"Three Wheels on my Wagon"

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There used to be a song called "Three wheels on my Wagon". I don't have a copy but I do have fond memories of 'Three Wheels'

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"A Morgan Three Wheeler"

Many years ago, way back around 1964 my brother Colin bought a three wheeler Morgan. The reason for this, was that you could drive it on a motorcycle licence and therefore have all the advantages of a car without having to take a new test. Of course, they were also sporty and cheap to run. I have given away the photos I took of his car (but probably still have the negatives). The above is not his but of a similar model. They had V twin engines out on the front of 1000cc, which gave them a terrific power to weight ratio as the body frame was made of wood. I build a little model of Colin's Morgan from a kit and still have it 40 years on.

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In 1966 I decided that these were great little motors and bought a 1935 Morgan myself. It cost me £50. It was not quite the same as it had the engine under the bonnet rather than out on the front. When MOT's were introduced it became more and more difficult to get these old cars to pass, so I decided on a complete rebuild.

Well, to cut a long story short, this rebuild lasted thirty odd years and I never finished it.

I sold the 'old girl' a couple of years ago for £xxxx! Not bad for an outlay of £50.

As we were Morgan enthusiasts in our family it was not unusual to receive birthday cards with pictures of Morgans on them. My sister Jean, sent me this one some thirty years ago. (you notice how I never throw much away!)

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A bit 'dog-eared' now.......but ....that reminds me that some of these engines were called 'dog-eared' because of the shape of the overhead valve rockers.

I liked this picture....all the little dots reminded me of the impressionist painters.

So I kept it.

About five years ago I decided I needed a fire-screen in the lounge, not only to hide the grate in the summer, but to stop the cats from trying to get up the chimney after the birds who sat at the top singing.

I decided on a tapestry front and bought a kit from a wool shop in Bourne End. It was a simple flower picture with only about eight different colours...a sort of 'painting by numbers' thing.

You only had to poke the right coloured wool through the right hole.

When finished I didn't like it all that much. Too stark. There was no graduation in the colours, it needed more tints.

I thought I could design a better one myself.

This is when I remembered that picture of the Morgan on that birthday card.

After months and months of doing a bit and undoing a bit, it was finally finished. There was no kit, no pattern....I worked it as if I was painting with a brush.

The picture will enlarge if you click on it.

So for Francien and Kath.

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Hope you like it?

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BLR 51 was the registration of my old Morgan.

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