MAC NEWS £1.50 where sold
Jan/Feb 2017
No 218
AWARDS DINNER REVIEW Williams F1 Tour Report From the Archive, New Staff
In 2017, Stratstone re eturns to Shelsley Walsh to contin nue our story of historic hillclimbing together.
Be a part of our sttory at
Stratstone.com
We’ll be back k this year for the sum mmer season of eventts with grandstand access, track k-side k side hospitality and exclusive car displays.
@ @StratstoneUK
Stratstone
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Editorial By Mark Constanduros
The MIDLAND AUTOMOBILE CLUB (est. 1901) Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Worcestershire WR6 6RP Telephone during office hours: 01886 812211 Fax No: 01886 812917 www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk
OFFICIALS 2017 President: J. W. Moody Vice Presidents: A.B. Griffiths, A.E. Gabriel, N.H. Harrison, M.D. Griffiths, F. Drasar, D.M. Nursey, J.J. Toulmin, D.S.Whitefoot Committee: I. Antony Harper (Chairman), M. Harrison (Vice Chairman), J.R. Wood, T.W.J. Moody, D.L. Ball, A.K. Harrison, Mrs M. Nightingale, S.D. Fidoe, P.G. Nuthall, C. Deas Treasurer: M Harrison Commercial Manager: Mark Constanduros Competitions Secretary: Robin Webb Event Coordinator: Anouzka Lowrie-Herz Competition Assistant: Rachel Lovett
Happy New Year! And what a start is has been. The office has been in full swing compiling the membership packs; not a bad way to introduce two new members of staff. Talking of new staff, we are delighted to welcome Sarah Browne and Anouzka Lowrie-Herz to the MAC. They have settled in very well and were introduced to those of you who attend the MAC Awards Night earlier in January. The year ahead is looking very exciting and we will update you more on these activities as they are firmed up. We also launched our new website which is now on the new domain: www.shelsleywalsh.com so please update your records. There will in due course be a new site for the MAC. The new site will allow us more control over the content, and be able to link it to other systems which will help to save on time and make us more productive. There is also a new ticketing system which again gives us greater flexibility managing our ticket sales. This month’s MAC News has our first report from one of our younger members, Archie Harper, who came along to the Williams F1 factory tour. Thank you Archie for your contribution. As with any magazine, it relies on contributors, so if you have been on one of the club’s organised events or have a relevant story to tell, please drop us a line. This issue came with your 2017 Membership Packs. I hope you enjoy the season ahead; we are certainly looking forward to it!
Finance & Membership: Sarah Browne Archivist: David Moore Auditors: Bloomer Heaven and Co The views and statements expressed are not necessarily those of the MAC. Correspondence also is the opinion of the writer only. The Midland Automobile Club accepts no responsibility nor endorses the products or services offered by the advertisers.
Front Cover: Andy Green and Richard Hollingworth Photo: Geoff Robinson Design and Print: The Printed Word
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New Office Staff We would like to welcome two new members of staff to the MAC, Sarah Browne and Anouzka Lowrie-Herz. Some of you have already met them, if you haven't you will do as the year progresses. The updated contact list is opposite should you wish to say hello.
Car Stickers & Their Application This year we have used a new supplier for our stickers so we can have a more complex sticker design. You may need to slightly dampen the windscreen when applying it to the windscreen.
MAC & RAC Agree to Work Together With the history of the RAC and the Midland Automobile Club (MAC) being intrinsically linked since 1901 when MAC became the first club to affiliate to the Automobile Club of Great Britain – which went on to become the Royal Automobile Club in 1907 – the two organisations have decided to build on their combined heritage by agreeing to support one another in the interests of preserving and promoting ‘classic motoring’ events in the 21st century. RAC spokesman, Simon Williams said: “Interestingly, 1901 was not only the year Midland Automobile Club was founded and joined the then Automobile Club of Great Britain, it was also the year that uniformed patrols were first introduced to the country’s roads. “It makes perfect sense that two organisations that have so much joint history should continue to work together in some way, particularly as the Midland Automobile Club still runs the oldest operational motorsport venue in the world – the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb – and the RAC is Britain’s oldest and most influential motoring organisation.” Mark Constanduros, MAC Commercial Manager said: “I am really pleased to welcome the RAC and look forward to our mutual support. We have a very strong classic element to the club and with Classic Nostalgia becoming a significant event too, working with the RAC makes perfect sense for both organisations.” About the RAC: http://www.rac.co.uk/about-us. MAC MEMBER BENEFITS WITH THE RAC The RAC are offering a preferable rate to members of the Midland Automobile Club on breakdown cover as part of their support. Details can be found by following this link: www.rac.co.uk/uk-Join/benefits. See advert on the Members’ Benefit Page. 3
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Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of The Midland Automobile Club (Est. 1901) will be held at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in the Stratstone Restaurant on the 7th April 2017 at 7.30pm.
