Brooklands Bulletin: Issue 83 Sep/Oct 2023

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023

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contents

brooklands bulletin

The Journal of Brooklands Members

Welcome

A friend of mine recently appeared on a programme about reuniting long-lost family members. It was touching to see him and his siblings brought back together, and it reminded me that Brooklands is about putting us in touch with not just our past, but the present and future.

Nowhere is this more apparent than when talking to the ever-enthusiastic Tom Corry, who is the seconded teacher at the Museum. Tom has boundless energy and ideas for making STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) subjects more easily accessible and attainable to students using Brooklands’ amazing history and stories as the hook. Along with Brooklands Innovation Academy, it perfectly demonstrates how bringing together what has gone before so ably informs where we will head as we seek solutions to so many challenges.

Another shining example of the past, present and future coming together at Brooklands was Motorcycle Day. Of course, this is a celebration of the machines that raced at the Track originally and seeing them being used is always a highlight.

However, there were plenty of new twowheelers at the event in the form of electric motorcycles. Regardless of your thoughts on electric vehicles, these battery-powered machines were very interesting, thoroughly engineered, and generated a discussion that is vital to plotting the future of transport.

As ever, Brooklands is at the centre of these developments, so make sure you don’t take too long to reunite yourself with the stories at the Museum and plan your next visit soon. I’ll see you there..

16 26

14 REGULARS

FEATURES

News.....................................4 Chairman of BMT Message....7 Museum Updates...................9 Forthcoming Events.............10

Alisdair Suttie Editor Brooklands Bulletin

Letters.................................12

Front Cover photo: Richard Wheatland

Reviews...............................49

Become a Member

Around the Collection..........50

Brooklands Members is the official support organisation for Brooklands Museum and is dedicated to raising funds for the preservation of the historic Brooklands site.

Members receive the Bulletin six times per year and enjoy free admission to the Museum, except when major events are taking place, in which case additional charges may apply. Club Level Members have access to the Clubhouse Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday lunchtimes.

For full details of membership benefits, contact the Members Administrator, Sarah Dover 01932 857381 ext 226; or wwwbrooklandsmembers.co.uk where you can find the latest news on Brooklands.

Members’ Matters...............44

30

A tale of two wheels............14 Art and soul.........................16 Second chance Alvis.............26 Badges of honour................30 London calling.....................36 An innovative teacher..........38

38 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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news Award film highlights BIA

Brooklands Innovation Academy (BIA) has been highlighted in a new film created by the North West Surrey Alliance (NWS) and Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH). Both the NWS and ASPH ran workshops during the 2022 event and will both be supporting the next BIA in October.

The new film includes the presentation of the Tim Spencer Award, which was developed in partnership with the Bourne Education Trust. This award was presented

by Medical Director Dr David Fluck, Professor Pankaj Sharma from ASPH, and Penny Alford, Chief Education Officer of the Bourne Education Trust. It was given to three students from North West Surrey.

The Tim Spencer Award commemorates Tim Spencer, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who was the first medical director appointed for St Peter’s Hospital NHS Trust in 1992, who sadly passed away in 2021.

At the 2022 Brooklands Innovation Academy, the ASPH clinical education

put together a selection of learning activities for students to take part in. It included how pulse oximeters, ultrasounds, and Doppler machines work and how they are used in hospitals to care for patients.

The aim is to help raise the profile of the many NHS career pipeline opportunities available to young people within their local communities.

You can see the film by scanning the QR code or by visiting: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Jr5lt4_ydFM

Annual Dinner date set The Annual Dinner will be held on Friday 3 November and the dress code is Black-Tie or White Overalls. It will be held in the Napier Room at Brooklands, and we are delighted that it will once again be in the company of our President Damon Hill OBE. Some say the guest speaker for the event will be the original Top Gear Stig, and they’d be right as we have none other than Perry McCarthy joining us.

Tickets are £110 per person and are available from the Museum’s EventBrite account. Please note that tickets can only be purchased from here. Please look out for future communication and links. There is a transaction fee of £1.75 per order that will be levied at time of ticket purchase.

David Brockington-Hill

Message from Members’ Chairman This is my last Chairman’s Message, so instead of my usual update on recent activities, I hope you will indulge me and allow me to provide you with a broader look back at developments since I took over as your Chairman at the 2014 Annual General Meeting. In my Annual Report in the last edition of the Bulletin, I reported that we are currently a thriving members organisation, with well over 7000 Members, and have recovered well from the inevitable decline in membership caused by the pandemic. This gives me much satisfaction, as both the Museum and Members’ Committee have worked together to drive both recruitment and retention towards these record figures.

