After a year off travelling, Jo is back in the office for us, working on our Ebay shop.  She took a trip up to Berkshire the other weekend, to the REME museum for a celebration of Early Volkswagens. Here is her tale.

“Martin and I set off in the Split at 7.30am to meet a few friends to cruise to the show. We had arranged to meet Nick and Mike in the Oval, and Richard in his ‘47 at the services on the A24. Sadly the charging light came on our van shortly after we left home. Stopping to check the belt was still in place and diagnosing the voltage regulator to be at fault we decided to take the van home. The others continued on without us.  

Back at home and with the van safely tucked away, the daily Mk2 Golf was enlisted to get us to the show… off we went again.  

Maj. Ivan Hirst went to Germany in 1945 with The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). His job was to get the Volkswagen factory up and running again after the war. He stayed there until 1949 when the British handed the factory back to the German Government. The show was to mark the official unveiling of the REME Museums new exhibition dedicated to the memory of that officer, Major Ivan Hirst REME.

 The turn out was great. There was a display area for pre 1967 cars divided into types. I was surprised by the amount of 40’s and early 50’s cars on display. There was a section for Military vehicles which included three  schwimmerwagens and a couple of special build Split Vans.

 Although it was a chilly morning the atmosphere was great. After hot coffees and hog roasts all round, we all wandered round the cars looking at the little oddities, period modifications and rare parts the cars were sporting. When you got cold again you could head into the museum and check out the new display. This even included a model VW given to Maj Hirst by Volkswagen, and a comfy Beetle sofa to watch the film documenting his life.

Keep an eye out on the REME Museum website for next years event, we’ll be there for sure, and in the van this time too! http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/ ”

 Jo.