the engine. I tracked backwards, checking…
Thank you
Tuesday 7th March 2017
This morning, a thick envelope dropped through the letterbox. I thought it might be another belated birthday card; the card from my daughter and grandchildren took two weeks to travel 180 miles! But no, it was a lovely 'thank you' card from the last customers of last year. The card was printed with photos from their wedding, including one shot of the happy couple sitting in my car, and there was a flattering, handwritten message inside. Most people take the time to thank me and say goodbye when I have delivered them to their reception and I do appreciate it, but it is something special for them to go to the trouble of sending a handwritten card. To me, that…
Adjusting the brakes
Tuesday 14th February 2017
The annual maintenance on the cars is progressing well but there still seems to be an awful lot to be done. One car is virtually ready action but I have left the worst job until last. I have overhauled the brakes, replacing the brake shoes and lubricating the joints. This leaves me with the task of balancing the brakes to ensure the front ones come on a fraction before the rear and the left and right sides come on at the same time. The way to do this is to raise the car onto axle stands, get an assistant to gently apply the brakes, and turn each wheel in turn, feeling the point at which the shoes make contact with…
Blogging
Monday 23rd January 2017
So much time has slipped by since my last blog; I must try harder to keep the website up to date! I think it is high time I went through the site to change some of the photographs and check everything is current and fresh as well as making a New Year's resolution to post new blogs every month. This is the right time to start this work because the traffic on the website always increases dramatically in the New Year, after a lull in November and December. I have to admit to more than a passing admiration of prolific authors; words flow from their pens with consummate ease whilst I agonise and struggle over a simple little blog. It…
On a spending spree!
Sunday 4th December 2016
I shall soon be going on a spending spree. The wedding hire money that I put into the bank account throughout the summer will now be invested back into the cars. I have already refurbished the brakes on one car; new brake shoes all round plus new clevis pins and felts on all of the linkage joints. It has improved the stopping power no end! The carburettor from the same car is now with a specialist for a thorough overhaul and the carburettors from the other cars will also be sent off in due course. After that I shall send the autovacs off for an upgrade. These units suck the petrol from the tank and send it to the carburettor.…
Ashridge House
Friday 14th October 2016
Last weekend marked the end of my bookings for 2016. The diary is empty until April of next year, so the annual maintenance on the cars can now start. But before I reach for the spanners and oil can, I'll take a moment to reflect on the summer now past. The 2016 season was fun and there are many highlights; the trip to the Greek Orthodox Church, the Italian wedding, the Thai wedding when the car was decorated to within an inch of its life all spring to mind. But the very last wedding was memorable too. I had to collect the bride from Ashridge House, take her to Harpenden and then return the happy couple to Ashridge. Quite a lot…
Locked out!
Thursday 18th August 2016
Over the years, I have taken brides to almost all of the local wedding venues but, last week, I was pleased to be going to one which was new to me. The Gardens of the Rose are situated in Chiswell Green, next door to the now-defunct Butterfly World. This really is the most beautiful setting and perfect for a wedding on a summer day. The only slight problem last week was that we arrived at the main gates to find them shut and padlocked! The gardens were closed to the general public on the day of our visit and nobody had bothered to tell the bride that access was through a service entrance, along a narrow lane. Staff were thin…
My big fat Greek wedding
Wednesday 13th July 2016
Last week the New Zealand car had a long run; we went to Southgate to collect a bride and take her to the Greek Orthodox Church at Brookmans Park before heading off to the reception at Sopwell House in St Albans. It was about 50 miles in total. Luckily I allowed plenty of time to get to Southgate as the traffic at Cockfosters was awful; no roadworks or accidents, just sheer volume of cars. It was a sunny day and the temperature gauge did start to rise whilst I was inching my way through the queue, but these old Austins do seem to handle the heat quite well and we were never in danger of boiling over. I had never driven…
Oops!