Our contribution to the Museum balance sheet has never been as important as it is in these challenging economic times, and moving forward I am sure this will continue with the new Committee under Kevin Lee’s leadership which will take over the reins at the forthcoming AGM. We are acutely aware that membership subscription rates have, of necessity, increased significantly. If progress in recruitment and retention is to continue, we must ensure they still represent good value for money. Although our rates are directly linked through a complicated formula to the admission rates for visitors, where we can enhance the benefits of membership without breaching Gift Aid requirements, we have always sought to do so. A good example was the premium payable for admission to ‘Premium’ events. While we understood the need for the charge, we felt it

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

was unfair on Club Level Members who had already paid more than the standard membership fee, so we were able to reach agreement to remove it.

We continue to offer an enjoyable programme of Events and Talks, where Members can come together, hopefully feeling that they belong, rather than just contribute, to the Museum. The Talks programme offers the chance for Members and guests to gather over a hot meal in advance of the talk itself around the large round tables in the Bluebird Room. The programme continues to grow in popularity and many talks are sold out in advance, but fortunately the Brooklands Members TV team has stepped in and record and livestream them, so that Members unable to attend in person can still enjoy the talks. The programme of off-site events continues to be popular and ever more varied too, with destinations near and far, including trips to Europe. Although both these programmes are headed by serving Committee members (Harry Sherrard for Talks and David Brockington-Hill for Events), the teams supporting them deserve a lot of thanks and praise for their efforts. Our flagship on-site event, our Annual Dinner, has been reinstated following covid and I am pleased to report the date for this year has now been set for Friday 3 November and that our President, Damon Hill, will be attending.

news Brooklands hosts F1 stars for Tyrrell book launch

Formula 1 stars Sir Jackie Stewart, Martin Brundle and Eddie Cheever were joined by mechanics, designers and others from the Tyrrell team to launch Tyrrell: The Story of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation by Richard Jenkins.

Published by Evro Publishing, the book covers the Tyrrell team’s history and includes many previously unseen photographs.

Following the private event for the book launch, Brooklands Members attended a Q&A session hosted by the Talks Team with several of the Tyrrell team members.

Sir Jackie Stewart is pictured with author Richard Jenkins and four of the original ‘Golden Era’ team mechanics from his time at Tyrrell: Rob Coleman, Terry Coleman, Gordon Parry, and Roy Topp.

A full review of Tyrrell: The Story of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation will be published in the next issue of the Bulletin. To find out more about the book, visit: www.evropublishing.com

Communicating effectively with our Members has often been challenging, as they are transitioning at different speeds into the digital era. The Bulletin has improved significantly since we switched from A5 to A4 format, and we know how much Members appreciate it dropping through their letterbox six times a year. However, given that publication schedule, it is not ideal for communicating updated information on current and upcoming events, and the e-newsletter has fulfilled that function for several years together with the website, as most of our Members have access to the internet.

We recognise that social media plays an increasing role in our communications strategy, and this will grow further going forward.

The popularity of it among the membership has been evident since the launch of our Facebook Group, with more than 800 requests to join in the first three months. The reach of our digital platforms, ably managed

by Mark Jarman, through Vimeo and YouTube continues to exceed all expectations, with more than 1.7 million views, promoting both the Museum and the Members.

In 2018, Kevin led discussions for us with the Trustees, drafting a new set of rules that reflected the changing times as the original rules had been in place for a decade. It was an important task, and although many of the changes were minor, two were very significant – the introduction of term limits (nine years) for Committee members, and allowing online voting if we wished to implement it. Several of those serving on the Committee at that time were founder members and had already served for more than nine years, so losing them all immediately would have been very disruptive. Consequently, transitional arrangements were introduced allowing those affected to seek a three-year extension to their terms. That period was again

A gathering of the Vickers Viscount Volunteers marked the 75th anniversary of the first flight of Brooklands Museum’s aircraft, G-AHRF, on 16 July 1948. The Volunteers met in the Members Bar and celebrated with a cake alongside the Viscount.

