STREETLIFE MUSEUM HULL---VEHICLES.

BMW ISETTA 300.

The Isetta is Italian-designed built under licence in a number of countries including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom. Because of it`s egg shape and bubble-like windows, it became known as a Bubble Car, a name later given to other similar vehicles. The BMW Isetta was in 1955 the world`s first mass-production 3 litre 100km car. It was the top selling single cylinder car in the world, with 161,728 units sold.

BMW ISETTA (UNITED KINGDOM).
With space for two and their luggage, the Isetta was perfect for the UK`s urban and rural roads. At one point, the British National Health Service started providing these vehicles for wheelchair users. In 1957, Isetta of Great Britain began producing Isetta 300 models at their factory in the former Brighton Railway Works under licence from BMW. In 1962, Isetta of Great Britain stopped production of the little cars but continued to produce Isetta engines until 1964.

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MORRIS EIGHT, series E, built 1939.

The `E` series of the Eight brought a major restyle to this popular car. During World War two the car was produced in limited numbers for the Military, essential civilian use and export. Full production began again in 1945 and the engine went on to be used in the series M -Morris Minor and as auxiliary power units in Centurion and Chieftain Tanks. 120,434 examples of this car were built between 1938 and 1948. This particular example was bought from new by it`s owner in Goole for £147-15-6d.

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DAIMLER MOTOR CAR, 1899.

In 1895 Harry J.Lawson bought the British Patent rights of the German Daimler Motor Car. A new factory was soon opened in Coventry to build them. This was the first ever British car factory and within eight months they had produced 89 cars. In the same year this car was built, there was the first fatal road accident in Britain. Edwin Sewell and Major Richer were killed when the rear wheel of their Daimler collapsed. They were thrown from their car on Grove Hill, Harrow. 1899 also saw the first person killed by a motor vehicle in the USA, This was Henry Hale Bliss, who had been hit as he got off a streetcar.

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DE DION QUADRICYCLE, 1899.

Made by De Dion-Bouton, France.

Before the Quadricycle, De Dion Tricycles were introduced in 1895. They were among the most popular motor vehicles of their day. The De Dion Tricycle offered reliable and fast motoring, with a top speed of 25 - 30 mph. However the tricycle was limited for carrying passengers. An unsatisfactory trailer was developed but the best solution was found with the Quadricycle in 1899. This could have a passenger`s seat mounted in front of the driver. The passenger seat is missing on this example.

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THREE WHEELED HANSOM CAB, c.1900.

Hansom Cabs were the taxis of their day. The regular two wheeled Hansom Cab is recognisable to many from Sherlock Holmes films. Three wheeled Hansoms were introduced during the 1900`s. They were an attempt to increase the carrying capacity of the Hansom. However, they were quite unstable so few were made. This is a rare surviving example. These were designed to sit four people with a luggage rack on the roof. The driver of the three wheeled Hansom would sit at the front.

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GARDNER - SERPOLLET STEAM CAR, 1901.

Made by Gardner-Serpollet, France.

Leon Serpollet built his first steam powered vehicle at the age of 18. It was a wooden tricycle. For the next three years he improved this until it was reliable enough to travel on public roads. In 1889 Serpollet joined in partnership with Frank Gardner, a wealthy American and they experimented and manufactured vehicles under the name Gardner-Serpollet. Gardner had many influential friends, including the Shah of Persia. This meant they had a ready market for their cars. These early steam cars had coke-fired flash boilers. The man who fed the boiler was called the Chauffeur, which is french for stoker. It was Serpollet who introduced the name of Chauffeur for the man who looked after the car.

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LAND  EXCAVATOR  1921.

Designed and built by Priestmans for use in land drainage it is believed to be the first land excavator of it`s kind in the world. In operation it was driven and towed by a crawler tractor. The power from the tractor was transmitted through a horizontal shaft and centre post. Features include the orginal chain operated whole - tine grab, cone clutches for slewing and differential drum and counter weight for taking up holding rope.

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