Nominations for Committee Notice is hereby given in accordance with paragraph 48 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Midland Automobile Club (Est 1901) Limited that the Secretary will receive nominations for members of the Committee for the coming year to replace those retiring. 1. Nominations of members for the Committee (including a brief CV) should be sent to Robin Webb at the address below so as to arrive no later than Friday 3rd March 2017. The Midland Automobile Club, Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, Worcestershire, WR6 6RP. Tel: 01886 812211, Fax: 01886 812917 2. Each Nomination should be signed by at least two members of the Club. 3. No person shall sign more than one nomination form. 4. No person may be nominated as a candidate for the Committee unless they are a member of the Club at the time of nomination and have expressed their willingness to stand. The nominee must sign to agree they are willing to stand. 5. Members of the Committee retiring by rotation are eligible for re-election. 6. The Secretary shall notify members of the candidates for the Committee when giving the formal notice of the Annual General Meeting. 7. Should there be more candidates than vacancies, the election shall be by ballot, the result to be ascertained and declared at the Annual General Meeting.
MAC Member Benefits Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget that as a MAC member, you are entitled to many benefits that have been negotiated for you with some specialist suppliers who partner the MAC. For all of their details, please see the MAC Membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Benefits page in this issue or contact the office if you need any guidance.
Work Party 8th April The MAC's annual Work Party Day is a chance for the club members to come along and help prepare Shelsley Walsh for the start of the new season. If you can spare a few hours to come along it would be very much appreciated and a great chance to meet up with fellow members. Assemble in the paddock on Saturday 8th April at 9.00am for 9.30am start, and finish around 4pm with lunch provided. If you are available and can come along to help please let Anouzka know so she can add you to the list: anouzka@mac1901.co.uk, 01886 812211 (ext4). 5
Member Benefits The following companies offer benefits to members of the Midland Automobile Club. When contacting these companies make sure you say you are a member of the MAC.
RAC Membership from £29 As the UK’s most experienced breakdown provider, the RAC offers you more. Equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment our patrols fix 4 out of 5 cars at the roadside in just 30 minutes on average. It’s no wonder that 92% of our members would recommend RAC Rescue. Get covered today Visit rac.co.uk/uk-join/benefits
Quote MAC membership number to claim preferential rates when selling your vehicle at:
www.brightwells.com Breakdown cover arranged and administered by RAC Financial Services Limited and provided by RAC Motoring Services and/or RAC Insurance Ltd.
Special accommodation rates apply to MAC members & 10% discount for spa treatments, food & drink. Call 01299 896 666 to make your reservation. The Elms Hotel, Abberley, Worcestershire
Get three issues for £3.00 and save 15% off remaining issues. See advert in this magazine.
Trusted Insurance Partner Call 0121 506 6040 and quote 'MAC' for all your insurance needs and your next quotation
Use the code MACMEM2012 to claim a 15% discount on all products at www.bulletpolish.co.uk
Very special prices to MAC members, either fitted in Birmingham or delivered. No.1 tyre specialist in the Midlands
Please contact 0121 331 1122 and ask for the race division or e-mail any enquiries to racedivision@bmtr.co.uk. 6
15% off the Sunny Cam range Quote MAC2014SC
New Year’s Day Walk Photos. Rob Macdonald
The weather wasn't too great again for this year’s New Year’s Day walk of the hill. Numbers were slightly down but those who came braved the walk to the top of the hill.
Road to R4D Report By Andrew Davis
A real treat to hear Mac Hulbert explaining the development and engineering behind this most famous of the ERA family together with his experiences of driving and competing in the iconic machine which has always been so closely linked to Shelsley Walsh, not least when piloted up the hill by Raymond Mays himself. Supported by some excellent video clips and many fascinating stories, this was an evening to remember as Mac went through the many moves in this superb machine’s history. Our very own Archivist, David Moore, had contributed strongly to this splendid presentation which was topped off by an excellent Ploughman’s supper together with an honesty bar which was much appreciated by all present. Altogether a relaxed and enjoyable evening which was made even more enjoyable for me when learning about the front suspension being provided by the Porsche team! That of course is speaking from the point of view of being a Porsche Owner...
MAC Monthly Draw November Winners 1. RS Jones
£100
ALL PROCEEDS TO SHELSLEY ARCHIVE
2. NC Holder
£50
You can enter at any time.
