Page 44 - Phonebox Magazine December 2016

Olney Brass
Olney Brass are pleased to announce that Neil Brownless has agreed to conduct the band whilst they audition for a new Musical Director following the sad news of the death of Guy Bennett. Guy had been with the band for nearly
three years and had led them to the rst place at the 2014 Milton Keynes Open Brass Band Festival and second place at the Leicester Brass Band Association contest in 2015. He was head of brass and percussion at Bedford School and will be sorely missed by his family, friends, pupils,colleagues and all of us at Olney Brass.
Neil is an experienced conductor and will continue to work with Towcester Band as well as helping us to ful l our engagements. The band are now looking forward to working with him to present our annual Christmas Concert at St Peter and St Paul Church Olney at 7.30 on Saturday 10th December. The concert will feature the Development Band, who since being formed in September 2014, have won Bronze Medal at the Milton Keynes Festival of the Arts and the newly formed Beginner Group. Led by David Rose, himself a member of the band,
We now have approximately 50 children who will progress to the adult band over the next few years thus ensuring the future of Olney Brass. Recently the adult band joined the Development band at one of their rehearsals and worked under the leadership of Ben Godfrey, a well respected trumpet player who works around the world and has several
Welcoming Neil Brownless
Newport Pagnell’s ‘lost’ motor car
The hunt is on
he hunt is on for Newport Pagnell’s ‘lost’ historic motor car – and it’s not an Aston Martin!
Few towns have the honour of a car named after where they were built. Newport Pagnell does in the shape of the
Salmons NP.
Almost 400 of the ‘NP’ (for Newport Pagnell), were made by the carriage-builder turned car company Salmons & Sons in the 1920s at its Tickford Street workshop – but where are they now? Local writer Chris Nelson hopes townsfolk and those living further a eld can help them track down a survivor.
The NP features in a new book about Newport Pagnell’s connection with Aston Martin, and its roots in the carriage builder Joseph Salmons, which preceded the famous luxury car marque. Salmons & Sons and Aston Martin – A town’s historic contribution to the UK transport industry tells of the fascinating journey from Salmons’ horse-drawn Victorian dogcarts, through Tickford, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, David Brown and Ford to James Bond and one of the most recognised automotive brands in the world.
Salmons’ NP or N.P. was launched at the 1922 Motor Show under the Salmons Light Car Company name and was the rm’s rst complete car offering ‘high quality within a modest package’ for around £550. But it failed to sell suf ciently and was withdrawn within two years. ‘But what happened to the 395 or so we know were built?’ asks Chris, who was born in Newport Pagnell and attended Ousedale School. ‘Surely they couldn’t all have disappeared? Could just one example still be sitting at the back of a garage, under a tarpaulin or quietly decaying in a barn, perhaps even in Newport Pagnell.’
television appearances to his credit.
We look forward to welcoming you at our concert, whether you are regulars, new to brass banding or just wanting to enjoy some festive music!
Tickets are available on the door or from info@olneybrass.co.uk.
We would also welcome enquiries from those interested in joining any of our three bands.
‘To have a car designed, built and named after Newport Pagnell is remarkable, yet apart from a few pictures all of the NPs have apparently been lost without trace. Sadly anyone who might have worked on the cars will no longer be with us but their families are perhaps still living in Newport Pagnell with stories, memories, documents or even parts of the NP,’ said Chris.
On Saturday December 3, Chris Nelson who compiled the book and publisher Richard Meredith, are holding a signing session between 10.30am and 12.30pm at the United Reformed Church Hall, off High Street, Newport Pagnell. They invite those with any information about the Salmons NP to come along, as well as anyone interested in Newport Pagnell and its fascinating automotive history.
Chris says that despite a remarkable 200 year association with the transport industry the town has not always had the recognition it deserves. ‘Finding one of the old NPs, even bits of one, would be a proud moment,’ he said.
44 Phonebox Magazine | December 2016