Amanda Sutherland

Get your Christmas jumper on for Members Luncheon Sunday 3 December is the date for the Members Christmas Luncheon Festive Party and Christmas jumpers are expected.

This will be the first time we have been able to gather for the luncheon post-covid. For those who have not been before, it is a light-hearted festive event that really gets people into the Christmas spirit while supporting the Museum.

Prices and details of the after-lunch speaker will be confirmed soon. Or, if you have a favourite topic you’d like to entertain us with, you can volunteer to be our speaker.

David Brockington-Hill

extended due to the pandemic, so the last of the founder members depart this year.

The introduction of online voting, enabled by the new rules, has proved to be extremely successful and helps to promote the theme of ‘belonging to’ the organisation that I referred to earlier. What is particularly encouraging is that with a record five vacancies on the Committee this year, we have 12 candidates standing. Voting is still underway as I type this, but the results will be declared at the AGM on 20 September. Kevin will inherit a ‘refreshed’ Committee and I wish him every success for the future.

I would like to thank all past and present Committee members, Trustees, and Museum management for all the support and guidance they have provided me, and of course all of you as Members for engaging so constructively. The last nine years have been challenging, sometimes frustrating, but never dull!

My predecessor, Philip Strickland was, and is, a charismatic figure and I always knew that he would be a difficult act to follow.

I mentioned this at the time of my appointment and was advised by the late and much missed Alastair Pugh not to try and replicate Philip’s swashbuckling style, but just to concentrate on my principal role as a bridge between the Members and the Museum, and to represent the Members to the best of my ability. I have always tried to do this, even when change has been relentless over the past few years with events that we could not have anticipated. As I look back at more than 50 messages that I have written for the Bulletin, they chart both routine and very exciting times. Either way, I hope you have found them informative.

Neil Bailey SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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news Message from the Chairman of the Brooklands Museum Trustees On behalf of the Trustees and the Museum, we did not want Neil Bailey’s retirement as Chairman of Brooklands Members to pass without the opportunity to say a few words.

When one takes on a role like Neil’s, the objective at the end of the period of tenure is to leave that organisation in as good if not better shape as he inherited it.

Well, Neil has achieved this in volumes in his own quiet and gentle way. He has been assiduous in his attention to the Members’ Committee and the affairs of Brooklands Members, and he has dedicated his time selflessly. Brooklands Members are an integral and a vital part of this museum and our second most important source of income. Neil has forged strong links between the Museum and his committee, and we have all benefited. Membership has grown throughout his period of tenure, other than during covid, and attrition levels have consistently reduced resulting in it standing at its highest level ever.

While support for the Museum is important, a vibrant offering to Members is vital and here Neil has excelled. He has provided the umbrella under which Members’ services have expanded and he has encouraged those with initiatives and areas of responsibility to

‘run with the ball.’ Whether it’s the development of the Bulletin, our social media presence, our Talks programme, BM.tv with its national and international reach, Members’ events, Outreach, Tours, or Fast Track to name but a few - all have flourished.

Of course, we all remember our favourite events. For me, the New Year’s Day Gatherings, the recent Members’ Summer Classic, and the unforgettable Stirling Moss event were all special.

Neil’s legacy is a flourishing and vibrant club vividly evidenced at this time by so many more Members wanting to join the committee than spaces available. We wish Neil well as he has certainly earned his retirement, and wish his successor, Kevin Lee, every success in the coming years.

We also lose at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting Julian Grimwade as Vice Chairman, who is regularly seen at the wheel of his blue Fraser Nash or his Bentley, Angela Hume (Tours) and David Norfolk (Outreach). Each has contributed significantly to our successes and I thank all three. I hope we shall continue to see them and, of course, Neil at the Museum and future events.

Sir Gerald Acher

Pride of Brooklands Concours winners

Wolseleys gather at Brooklands Sunday 30 July saw around 50 cars from the South East section of the Wolseley Register gather at Brooklands. Models stretched from a 1924 10 through to the very last Six of 1975 before the model was re-badged as a Princess. Inter war representatives included a grand two-tone 21 limousine and Hornet sports car. Post-war cars included several of the Pininfarina-styled saloons and Mini-based Hornets. Two ex-police cars were also present to keep things in order.

Gareth Tarr

Brooklands Watch on display

After close inspection by the judges and an equally close competition, Lewis White’s Jaguar XK120 was crowned Overall Winner of the Pride of Brooklands Concours at the Double Twelve meeting.

