TVR reunion to mar 70th anniversary

With a whole series of rallies and events being planned to mark the founding of the car company 70 years ago a select band met at the Morrisy Hotel in Dean Street to relive the glory years.

TVR has been brought back to life by entrepreneur Les Edgar with a factory in Ebbw Vale South Wales, but the famous light weight, high powered cars will always be associated with Blackpool.

Among those present was Martin Lilley who owned the firm from 1965 to 1982 who cut a celebration cake.

Martin Lilley takes a peek under the bonnet

Enthusiast John Bailie from Poulton said it was an enjoyable event.

He said: “The owner of the Morrisy Hotel is Leigh Edwards who is a real enthusiast and has part decorated his hotel with a TVR theme.

“Those present included David Hives, whose history with the TVR company spans nearly 60 years, including the first attempt at the Le Mans 24 hour race back in 1962.

“We also had John Mleczek who served at the company from 1974 to 2007 and whose his father Joe was there from 1962 to 1986, and his son Stuart for five years. We had former TVR service manager Heath Briggs, who now runs Wesham based X Works Service TVR, who brought along his fabulous gold TVR Chimaera, which has been completely restored by his company.

An eye-catching TVR at the TVR reunion at the Morrisy House Hotel

“And there was development engineer John Box, who transformed the wedge shaped 350i into a best seller, long serving employee Andy Clifton and Richard Sails, representing the award winning TVR Car Club.

“And then there was me... former owner of several TVRs, enthusiast and curious schoolboy who remembers pedalling to the Hoo Hill, Layton works on his pushbike after school to be entertained by the aforementioned David Hives.”

He added that the TVR Car Club was planning a summer drive from Blackpool, taking in all the former sites associated with the car to South Wales where the new TVR car is expected to be built later this year.