Thursday 9th June 2016
Wedding car bookings seem to be like London busses. You wait for ages and then a bunch of them turn up together! Spring has been quiet, with just a handful of weddings but I now look at the diary and find July and August will be incredibly busy months. I am trying to be sensible when taking bookings but I find it quite difficult to turn people away. Oh well, I do enjoy driving the cars, so a busy period isn't so bad and I shouldn't complain too much. I try to drive the cars myself as much as possible but I do have a number of reserve drivers standing in the wings in case of emergencies or to cover…
Taking my temperature
Wednesday 23rd March 2016
Last year, a good-for-nothing low life broke into the blue car's garage. Luckily, he didn't steal the car. I imagine it would have been too difficult to start and, anyway, it couldn't be sold on the open market without it becoming obvious to me or other members of the Vintage Austin Register. There is a small community of Austin enthusiasts and word soon spreads when a car is advertised for sale. There were no tools left in the garage so the thief was out of luck. But, bizarrely, he did steal the radiator cap, complete with temperature gauge. I was able to buy a new radiator cap from a club member from Derbyshire who recently had a batch specially made but…
Self Service
Sunday 6th March 2016
The new season is just around the corner with a wedding in two weeks time and another a week after that. So, shrugging off the effects of a horrid cold, I spent some time at the garage last week, completing the servicing work on the cars. The New Zealand car was the last one needing attention so it was treated to a full service. Firstly an engine oil change followed by checks of the oil levels in the gearbox and back axle. Then out came the grease gun to pump grease into the steering joints, steering box and spring shackles. After that, I had to pull out the wooden floor-boards to expose the brake cross tubes which needed lubricating as…
Marketing
Sunday 17th January 2016
Enquiries have started to pick up now that Christmas and New Year are over. The phone hasn't been ringing off the hook, but there has been a good steady flow of people asking about availability and getting quotes. It will be interesting to see whether or not this flow continues because I deliberately didn't attend the St Albans wedding fair last autumn and the organiser warned me that I might lose business as a result. Despite this, I took a calculated risk and cut back on my marketing spend. I already have a generous budget allocated to the running of my website and I am hoping this will be enough. Wedding fairs can be ok but I have often pondered their…
A quiet winter
Sunday 13th December 2015
Christmas is always a quiet time for me and I really don't mind at all. Back in the 1920s, few cars had the luxurious features which we now take for granted and my cars have never been fitted with heaters. This makes a chauffeur's life extremely uncomfortable in the depths of winter. It isn't too bad when the engine is running because the heat permeates through the wooden floorboards but when you are sitting, waiting in the car, it gets very chilly. For this reason, I only take on occasional weddings between November and February and then I warn people that the cars can't handle ice and snow on the roads. However, I am taking still open for business and already…
Classic car show
Sunday 15th November 2015
On Friday, Karl and I went to the classic car show at the NEC to look at the wonderful vehicles on display. It was a great day, exploring the various exhibits and searching the autojumble for the parts I need for the Austins. There was a big display of Austin cars but they were all a bit too modern for me; 1930s onwards! There were four halls jammed with a wonderful selection of classic cars. The American cars were impressive as were the vintage sports cars. There was the 'Beast of Turin', a Fiat S76 dating back to 1911, sporting a 28 litre engine which shoots flames from the exhaust. Also a lovely Edwardian Wolseley racing car which the owner…
Maintenance
Sunday 8th November 2015
The wedding season is now over and the cars will have a well-earned rest over the winter. I, however, shall not be taking it easy because this is the time of year when most of the maintenance work gets done. The two ivory and black cars are about to be treated to fresh antifreeze and a change of oil. There are no end of greasing points to be squirted with the grease gun and the back axle and gearbox will have the oil levels checked. There are several other little mechanical jobs to be attended to as well before I give the insides an early spring clean, focusing particularly on the seats and carpets. Those cars will be shining like…
Webfactory
Wednesday 16th September 2015
A little while ago, I received a phone call from a complete stranger who asked how I was getting on with my website company. Normally alarm bells start ringing at such a question and nuisance sales calls are terminated in double quick time. In this instance, the caller soon explained he was a wedding photographer who was considering having a website designed by Webfactory; the company I use. He wanted to know whether or not they provided a good service and how I got on with them. Clearly this was somebody doing his homework before spending his hard-earned money. Actually, this isn't an unusual event because I have been contacted a few times in the past by potential customers of…
Sorry for the delay
Thursday 27th August 2015
It has been quite a while since my last blog. The delay is a partly due to lethargy but also to me recovering from an operation on my back. I am out of hospital now and on the mend, but it is unlikely I shall be able to drive the vintage cars until October. During my enforced absence, my wonderful team of drivers have rallied round and have taken the drives which I have been forbidden to do. They have been fantastic! However, I am being very careful not to take advantage of their good nature. They are friends and family who have been taught the mysteries of a crash gearbox and have mastered the idiosyncrasies of driving a heavy…
New website
Monday 4th May 2015
Do you like the new website? The company that hosts my site persuaded me that an update was urgently needed to make it more readable on tablets and smartphones. So I spent some money having it re-designed and I think the results are excellent. Sadly, the designer dispensed with my logo, which makes my existing supply of business cards and leaflets redundant, but I think it is a sacrifice worth making. The wedding season is now in full swing and I have already had two trips to St Albans Abbey and one to Hatfield House. I quite like going to venues like these for the excellent photo opportunities. I make a point of taking a photo at every wedding I do…
Photoshoot
Saturday 14th March 2015
The other day I received an email asking if I would be interested in taking one of my cars to a fashion photoshoot. Apparently there is to be a vintage theme and the organiser thought one of my cars would be a perfect prop for the outside shots. Sadly, there is no fee involved but I am to be given copies of the photographs to use for publicity purposes and the up and coming designer will get her chance to publish photos of her work in a magazine. I certainly don't begrudge a few hours of my time, on a day when I have no wedding bookings, to help someone get started in a very competitive industry. It will be interesting…
A tricky decision
Wednesday 18th February 2015
As the years go by, spare parts for my cars are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The Vintage Austin Register is a club for owners and enthusiasts and it is a good source of spares. They arrange the manufacture of many of the most commonly needed items and this has worked well for many years. Until now, such items have been relatively mundane and modestly-priced. However, the technical experts on the committee have identified a critical shortage of useable cylinder blocks, which are large, heavy lumps of cast iron without which the car is fit only for the scrap heap. The problem is that the original moulds have long-since been thrown away and the technical drawings were destroyed in a…
Wedding Fair
Monday 2nd February 2015
The other day I had a phone call from the father of a bride who has booked one of the vintage cars for her wedding in October. Oh dear, I thought, has she changed her mind and wants to cancel? But no, it turns out he is involved with Porters Park golf club in Radlett and wondered if I would like to take a car to their forthcoming wedding fair in March. My marketing budget is extremely limited. In fact Angela Merkel would smile with approval of my self-imposed austerity regime. I am already committed to attend a wedding fair at the Alban Arena on 22nd March so the thought of paying for a stand at another fair just a week…
Its getting chilly!
