North West

The 'Bond Minicar' was invented by Longridge-based designer and racing car enthusiast Laurie Bond.

With three wheels, a single cylinder engine, no reverse gear and no brake lights, the earliest Bond cars were far from glamorous.

But the cheap and simple design quickly caught on in post-war Britain where austerity was the name of the game.

The Bond Minicar

Laurie Bond soon moved on to other projects and sold his designs for the Minicar to a firm in Preston.

Between 1949 and 1971 tens of thousands of Bond cars were produced at the company’s Ribbleton Lane factory, including later models like the sportier Equipe.

The Bond Car Factory in its heyday.

The company also dabbled with producing their own motor scooters, vans, boats and even jet-skis!

Alan Pounder designed and tested vehicles for Bond in the 1950s and 1960s.

He worked as draughtsman at Bond for 15 years, and has fond memories of the car and the company.

Alan says that Bond owners were made to feel part of one big family, and the company organised regular rallies:

"We used to send them out all over the Lake District, every year in a different direction.

"We’d come back to Morecambe and have time trials on the promenade, then we’d have prize giving for the best looking car. They used to turn up anything up to 200 cars from all over the country."

The Bond Owners' Club

The company ceased production in the early 1970s after being bought out by arch-rival Reliant.

But the Bond name has been kept alive ever since by a network of enthusiasts who believe there is nothing quite like owning - or driving - a Bond.

Today the Bond Owners' Club has more than 300 members.

Clive Steggel and his car collection.

The club president, Stan Cornock, says the sense of community is alive and well:

"Bonds owners have always been in clubs, from the moment they came out of the factory.

"If ever a Bonder was in trouble at the side of the road – they called them Bonders, because they were different from other people – other drivers would always stop to see if there was any help they could give.

"People would always give a wave to any other Bond you saw on the road, they were a very community minded group of people."

Parade of Bond Cars

Inside Out were able to gather together a group of Bond owners to recreate a historic journey – the inaugural drive down the Preston By-Pass, Britain’s first motorway.

Alan Pounder who worked for the company took part in the original parade 50 years ago:

"It’s very satisfying to know that your own cars and your own designs are still going, are still strong."