For those of you who have read Speedwell, you will know that the inner workings of cars in the twenties are deeply involved in the plot twist that makes all the difference to Kate Phipps. She has a life-changing idea about cars, which is born of trying to help Douglas win some races on the Brooklands Racing Circuit.
I thought I'd share some of the gems I discovered while researching all this mechanical history.
Early motorcars looked more like horse-drawn carriages, similar, but even older than the one Kate's customer drove in Chapter One of Speedwell.
This is the type of car that Jem learned to drive on in Peace Lily. A Sunbeam Tourer, just like the one in Cassandra's old stables at Cheadle Manor.
Two wheels can sometimes be more convenient than four. This is the Triumph motorbike that Kate salvaged in Peace Lily, until the Army caught her at it! But if they hadn't, The Katherine Wheel Garage might never have gone into business.