Sunday 18th January 2015
After a very nice lunch in St Albans today we took a stroll around the city centre to blow away the cobwebs. As my fingers slowly turned to ice and all feeling disappeared from my toes, it seems winter has finally arrived. Whilst walking around the Cathedral, my mind went back to the weddings I attended there last year and the bitter cold reminded me why I shy away from winter weddings. Sitting in warm sunshine, gazing over the Abbey Orchard, awaiting the appearance of the bride and groom, is wonderful. It is, however, most unappealing to be shivering in a frozen car, during the bleak winter months. Equally unappealing is the thought of crawling under a car brandishing a…
Happy New Year
Thursday 1st January 2015
Well, it is the start of a new year; let's hope it a good one! As usual, I am starting the year with a few bookings for 2015, but there are lots of empty spaces in the diary. The same thing happened last year, but a steady flow of enquiries in February and March ensured I finished up with lots of weddings throughout the summer. Looking back, I was lucky to meet some really nice people and have a lot of fun driving the vintage cars. My trips included two visits to St Albans Abbey, which is one of my favourite wedding venues, and two visits to Brocket Hall, which is excellent for great photographs. I somehow managed to avoid…
Thank you!
Sunday 30th November 2014
I thought our first Christmas card had arrived yesterday when a small envelope dropped through the letterbox. The envelope was about the right size and it had that rigid feel to it that a letter doesn't have. Upon ripping it open, I found it was actually a thank you card from a lovely couple who used my car for their wedding at the beginning of this month. Some customers leave the car at their reception without a word. No goodbye and no thank you. I suppose this is understandable when they are swept up in the excitement of the day, but it leaves me a bit deflated and there is no feeling of a job well done as I drive home.…
An eventful day out
Sunday 2nd November 2014
That's it for another year! The cars went out yesterday for the last weddings of 2015 and the diary is now empty until next March. Now I have time for the maintenance and renovation jobs that I couldn't tackle whilst the cars were on wedding duty. My last wedding was certainly eventful. I arrived at the Manor Hotel in Elstree to find a crowd of people outside who were clearly delighted to see the vintage Austin. They asked me to pull up outside the front door and then proceeded to photograph each other, posing in front of the car. It turned out to be a meeting of a group of Dennis Wheatly fans on a trip to the hotel, which…
Busy weekend
Sunday 5th October 2014
This weekend has been hectic. I took one of the cars to a wedding in Harpenden on Saturday and I must admit to feelings of misgiving as I drove away from Redbourn in the pouring rain. The deluge persisted but nobody in the wedding party was disheartened and their positive attitude was rewarded when the skies cleared and the sun came out just as we pulled up at the reception. Everyone was very sociable and I enjoyed the day. I hope they were happy with the car. On Sunday I took the New Zealand car to a wedding fair at the Alban Arena which turned out to be a popular event. The glorious sunshine and the St Albans food fair taking…
Tour of Britain
Wednesday 17th September 2014
Last week we visited Hemel Hempstead to watch the cyclists in the Tour of Britain finish the penultimate stage of the race. Gadebridge Park was a hive of activity with a host of trade stands intermingled with ice cream and fast food sellers. A big screen was broadcasting the race so we could follow the progress of the cyclists as they peddled hell for leather through the Chilterns towards Hemel. This was all great fun and an expectant buzz went around the crowd as the leading group swept down the hill from Potten End and sprinted for the finish line on the Leighton Buzzard Road. Then 'whoooosh' they flashed past us at lightning speed and the race was over. The teams…
Heavy Traffic
Sunday 31st August 2014
August has been a particularly busy month and the cars have been out and about every weekend. There have also been some weekday weddings which have kept me occupied. In fact, I took a car out to a wedding in Watford last Wednesday. I know Watford can be congested on a Saturday but I was amazed at the amount of traffic on the roads on a mid-week lunchtime. The reception was at the Bobsleigh Inn in Bovingdon, just outside Hemel Hempstead and I planned to go through central Watford and then head northwards to Hemel Hempstead along the old A41. Sadly, central Watford was gridlocked and surrounding roads were busy due to an accident on the M25 as well as…
Too young for Whitby
Sunday 29th June 2014
June has been a busy month with seven weddings. That may not sound many but it's a lot for a 'one man band' business like mine. August will be even busier with eight weddings already in the diary. But, for some strange reason, there is only one booking in July, so now is the time to think about getting away for a few days. We had been thinking of a break in Whitby but Pat went onto Google Streetview to have a virtual look around the place and she was dismayed to see the place seemed to be populated by "old people". Regardless of the fact that she is the proud holder of a bus pass and I shall…
A fine day in Ruislip
Sunday 22nd June 2014
I drove a bride from Watford to her wedding in Ruislip on Friday. It is quite a journey, about as far as I travel for weddings, but I am really glad I took the job. From start to finish, the families and guests couldn't have been friendlier. We were all immediately on first name terms and chatting away as if they had known me for years. We started out a little early so I drove along at a fairly sedate speed. Annoyingly, there were no delays along the route and all the traffic lights seemed to be green so we reached Ruislip High Street much too early. The bride suggested we pull over to kill some time, just as we were…
Here comes the sun
Sunday 8th June 2014
I had been keeping a close check on the weather forecast throughout last week; a Met Office amber warning for heavy rain on Saturday along with predictions of thunder and lightning made me fear the worst. Sure enough, Saturday morning brought grey skies and a steady downpour. We had cars at two weddings and it looked as if we were going to get very wet. It doesn't matter too much if the cars and chauffeurs have to be dried off after the event but it must be so disappointing for the brides. I went to the check on the cars mid-morning and the rain was relentless. But, by midday, when I left home for the wedding, the rain had stopped…
Oops!