3. J Whetstone
£35
4. NH Fell
£30
5. I Fidoe
£25
6. D Hawnt
£20
7. P Harris
£15
Print off an Entry Form from www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk or contact Rachel Lovett 01886 812211 rachel@mac1901.co.uk
8. J Grady
£10
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
7
Williams F1 Factory Tour Report By Archie Harper
The tour was on 2nd December at the Williams Formula 1 Centre in Wantage, which I thought was great as I got to miss a whole day of school for this unique opportunity. As we arrived at the impressive facility there was incredible topiary outside the front of the main building of a pit stop with an F1 car, there was also an old car hanging from the roof and a 2015 car in the foyer. There was coffee and biscuits on arrival which everyone appreciated a lot. This was in the German room called the Hockenheim which we later discovered that all the rooms in the main building had names of different Grand Prix circuits from around the world. The main tour started with a walk through the hall of fame with photos of past world champions driving for Williams such as Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. We then went into a room and watched a 5-minute video from Frank Williams talking about how he got into F1 and Williams. After that the wall opened into the museum of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest collection of original works F1 cars ranging from the 1970s to present day. The collection was so big in fact that they are beginning to run out of room in the museum floor. We learnt of the complexities of putting an F1 car design into reality and manufacturing it with the FIA`s regulations, such as the wind tunnel testing only at 60% size. We also learnt that Williams own one of very few wind tunnels in the world as the cost of building one is huge. After the collection we viewed some of the trophies and dummy cars you could sit in and simulate the experience of driving an F1 car. We then went across the car park to the F1 manufacturing facility which for me was the best part of the day as it is not open to the public unlike the collection; this was a unique opportunity for MAC members only. There were strictly no photos allowed in the facility as the work here was all kept hidden from other teams, as you can probably understand due to the extreme competitiveness and scale of Formula 1. We looked at the CNC lathes turning blocks of aluminium into hydraulic steering racks for the 2017 model. What I found amazing was that the factory floor was unlike any other of its kind as it was completely clean and sterile. Some of the rooms used for fitting parts together were sealed off to ensure this cleanliness. We looked at the Carbon Fibre tube manufacturing process and associated parts like the body work, the assembly areas for cars to be coupled with engines, the test rigs, the area where they practised pits stops with dummy cars and all the gear that they cart around to the F1 circuits. We finally finished the tour about 2 hours later than expected as we were all extremely interested and fascinated by the facility. This experience made me really appreciate the time and precision that goes into every tiny part of the race and car to ensure the maximum chance of success. Thanks to Mark Constanduros for a fabulous experience, it is well worth being a member. 9
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6SHFLDO DFFRPPRGDWLRQ UDWHV DSSO\ WR 0$& PHPEHUV & 10% discount IRU VSD WUHDWPHQWV IRRG GULQN &DOO 01299 896 666 WR PDNH \RXU UHVHUYDWLRQ Stockton Road, Abberley, Worcester, WR6 6A AT T
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The Midlands No 1 Tyre Specialist since 1919! Over 50,000 car, van & 4x4 tyres always in stock. Premium, mid range and budget tyres stocked. High performance tyres, sophisticated balancing and wheel alignment a speciality.
Pirelli Performance Centres Depot of the Year 2014. Very special prices for MAC members and their families. For a very special deal and a very special service, please email racedivision@bmtr.co.uk or call ...
10
Competition Secretary’s Report By Robin Webb, Photos. Geoff Robinson
After the last competitive event of the season, we immediately started on the considerable amount of preparation work for 2017. My first job is to finalise the draft calendar and then to contact every single Speed Championship organiser to find which of our events could host one of their rounds. This was complicated by some changes which included creating a ‘double header’ weekend for the British Hill Climb Championship in celebration of their 70th anniversary, extending the VSCC meeting to two days and creating a 7th hill climb weekend to incorporate the Reg Phillips meeting. Entries have been held back by a few weeks due to the new website but all seems fine now and entries have started coming in. The Sunrise Sprint Championship moves into its 2nd year with an external round at Castle Combe and the inclusion of two Shelsley rounds early on in the year. We’ve also tweaked the regulations and await the MSA’s approval for the proposed dates and changes. Some changes have been made in the paddock with the lower paddock fencing being replaced with fresh new panels and some resurfacing in Church Drive and parts of the paddock. We have also taken the opportunity to run underground communications cables for the PA system in the Orchard which was not working last year. Competitors will now be asked to use a new oneway system that utilizes a new road that has been installed through the orchard. Finally, a big ‘thank you’ to the office staff, especially Rachel, Toby (for arranging the guest speaker) and the competitors who supplied the four cars in the display area, for putting on a successful Presidents Dinner and Prize Winners Reception. My in-box was full of thanks after the event and we will make it even better next year based on what we learned this year. The date has been booked – 6th January 2018 – and the venue will, once again, be Stanbrook Abbey. This year was a sell out with a waiting list so don’t hold back in October, when tickets will go on sale. 11
MAC Karting Challenge
Thursday 6th April 2017 After the success of last year’s sell-out event, an evening of outdoor karting at Daytona’s 1000m track, Tamworth to find out who is the fastest MAC member.
