Street Lighting

Old Car

1937 Photos

Zoom-out

Comiston Road and Gilmerton Road

1937

Above, we zoom-in to the car that appears on two photos of Edinburgh street lighting at night.  Both photos were taken for the General Electric Co Ltd Publicity Dept.  They are now held in the Edinburgh City Archive collection.

Questions

Can anybody will tell me the year, make and model of this car?

Reply

1.

Brian Alexander

Prestonfield, Edinburgh

Thank you to Brian Alexander who replied with details of the model of car that appears in the two photos above at the top of this page.

Brian wrote:

Rover 12 (P2)

Comiston Road and Gilmerton Road

"I'm sure  that the car in the Comiston Road and Gilmerton Road photos is a Rover 12 (P2) manufactured between 1937 and 1948.  If the date of the photo is correct the car would be new."

Clues

"The clues in the photo are:

-  the extended boot

-  the spare wheel cover

-  the raised section round the centre of the front wing.

The registration No. (WS 9932) would also be correct for the year, issued in Edinburgh."

Engine

"Mechanically the car was advanced for the late 1930s, as it was fitted with a 1500cc overhead valve engine and 4-speed gearbox, but it was not until the following year that  synchromesh became available."

Rear Bumper

"The rear bumper was in three parts.  The centre section and number plate were attached to the boot lid, allowing the boot to be opened.  It was hinged at the bottom and opened downwards.

 In the Gilmerton Road photo the bumper is out of line, perhaps the boot has not been closed properly, or something has been rested on it - maybe the photographer's equipment!"

Brian Alexander, Prestonfield, Edinburgh:  February 8, 2011

Reply

2.

Colin Schubert

Colin Schubert wrote:

©

Mystery Car

"I'm pretty sure that the mystery car in this photo is a 1937 Morris 14 Sports Saloon and not a Rover as suggested in 1 above."

Questions for Colin

I have replied to Colin asking him:

(a)  Does he believe that this car in Gilmerton Road is also a 1937 Morris 14 Sports Saloon?

©

(b)  Can he point to any distinguishing features of the car that lead him to believe that it is a 1937 Morris 14 Sports Saloon?

Brian Alexander , above, gave several reasons why he believed the car to be a Rover 12 (P2).

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  January 4, 2012

Reply

3.

Ronnie Elder

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Thank you to Ronnie Elder who sent me two photos of the rear view of cars, and wrote about them.  I've reproduced Ronnie's comments below, but for copyright reasons I have not been able to reproduce the photos.

Ronnie wrote:

Mystery Car

"My Photo (A) shows a 1939 Rover 12 (P2).
My Photo (B) shows a Morris 14.
Both models seem fairly similar.
However, I'm fairly certain that the car in Comiston Road is a 1937 Rover 12."

Ronnie Elder, Kandy, Sri Lanka:  January 4, 2012

Further Comments

Reply

4.

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

I believe that neither of the cars in the photos sent by Ronnie Elder (above) matches the car in Comiston Road.       See below.

 Photo (A)

This photo is of a 1939 car, not a 1937 car.

Compared to the car in Comiston Road, this car has:

-  a bumper that is too low

-  a window with corners that are too rounded.

Photo (B)

 I don't know the year of the car in this photo

Compared to the car in Comiston Road, this car does not have:

-  a boot extending back behind the rear window.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  January 4, 2012

Reply

5.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

The plot thickens!  There has been discussion as to whether this car was a Rover or a Morris, but now Allan Dodds writes:

Wolesley?

    ©

"I'm pretty sure the car in Comiston Road is a Wolseley 12.  It has a small boot with a just distinguishable Wolseley wings badge on the spare wheel cover. Also, the front wings are ribbed, unlike the Rover or Morris front wings. It was manufactured from 1937 until 1948 with few modifications.

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  January 6, 2011

Reply

6.

John Dickson

Royston, Edinburgh

Thank you to John Dickson for sending me a photo of a Wolesley which looked like a very good match for the photo at the top of this page.

John wrote:

Wolesley

"I agree with Allan Dodds.   The mystery car is a Wolesley.

Here is a photo of a Wolesley, but you will not be able to show it for copyright reasons.  The centre of the wheel cover is an exact match for the one in this photo taken in Comiston Road.

    ©

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England:  January 6, 2011

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