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Joe S
Switzerland
22 Posts |
 Posted - 01/12/2014 : 18:12:18
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I found these photos of a P-type airline coupe which I took in 1968 in the Notting Hill area of London. On the contact sheet was written "P Airline Ladbroke Grove 1968". I was wondering if it still exists. Unfortunately there was no registration number for identification.
Could it be identified by particular characteristics, maybe? I've noticed that airline coupes tend to vary in detail. On this one the rear mudguards come further back in relation to the rear edge of the bodywork compared to some and this rear edge is quite straight whereas others are more curved. I presume there will be other identifying features. Does anyone have an idea? Maybe the location and date will give a clue to someone.
Joe |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3300 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2014 : 21:11:31
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What a nostalgic picture, the days of seeing such a car parked on a London street are long gone - my PA lived on the streets of Putney in the early 1960s.
Lew Palmer is an expert on Airlines and may be able to help, he owns an immaculate PB Airline. It would be amazing if this picture is of his car!
George
L2023 |
Edited by - George Eagle on 01/12/2014 21:12:52 |
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LewPalmer
USA
3348 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2014 : 23:54:42
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After typing a longish response, my post has disappeared, so I'll try again:
This is clearly one of 14 PB Airlines built, judging by the radiator slats and the style of the rain gutters. However, it is not mine (PB0560), as in the early 1960s mine had the top chopped off to create a sort of two seater. By 1968, it had been rebodied with a spare body found in a yard being used as a dog kennel. Also mine had the extra tail lamps mounted on the rear wings, not on the body as this one shows.
Without a registration number it is virtually impossible to identify the then or current owner, but I will save the photos to my "unknown" file in the hopes that we may one day be able to identify it.
Whereas this one looks a little shabby in the paint department, but I would bet there are a number of people today who would happily give it a home.
Thanks for posting!
Lew Palmer
PA1169, PB0560 |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3178 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 10:08:42
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The car does not look mobile so there is a good chance it relates to the closest house (17). Since the houses have consecutive numbers, could they be facing a park? A patient look at Google Earth Street View might also reveal the location. If Google Earth or a Londoner (for example) could identify the exact street then it would be possible to look up the 1968 London Street Directory and find out who was living at this address.
Sam |
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PeterL
United Kingdom
1804 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 11:01:32
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| It does say Ladbroke Grove... |
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Ian Bowers
United Kingdom
966 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 12:16:32
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and here it is today!
https://goo.gl/maps/RNloa
the one with the black door.
Ian Bowers
OD 6791
J3 3772 |
Edited by - Ian Bowers on 02/12/2014 12:18:29 |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3178 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 12:33:27
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Ian, my computer is slow with Google Maps .Can you see a Google street view of the exact location in the 1968 picture? Is the address 17 Ladbroke Grove? I had assumed that Ladbroke Grove was a district rather than a street.
Sam |
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Ian Bowers
United Kingdom
966 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 13:30:31
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Ladbroke Grove is a street in Notting Hill, just of the A40 Westway. The house numbering of 13, 15 and 19 is quite clear, 17 is part hidden by a tree, but the pillars have gone replaced by cheap modern railings, and, sadly, the car has gone!
Ian Bowers
OD 6791
J3 3772 |
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Malcolm Eades
United Kingdom
383 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 13:39:27
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Ladbroke Grove is a very long street but also lends its name to the surrounding district, albeit with no formal boundaries that I am aware of. There are possible descriptive overlaps with the adjacent areas of Holland Park and Notting Hill. I looked at No.17 in Street View too and am by no means convinced it's the same place. It's at the Holland Park end of the street. In the original photo there are clearly porches supported on fluted columns and a flat landing at the top of the steps. None of these feature at today's 17 Ladbroke Grove. I had a quick look at the surrounding streets too, without success. There has been a lot of property refurbishment round there so it's possible that the original features have been lost but the front walls are very distinctive and I would have though listing is possible.There are quite a few garden squares in the neighbourhood too but none that I looked at matched the architecture.
Malcolm
M Type
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Edited by - Malcolm Eades on 02/12/2014 13:39:50 |
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Malcolm Eades
United Kingdom
383 Posts |
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graham holdsworth
United Kingdom
424 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 14:43:16
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I agree with Malcolm, surely not the same place ?
To think I had student friends who lived in Ladbroke Grove in '68 .I spent many evenings there but missed the Airline Coupe. Bother !
Happy days.
Graham |
Edited by - graham holdsworth on 02/12/2014 14:51:07 |
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graham holdsworth
United Kingdom
424 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 14:48:39
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Yep, Pembridge Crescent, Well done Sherlock Eades.
I expect the oil stains are still on the road.
Graham |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3178 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 14:59:11
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It looks as though Malcolm has found it -
The tree on the left at number 18 looks bigger after 46 years and a section of wall has gone probably as a result.
Sam |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6559 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 15:43:42
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Having lived in Notting Hill Gate as a student around then, the chances of any records existing of residents of fairly temporary accommodation are pretty slim methinks.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Joe S
Switzerland
22 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 17:56:53
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I'm quite amazed at your resourcefulness! You have found the exact spot the PB was parked. I could have sworn it was quite some way from there but now I have the location there may (?) be a clue to the next owner. The top end of Pembridge crescent joins Pembridge road. Turn right and just up on the left was Portobello Motors, opposite the Sun in Spleander Pub. Portobello Motors used to park cars down Pembridge Crescent and on Denbigh Rd which is where I lived (also as a student like Simon J!). The PB was more than likely waiting there while Portobello Motors sold it on.
I saw and photographed many interesting cars which passed through Portobello Motors. I presume they would show up on the vehicle's documents as being an owner or dealer, if it were them.
Here's a pihoto of the shop, obviously no longer in business, and one of it' s location (the boarded up site opposite the pub).
Joe |
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LewPalmer
USA
3348 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2014 : 20:45:40
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It's a shame that someone hasn't undertaken the task of recording the essential details of the chassis files into a database. If that was done, it could be a simple matter of a search to see which dealer handled which car. Of course, this would not be possible with cars which were resold 30 some years after the were sold new, such as this one. However, it could make for an immensely useful tool.
Aside from that idea, I am amazed at the resourcefulness of the folks on this forum.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, PB0560 |
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PB Airline Coupe 1968
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