Page 103 - Bulletin 9 2005

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respective owners. After the inevitable photographs had been taken, a start was made for
home about 6 p.m., and town was safely reached about 7.30. The few minor mishaps which
occurred during the run were due almost entirely to inexperience, and in no case did they
prevent the respective cars from reaching their destination. Mr. Hennessy, however, was
somewhat unfortunate on the way out in getting on a very greasy piece of road, with the
result that a very bad side slip burst one of his back tyres, and necessitated the inner tube
being replaced by a spare one. All those taking part in the run appeared to have thoroughly
enjoyed themselves, and it was undoubtedly a red-letter day for automobilism in Cape
Town. It is to be hoped that the efforts of the club to popularise the pastime may meet with
the success they deserve. The following is a list of the cars etc., taking part in the run:
Decauville Tonneau, 8½ h.p., Mr. A. T. Hennessy; Toledo Steam Car, 5 h.p., Mr. W. M.
Jenkins; Benz Car, 6 h.p., Mr. B. Bartholomew; Benz Car, 4 h.p., Mr. B. Bartholomew;
Daimler Wagonette, 12 h.p., Mr. F. Muszlak; Daimler Char-a-banc, 8 h.p., Mr. F. Muszlak;
Cudell Car, 4½ h.p., Mr. A. B. Wessels; Cuddel Car, 4½ h.p., Mr. H. Magor; Cudell
Buggy, 4½ h.p., Dr. Arderne Wilson; De Dion Tri-cycle, 2¼ h.p., Mr. F. Whitaker; motor-
bike, 2¼ h.p., Mr. H. L. Jenkins; motor-bike, 1¼ h.p., Mr. H. Short; Locomobile, 5 h.p.,
Mr. Frank Wheeler; Royal Enfield Quad, 2¾ h.p., Mr. A. C. Fuller.

There seems to have been no thought of going further than Kalk Bay, as only a cart track

followed the railway down to Fish Hoek, which consisted of little more than a rail station

facing a sandy waste. This had to be crossed by cart to reach Kommetjie over on the other
coast. However, this did not prevent some entrepreneurs from forming the Kommetjie Bus

Company in 1902. This was a truly pioneering effort. There appear to have been two
vehicles, both made by the German Daimler Company, ancestors of Daimler-Benz. With

their narrow solid tyres they might have been suitable for the cobble-stone streets of Berlin,
but the Peninsula sands proved quite beyond their capabilities. They attempted to run a

daily service between Muizenberg and Kommetjie but having trundled down to Kalk Bay

the passengers thereafter complained that they spent much of their time helping to push!
(Fig. 3.2) This enterprising bus service, about the first in the country, failed within two

years.