Clement Panhard on the Web

Our Clément-Panhard was imported into the United Kingdom by a Col. Baxter in 1900 when it was new (although some records suggest the car could be as old as 1886). In 1904 the car was first registered with the number plate BF 149. After a number of years Col. Baxter exchanged the car for "something more modern" a two-cylinder model produced by the Star Motor Company of Coventry at Childs & Sons, motor engineers in Sherborne. Childs & Sons kept the car running for sometime until the tires (which were then solid) became to deteriorated to use.

The car was last seen as a float in the Sherborne carnival when it was towed around the town shortly before the start of the First World War. From then on the car was laid-up at Childs & Sons which is were it stayed through two World War's.

During the second world war the area around Sherborne was often bombed, and on one occasion the town was hit by several dozen bombs some of which fell either side of Childs & Sons premises.

Our car when it first arrived in Britain, although the title says it is 1896 we believe it is in fact 1900

In 1952 the Clément-Panhard emerged from its 35 years hibernation at Childs & Sons and was taken on the back of a truck to Dorchester for use in an exhibition put on by Tilleys motor engineers.

In 1959 William Vaux, a car enthusiast and member of the VCC brought the car. Mr. Vaux had the car restored and it took part in the 1959 London to Brighton Run as entrant number 42. A 1901 Clement Panhard owned by Major J. C. France also took part that year.

Mr. Vaux at the start of the 1959 London to Brighton Run

The car as it was in 1959 before restoration

1965 to 1970

Later on Mr. Vaux loaned the car to the Cheddar Motor and Transport Museum and was on public display. The picture is a post card from the museum with the shows the Clément-Panhard with a 1904 Oldsmobile Runabout.

After restoration, while part of the Cheddar Motor and Transport Museum

Outside Mr Vaux Garage after the restoration

1970 to Today

Finally in 1970 the car came into the Norwood family - its current owners. Since 1971 the car has taken part in, and completed, every VCC London to Brighton Run right up to the last one in November 2003.

Over the last 100 year history of the car its image has been used many times. We know it has appeared in books, postcards, Christmas cards, book covers, and advertisements. It was even featured in a BBC radio programme. Now the car also has a web site......

Our First London to Brighton Run with the car in 1971

The 1971 London to Brighton Programme

With the car now 107 years old, the next challenge is to complete the 2007 London to Brighton Run. See you in Hyde Park on November 4th 2007 from 7.00am.

1952 to 1965

Our Car's History

Car Registration Plates

In 1904 a new law came into force in the United Kingdom that required all motor vehicle to be registered. Each county was given its own registration prefix, and for Dorset that was "BF". After much protests from local drivers because of the connotations of "BF" it was replaced with "FX" by 1906.