Car Wreckers (1961)

C/Us of various prohibitive road signs; 'No Entry', 'No Parking', 'Waiting Limited', 'Meter Parking Only', a parking meter with a cover over it saying 'No Parking' etc. Commentator talks of parking restrictions becoming almost as big a headache as traffic congestion itself.
M/S of an old 1930s car in a scrap yard in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as a huge metal claw comes down from the sky, picks the car up and dumps it on a pile of others. Commentator explains that "Many thousands of owners of pre-1937 cars have not even tried to get a certificate of road-worthiness. And even many post-war cars are not considered worth the trouble when their owners can get 50 bob for them".
More lovely old '30s cars are clutched by the crane and dumped on massive piles as commentator says "...breakers all over the country are being overwhelmed by the old (and not so old) crocks pouring in".
Note: on file is a news article and photo from the Daily Sketch from February 1961 about the tests for road-worthiness that had just been introduced, apparently frightening people with pre-1937 cars off the road. Article says "Many breakers are refusing to take any more, even free".
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[@dannyshipley7590]

Those cars. ....Being crushed then..are today's luxury.
Or...a antique this day & AGE

[@stephenguppy7882]

Just imagine what they would be worth if they had been rescued and restored. Seeing these cars wrecked is actually quite upsetting in a way.

[@mauromazzoncini5711]

It's all quite sad actually 😞

[@marcosulmi5661]

Triste mesmo

[@alanhayes1176]

this scrapyard was called Jones.s in Waltham cross Hertfordshire

[@johndeacetis4707]

Yes WC Jones W/CRS Herts ..but I think they started in Edmonton N18/N9

[@kenh3344]

You obviously in the know then ?

[@bountyhunter4885]

Those old cars were tough thick sheet metal. The claw is struggling a bit. 😁

[@angelsone-five7912]

Wouldn`t it be something if that great heap of cars was still there? Dreams...........

[@GlacialLake]

it'd be a rotten pile of metal

[@nickjervis8123]

There is such a pile of vehicles in Derby with vines growing through them

[@angelsone-five7912]

@@nickjervis8123 Care to tell me whereaabouts? please....

[@timwebster8122]

Was this the purge of un roadworthy cars with the introduction of MOT

[@Douglas-up2vh]

Criminal...

[@thomasostarek7763]

So sad

[@singwaitang8822]

😥😥😥

[@nevittwoods1730]

👍