Re-creating the First Journey
In 1948 Hazel & Colin Chapman constructed their first car which became the Lotus Mark I. To celebrate 75 years of Lotus, on the 16th of December 2023, Hazel & Colin’s daughter Jane, and son Clive completed a recreation of the first ever Lotus drive that took place early in the spring of 1948.
Clive Chapman has realised a faithful recreation of the car that became the foundation stone of the Lotus marque and, fresh from trials on the Lotus test track at Hethel and the 75 Years of Lotus parade at the Goodwood Revival, Jane and Clive piloted the Mk I from Muswell Hill to Dunstable Downs.
When Colin and Hazel set off for that first outing, little did they know how far their adventures would take them. Clive and Jane set off from the very same lock-up garage in Alexandra Park Road where the original Mark I was built.
Having safely negotiated the South Mimms/M25 roundabout (which of course wasn't there in 1948) the Mark I and Clive's Emira acting as backup support vehicle, stopped for a short break from the cold in the Services.
A minor technical issue caused a breif halt in proceedings but Matt, Clive and Jane were able to deal with the problem and get the Mark I back en route to Dunstable.
A huge thank you to everyone at the National Trust Chiltern's Gateway Visitor Centre at Dunstable Downs for giving us access to the very same location Colin and Hazel visited 75 years ago. Wonderful location to shoot at... even if it was a bit cold and windy.
Jane sits in the Mark I in exactly the same spot on Dunstable Downs that Colin took the iconic image of Hazel sat in the original Mark I.
Hazel was well protected from the legendary freezing winter weather of 1948.
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