Best Dressed Crew went to Tom and Sue Wood who attended in their Aston Martin, while Frank Thaxton’s Lotus Elite took home the Visitors Choice Award.

Concours Director John Purser said: ‘The variety and standard of entrants is always a delight at the Double Twelve. The concept of “cars that might have been at the Track pre- and post-war, driven by motorsports enthusiasts” has engaged so many modern motoring classics. Congratulations to all of the class winners and all who entered.

‘I’m so grateful to Clive Bergman, leader of the other team, and many thanks to old friends and dedicated motoring connoisseurs, Jeremy Flann, Wendy Silver, and Jon and Sandra Radgick for their help as judges. We hope to be back with the Double Twelve Concours in 2024, with lots more cars and lots more motoring fun.’

Rosie Maggs

Brooklands Watch Company is pleased to be joining more than 50 independent and luxury brands exhibiting at WatchPro Salon 2023. The UK’s most prestigious watch show is at The Londoner Hotel from 10-11 November.

Simon Jeffs, founder, and his team look forward to sharing their enthusiasm for the limited-edition Triple-Four Racing Chronograph. Inspired by Brooklands’ distinctive track and the Museum’s Napier-Railton, the British watch brand’s Swiss-made Triple-Four Racing Chronograph was designed by Sir Terence Conran. A portion of the sales of the limited-edition luxury watch goes to the Brooklands Trust.

Brooklands Watch Company is the Official Watch Partner of Brooklands Museum Trust, which conserves, protects and interprets the unique heritage of the Brooklands site today.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

MUSEUM updates Chief Executive’s Message As I’m writing this, the summer holidays are in full swing and I’m looking forward to getting a couple of weeks away with my family in Devon. The sun is shining and Brooklands Museum is at its best, bursting with people and full of activity. I hope you have spent some time with us over the summer, or plan to in September and October when we have some fantastic event days lined up.

Thinking back over the past couple of months, I’d like to share a personal highlight. At the beginning of July, I was able to use my Christmas present to myself and my husband, and fly Concorde for the first time. We had an amazing experience: my husband flew Concorde under the Hudson Bridge in New York and I landed it (with only minor correction from the actual Concorde pilot sitting in the First Officer’s seat!) at Hong Kong. While not everyone who comes to Brooklands can fly the Simulator, all our visitors do get to see this ground-breaking aircraft, and on a day like today it looks glorious against the bright blue sky. It is one of the pre-eminent examples of how innovation flourished at Brooklands, driven by teams of people willing to push boundaries and make change happen.

We are so privileged that a great many of them are still involved with the Museum today as Volunteers and Members and that our visitors have the opportunity to hear from them first-hand.

If this has inspired you to go and have a look at Concorde again on your next visit, do also take the time to look around the Brooklands: Innovating the World of Flight exhibition in the Aircraft Park.

Staff and volunteers have been working really hard to improve the area and are progressing well with repainting some of the aircraft. It is fantastic to see this hugely important part of the Collection looking in such good shape.

Over the summer you may have seen Brooklands Museum in a number of places from the Napier-Railton’s appearances at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, to local cinemas where our specially commissioned advertisement was screened, and Sky News who filmed here at the end of July for a piece on synthetic fuels. It was good to have the opportunity to point out that Brooklands was all about innovations like this and if it were still a motoring site

today, no doubt the people here would have been at the forefront of thinking about how vehicles will be powered in the future. We are proud to do our bit for the environment by off-setting the carbon used by our Collection vehicles and produced by our staff and volunteers when they commute to the Museum.

One very exciting piece of news for September will be the opening of the Brooklands Restaurant at The Peninsula London. This partnership

began before I even became Director, under my predecessor, Allan Winn, and has been many years in the making. It is a significant moment for Brooklands, its history and the Museum today to be acknowledged as one of the UK’s most important locations in this way. It will bring Brooklands’ pioneering history of innovation and endeavour to a new, international audience who visit the hotel.

Tamalie Newbery

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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forthcoming events 2023 Museum Events The Events List is subject to change, so please check the website: www.brooklandsmuseum.com. Email events@brooklandsmuseum.com or telephone the Museum on: 01932 857381 for information. Test Hill and engine runs are subject to operational conditions.

September 3 American Day. Brooklands dons the Stars and Stripes to enjoy US cars and motorcycles.

6 and 22 Concorde Silver Simulator Flight.

