Page 14 - Beep Beep August 2022

Amphibious cars at ‘Thames Trad Festival’ at Henley-on-Thames [UK] in 2022.
I came across this fascinating event whilst setting questions for our recent Trivia Night.
I remember a number of these ‘cars’ around in the ‘60s but they never really caught on for general use! Even some input from Richard Branson didn’t turn the tide of popularity [pun intended]. He crossed the English Chanel in a ‘Gibbs Aquada’ in 2004, setting a record for the crossing of an amphibious car of
1hr 40mins. [This record was broken the following year.]
A full history of amphibious vehicles can be found via Google, and interesting facts at www.drive.com.au
Myra Doyle
Amphibious cars on the Thames: 2022
OWNERS of more than 60 amphibious cars from around the world spent a week camping in Henley while taking cruises along the River Thames.
The group, which has been meeting informally since 1988, gathers in a different country every summer and this year it was Britain’s turn.
Co-founder Bob Skinner, from Sussex, decided to stage the gathering in Henley as he and several other members are regular exhibitors at the Thames Traditional Boat Festival, which takes place at Fawley Meadows every July.
Owners came from 11 different countries, mostly in Europe although some travelled from as far as Moscow. During the event week they split up into groups and explored the Thames at Shiplake, Mapledurham, Hambleden and further afield.
Many of the vehicles dated back to the Second World War and included a number of Ford GPAs and GMC DUKWs, or ‘Ducks‘, which were built for use by the American Army; included as well, a number
of Schwimmwagens, which were their German counterpart. There were also models from the 50s and 60s as well as modern-day vehicles which had been converted to run on land and water.
The British participants included Lyndon Yorke, from Marlow, an inventor and member of the Eccentric Club of Great Britain.
Co-founder Mr Skinner said: “There are similar gatherings in America but they struggle to get the numbers because it’s such a big country, so I’m pretty sure this is the biggest meeting of its kind in the world.
“It’s lovely that this event has been going on for so long. I know lots of people who’ve been coming since the beginning – some were just children when they first attended but they now have young ones of their own. “We’ve had a lovely week and everyone had a thoroughly good time. I knew they would love it because this area is so charming and quintessentially English.”
Ray van Riel, from Holland, who attended with his 1943 Ford GPA, said: “I’ve had a really relaxing time. It’s a shame that the weather was so rainy in the first few days but people tell me that’s typical of England!!”
Info in this article from the Newspaper : The Henley Herald.
Purely recreational amphibian cars include the 1960s Amphicar. With almost 4,000 pieces built, the Amphicar is still the most successfully produced civilian amphibious car to date.
Amphicar on dry land
14