NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 119
Frome 2015
Michael L. Roach
At the beginning of September 2015 we stayed at the Premier Inn in Frome for five nights – Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th. The whole purpose was to spend one day at the Great Dorset Steam Fair which took place at Tarrant Hinton, Blandford Forum from Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6th 2015 that year. It was 35 miles and an hour's travel from Frome to the site of the fair, but that was the nearest we could find an hotel room at a reasonable price. We travelled to the GDSF on Thursday 3 September 2015, and I hope to describe the wonders of the show one day.
All my life I have photographed the occasional object, not because I was particularly interested in that object, but because it was just there waiting to be recorded perfectly positioned; or perfectly lit; or just unusual; a whole variety of reasons. On the evening of 2 September we had a portion of fish and chips eaten in the car in the middle of Frome. While my wife was in the shop I walked across the road to take the image attached of an unusual motor car. I had seen a few similar cars before but they were never at all common. I do not know anything about the car – can anyone identify the make and model please. I don't think I have seen another one since 2015.
All my life I have photographed the occasional object, not because I was particularly interested in that object, but because it was just there waiting to be recorded perfectly positioned; or perfectly lit; or just unusual; a whole variety of reasons. On the evening of 2 September we had a portion of fish and chips eaten in the car in the middle of Frome. While my wife was in the shop I walked across the road to take the image attached of an unusual motor car. I had seen a few similar cars before but they were never at all common. I do not know anything about the car – can anyone identify the make and model please. I don't think I have seen another one since 2015.
The unusual car parked in front of Lee's fish and chip shop on Portway, Frome on 2 September 2015. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks Mike. Looks like a Suzuki X90 to me. Never a big seller here in the UK.
For more of Michaels articles, please click here.
For more of Michaels articles, please click here.
Shaun Brown writes in response:
Good morning, the car in Michael's picture is a Suzuki Vitara X-90. It was produced from 1995 until 1997 and had a front mounted 1.6L engine with either a four speed automatic box or a five speed manual box and was available in rear wheel drive or four wheel drive. It had a T top roof which meant you could remove the panels above the driver and passenger seats for the "open air experience". It was a strange looking car and you didn't see many of them around.
And Neil Phillips writes:
The odd-looking vehicle Michael L. Roach spotted in Frome was indeed a Suzuki X90, the answer to a question nobody had asked! Not only was the UK market confused by it, the weirdly humorous brochure showed that the UK importer Suzuki GB were bamboozled by it as well!
Good morning, the car in Michael's picture is a Suzuki Vitara X-90. It was produced from 1995 until 1997 and had a front mounted 1.6L engine with either a four speed automatic box or a five speed manual box and was available in rear wheel drive or four wheel drive. It had a T top roof which meant you could remove the panels above the driver and passenger seats for the "open air experience". It was a strange looking car and you didn't see many of them around.
And Neil Phillips writes:
The odd-looking vehicle Michael L. Roach spotted in Frome was indeed a Suzuki X90, the answer to a question nobody had asked! Not only was the UK market confused by it, the weirdly humorous brochure showed that the UK importer Suzuki GB were bamboozled by it as well!
Many thanks to both Shaun and Neil.
Sunday Freight
Roger Geach
37668 / 37416 head the 6S55 Burngullow–Irvine past Bethany on Sunday, 23 October 1994. Single-line working is in operation, with the train running on the Down line. 37416 was a Cornish clay loco from May 1993 to July 1995, while 37668’s stay was longer, from May 1993 to September 1999. 37416 is perhaps better remembered as a Scottish Region Class 37/4 passenger loco, displaced by the dreaded Sprinters. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger, an unusual photo with them being 'wrong line'.
Pen Mill Peak
Paul Barlow
46014 works the 1615 Bristol to Weymouth at Yeovil Pen Mill. 27.08.1983, copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks indeed Paul.
Neil Phillips writes:
Peak 46014 in Paul Barlow's Yeovil Pen Mill photo was originally D151, the first Peak to reach Penzance on 30th December 1969.
Peak 46014 in Paul Barlow's Yeovil Pen Mill photo was originally D151, the first Peak to reach Penzance on 30th December 1969.
Thanks very much for the additional info, Neil.
August 1976
Part 8
Roger Winnen
Departure from Southampton at the junction of lines to Southampton Docks. 01.08.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Fareham Station. 01.08.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Southern DEMU 1121 arrives at Fareham Station. 01.08.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.