32th
Borgward International Meeting Bremen 2006 |
The city of Bremen this year looks back on 100 years of car manufacturing. Carl FW Borgward and its brand automobiles Hansa, Lloyd, Goliath and Borgward, from 1024 to 1961 so it was natural that the 32nd International meeting be held in Bremen
An early rise at 4am, a cup of tea, a bowl of cornflakes and then the doorbell
rings, and in comes Danny. Quickly, we load up the Big 6 and within a quarter
of an hour Peter Grove, Danny and I are setting off once again on the annual
pilgrimage to Germany. At Dover, we meet up with Nick Driscoll in his Combi,
carrying his Mother and John Wallis; Peter Clark in his Coupe, with Robert and
Mike; and finally George Sinclair in his Combi loaded with spares. Just time
for a warm drink before boarding the 8am, Norfolk Line ferry, to Dunkirk.
The nearly new ferry was only about a third full, so we had the unusual luxury
of choosing where to sit - one benefit of missing the August holiday period.
The channel was calm, so, by the time we arrived at Dunkirk we were in a relaxed
state ready to re-acquaint ourselves with driving on the Continent. Unlike Ostend,
where you are immediately plunged into town traffic, Dunkirk provides a much
gentler introduction to driving on the 'other side of the road'. There are long
stretches of road interspersed with roundabouts before hitting the motorway.
In pleasantly warm weather, we bowled along the motorways at 70 — 80mph.
Kilometres slip by very quicldy when you are used to miles. I expect the reverse
is true for continental drivers in Britain. Anyway, with no hold-ups, only occasional
heavy traffic, and a few rest breaks we eventually arrived at the Atlantic Galoprennbahn
Hotel, Bremen, about 9pm. There was no mistaking we were at the right place
because there was a 1908 Lloyd car (similar to a Ford Model T) displayed in
the foyer.
The next day, Friday, saw more and more Borgwards arrive and it became apparent
that the area in front of the hotel, although large, was not going to be big
enough for the number of cars attending. What a pity the event could not have
been held at the rear of the hotel where there was an expanse of mown grass
accommodating a horserace course. A welcome addition to the UK contingent was
Bob Moore and his Wife in their recently acquired black Coupe. The car looked
immaculate, but Bob was not happy with the performance over 60mph. With plenty
of knowledgeable people around, it was all heads under the bonnet. The carburettor
was number one suspect. It was discovered that the dashpot required oil and
that the emulsion tube jet was missing. The dashpot oil could be readily fixed
but the emulsion tube would have to wait until Bob got home. When these are
fixed, Bob should have a very nice car indeed. Peter Grove took advantage of
this servicing interval to change his brake light switch, which had become reluctant
to switch off.
On Friday afternoon, Peter, Danny and I decided to go to the Ship Museum at
Bremerhaven. Getting there enabled us to test for ourselves the much acclaimed
German transport system. It was not lacking. A 20min. tram ride into Bremen;
a short wait before a 50min. train ride to Bremerhaven; then, a 10min. taxi
ride to the museum. Our only oversight was not to get our
train tickets (obtained from an automatic machine), stamped by another machine
on theplatform. For this misdemeanour we were duly reprimanded by the ticket
inspector — in English!
The dominant exhibit in the museum was a trading ship, c 1100AD, which had been
raised from the mud in the haven. It was by no means complete, but ongoing restoration
work was filling in some of the gaps. Bremerhaven, at the mouth of the R. Weser,
is a most important German shipbuilding centre. Not too far away are Wilhelmshaven
and Cuxhaven. All evocative name from the Second World War. More recently, in
the 1960's170's shipbuilding was centred on building oil tankers. I remember,
at the time, the modernised German shipyards were very serious competition to
our own outdated industry. There were displays of tanker construction and cut-away
models. Other display cases were devoted to German naval ships. Again, harking
back to the war years, there was an example of a mini two-man submarine, which
appeared frighteningly claustrophobic. The men only had room to sit, or lie,
in there seats.
Outside, in the dock, was a big brother of the mini sub. A real life U-boat.
For a few euros we were able to go aboard and look around. The conclusion we
drew was that the crew must have been much nearer 5ft tall than the average.
Anyone taller would have developed a permanent crouch and suffered many bumps
to the head. Counting the bunks, it would seem there would have been a crew
of approaching twenty. I now understand why submarine crews are volunteers.
This particular U-boat was built in 1944/45 and thankfully, was never on active
war service. The statistics showed that about 60% of the U-boats were sunk.
Back at the hotel, Saturday is the main day of the meeting and an influx of
even more cars meant that they were having to be parked outside on the road
and adjoining business fronts. By this time, we had been joined by two further
members. Michael Gilmore arid Eddie Boyes, who had flown in to Hamburg.
On Saturday afternoon, it is customary for the organisers to arrange a trip
out to some local site of interest. This year was no exception and because it
was in Bremen, the home of Borgward, it was planned in some style. Our convoy
of possibly 100 cars had a police escort through the Bremen city centre out
to a shipyard on the R. Weser. Traffic lights were switched off and police manned
the junctions. If an interloper car impatiently sneaked into the line, it was
quickly turfed out by a police outrider.
At Lemwerder, the Werft Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard build big luxury one-off
yachts of the type favoured by the Abramovic set. After a conducted tour, we
enjoyed coffee and cakes in the staff canteen before making our way back through
the city centre. From there, we diverted to the Sebaldsbrack suburb to make
a sentimental journey to the former Borgward factory site. Now, it is owned
by Daimler-Chrysler, and it would appear that Mercedes SL Coupes are assembled
there. The original, iconic, Borgward three storey office block no longer stands.
Arriving back at the hotel, I was greeted by the news that I had been carrying
Eddie Boyes' suitcase in the boot of the Big 6. Unbeknown to me, he had lodged
it there for safe keeping in the morning. Despite much nail-biting and praying
for our early return, the fates were against Eddie who had to fly off home without
his case. Fortunately, he still had his travel documents with him. He retrieved
the case back in the UK.
We stayed in the Atlantic hotel our cars in the car park at the front and a racecourse at the back.
Du warst zu gut für diese Welt (You were too good for this World.)
A very late Combi with tail gate that opened upwards.
Hemi head and twin carbs.
Lunch soup and bread rolls.
Autojumble.
Hartmut Loges Chairman talking about the convoy to a ship yard and then to the Mercedes factory that used to manufacture Borgwards.
Coffee and cake while talking to the shipyard apprentices.
Mercedes-Benz Factory Bremen.
.
Borgward Isabella with Mercedes Disc brake conversion.
1908 Lufthansa Lloyd in Hotel Atlantic foyer.
Gala dinner in the Atlantic Hotel.
We stopped to see Anjo Bosman's Big Six restoration and then spent the night at the Holland Moors Hotel Zeddam.
Sunday came round all too quickly
and it was time to begin the homeward journey. We hoped that this year it would
be trouble free — last year we had to contend with a stripped timinggear.
The Big 6 back axle was a bit noisy but that wasn't much different from last
year. All went well until about 10 miles from Peter Grove's home when under
moderate braking the brake pedal started to kick back. Despite this we arrived
home intact. Peter told me later, that on inspection, he discovered a collapsed
wheel bearing, which he has now replaced.
So, yet another German trip is over. We all enjoyed ourselves and look forward
to next year when we think it will be in Hannover.
Norman Williams
John Wallis