Format of the event: 10 minutes practice/qualifying 30 Minute Race All equipment provided, just bring yourself Drivers must be at least 16 years old, MAC members’ friends and family are also welcome.
Robey’s Lane, Tamworth, B78 1AR Arrival time 7:00pm Contact the MAC Office 01886 812 211 to book your space.
12
MAC Sports & Classics – News & Events By Tony Harrison
MAC Classic events are open to MAC Members only, unless otherwise noted. Eligibility of cars – Vintage, classics and modern sports cars. Events Calendar for 2017 1st April 2017 – Bala Reliability Trial Re-Run. A re-creation of this epic event first held by the Club in 1907. Centred on Bala with some fascinating routes to enjoy. This will involve recording mileage covered and petrol consumption whilst visiting some specified locations 23rd April 2017 – The Roundabout Run. Starting and finishing at the Twisted Spoon, Upton Snodsbury, this will feature a number of stopping points of interest including Bourton on the Water. 22nd May to 26th 2017 – New Forest Trip. A reservation has been made for 20 rooms at the Moorhill House Hotel, Burley, New Forest for four nights, week commencing Monday 22nd May 2017, leaving on the morning of Friday 26th May. 25th June 2017 – Fish and Chip Run, finishing at Shelsley with supper. The start point is still being organised. Also to be noted, 22nd April 2018 The MAC Classic. The next of our biennial favourites, open to all Sports and Classic Car owners. We are also working on some other events for this year which are not yet finalised. Entry forms for Bala and the Roundabout Run are available in this issue or on our website. Any queries, please contact Gail Harrison on: 01562 700612 or classics@shelsley-walsh.co.uk.
MAC Monthly Draw December Winners 1. H Fletcher
£100
ALL PROCEEDS TO SHELSLEY ARCHIVE
2. JM Welsby
£50
You can enter at any time.
3. P Dales
£35
4. CA Loynes
£30
5. AJ Parffrey
£25
6. PE Voigt
£20
7. RH Jones
£15
Print off an Entry Form from www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk or contact Rachel Lovett 01886 812211 rachel@mac1901.co.uk
8. R May
£10
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
13
Michael William Hall By Peter Garland
Michael, universally known as Mike, was born on 24th January 1947, the first and only child of Jack and Lilly Hall. The family lived in Smethwick so Mike was a true black country boy, born and bred, a fact of which he was fiercely proud. Jack, and his elder brother Bill, owned a small garage in Smethwick where Mike got his first whiff of petrol and engine oil which was to inspire the passion he pursued for the whole of his life; cars, most importantly, fast cars. He attended the local schools in Smethwick but was not particularly focused on the pursuit of academic excellence, his real forte was his practical ability and he applied this to gain an apprenticeship to be a cabinet maker. He studied at Chances Technical College where he passed his City and Guilds exams and went on to work at Harris and Sheldon and then Langley Designs. At Langley he rose to be Works Director and was about to embrace a management buyout with his fellow directors in the early 1990s when a change of heart by the owners frustrated their plans. During this time Mike had been developing his motor sporting prowess through his love of Morgans. His first car, an MG TF, was sacrificed for his deposit on a new 1600cc 4/4Morgan but this proved disappointingly slow and the recently launched V8 powered +8 caught Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye. In 1971 he took delivery of JWP 497K which he trialled, sprinted and hillclimbed until, in 1981, his over exuberance got the better of him and he had a big shunt at Shelsley Walsh, writing the car off. Undeterred he set about rebuilding it, in the process of which he contrived to construct a brand new car with much help from Peter Morgan and the men at the Morgan factory and of course his dad Jack. The salvage of the old one was stored for a rebuild project later on but in 1984 a shiny new flame red +8 appeared on the hills. Mike was a determined driver, fiercely competitive with a style readily recognisable anywhere. It was all about grit and determination, hunched forward he would be urging the car forward to eke out those vital fractions of a second that would be the difference between winning and losing. He won often and was nearly always the fastest Morgan at the event, there were few who could beat him and if they did they had to be at their very best on the day. At the end of the meeting he would be the first to the bar, win or lose, with his hand in his pocket to buy a beer for the victor or the vanquished. 14
The other parts of Mike were the family man and the business man. He met Kath on a ladâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip to Majorca and married her in 1978. Two years later William was born, he was to become an enthusiastic follower of his dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s racing activities and later an integral part of the growth and success of their family business. Mike and Kath set up Vanity Hall in 1993 following the failed management buyout of Langley Designs. Frustrated by the actions of the owners Mike threw in the towel and set up in business on his own on barely a shoe string. Kath drew up the original business plan, made sales appointments for Mike, did the books and her full time job as well. Mike manufactured the products and made all the sales calls whilst his father and uncle, with a combined age of 170 (that is not a typo), drove the van collecting materials for production and delivering finished units. It was typical of the Halls, a true family affair with everyone making their contribution. The struggle to get it off the ground was rewarded through their hard work as Vanity Hall blossomed into a thriving and successful business. In 2006, just as the business was really beginning to flourish, Mike was the diagnosed with Parkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease. Despite this terrible setback he still managed his best ever time up Shelsley, 31.10 seconds, in September 2007. He battled against his illness for the next 10 years, still ascending Shelsley Walsh in under 34 seconds on both his runs at his final meeting in June 2014. In recent years he and Kath have spent a great deal of time at their lovely home in Lanzarote where Mike put that same energy and determination into designing and building a beautiful garden. Sadly they were not able to fully enjoy the fruits of their labours together as Mike succumbed to his illness towards the end of 2016. In racing, a finer competitor you could not have wished to pit yourself against. He was courteous, friendly, tenacious and always sporting, a true gentleman and lovely man who will be greatly missed.
