And that claimed range would have been to Austin’ s great advantage as he embarked from London’ s Hyde Park at the start of the 1,000 Mile Trial on April 23. Austin and OWL were joined by 64 other cars as they headed west to Bath, many of which were driven by some of Britain’ s earliest motoring pioneers: the Hon Charles Rolls in a 12hp Panhard; John D. Siddeley( later of Armstrong Siddeley) driving a 6hp Daimler; the Hon John Scott Montagu in a 12hp Daimler; and George H. Lanchester in one of his own creations. According to a contemporary report by Frank H. Butler – himself an entrant in a 6hp Panhard:‘ In the towns people turned out in thousands to see the cars pass, and the police had to keep the streets clear for our passage.’ It appears that local dignitaries were also keen to curry favour with the new automobilists:‘ At Reading,’ wrote Butler,‘ Mr. Alfred Harmsworth gave a magnificent champagne reception …’
Given that the trade and privateer groups were each divided into sub-classes based on the price of each vehicle, the Wolseley’ s relatively inexpensive £ 270 purchase price suggested a more basic vehicle less likely to endure the rigours of such a monumental journey. However, by Edinburgh it was one of 51 cars left in the running, and after completing the southern return leg – during which 16 more cars failed to proceed – OWL was one of 35 finishers to cross the line again at Hyde Park. What was more, Austin and his sturdy little Wolseley had claimed victory in the trade entry’ s £ 200-300 class, beating a Triumph and a De Dion – a remarkable achievement for a company that had produced but three cars, and whose senior management still did not share Austin’ s unwavering commitment to the motor car.( In 1901, Wolseley actually sold its car-making business to Vickers Sons & Maxim Ltd, losing Austin to the newly-found Wolseley Motors Ltd in the process.)
Nonetheless, the 1,000 Mile Trial had been an unbridled success, catapulting public awareness of the motor car and laying important foundations for its continued evolution and manufacture. As Duncan Wiltshire, the Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club said recently:‘ It’ s hard to overstate the incredible significance of the 1,000 Mile Trial – it really put both the joys and practicalities of motoring on the map.’
‘ Austin and his sturdy little Wolseley had claimed victory in the trade entry’ s £ 200-300 class, beating a Triumph and a De Dion- a remarkable achievement for a company that had produced but three cars.’
There had still been some sensitivities at the time, though, which The Autocar promptly addressed in an editorial before the Trial had drawn to a close:‘ There is one thing we regret … and that is the impression which has been left in the public mind as to the dirtiness of the automobile pastime.’ The author went on to suggest that, if another Trial were held,‘… explanatory handbills should be distributed from the cars as they pass through towns headed,“ Why we are so dirty.” They would remove a great deal of misapprehension.’
But this was clearly no deterrent to either the public’ s growing enthusiasm for the automobile or the fledgling industry that was rapidly growing around it. So it is fascinating today to experience a car that was at the very genesis of this revolution. OWL has resided at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire since 1980, but its museum history dates back to 1912, when it became one of the first exhibits in Britain’ s first car museum, aptly named‘ The Motor Museum’, after
34 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run