Hi All,
I thought those steam car owners in the UK should be aware of this bit of legislation which is due to come into force later this year according to this report....

4 / 10 / 05
New insurance requirements announced
On Friday, 30 September, Road Safety Minister, Dr Stephen Ladyman, announced proposals to make it an offence to own a car which is neither insured nor registered as off the road. This means that if a vehicle is licensed, it must be insured - or if it is not insured, the keeper must have declared SORN before the insurance expired. The measures have been tabled as amendments to the Road Safety Bill that is currently wending its way through Parliament and are expected to come into force later this year.
This follows a consultation on monitoring continuous motor insurance from the record that closed in February this year. FBHVC is checking to ensure that owners of vehicles that have been off the road since before the introduction of SORN will not be affected.

all the best, Jeff.

Lets confuse things a bit more.

My 1929 Aveling Tractor (conversion thing, now sold on) required an MOT despite the fact it weighed about 8 tons. My friendly post office would accept my explanation every year but the main post office would not.
My 1905 Fowler Road roller does not require an MOT because its pre December 1905, any newly registered steam vehicle ie; traction engine, steam cars that is post that date will end up with a requirement for an MOT. The traction engine trust has been fighting this with little success.

Now my steam car, its 1923 and had to comply with the MOT requirements applicable for that year. I have carefully and faithfully restored the car to as built including the lights. It would not comply to UK regulation as it was built to US specs. So additional lighting will be needed, so I only drive it in daytime and need no lights. The horn is a bulb horn which complies, I am still missing that elusive horn button, and the windscreen does not need wiper as it opens. So MOT no problem. No need for seat belts, emmisions etc.

I believe that models are exempt (or they used to be) from MOT requirements, so if you build a model of a Locomobile in a scale which is just below 1:1 you can claim its a model.

Any comments on this approach !

An M.O.T. is not worth the paper it is scrawled on, unless it is accompanied by a genuine character reference for the M.O.T. inspector. So what exactly are we the people paying for, when we have our cars tested?

Maybe the inspectors character is important in making the certificate valid but we have to have one. I would think that the vehicle owners character is also important, if you have a certificate for a vehicle you can still be an irresposible driver, but legal!

Jack.......

Car's responsible enough - just the driver that needs certifying.


Mike