Rare invalid carriage consigned for Shannons Melbourne Spring Auction
To give it its most accurate label,the Delta is an "invalid carriage", and Tippen was one of several manufacturers to produce these vehicles. 'Invacar' is probably the best known brand, but there were more than a dozen other manufacturers building these specialised vehicles at various stages throughout the last century.
The initial impetus for the creation of these vehicles was, as you'd expect, war. After World War I, invalid carriages, either motorised or hand-operated, were relatively common across Europe, as crippled and limbless war veterans sought a degree of mobility. Following World War II, the same need arose, with the vehicles offered becoming more sophisticated. The micro car craze of the 1950s fed further development, with the specification and standard of finish improving to the point that many of these invalid carriages were as well-equipped as some "full size" cars.
In 1955, Frank Tippen & Sons Ltd of Coventry released a three wheeled invalid carriage, known as the 'Delta', to the UK market. One of the first fully enclosed vehicles of its type (albeit with a canvas folding roof), the Delta was also innovative in its use of a fibre glass body and a sliding door to make entry and exit easier. Some models also featured a sliding seat that allowed the user to get in, then slide across, making room to stow a folded wheelchair. Steering was by tiller, with a motorcycle-style throttle and all the controls being hand-operated.
Most Deltas were fitted with Villiers engines, initially 8E, then, later, 9E 197cc two-stroke singles. Development meant a number of 'Mark' versions were released over the Delta's life to signify additions like solid disc wheels, twin headlights and changes to body style and appearance, although the same basic three-wheel configuration remained unaltered.
The lot consigned for Shannons Melbourne Spring Classic Auction is identified as a Mark IV from 1961. 'Mark' improvements continued right through to the Mark VIII of 1968. By this stage, an electric-powered Delta was also available and continued to be offered until the mid-1970s.
Changes toUK Government laws in 2003 made vehicles like the Delta illegal to drive on British roads, so most were collected and scrapped. This has made allinvalid carriages exceedingly rare in the UK and beyond, so this September will represent a truly rare opportunity to acquire one of these machines.
Most Deltas from around this period appear to have been finished in a pale blue fibreglass, but the restored example on offer has been painted in two-tone green with contrasting yellow wheels. As it shares similar technology to Reliant and Bond three wheelers,this vehicle should appeal to micro car collectors and enthusiasts. While it does wear Victorian 'Tippen' rego plates, the Delta's legality for Australian roads in unconfirmed.
Shannons Melbourne Spring Classic Auction takes place on Monday, September 12 at 321 Warrigal Rd, Cheltenham, with the first lot crossing the blocks at 7:00PM and a number of 'no reserve' lots consigned.
