The New Model Invalid Carriage Register

[Stuart Cyphus]

As many of you may be aware, in March I announced my intention to give up my position as front man of the Invalid Carriage Register.

 Fifteen years ago, the invalid carriage world was but a loose and motley collection of vehicles and owners, all on the outer fringes of existence. The cars were, for the most part, laughed at, scorned and treated only as a source of parts by the micro fraternity. It needed someone to pull all the loose ends together and build the foundations for their future. Now it is that future, with the humble invalid carriage now recognised, not as the poor relation any more, but as an important part of the classic vehicle scene in its own right. A world furthermore, that can now stand on its three wheels, on its own terms.  After fifteen years guiding this path, I feel the time is now right to move out from centre stage, back into the wings, and hand the invalid carriage world over to the next chapter in its natural progression as I move across to other projects.

That next chapter has now dawned, with the arrival of Simon Mckeown at the helm of the New Model Invalid Carriage Register. Simon is a fully fledged Principle Lecturer and Reader in Fine Arts at Teesside University, in Middlesbrough, UK and is an award winning international artist focusing on all aspects of disability. He is disabled, and comes from a family of disabled people, and grew up next to his disabled grandfather who drove and used all variety of invalid carriages including hand cranked machines, Tippen Delta and the Mk 70.   Not only that, he already owns a motley collection of vehicles including a rare Mk 8B,  and so is well-placed to bring the ICR into the 21st century. To find out more about Simon and his credentials, visit his website at; www.simon-mckeown.com

Simon will be in touch with collectors and owners and interested parties as he gets up to speed.

And so all that remains is to thank everyone involved for the past 15 years. Our paths will still continue to cross as I continue to push for publication of my full history of the British Invalid three-wheeler manuscript, but for now I am sure you will all afford to Simon the same level of friendly welcome, assistance and information sharing that has been afforded to me over the past decade and a half as he eases himself into the ICR’s hot seat and into the swirling mists that is the invalid carriage world….

Stuart Cyphus

(late of) The Invalid Carriage Register

NB; from noon on Monday 6th June 2016, my invacar (at) yahoo.co.uk email address will become the Invalid Carriage Register’s general business address which Simon will use. From this date I will be operating from a new personal email address which I shall give out in due course.

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

Thanks Stuart, please keep us updated on progress with your history book.

[Jean]

Thanks Stuart for all your past hard work.  I hope you will let Simon McKeown know about Alastair's involvement with those invalid cars that have a Rumcar number.  In that way at least Alastair may put a final entry on our records for the information of others in the future. Also it would be nice to know that the two of them may share information held for their mutual benefit, especially should we receive an enquiry from  a potentially new owner as we often do.  I hope it all goes from strength to strength, keep in touch.

[Big Al]

Good news, if a little sad to. But Stuart has made his choice for the right reasons. He retains a wealth of information. It is not beyond chance that after a spell doing something else he will be seen with an IC again. As it is he is now looking at the associated topic of pavement cars, owning a rare one of them. I am certain if another pile of junk turned up I would have serious problems keeping him away.

Frazer is proving that once restored these cars time is here. There are a number of events that he is being positively encouraged to attend. The cameras and media are there, The history of the car is opening doors, just I said it would. Simon is right on the scent of all this. It could be a great ride for those who bought in, as so few cars are left. Very few more are turning up. The Government did a pretty good job of killing them off, supported by several decades of stigma. Just as the Bubblecars before them, they will emerge as the inverted snobs classic car. Humble, cheap, no huge merit, but so much more interesting to Joe Public than a Ferrari allegedly worth millions in the car park next along. I wonder if we will ever get a few lined up at a big football match as a stunt, for instance.

The back room work will go on. I would hope that the ICR and RUM keep pretty tight. They are natural allies. The relationship with the general microcar has yet to find itself. I do not think you can demand on that score, only offer opportunities. Folk will do as they wish. But most news here is positive. Hurrah!