Sunday 1st June 2014
I thought I had seen most things at weddings but on Thursday I was taken aback by the events which unfolded. At first, everything went to plan; I arrived at the house early, the weather was fine and the bride emerged bang on time. The car was parked only a few feet from her front door. She took three steps towards it before coming to a sudden and abrupt halt with one foot anchored firmly to the ground. What was going on? Why the hesitation? Was she having second thoughts? No, she had stepped on a drainage grating and the heel of her shoe had become inexorably jammed. The situation reminded me of a scene from carry on film; the…
The long and winding road to Suffolk
Monday 26th May 2014
The vintage cars were not built for speed. They might make it up to 40 miles per hour on a flat road and with a following wind but I never attempt to travel at such a breakneck speed. I like to keep to 30 miles per hour because it is more comfortable for the passengers and easier on the cars. This isn't usually a problem because I simply allow plenty of time when planning my journeys. However the time factor did prove to be a stumbling block today when I was asked to quote for a wedding in Suffolk. A quick visit to the AA Routeplanner website revealed a three hour journey each way, as well as the trips to…
Ice breaker
Sunday 18th May 2014
I was sitting on a bench opposite Northaw Church this afternoon, reading my book and waiting for the ceremony to finish, when a voice said "my dad had one of those". I've heard that comment so many times and this time it came from an elderly gentleman who sat beside me and proceeded to recall his motoring exploits over the last 60 years. It turned out he is 93 years old and has driven all over Europe. We had a wonderful chat as we basked in the sunshine and the time flew by. Some say owning a dog is an ice-breaker and encourages people to talk to you, but I think owning a vintage car is even better.
Brocket Hall
Sunday 11th May 2014
Brocket Hall was the venue for yesterday's wedding. I have been there several times in the past but it still has the ability to impress as you pass through the gate and catch sight of the big house standing imperiously above the valley and the lake below. Sadly, the weather wasn't particularly kind, with a gale-force wind pushing heavy showers across the gloomy sky. But the bride and groom did brave the elements for a short while and we took the car down to the bridge for photographs where they were lucky enough to enjoy a brief period of sunshine. They wisely decided to have the rest of the photographs taken inside, so I was dismissed a little earlier than…
Brake lights
Sunday 13th April 2014
I have no bookings this Easter, which is very unusual. Perhaps vintage cars are going out of fashion with brides these days! But there is a benefit to this, as I have the chance to do some work on the cars. One of the tasks I have had in mind for some time is to fit brake lights, which may sound a bit strange but these old cars were manufactured without indicators or brake lights. This was perfectly normal in the 1920s when the few cars which were on the roads travelled at a gentle and sedate pace but today everyone zooms around at a breakneck pace and nobody understands the old fashioned hand signals. I started with the New…
Difficult customer
Sunday 6th April 2014
The two ivory cars were out together last weekend and they performed perfectly. The customer, on the other hand, was an awkward so-and-so who failed to tell me about an extra 15 mile journey for both cars which he had planned, until I contacted him a few days before the wedding to confirm the timings. I suspect he was hoping to spring this extra trip on me on the wedding day itself and hope to pressurise me into accepting it without extra charge. I am not a hard-nosed businessman by any stretch of the imagination, in fact I am probably too soft for my own good, but this chap's disrespect annoyed me and I made a point of charging for…
Blue Car
Sunday 23rd March 2014
I have slightly neglected the cars this week, preferring to spend time with the grandchildren. I did spend a few hours tinkering with the carburettor settings on the New Zealand car but that was about it. In the coming weeks, the plan is to start work upgrading the blue car. In particular, the doors don't fit particularly well and, for some reason, a previous owner removed the rear window winder mechanisms. These faults are more annoying than critical but the work is fiddly and it could take a good while to sort out. Frustratingly, in the past week I have had two enquiries for the blue car following months and months of it being totally ignored by customers. I was…
Is the body in good condition?