An unmissable chance to take the controls of the only working Concorde Simulator.

8 Cadets and Scouts: Twilight Opening. A hands-on experience to learn more about the Aircraft Factory.

8 Comedy Special. Prepare to split your sides with many of the best comedians in the UK at this brilliantly funny evening.

15 and 28 Concorde Technical Tour. Learn about the technical achievements of this fascinating supersonic aircraft.

16 and 26 Concorde Deluxe Tour. Find out what it was like to fly in the lap of supersonic luxury.

17 Emergency Services Day. Every imaginable vehicle and bit of equipment will be on display to show how emergency responders keep us safe.

29 Night of Magic. Join host Danny Jurman to be amazed, perplexed and entertained with magic tricks and mystery.

October 1 German Day. From Audi to Wartburg, every type of German vehicle is welcome, and there’s German food, music and memorabilia.

Emergency Services Day. One of the most popular and fastest-growing events in the Brooklands calendar celebrates the people and vehicles that keep our world safe and save lives. We’ll also have guest appearances from the PAW Patrol crew for younger members of the family, plus lots of picnic space to enjoy a bite to eat.

14 and 30 Concorde Deluxe Tour. Find out what it was like to fly in the lap of supersonic luxury.

26 Concorde Gold Simulator Flight. Enjoy two hours in the Simulator, including 30 minutes at the controls.

19 Concorde Technical Tour. Learn about the technical achievements of this fascinating supersonic aircraft.

November 3 Beavers, Brownies and Cubs: Twilight Opening. A chance for the young ’uns to learn about the Aircraft Factory at night.

22 London Bus Museum Transportfest. Ding ding, it’s all aboard for a fantastic gathering of rare buses, taxis, military and emergency vehicles with fun for all the family.

4 and 11 Concorde Silver Simulator Flight.

An unmissable chance to take the controls of the only working Concorde Simulator.

1 October

4, 13, 16 and 31 Concorde Silver Simulator Flight. An unmissable chance to take the controls of the only working Concorde Simulator.

8 Autumn Motorsport Day. Competition cars of all sizes and ages show their ability on the Mercedes-Benz World track and Test Hill.

13 Murder Mystery Dinner. Find out whodunnit when a 1920s gathering goes wrong, and enjoy a three course dinner along the way.

10

German Day. Say Guten Tag to all things Teutonic as we welcome cars, motorcycles and every other type of German vehicle imaginable to Brooklands. We have German-themed entertainment, food, memorabilia, and we’ll celebrate Oktoberfest too.

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

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Bentley 6 ½ litre 1928 Semi Weymann Limousine

by Gurney Nutting

Black and Grey with Black hood and Grey hide upholstery.

Very good well maintained condition with extensive history.

One of very few drophead coupes made by Barker.

Chassis number B112AH.

Black and Kingfisher Blue with Navy Blue hide upholstery.

Beautifully restored and totally original with all matching numbers.

Well appointed with many special features. One owner since 1966.

Chassis number FA2504.

Bentley R-Type Continental 1955 D-Series Fastback

by H.J. Mulliner

Bentley S1 Continental 1958 4-door Sports Saloon by James Young

Steel Blue with Beige hide upholstery. Excellent condition with extensive history.

Fitted with automatic transmission and 4.9 litre engine.

Recent coachwork restoration by P & A Wood.

Chassis number BC71D.

Brewster Green with Beige hide upholstery. Recent fully documented total restoration to a very high standard completed regardless of cost.

Very rare and desirable model with only 16 built.

Chassis number BC29EL.

Bentley Azure Mulliner LHD January 2001

Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner Hybrid January 2023

Racing Green with Beige hood and Barley hide contrast Tangier.

18,000 miles with history. Maintained by P & A Wood in recent years.

One of relatively few wide bodied Mulliner models made.

Excellent condition.

Onyx with Hotspur Red leather and Beluga contrast. Delivery mileage.

Options include Naim Audio for Bentley, Bentley rotating display, panoramic glass tilt and slide sunroof with twin blinds and 3 spoke duo tone heated steering wheel. As new condition.

Great Easton, Dunmow, Essex CM6 2HD, England Telephone: 01371 870848 Fax: 01371 870810 E-mail: enquiries@pa-wood.co.uk www.pa-wood.co.uk

forthcoming events 10 and 22 Concorde Deluxe Tour. Find out what it was like to fly in the lap of supersonic luxury.