15
16
Norton Tour Report An enthusiastic group of 20 MAC members visited the Norton Motorcycle factory in Castle Donnington on 9th December. We gathered in the showroom and were introduced to Andy from the factory who took the tour. The showroom had several models on display including several Norton Commando 961’s and a very shiny Norton Dominator. The factory is located on the ground floor of Hastings House which was the old British Airways offices behind Donnington Hall. Unusually they have left the offices as they were, complete with carpet and low ceilings, and assemble 750 bikes per year in a very calm and surreal atmosphere. The factory area showed us both Dominator, Commando Sport, Commando Café Racer and Commando SF Mk2 bikes in different states of build. Additionally we viewed the beautiful all new V4 RR road bike that has been developed in house from Norton’s experiences at the recent Isle of Man TT races. Across the yard is the frame fabrication department, which from January 2017 will be housed in a brand new factory building instead of the marque it is currently housed in. Andy explained the complicated process they go through to build a polished aluminium fuel tank. The top area alone is made up of 5 different pieces of metal welded together. Last but not least we watched the technicians assemble their bikes. Depending on specification this can take between 1 1/2 days to 2 1/2 days. After two hours we left wishing them all the best for a successful launch of the V4 RR. In these modern times let’s hope they can be as successful as they deserve.
Awards Evening Photo. Geoff Robinson
The Club’s Annual Awards celebration took on a new twist in honour of the 2016 trophy winners. It took the form of a prosecco in the magnificent surroundings of Stanbrook Abbey just a few miles south of Worcester. All the trophies were displayed together with a full loop photographic slide show of all attendees. Guest for the evening, Wing Commander Andy Green, was on hand to meet all winners and to join them for various photographs. Adding a further twist, the reception was followed by The Presidents’ dinner. A formal affair with an air of informality and our honoured guest entertained us with amazing stories regarding the ‘nuts and bolts’ of steering a land speed record car at 750mph. Finally, all guests were invited to take a glass of port in the display room next to the dining hall where MAC had four typical club cars on display including the Sunrise Sprint Champion Car, a trials car, a 70’s Chevron and a very expensive pre-war ERA. A great time was had by all and the venue has already been pre-booked for next year’s event. 17
18
Correspondance By Gill Dayson
Dear Members, Officials, Marshals, Competitors and Friends, I had to write and thank you all for my wonderful send-off. I was presented at the President's Dinner with a huge bouquet, a generous cheque and an engraved cut glass vase, which I will always treasure, thanks to your kindness and generosity. 20 years is nearly half of my working life, and I have seen a huge number of changes at the MAC and Shelsley, from the number of events, to the technology and the way that we do things, to the rules and regulations in hill climbing. I've made wonderful friends with whom I will keep in touch and I look forward to visiting when the season gets going in May. My new job is going well so far, but it's hard being the new girl and not knowing much yet! Best wishes to all, Gill Dayson
From the President & Chairman The President, Chairman and Directors of the club would like to thank the MAC staff for organising an excellent Annual Awards Reception and President’s Dinner that took place at Stanbrook Abbey on the 7th January. Thanks also to Toby Moody for securing the services of our guest speaker Andy Green. We should also thank all the members who allowed us to ‘show’ their cars in the excellent front room display. The evening was enjoyed by all who attended and the variety and attention to detail was truly superb. It was also opportune to meet the two new members of staff, Anouzka and Sarah and we were also able to thank Gill Dayson for her services during the last 20 years and to wish her well in her new employment. We understand that the Abbey has been pre-booked for next year on 6th January and we very much look forward to another great evening. 19
20
A.A. (Tony) May 1944-2016 Obituary By John Wood