Sunday 16th March 2014
Are you enjoying the sunny weather? I have to keep reminding myself it is only March, as the temperatures edge towards 20 degrees. But the downside of all this is that the multitude of tasks screaming for attention in the garden are nudging the jobs required on the cars off the top of my 'to do' list. The consequence of this is that I spent two days last week hacking at an overgrown laurel hedge instead of working on the New Zealand car. My hands are now cut and scarred and my back may never recover from the trauma of wrestling with the unruly undergrowth. I did take a little time out from my extreme horticultural exploits to undertake some…
Rush, rush, rush
Sunday 9th March 2014
The cars were both out at weddings yesterday; the first of 2014. Fortune smiled on us in more ways than one. Firstly, the sun shone and it felt more like May than March as we basked in the warmth. The cars always look good with the sunshine glinting on the chrome and highlighting the paintwork; it does make the photographs look so much better. I had a bit of fright on my way to Edgware. I motored happily over to Park Street and turned onto the A5 heading towards Radlett and Elstree and was confronted with a nasty red "Road Closed Ahead" sign. The vintage car doesn't have a satnav so I had to do some quick thinking. The official…
St Albans Wedding Fair
Sunday 23rd February 2014
The blog this week is an unashamed plug for the wedding fair at the Alban Arena, St Albans next Sunday, 2nd March. We shall be there with the two ivory cars and you are cordially invited to come along to look at the cars and say "hello". Karl and I will be there to show you the cars and answer any questions you may have. Kathryn and little Patrick are also expected to make an appearance and take care of the stand for a while. The wedding fair starts at 11:00am and is open until 4:00pm. We would love to see you there.
Disappointing news
Sunday 16th February 2014
I had a depressing phone call from a customer yesterday. Out of the blue, she received a letter from the hotel at which she had booked her wedding reception, saying they were closing down and she would have to find an alternative venue. Apparently she met the hotel's wedding co-ordinator just a few weeks ago and nothing at all was said about any problems. Now she has the stress of trying to find somewhere else. What a nightmare! I told her I would be happy to re-arrange her wedding car booking if necessary and even return her deposit if she is forced to cancel. I do hope it doesn't come to that! I imagine the hotel is legally entitled to cancel…
Stormy weather
Sunday 9th February 2014
With only four weeks before my first wedding of the year, I am starting to get worried. Will these storms persist into March? Will I need to check my routes for floods as well as roadworks? Should I buy an amphibious car? I don't like taking the cars out in the rain; I don't want rust to set in. But it is particularly disappointing for a bride to set off to the Church in the driving rain. So let's hope the Jetstream changes track soon and warm, spring-like weather arrives soon. With any luck, I'll look back at this blog in a month's time and wonder what on earth I was worrying about.
Website hits
Sunday 2nd February 2014
My little business is deliberately kept at a modest level but I still have to pay attention to marketing otherwise it would fade away to nothing. I try to display the cars at two wedding fairs each year, which brings in some business, but it is the website upon which I rely to bring in the majority of bookings. I use an excellent company to host the site and provide a search engine optimisation service. They furnish me with all sorts of statistics, the most useful of which are the number of individual visitors each day together with the number of pages they look at. Interestingly, the recent data reveals a huge surge in the number of visitors in January after…
Welcome Bea
Sunday 26th January 2014
All thoughts of wedding cars were pushed firmly onto the back burner last week as we were placed on red alert in anticipation of the arrival of a new granddaughter. After a false alarm on Tuesday morning we remained on tenterhooks for a couple more days until the call finally came at 6:30am on Thursday morning. We rushed through the early morning gloom and arrived in St Albans in time to guide the ambulance to the correct address, before gathering the newcomer's young siblings and taking them off to Redbourn to await further news. Actually it didn't take too long as Beatrice was born just two hours later. She and her Mum were taken off to hospital so we played…
Mutton dressed as lamb
Sunday 19th January 2014
Every now and again, I toy with the idea of selling the blue car and replacing it with something more appealing to wedding hire customers. I have always fancied owning a vintage Rolls Royce but they are horrendously expensive to buy and paying for their upkeep is the first step on the rocky road to penury. A large Daimler or an Austin Sheerline is also appealing but I don't have the garage space for such a bulky vehicle. A while ago I saw an Austin York for sale. It was in superb condition and had extra, folding seats enabling it to take six passengers; ideal for bridesmaids! Sadly the seller wanted far too much for it and it was painted…
Tempus Fugit
Sunday 12th January 2014
I glanced at my diary the other day and was astounded to see the first wedding of 2014 is only eight weeks away. I try to avoid winter weddings as I don't want to risk causing damage to the vintage cars in the worst of the winter weather; so the first wedding usually signals the arrival of Spring. As much as I welcome the lengthening days and the warmer weather, I am now starting to feel mounting pressure to get the routine maintenance done on the cars, as well as carrying out the improvements I have been planning. Apart from the usual oil changing, brake checking, steering joint lubrication and carpet cleaning, I want to install indicators on the New…
Singing in the rain
Sunday 5th January 2014
With all this rain, I am considering swapping the cars for a fleet of arks. The bad weather is starting to become a real nuisance because the post-Christmas surge in enquiries has necessitated an increased number of viewings. The cars are seen to their best advantage in glorious sunshine but, failing that, dry weather is acceptable. I hate taking them out in the rain because I then have to dry them with a chamois leather and clean off any mud or muck which has sprayed up from the road. So I find myself taking people to the garages, pulling the cars out to enable the customers to inspect them properly and then getting them back in the dry as soon…
My car in New Zealand
Sunday 8th December 2013
Bob James is something of a legend in the world of vintage Austin cars. He is an ex professional musician who escaped the rat race by buying an isolated farmhouse on the side of a mountain in deepest Wales and he lives there without television or computers, making a living repairing and restoring vintage cars. His technical knowledge is unsurpassed and he is always willing to share it if you have mechanical problems. Our paths crossed several years ago when he rebuilt the engine of my Austin; we got on well and I often give him a call if I need help. A few years ago, he rang me and asked if I wanted to buy his Austin Windsor. He…
St Albans wedding fair
Sunday 3rd November 2013
This week's blog is a shameless advertisement for the wedding fair at the Alban Arena in St Albans on Sunday 10th November. We shall be taking the two ivory and black cars which will be suitably polished and decorated with ribbons. Karl and I will be braving the cold outside, showing the cars to any interested visitors. Kathryn will be inside, in the warm, at our stand. Young Patrick may make a guest appearance but don't expect much in the way of sparkling conversation beyond the occasional goo goo or gaa gaa. If you are free next Sunday, do come along and have a chat. There is absolutely no pressure and no hard sell. We would love to see you!
