The American truck which conquered The Wrekin in a pioneering stunt

Today it would be no bother for any self-respecting motor with claims of off-road ability. But back in 1929, a fully laden truck driving to the top of The Wrekin was a sensation which attracted thousands of people.

The Chevrolet six-cylinder 30cwt truck began its attempt at the Forest Glen on Sunday, June 23, in what was essentially a stunt arranged by Mr Vincent Greenhous to promote the fourth annual motor show being held during the week at his Greyfriars Motor Works in Shrewsbury.

At the wheel was Mr E G Hotchkiss. Beside him was a Mr Foggo, the sales manager. In the back was a full load of 32.5cwt of gravel.

Ahead was a trip of a mile and a half, but with a gradient averaging one-in-six, but for the most part one-in-three.

After about half a mile over a rough, stony surface, they came across a hairpin bend, well known to the many people who ascend The Wrekin on foot. A large crowd had gathered on the corner to see how the Chevrolet would manage it.

With skilful handling, and just one reverse, Mr Hotchkiss got round.

At the halfway mark non-skid chains were fitted. There were thousands of onlookers for the climax, with the side of the hill lined from the Cottage to the summit.

The final half of the journey was over a grass track. But the Chevrolet, which was using Pratt’s Perfection petrol and lubricating oil, completed the climb, and the subsequent descent, without a single hitch. It was claimed to be the first time such a feat had been accomplished by a commercial vehicle.

The Chevrolet was standard in all respects, and had been in use for over four months, during which it had driven 4,000 miles.

It was intended to repeat the exploit the following Thursday, but for some reason this had to be cancelled.

The whole thing had been a great advert for the Chevrolet trucks - at the time Vincent Greenhous had the franchise for the American Chevrolets and Buicks - and also for the firm’s motor show, which closed the following Saturday and had on display cars such as Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Cadillacs, La Salles, Buicks, Chevrolets and Austins, and commercial vehicles including the hill-climbing Chevrolet, and GMCs.

But when was the first successful ascent of The Wrekin by a car? On August 29, 1920, an 11hp Riley of Coventry car made it, driven by Captain Riley, a former RAF airman “who, when flying over The Wrekin on several occasions during the war, had often thought that it would be amusing to attempt to climb the hill in a motor-car”. His passenger was Miss Pat Riley (yes, yet another Riley), of Westcote, Wellington.

It was reported that while many motorcyclists had gone up the hill, it was understood to be the first time a car had completed the climb. But this is questionable as a car had got to the top of The Wrekin, albeit not to the summit, as early as 1904.

The Wellington Journal & Shrewsbury News of June 17, 1905, told how during the bank holiday a few days earlier a car bearing the London plate A494 and containing two gentlemen started its ascent by the Forest Glen and reached the Cottage.

That report attracted a letter the following week from one George E Newill, who pointed out that that car had only reached the Cottage, adding: “It may however be of greater interest to your motoring readers to learn that Mr Slaney, of Sunnycroft, Wellington, last November drove me, without the slightest mishap, to within 15 yards of the first gate, or ‘the Gate of Hell.’”

He added: “This is perhaps the more remarkable as the day was showery and the turf consequently excessively slippery. No other ‘non-skids’ were used than a few yards of hastily-requisitioned washing line. Judging by the reserve of power in the car, the summit should have easily been reached, had not great difficulty been experienced in feeding petrol into the carburettor owing to the excessive inclination of the car.”

And while we’re focussing on early motoring feats, what about the car which drove across the River Severn at Bridgnorth? It happened in August 1933 when, while being turned round, a car which had been parked in Underhill Street ran down the bank and into the river.

It proved impossible to drive it out from the same place, so the owner, Mr Kenneth Stead, of Park Street, Madeley, drove it across the river, underneath an arch of Bridgnorth Bridge, up Doctor’s Lane, and on to the main road to take him back home to Madeley. The river level was low at the time.