A Strachur Loch Fyne tourist cars Mystery

My Rhodia was recorded as a six seater hackney in1921 and was used by Alex Stobie from Strachur? It is registered as 1914 but may be earlier and was used in the Great War. Alex Stobie was in the RFC 1917-1919 and ran a taxi from Beach Villa, Strachur. His earlier taxi was a 1904 Clement that had been extended, by fitting in extra metal to the chassis, to enable its use as a charabanc. The Rhodia is of American manufacture utilising Empire parts. It is on the road and details can be found on the Lakeland Motor Museum site.

Hi all: how about a modern photo of the same location?.......

The charabanc at the left seems to be of later date, say early 1920s, maybe a Guy Runabout. The white one in the middle can be a Daimler, the big one on the right a Karrier, both 1910s.

Is this the same old girl, looking tired, but still at work in the 1930's in this postcard I wonder? http://www.creggans-inn.co.uk/creggans-inn-history.html

What an appealing photo! John Bates has made a good point concerning the postwar conversion of earlier commercial vehicles ( including war surplus army trucks ) to pneumatic tyres. This might indeed have happened to some of these characterful old charas. I think the white painted vehicle in centre foreground ( with bonnet open )is still on solids? Superficially, all the tyres seem to be "whitewall" type, but of course this is not actually so-it is road dust, which caused passengers so much discomfort then, even though vehicles such as these would generally be travelling, on country roads, at no more 20/25 mph, & hanging on to top gear as much as possible-embarassing for the passengers to have to endure the lurching & crunching caused by the rather difficult gear changes of the time. For the record, pneumatic tyres began to appear,in the UK, around 1922 as standard equipment on the lighter commercial chassis.

The charabancs solid tyres could have been replaced with pnuematic. This should mean a 1920s photo. but the vehicles could be earlier.

Pneumatic tyres were a selling point in post-war charabanc tours ! [url=http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/05/28/article-0-09CB3A16000005DC-705_306x439.jpg]See here.[/url]

[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282202/Bank-holidays-used-The-rare-images-1920s-bus-jaunts-nearly-lost-forever.html]These pictures[/url] of 'White Rose Arm-Chair Motor Coach tours' show a thriving business.

As the vehicles appear to have pneumatic tyres, the pre 1914 date may not be correct.

Those are charabancs and I think the date is more likely to be 1920s as they all look to be on pneumatic tyres. I don't know my commercials very well but the pale blue one at the front might be a Lancia.