That's it for this year.
Sunday 27th October 2013
Well, that's it for another year! The wedding this weekend was the last for 2013. So, unless someone has an emergency and desperately needs help, or unless someone wants to thrust lots of money into my hands, the cars will be taking a well-earned rest until March 2014. I particularly enjoyed the latest wedding as several people admired and appreciated the car and I got a great photograph of the Austin parked alongside the bright red routemaster bus that had been hired to transport the guests. The number of customers has been steadily rising and a quick check of my booking records shows 2013 has been a record year. Clearly the marketing is working but I have to keep up…
Bright lights
Sunday 20th October 2013
Things have been fairly quiet recently so far as weddings are concerned so I am winding down and getting ready to put the cars away for their winter break. The New Zealand car has one more wedding so I took it out the other day to give it a little run and to fill up with petrol. It sprinted happily around Redbourn Common and is in fine fettle. At one point, it was racing a green woodpecker which was zooming around the lime trees. Sadly we couldn't keep up and the bird disappeared, off into the distance in a flash of yellow and green. I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had been asked to test some prototype LED headlight…
Searching for spares
Sunday 22nd September 2013
Sourcing spare parts for vintage cars can be a bit of a challenge, as I discovered last week. We had a little problem with a leaking radiator on one of the Austins. Actually it was quite a big problem because the poor radiator core had suffered numerous knocks and stone strikes over the years. It had been patched up and mended so many times but now it was in a sorry state and realistically, it was beyond repair. The Automobile magazine carries various advertisements from specialist craftsmen including three radiator experts, so I grabbed the phone and started dialling. The people I spoke to were clearly knowledgeable and they all confidently declared their ability to create a brand new radiator core,…
A good weekend
Sunday 15th September 2013
I do enjoy driving my old cars at weddings and I meet all sorts of different people, which is part of the fun. Occasionally I get customers who don't want to talk; usually through nerves, and that makes the day a bit dull. In rare cases, the bride and groom can be quite dismissive, disappearing without a "goodbye" or a "thank you". But this weekend has been fantastic and reminded me of how much fun it can be. There were three quite different celebrations, each distinctive in their own way but all extremely enjoyable because of the personalities involved. On Friday I had my first civil partnership assignment. The guests included many who had travelled from Spain and Italy and they…
New driver
Sunday 25th August 2013
Heritage Classic Cars are delighted to announce the arrival of a new chauffeur. Young Patrick Boucher is the newcomer and although he doesn't have a driving licence just yet, what he lacks in experience, is made up for in charm and enthusiasm. I spent a few minutes this afternoon showing him how to change gear and he effortlessly mastered the art in a flash. Once his legs are long enough to reach the pedals, there will be no holding him back! He also has the perfect temperament for a chauffeur; being laid back, relaxed and unflappable. After getting to grips with gear changes, he instantly switched into relaxation mode and fell asleep. What a pro! I am so proud to…
I want a discount!
Sunday 7th July 2013
There was a little flurry of enquiries last week. People with weddings in 2014 are starting to look for cars already! However one phone call was quite bizarre; the chap was trying to arrange a car just three weeks before his wedding and he wanted a special deal. On the day in question, I had one car booked and one available, so I offered him the second car at the published price. Through conversation, he established the first car was booked for an afternoon wedding and then informed me his wedding was at 10 o'clock in the morning. He went on to say his wedding would involve very little travelling and I could get away promptly which would enable me…
St Albans Wedding Fair
Monday 22nd April 2013
We took two cars to the St Albans wedding fair yesterday. Sadly we were delayed by a council jobsworth at the outset, and missed the initial rush of people who were waiting for the doors to open at 11 o'clock. The council worker had been given a yellow high visibility jacket, which transformeded her into a power-crazed tyrant; someone then gave her a walkie talkie radio which flipped her over the edge and she was ready to invade Poland! Being a coward at heart, I chose the easy option of ignoring the rudeness and waiting patiently until she eventually deemed it appropriate for me to drive to our designated parking area. Once in place, we quickly festooned the cars with ribbons…
A colourful day
Sunday 14th April 2013
The blue car was in use this week at a wedding in Harpenden. The bride wanted a colourful theme to the day so she asked for the Austin to be decorated with red ribbons. The bridesmaids wore bright red and blue dresses and the bride's bouquet was yellow and orange. I understand they were going to use Clarice Cliff crockery at the reception to brighten things up. I hope there were no breakages! It was a fairly low-key wedding but it was cheerful, bright and great fun. Driving the blue car has encouraged me to promote it a little more energetically and I am tempted to take it along to the wedding fair next week. Did I mention the wedding fair? It's…
Blue is the colour
Monday 25th March 2013
I have been heartened by a recent resurgence of interest in the blue car. The poor thing has been languishing in its garage with seemingly little prospect of getting out on the road. Most people opt for the traditional ivory cars and dismiss the blue one out of hand, despite gentle encouragement from me to take pity on it. Last year it managed only three bookings and, until recently, it had only a single booking for 2013. However, last week brought another firm booking plus a request to view the car, which will hopefully lead to a booking. Perhaps tastes are changing and blue is the new ivory. Regardless of wedding bookings, I am determined to use the blue car more…
First wedding of 2013
Sunday 10th March 2013
