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Wednesday
3rd July 2002
The search for Castle Cars |
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| The
Castle Three : picture courtesy of the County Museum Hartlebury. |
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The
owner of Kidderminster's oldest building is searching for memorabilia
from the Castle Motor Company. |
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Caldwell
Castle is one of the most distinctive buildings in Kidderminster,
as well as being one of the oldest.
The owner, Richard Davies, periodically opens the Castle to visitors
and is planning another open day in July.
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| The
front radiator grill of a Castle Three - picture courtesy of
the County Museum Hartlebury. |
As part
of the open day he is keen to exhibit memorabilia from the Castle
Motor Company, part of Kidderminster's industrial history.
The pioneering car manufacturer was based in New Road, near the castle,
and the profile the tower formed part of their radiator grill badge.
Richard Davies knows he won't get a complete car to put on show, but
he wants to find out if there are any parts of castle cars that he
can either buy or loan to put exhibit.
"I'm interested in paraphernalia or parts of cars. People have
brought along literature on other open days and that's been very useful.
I'm now after the hardware." he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
The history
The firm began making cars around 1910, and were only in existence
for 12 years.
In that period they made about 350 vehicles, of which only two are
thought to have survived.
The company specialised in making three-wheeler cars, and were an
early rival for Morgan in the embryonic luxury car market.
A Castle three-wheeler is now part of the collection at the County
Museum at Hartlebury near Worcester.
It's a 1921 Castle Three registration number CR 5868, and was once
owned by the National Motor Museum.
The company also experimented with four wheeled cars, and a Castle
Four is owned by Birmingham City Council, though it is not exhibited.
If you have any memorabilia from the Castle Motor Company then contact us .
The open day at Caldwell Castle is on the 13th of July, from 1000
to 1630, and there will be guided tours by the civic society.
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