The rescue of '1855 RU'

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Many years ago I was contact by Jackie Duckett who wanted to register with the Elva Owners Club that she had an early Trojan built Elva Courier with chassis number E1012.

The car was road registered '1855 RU' and Jackie used the car to the full, perhaps a little more than full as she was well known to the local police for driving the car around the local Suffolk villages in a noisy and extremely determined manner! She did not get involved with any Club activities and I was therefore deeply saddened to hear just before Christmas, that Jackie had died at far too young an age, the car having remained unused throughout her long illness.

Luckily the car was mostly covered having been stored in an old stable block and at the request of the family I went to Suffolk to see the car and advise how it should be sold. The photographs show that time had certainly taken its toll but the car was very complete although on very flat tyres and locked solid.

As these things often happen, at about the same time I was contacted by David Hambleton of the Trojan Museum Trust about other matters and after discussions with all concerned, everyone felt it was most appropriate that the car should go to the fledgling museum where it will eventually receive much care and attention and be seen by others. I feel sure that Jackie would have approved.

TROJAN-ELVA COURIER Registered 1855 RU; Chassis number E1012, built July 1962, open roadster, red with grey trim, supplied to Carbery Engineering in Nov. 1962.

The car already looks in better shape but you can see more about this story and the rebuild as it slowly progresses on www.trojanmuseumtrust.org/trustelva.htm.

Roger Dunbar