The sudden and unexpected death of Tony May a few weeks before Christmas came as a shock to all his many friends especially in the motoring world. Tony was the son of C.A.N. (Austen) May, the well-known pre-war author and competitor whose book “Shelsley Walsh”, published in 1946, and now long out of print, is a classic reference work on the early history of the hill. With such a background, it is no surprise that Tony and his elder brother Tim had a great love of Shelsley and all aspects of motoring. Indeed, the May family A.A. May in his Cooper in 1967. MAC Archive home at Marsh Lane in Solihull for many years became a gathering point for all of those interested in motorsport. He was a competitor in the 1960s, firstly in a Mini and then a Lotus 7 as well as a 500 F3 car while his final appearance in competition in the 1990s was at the wheel of a TVR. He started his working career in the motor industry at P J Evans in Birmingham in 1961 and from there he moved first to Forward Engineering in Balsall Common and then on to Soams of Leamington achieving the accolade of becoming the youngest ever Service Manager in the process. Then, in the early 1970s, he changed direction completely joining the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh as Events Manager with responsibility for organising the Royal Show. Later, he would move to the NEC where he became Divisional Director running the International Exhibitions with a staff of 35. He was instrumental in starting the annual Autosports International show and it was also largely due to him that the early Formula Student events were able to take place at the NEC. He was a Committee member of the MAC between 2003 and 2010, organising special events as we strove to secure the future of Shelsley Walsh. In retirement, he helped to set up Race Retro at Stoneleigh, an event which has now become recognised as one of the foremost Historic Motor Sport shows. Most recently, he was heavily involved with the organisation of the first Bromyard Speed Festival in 2016. In recent years, he spent more time at his house in Salcombe where he was a close friend of Reg and Peggy Phillips but one could always expect to see his cheerful face around the paddock at Shelsley during the summer events. In addition to his love of cars, Tony had a great interest in all forms of transport; he earned a certificate from the Severn Valley Railway for driving a steam train while a 70th birthday present was a “flight” in a Boeing 747 Jumbo jet simulator. He is survived by his wife, Pip, his sons Jeremy and Roger and his grandchildren. He will be much missed. His funeral took place at St John Baptist Church, Berkswell on the 6th January. 21
From the Archive By David Moore
Last summer’s story about our first Shelsley competitor has prompted interest in other Shelsley historical snippets so I will be putting together periodic reports on the various enquiries I receive. Most come in by email, some by phone and a few from our Club presence at the NEC & Stoneleigh shows. The source can sometimes be a surprise; only last week, a conversation with a long-standing fellow member at Evesham Rowing Club revealed that his father, Dr G.E. Pinkerton, had bought Sydney Allard’s famous Steyr-Allard around 1953, following that with an AllardCadillac and then the H.W.M.-Cadillac, registered 2 BMF, which had been built up from various H.W.M. bits, including the original body off the prototype Jaguar-powered car, HWM 1. My contact has some photographs of these which he will look out, valuable to us as we do not have any shots of the latter two cars in the Archive. In return, I have provided him with the entry details which showed that his father non-started with the Steyr-Allard in June 1953 but recorded 48.98 secs in June 1955 with the Allard-Cadillac. He followed with a very respectable 43.20 at the August meeting with the H.W.M., thereby helping G.N. Mansell’s team of H.W.Ms to win the Team Prize. Martyn Cragg visited the club stand at the Classic Car Show to ask for information on the entry for a 1935 TT Singer, AVC 481, that he owns. He knew that it had competed at Shelsley, as he has a photograph of it between the esses on 28th September 1935, but knew little else. The Archive records show that two works Singer 9s were entered in the 750-1100 cc class that day, one for famous racing and rally driver S.C.H. (“Sammy”) Davis and the other for Stanley Barnes. Barnes was entered in the Sports Car class and Davis the Racing class; the former clocked 65.0 secs which was not fast enough to secure a second 23rd September 1935. run whereas Davis achieved a much Davis. Collectors Car Magazine August 1980 edition faster 51.4. Amazingly Barnes won the Sports class because there were no other entries whereas Davis went home empty-handed! Both cars were entered as “Singer Le Mans” which name was used for a limited production model at the time but in reality they were the cars used in the TT, Martyn advises. A particularly pleasant task has been to provide Mac Hulbert with much information on ERA entries at Shelsley for his recent book on R4D by Porter Press. This impressive publication is now on sale and Mac has been kind enough to give the Club a signed copy for the Archive. R4D is so much a Shelsley icon that it has been a pleasure to trawl through the records to provide clarification of its appearances on the hill, in some cases allowing correction of information held by renowned sources! Mac has been a great competitor at Shelsley and it was enjoyable to attend his recent talk in the Restaurant; we wish him well for his post-R4D motoring. 22
