Roads to Oblivion - Triumphs and Tragedies of British Car Makers 1946-56

Roads to Oblivion Triumphs and Tragedies of British Car Makers 1946-56, by Christopher Balfour. Bay View Books, £24.95.

I suppose a book on dead makes is less morbid than a book on dead drivers, but I’m not sure why these potted histories should be assembled together merely in consequence of their demise. However, Balfour is good at placing each make in context with its rivals and the market, and the 24 defunct make entries are succinct and well-written. Equally the introductory overviews are brisk and authoritative, and instead of uncritically lamenting the passing of, say Invicta and Allard, Balfour takes the refreshing stand-point of “well, things change” He prefers to emphasise the British input to the whole picture of interdependent motor-manufacturing world-wide, and it makes a nice change to see a positive forward view in an historical work. G C