11 Fawlty Towers. Basil, Sybil and Manuel serve up food, chaos and hilarity.

17 and 20 Concorde Gold Simulator Flight.

Enjoy two hours in the Simulator, including 30 minutes at the controls.

18 Concorde Technical Tour. Learn about the technical achievements of this fascinating supersonic aircraft.

2023 Members’ Events For Members’ Tours and Trips information, please contact David Brockington-Hill on: dbh@brooklandsmembers.co.uk. Events at the National Motor Museum should be booked directly with Beaulieu. Brooklands Members are charged the Friends of the National Motor Museum rate for entry.

September 13-18 Isle of Man Festival of Motoring.

Run with Scenic Car Tours, this six-day tour takes in parts of the famous TT circuit and gives Members exclusive access to paddock displays.

October 13-16 Brooklands Members Driving Group Exclusive Classic Tours of Wales.

Another chance to enjoy the great driving roads of Wales and superb hospitality.

Brooklands Members Talks: update Our next talk is on 21 September with well-known motorsports television presenter Louise Goodman. With more than 30 years’ experience, during which she worked with Murray Walker and Martin Brundle, Louise brings a unique insider knowledge from the pit lane to the top tier in her fascinating talk. Louise will be joined on stage by noted motorsport author and journalist Maurice Hamilton.

The following talk takes a very different view of motorsport as Duncan Pittaway tells us all about the Beast of Turin on 19 October. Restoring this mammoth 28.4-litre FIAT S76, which raced at Brooklands, was a feat in itself and now Duncan regularly competes in it, and he will have it with him as part of this must-hear talk.

Another motorsport great comes to Brooklands on 16 November for the BRM Re-Awakening. To mark the 70th anniversary of the V16 Formula 1 race car, the Owen family will present a history of the car and tell how they built an authentic new BRM Type 1 Mk1 V16, with artefacts and film to inform this superb evening.

These Talks will all be on BM.tv Livestream for those who cannot attend in person. Previous talks can be viewed on our BM.tv YouTube channel, which can be accessed by searching YouTube for ‘Brooklands Members’ and you can find a link on the BM.tv section of the Museum website. Talks can be booked online at: www. brooklandsmuseum.com/brooklands-members/Members-Area/member-events. The Talks email address is: talks@brooklandsmembers.co.uk Harry Sherrard and The Talks Team

letters Bentley spirit alive and kicking July’s Le Mans Classic included the Challenge Benjafield, a race exclusively for vintage Bentleys. Among the 71 race participants were former Brooklands Members Chairman Philip Strickland (Neil Bailey’s predecessor) and former Vice Chairman Julian Grimwade.

On the Sunday evening around 180 members and guests of the Benjafield’s Racing Club (which is dedicated to maintain the spirit of the legendary Bentley Boys of the 1920s) held a celebratory dinner at La Chartre-sur-le-Loir. Thirty vintage Bentleys filled the town square in front of L’Hotel de France, which hosted the dinner and the modern day ‘Boys’ partied in the expected manner until the early hours.

Best regards, Gareth Tarr

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

Please send letters to the Bulletin on any topic connected with Brooklands to Alisdair Suttie on: brooklandsbulletineditor@gmail.com

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The Doug Earle Cotton-Jap is a replica of the Brooklands Outer Circuit race bike and always a popular sight during its demonstration runs at Motorcycle Day.

A TALE OF TWO WHEELS

T

he Finishing Straight was full of a diverse assortment of motorcycles and riders entertaining the 3000-strong crowd with the noise and the smells of their iconic machines. First into the arena were several old bikes, and even a car, so what’s the story when this is a day for twowheelers? These were all vehicles designed by a brilliant, and some would say slightly eccentric, engineer Granville Bradshaw.

Bradshaw was a prolific designer who, together with Walter Adams and Ronald Charteris, set up the ABC company that was based at Brooklands before being moved at the outbreak of the First World War. ABC went on to develop aircraft and cars, and the story at Motorcycle Day was brought right up to date as the ABC Car was being driven by a relative of Granville Bradshaw.

ABC’s bikes were state of the art for the early 1920s and included leaf spring suspension, a horizontally opposed engine, which was later adopted and developed

by BMW, and very lightweight engine components as a result of use in aircraft. An

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Storytelling helps tell us where we’ve been, roots us in the present, and improves future development.

