The Armstrong Siddeley was a car that only once produced a model that was a thoroughbred, and sadly it turned out to be the last model produced, the Star Sapphire.

The Riley sports of my father finally died in a field near Ipswich after yet again smashing through a hedge. The Riley was quite good at hedges....it had the practice, but the disc harrow parked behind bettered it by a wide margin. The smashed remains were left enmeshed with the harrow and we found a lift home!

The family all agreed that enough was enough and a more 'sensible' car was ordered. The Star Sapphire arrived and seduced us all. In maroon and cream it was luxury in every respect and drove us faultlessly many times through Europe and never let us down. The performance was more than adequate for the period and was still capable of being thrown around corners when the need arose. Dad began to get cross when passed by some faster cars and the car was sadly sold and changed for our dreadful Graber Alvis. It was a retrograde step in every way!