The Hunt Is On For Newport Pagnell’s ‘Lost’ Historic Motor Car –

Filed under: Classic News |
salmons-np-badgesalmons-np-car-1And it’s not an Aston Martin! Motoring history is littered with cars that came and went, seemingly without trace. Almost 400 of the ‘NP’ for Newport Pagnell, were made by the carriage builder-turned car company Salmons & Sons in the 1920s at its Tickford Street workshop - but where are they now? Writer Chris Nelson is enlisting the legion of motoring enthusiasts across the UK and worldwide to try and find the last NP. The Salmons NP features in a new book that revisits Newport Pagnell’s connection with Aston Martin and its roots in the carriage builder Joseph Salmons, whose workshop on Tickford Street preceded the respected luxury car marque. Salmons & Sons and Aston Martin – A town’s historic contribution to the UK transport industry tells of the fascinating journey from horse-drawn Victorian dogcarts, through Tickford, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, David Brown, Victor Gauntlett, Walter Hayes and Ford to James Bond and arguably the most recognised automotive brand in the world. That journey includes the NP or N.P., which was named for the town where it was built. Launched at the 1922 Motor Show under the Salmons Light Car Company name it was the firm’s first complete car, offering ‘high quality within a modest package’ and a choice of 12/16 bhp or 14/22bhp Meadows engines. It failed to sell and was withdrawn within two years. ‘But what happened to the 395 or so built?’ asks Chris who compiled the book. ‘Surely they couldn’t all have disappeared and perhaps there is just one example sitting at the back of a garage, under a tarpaulin or quietly decaying in a barn.’ ‘Few towns have the honour of having a car named after it and actually being built there. It would be great if we could find a survivor after almost a century and bring it home to Newport Pagnell.’ Salmons & Sons and Aston Martin – A town’s historic contribution to the UK transport industry compiled by Chris Nelson is published by WordGo on behalf of Mercury Books www.wordgo.org.ukTags:,