Martin Gegg explores some of the stories told at the 19th running of Motorcycle Day. Words: John Bottomley, Martin Gegg Photos: Martin Chandler

The ABC Cyclecar is powered by a horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine designed by Granville Bradshaw.

It’s being driven by a relative of Bradshaw.

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

A couple of ABC motorcycles designed by Granville Bradshaw lining up to take to the Finishing Straight for their demo runs.

A London-built PV MC with what appears to be an ‘oil-boiler’ engine designed by Granville Bradshaw.

Some of the new electric motorcycles at the Brooklands day getting ready to start. They are part of the ongoing story of motorcycle development.

ABC motorcycle even took victory in one of the first races held at Brooklands after the First World War, so they obviously worked well. However, the cost of pioneering development, subsequent retail cost, and shortage of business experience meant ABC Road Motors was unable to continue beyond 1929. This story exists as part of the Brooklands Collection today in the form of company documents, minutes of meetings, engineering drawings and photographs, as well as the ABC Sopwith Motorcycle, a Skootamotor, a car engine, and even an aircraft powered by an ABC engine.

Back on the Finishing Straight, spectators were being treated to the evolution of the Isle of Man TT and Brooklands racing motorcycles, from a 1914 Humber V-twin 348cc motorcycle, the like of which raced on the loose surface of the island’s roads to the much larger bikes of the late 1920s and ’30s, when their riders and tuners were getting ever more power from engines based on increasing knowledge of exotic fuel mixes and efficiencies. This story continues today as technicians in laboratories and racing teams build on that pioneering work. More efficiency with the use of fuel management systems, fuel additives, and delivering better

Tinkering is an essential element of keeping an older motorcycle primed and ready, and it’s also very enjoyable.

Moto Guzzi’s idea of a scooter and probably the only scooter to carry a spare wheel in this unusual position.

performance is resulting in less harmful gases being released into the atmosphere than even a decade ago.

In some respects, the history of motorcycle development has turned full circle as e-bikes are blossoming into e-motorcycles, just as pioneer motorcyclists bolted engines to bicycles in the late 19th century. With a reminder that Brooklands hosted one of the first electric TT bikes up Test Hill in September 2009, our story continued on the Finishing Straight with some of the latest e-motorcycles supplied by Magnet Motos of Addlestone, Motoebikes of Guildford, and pioneering British manufacturer Maeving.

Ryan, one of the Motorcycle Team’s younger volunteers, wasted no time in getting to grips with one of the Spanish Pursang bikes from Motoebikes, while I rode the Maeving RM1, a bike aimed at the commuter and ideally suited for nipping through the city traffic. I still love my old bikes, but the Maeving very definitely beats a bicycle for enjoying the lanes of the Surrey Hills.

See all the action and stories from Motorcycle Day at the BM.tv YouTube channel by scanning the QR code or visiting: www.youtube. com playlist?list=PLx4w0Uz8rNl8O6-OFYEtA 407J99CRpziG

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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A 1936 Singer B37 1.5 Litre Sports in the paddock at a Vintage Sports-Car Club Centenary Sprint at Brooklands in 2007. It’s titled ‘Brooklands Singer’.

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

Scan this code to see a video of Richard Wheatland discussing his work.

The first commission Richard received was from

ART AND SOUL the late Alan Burnard for the 1927 Delage at

the British Grand Prix. It was painted in waterc

olour in 1983.

Richard Wheatland paints superb motoring and aviation subjects inspired by Brooklands. Here, he celebrates 40 years since his first exhibition at Brooklands.

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Words and images: Richard Wheatland GMA. GAvA

can trace my creative streak back to my artistically gifted aunt who first introduced me to the world of drawing and painting at a young age.

She always had a good supply of quality materials, far better than the equipment in the school classroom. Once my interest had been noticed, a supply of painting materials became regular Christmas and birthday presents. At school, my art was being recognised, too, it was something that I

found I could excel at, fortunately along with mathematics. When the time came to choose a career, much as I would have liked to pursue the art route, it was engineering that won the day like so many others who followed their father’s chosen occupation.

Painting would remain a spare-time pursuit and I would have to wait until later life, before I could paint in daylight hours.