After a long winter break, the cars are back in action, with our first wedding of 2013 taking place on Saturday. Sadly I wasn't able to drive because I have been laid low by sciatica and the constant pain is driving me mad. Luckily my son in law, Peter volunteered to drive and, although it was his first chauffeuring assignment, he made a superb job of it. At the start of the day, I must admit to an odd moment of anxiety, worrying in case the car played up or in case Peter got lost but all such concerns proved groundless as the day went without a hitch. At this rate I shall soon be out of a job! There is…
Take a card; any card
Sunday 20th January 2013
For a special occasion, such as your wedding, it is worth taking the time and trouble to get all of the details just right. Obviously the choice of wedding car is vitally important and, clearly, a vintage Austin is the choice of the most discerning brides. But it is also the little things where attention to detail and choosing something out of the ordinary, combine to make your wedding exceptional and memorable. Invitation cards may be amongst those little things but they do make a difference and, in the blog this week, I thought I would draw your attention to a new designer who creates personalised cards for weddings, birthdays, Valentines Day and any other occasion you care to mention.…
Happy Christmas!
Sunday 30th December 2012
Happy Christmas!! Sorry the festive greetings are a little late, but our telephone and broadband were out of commission last week, causing a blog-free Sunday for the first time this year. Due to a fault at the exchange, we inadvertently hijacked somebody else's phone number, whilst calls to our number went unanswered. I didn't mind acting as Mrs Nott's unofficial answering service for a while but it was a relief when normal service was finally resumed. Vintage cars and weddings are low priorities at this time of year (although I did notice that we had four visitors to the website on Christmas day). Bob the mechanic and I were amongst a small group which got together at the Swan in…
Happy Birthday Fred
Thursday 7th June 2012
My Dad is 96 today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We shall take him for a pub lunch and then back to the care home to sleep it off! His great grand daughter will come over after her midday nap and say hello too. There has been a lot of negative publicity about care homes recently but there are shining examples of first class homes out there, and the Lime Tree Manor in Hemel Hempstead is one of them. The staff are caring, cheerful and friendly. I thinking of reserving a room there for my old age!
All's Well
Tuesday 5th June 2012
Another busy weekend. A gorgeous sunny day and a wedding at our local village Church. One of the delights of my job is meeting such a wide variety of people, all of whom are friendly and happy. Saturday's customers were no exception. In fact they were particularly good company and I really enjoyed chatting to them and their guests. A good day all round. I was approached by one of the guests who asked if I would take a booking outside of our area. I will stretch a point if the customers seem to be nice people. But this wedding was in central London and although the bride was really pleasant and I didn't like to disappoint her,…
Royal wedding
Monday 30th April 2012
Did you watch the royal wedding yesterday? Silly question really; how could you not have seen it? Everyone will have their memories of the day; the crowds, the pageantry, the dress, the celebrity guests etc etc. The thing that struck me most was how bland the bride's car was. The Rolls Royce did glide smoothly along but where was the character? Where was the wow factor? A vintage Austin would have given them a more bumpy ride but it would have been fun and it would have brought a smile to the faces of the viewers. I suppose I am biased but I think they missed a trick.
Back from the show
Sunday 22nd April 2012
Just back from the wedding exhibition at St Albans. It started slowly but things picked up later and we had quite a lot of interest as well as one firm booking. It is always a pleasure to show off the cars so I was happy to encourage people to sit inside and chat about their wedding plans. Some were very keen and I'm sure we shall get several bookings in due course. Others admired the cars but were never going to become customers because their weddings are taking place so far away. The furthest away was Ireland, closely followed by one in South Wales. I would have to set out three days in advance if I was to take an…
Back to work
Monday 9th April 2012
Easter has arrived and it marks the beginning of the 2012 wedding season at Heritage Classic Cars. One car was out on Sunday; a wedding at the Auberge du Lac. A Michelin starred restaurant nestling in the picturesque grounds of Brocket Hall near Wheathampstead. This is a gorgeous setting and perfect for photographs with the lake and the big house sitting in the middle of the rural Hertfordshire countryside. I offered to take the bride and groom for a spin around the estate's roads so they could stop for photographs. Sadly the photographer wasn't impressed and my suggestion was dismissed out of hand; she wanted to use golf buggies instead of a vintage car! Strange choice, but she was an…
Snow, snow, thick thick snow
Sunday 5th February 2012
Work on the vintage cars proceeded at the pace of an arthritic snail this week. It was just too cold! I had booked Bob the mechanic to spend Friday working on the New Zealand car. The plan was to get the ignition timing spot on and then to give it a thorough pre-MoT check to ensure the brakes, steering, lights and so on, are all in good order. Sadly, Bob sustained a sports injury in the previous week and phoned to postpone his visit. It was a shame but I was secretly relieved that I wouldn't have to spend the day battling frostbite and hypothermia in a freezing garage. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. Several of the nurses at…
Our newest recruit
Tuesday 27th December 2011
Here at Heritage Classic Cars we are always keen to strengthen our team of professionals whenever the opportunity arises. In 2011, we were very fortunate to be able to recruit Karl Boucher as a chauffeur and some of you will be meeting him in 2012. Yesterday, another bright prospect appeared on the scene and I am proud to announce the recruitment of Joseph Kordel to our line-up. I confidently expect him to be driving for us as soon as he passes his driving test; sometime early in 2029. Joseph is a great little fellow who made his entry into the world just after 6:30am on Boxing Day. He seems to have inherited his handsome good looks from his proud grandfather but…
Happy birthday Martha!