Denis Bissell was in touch to ask if we have any information about the “BBS” special that was built in the early 1960s by Bucklers for Rivers Fletcher. It was a very small single-seater which had various engines but ended its short life with a Triumph 650; after being shown at the 1964 Racing Car show it was lost in a barn fire. Denis bought the remains in the late ‘60s and has now rebuilt the car which he will bring to Shelsley when rebodied. Sadly, I was not able to give him good news as the car never came to our hill but I was able to provide more information on the car from the Buckler history file we have in the Archive. Simon Moore emailed to ask about Delage 1½ litre GP car entries at Shelsley. He is helping Daniel Cabart, from Verson in France, in compiling a list of all competition appearances of these cars as part of a forth-coming display of all surviving cars at next year’s Retromobile. The 15 S8 Delage was a fabulous car with a twin-cam, straight-8 blown engine in an extremely low chassis which gave phenomenal handling for its day. 170 bhp at 8000 rpm was an amazing output for 1926 and not surprisingly, the cars swept the field in 1927 winning the European championship. 18th July 1931. Howe Only two drivers were to appear at Shelsley with them, Earl Howe in July 1931 and Capt J.C. Davis who competed several times between June 1932 and Sept 1934; some of these entries were news to M. Cabart and have been added to the list. To underline the car’s brilliant design, Dick Seaman finally managed to buy Earl Howe’s car around 1935/6 after much persuasion, Howe having decided that ERA was the way to go for the 1936 season. Seaman employed renowned car fettler Giulio Ramponi to update the Delage stiffening the chassis, fitting hydraulic brakes and uprating the engine to 195 bhp and in this form, won various voiturette races in Europe, some at the expense of ERAs! This success brought him to the attention of the Mercedes GP team who took him on for the 1937 season which was to unfortunately lead to his death driving for the team in the 1939 Belgian GP. Roger Duysters from Delft, Holland emailed asking for supporting information on two Shelsley photographs he had acquired showing a Bugatti in 1934 and an ERA in 1947 or 8. The competition numbers allowed identification as respectively W. E. Whadcoat, a regular entrant at Shelsley Walsh for some years, who in 1934 was using a Bugatti T37A and the ERA was Bob Ansell’s R9B at the 21st June 1947 meeting, in 1½ litre form. Stuart Derrington was in touch about his father Vic, a racing driver in the 1930s and famous purveyor of tuning parts for many models. He raced Salmsons, Wolseley Hornets and MGs amongst others and no doubt many cars that competed at Shelsley used tuning parts supplied by V. W. Derrington Ltd of Kingston. Checking our records showed that Vic Derrington entered just the once at Shelsley; that was on 25th June 1932 when he competed in a 1271 cc supercharged Wolseley Hornet in the 1100-1500 cc Sports Car class. His time was 66.8 seconds which sadly for him was above the Class cut-off time of 60 secs so he was not allowed a second run. Stuart was grateful for the information which has been added to the list of his father’s competition exploits. More to follow in future issues. 23
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Brand Mechanical Engineering Co. 25 Wainwright Street Aston Birmingham B6 5TH Tel: 0121-327 6622 Email: brianbrand2002@yahoo.co.uk
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J. H. Berry & Company Goldsmiths
English Hop Jewellery Gemstone Cufflinks Pearl Importers Registered Valuers and much much more at:
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For Sale Bewley / Yamaha 1000cc Single-seat Sprint / Hill Climb Race Car. This car has been rebuilt on a new chassis by a Professional Engineer with many years’ experience in competition; it has been prepared to a very high standard and is virtually brand new. Fitted with new Compomotive wheels, Repackable silencer, Tachometer, Racing carburettors, all rose joints suspension and steering system, Brakes etc. Anderson Jack plug fitted. Engine fully tested and ready to go. Spare engine and wheels with car. The car has been geometrically set up by Ian Dayson, and fitted with new HANS (2021) seat belts, only been out on a Test day and one sprint at Curborough since, on new A15 slicks. Performance is most impressive and this car will be very competitive in the right hands. Capable of Shelsley in 28 secs. With the FZR engine. An exciting prospect for someone. Only for sale due to change of plans. £6500.00 ONO Mob 07989042977 Tel Buxton 01298 24644 E honestk@talktalk.net LOTUS FORD TWIN CAM ENGINE 1,380cc with very large valve head Revs to 10,000+ RPM 140 BHP at flywheel Used in my successful hill climb Lotus Seven for many years. Price includes: Twin 45 DCOE carburettors Modified distributor Ford “Big Wing” sump Twin cam exhaust manifold Engine stand £1,750 Rob May Tel. 01299 266087 (rob.may39@btinternet.com) Marshals’ orange overalls Never used, a bit dusty from being stored. Size 44 Regular. Booklets still attached certifying standards for welding