City and Guilds College Veteran Vehicle Motor Club’s “Boanerges” - 2023 - Present

A little history of Bo’
Boanerges literally meaning “Sons of Thunder” is the motorised mascot of the City and Guilds College Union (Engineering) of Imperial College London. He is one of two remaining James & Browne vehicles and dates from 1902 making him among the oldest running cars in the world. He partakes in the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, an event for pre-1905 vehicles celebrating the end of the Red Flag Act in the United Kingdom. Bo’ II was purchased by engineering students at Imperial after Bo I (1906 Rover) was abandoned in a political stunt in 1929. Bo’s long list drivers have included an eclectic mix of academics, WW2 pilots, and engineering executives.

What is Bo’ ?
Bo has a two-cylinder 2.5 litre engine rated at 9HP with an uncommon design being horizontal and featuring a large flywheel between the cylinders. He is of a Tonneau design weighing approximately 800-900 Kgs. His 4-speed cast aluminium gearbox with reverse was highly unusual for the time.

How are students and myself involved?
A team of approximately 10 students including myself maintain and run Bo’ throughout the year, maintenance is often very involved due to the bespoke nature of every component on Bo. If a component breaks extreme care has to be taken to match the inconsistencies of the original design otherwise he often won’t run! Maintenance is carried out in the CGCU VVMC garage and is often done in collaboration with the RCS and RSM Motor Clubs who are the custodians of Jezebel (1916 Dennis N-Type Fire Engine) and Clementine (1926 Morris). Students like myself are trained to use the equipment such as lathes and milling machines in the workshops. The clubs all maintain strong links with alumni and Bo' garage is supported by the CGCA.