Sunday 2nd October 2011
This week I took some time off from the vintage cars to help my granddaughter celebrate her birthday. Little Martha is a sweetie and she was 2 on Thursday. She loved being the centre of attention as she opened her cards and presents. She also insisted on trying on every item of clothing that emerged from the wrapping paper. Even at her tender age, her female instincts were kicking in. I can imagine her in twenty years' time, spending many a happy hour shopping for clothes, trying everything on and ultimately buying the first thing she had looked at. On Wednesday Martha visited her Auntie Kathryn and Uncle Karl in Banbury and we tagged along for the ride. We had…
St Albans with reservations
Sunday 12th June 2011
The Austin was working again on Saturday; this time in St Albans. St Peters is close to the shops and there was a constant stream of people walking past as I waited outside the Church with the car. Inevitably it attracted a lot of attention and compliments; "what a lovely old car" and "oh, look at the gorgeous wedding car" are fairly typical. You'd think I would be getting bored of all this by now, but not at all. It was fascinating to chat to everyone and hear stories of old cars which they, or their parents, or grandparents had owned. The 45 minute wait whilst the service was going on seemed to fly by. I also handed out three…
Looking ahead
Monday 30th May 2011
After a weekend off, Heritage Classic Cars is back in business and I am preparing for a busy few weeks ahead. I still haven't cleaned the cars since their last weddings and I know they are both festooned with confetti. Those little scraps of paper manage to find their way into every nook and cranny and it takes ages to hunt them all down; especially those that creep down behind the seats. The ivory and black car is working next Saturday so that needs to be washed, polished and filled with petrol. With a bit of elbow grease, I'll have it gleaming for the occasion. The wedding will be at Redbourn Church, which is home territory for me. I am hoping…
Hello Gill
Sunday 8th May 2011
Today we had a very pleasant get-together to celebrate my friend Ian's birthday. The food was lovely, the wine was excellent and so was the company. I sat next to Gill who confessed to reading my blog. Hallelujah!! Somebody has actually been reading my ramblings. I can't believe it! Thank you Gill. Gill and Steve have a daughter called Clare who is rapidly making a name for herself in the fashion world. She is a stylist and discerning clients flock to consult her. She really is a rising star and you will soon see her name all over the media. Have a look at her website at www.miss-dress.com . I promised Gill I would only say nice things about her in…
Off and running
Monday 2nd May 2011
The 2011 wedding season is now well and truly under way for Heritage Classic Cars. Both Austins set out on Saturday afternoon for the first wedding assignment of the year. It was a gorgeous day; despite some dubious weather forecasts earlier in the week. The sky was blue and the sun shone brightly. I jokingly told the father of the bride that it was all part of the service but, looking back, we do seem to get more than our fair share of fine days for our weddings. Is that tempting fate? Everything went smoothly; we arrived at the Church a few minutes early, photographs were duly taken and we headed off to the reception. I had almost forgotten what fun…
Don't be an Undertaker
Wednesday 20th April 2011
It has been a busy few weeks at Heritage Classic Cars. Both cars have recently passed their MoT tests and both have now had a thorough service. Unlike modern cars, the vintage Austins have greasing points dotted all over the place and you have to go around them all with the grease gun. A bit fiddly but essential if we are to avoid trouble in the future. The timing on the white car has been tweaked to get it running at optimum efficiency and the blue car has a new cylinder head gasket. Mechanically, there is nothing else to do and the cars are ready for the busy summer ahead. I took the white car out for a spin this afternoon. The…
St Albans Wedding Exhibition
Tuesday 5th April 2011
A wedding fair organiser persuaded me to take one of my cars to a fair in St Albans a few weeks ago. My daughter, Kathryn, was bribed to come along and help. It took the promise of a nice dinner and an unlimited supply of wine but it was worth it because she organised her own wedding in January of last year and she can empathise really well with the brides-to-be. Her job was to stand behind a table on which a laptop computer was showing a slideshow of photos of the cars at past weddings and chat to anyone who showed an interest. She has the knack of being friendly and chatty without being pushy which is perfect. I hate…
Welcome
Sunday 27th March 2011
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Bob Kendall and I run Heritage Classic Cars. The fact that you have found your way here presumably means you are planning a wedding. I hope you are enjoying the experience and not finding it too stressful! Heritage Classic Cars specialises in wedding car hire in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and we really do want your big day to be extra special. Obviously you want your car to look good and have that wow! factor. But you also want to be sure it arrives in good time and delivers you to the ceremony just a few minutes late. Have a look at the testimonials on the website to see what other…