and thermal hazard, heat and flame, also for electrostatic properties. Currently in the office, if you want to see or try them. Cost £90 – offers please. Brian Knibbs (ex Silverstone staff) bkharleyd@gmail.com or Gill on 01886 812211 gill@mac1901.co.uk Westfield S Eight Reg DX05 VCN, 7,500 miles, 3.5 litre Rover V8 engine. Ideal road going and hill climbing car. Dry stored. Ring 07801654838 for details. Best offer secures sale. Triumph parts Mostly Spitfire, some GT6, some Herald. Engine, gearbox and suspension parts plus other miscellaneous bits. Cheap to clear as I want the four garage shelves for my Lagonda parts. Contact Alan Wheatley 01885 489444 or afwheatley@mac.com Portable Garage I have a brand new, unused portable garage for sale. It is 5.5m long x 2.4m wide x 2m high to ridge/ 1.7m high to hip. It is heavy duty olive green breathable canvas – not to be confused with polyethylene or nylon equivalents. As I have found out, it doesn't normally need planning permission unless you live in Green Belt... It cost £900 and I'm asking £390 or nearest offer. Buyer collects from Martin Hussingtree (some of the poles are 5.5m long, so you’ll need a big vehicle or trailer). Contact Nick Fell: (h) 01905 452663 (m) 07710 090670 30
Wanted OLD MOTORING BOOKS REQUIRED The Shelsley Walsh Bookshop would be grateful to receive donations of any old motoring books or motoring memorabilia for resale. All money raised will go to support the Archive. Please contact Alex Harrison 01905 356631.
New Members New Members since Nov 17
Associate Members
Paul Bitson, Redditch Richard Hill, Chester Roland Knott, Leamington Spa Dean James, Bromyard David Macpherson, Cardiff Andrew Maclean, Abingdon Russell Spencer, Rhosgoch Steve Unwin, Bromyard Bruce Aitken, Nonington Clive Dawe, Dudley Jenny Grant-Parkes, Worcester
Bill Houle, Wolverley Mark Turner, Manchester
Junior Members Jack Bailey, Kingswinford Stephen Astley, Dudley Nathaniel Abiola, Birmingham Daniel Durber, Dudley Morgan Henry, Welshpool Kieran Horley, Halesowen Morgan Simpson, Kingswinford
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Midland Automobile Club Sports & Classics ‘Bala Reliability Trial 1907’ Re-run Saturday 1st April 2017 UPDATED FORM (This is a Club event only open to MAC )
Meet at 9.15 am for coffee and biscuits and finish back at Bala for tea and cake. The start location will be The Gorwelion Centre, Bala. The route is approximately 100 miles. Please note this is not a ‘tulip route’ event, but participants will be given details of villages/places to pass through en-route. Driver ................................................................................................................................ Passenger ........................................................................................................................ Address ............................................................................................................................ .................................................................... Telephone No. ........................................... Email address ................................................................................................................... Car Make ................................................... Model ......................................................... Year ........................................................... Colour ........................................................ Registration No. ......................................... MAC Membership No. ............................... (Entry restricted to Vintage/Classic cars or Modern Sports Cars. Please make every effort to use the car as entered above.) Entry fee: £35 per car for driver and one passenger.
Signature .................................................................................. Date ....................................... Places are very restricted and will be on a ‘first come, first served basis’. Closing date for entries is Monday 8th March. Final instructions will be sent out after entries have closed, just prior to the event. We regret that no refunds will be issued after the closing date. Please forward entry form, and cheque payable to the Midland Automobile Club to: Gail Harrison, 14 Mill Close, Blakedown, Worcestershire DY10 3NQ (01562 700612) e.mail: classics@shelsley-walsh.co.uk. If no e.mail address, please forward an A5 stamped, addressed, envelope for receipt of final instructions. MSA waiver
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BICESTER CLASSIC & VINTAGE CAR & MOTORCYCLE AUCTION
BICESTER
Wednesday 5th April 2017 “We are delighted to invite clients to consign their classic vehicles for our launch event in April and be part of our exciting new venture at Bicester Heritage.” Richard Binnersley - Brightwells Joint MD
Entries close: Friday 24th February 2017 For a free, no obligation valuation contact classiccars@brightwells.com
Autohouse London
The Guard House, Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 5HA
01869 229 222 brightwells.com