Living under the flightpath from the Vickers/BAC test establishment at Wisley,

the sight of Vickers aircraft overhead was familiar to me. In the 1960s, Viscounts, Vanguards, VC10s and One Elevens would circulate all day, flying over the school playground and pass my bedroom window in Fetcham on their way back to the airfield. After visits to the Farnborough air shows in the 1960s sat perched on the roof of Dad’s Vauxhall Velox, it wasn’t surprising that my interest in aviation soon transferred to my sketchbook and school projects.

An interest in motorsport came about around the same time. The 1960s were exiting times in motorsport, drivers like Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Surtees, and Jack Brabham leading the way in Grand Prix racing, Ford challenging Ferrari at Le Mans, and Mini Coopers winning the Monte Carlo rally. Thanks to collecting magazines, photographs, model cars, and

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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Richard Wheatland’s first exhibition at Brooklands in 1983 with his simple stand.

a well-known slot car system, it wasn’t just aircraft in my sketchbook. Now there were motorsport drawings inspired by the top professional artists like Michael Turner and Dexter Brown.

Moving forward a few years to the late 1970s, by now I’d married Jane in 1976 and the search for our first home took us to a maisonette in Byfleet, the village where Jane and her parents lived. One afternoon in June, I noticed a Tiger Moth on its final approach to land on the old Brooklands runway, very unusual since the runway was no longer being used by British Aerospace.

That afternoon, there was the sound of engines on the site. I was out giving the car a wash when my new neighbours wandered past making their way back having found a hole in the fence and spent some time

watching the cars and motorcycles at Brooklands. Enquiring about the event, they said: ‘They do this every year in June. It’s run by the Brooklands Society, but you have to be a member to attend - unless you know about the hole in the fence.’

By now, my interest in racing had extended into the world of historic motorsport. It now regularly featured as support races in many motor racing events that we attended and Tom Wheatcroft had rebuilt the circuit at Donington. We were at the opening meeting in 1977 and took in a visit to his museum at the same time. I needed to look into this Brooklands Reunion and my father-in-law, who had worked at Vickers/BAC/BAE since 1934, knew several Brooklands Society members,

s VC10 G-ARVA above the company’s test

This painting shows the prototype Vicker from his childhood.

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Richard with the Singer Le Mans that he owned for 35 years and a painting of a Riley with horse and rider used as a press photo for his 1987 exhibition.

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

so acquiring a ticket for 1979 wasn’t difficult. The following June, I made my way through the factory gates showing my pass for the day and on to the Clubhouse area where Brooklands period cars and motorcycles were packed around the historic site. Back then, there were quite a few well known ex-Brooklands cars resident locally and I ran off a couple of reels of film in no time on the exhibits. The Test Hill was still overgrown and the Members Banking partly overgrown and littered with industrial debris. After the lunch break, the meeting reconvened up at the Byfleet Banking where a section had been cleared and the surface deemed good enough to run cars in pairs for a short distance.

establishment at Wisley, which Richard

knows well

An oil on canvas shows Harry Hawker flying

his Sopwith Tabloid above Brooklands as

A joy of painting is bringing together subjects, such as the BAC TSR2 prototype and its English Electric Lightning T4 chase aircraft that Richard created in 2010.

the Sunbeam record car ‘Toddles V’ blasts

along the Railway Straight in 1913.

, a MkIX,

Spitfire MH434 Richard homed in on the cockpit of Supermarine . after seeing it at the 2019 Goodwood Revival

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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setting a new Land Speed From 2017, the water and gouache painting shows Malcolm Campbell in his Napier Bluebird Pathé News Stinson aircraft.

Certainly a memorable day that introduced me to the fast growing world of vintage motoring. I did notice in the ‘autojumble

and collectable’ stands a couple of artists exhibiting their work. After chatting to them, I came away with the thought of

Titled ‘Game Changer’, this painting from 2020 depicts a 1963 Lotus 25 Climax as Goodwood Revival. it was seen as

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

the

Record on Daytona Beach in 1931, chased by the

perhaps my paintings might be good enough to do the same someday.

I returned from that day at Brooklands laden with past copies of Brooklands Society Gazettes and a selection of greetings cards by the renowned Brooklands artist Roy Nockolds. My next move was to join the society and attend their winter film shows, conveniently held in the Charrington Brewery distribution office which was situated on the Byfleet side of the Brooklands site. The film shows were hosted by vintage racing driver, ERA and Bugatti owner, Dudley Gahagan. To a newbie like me, I found the film nights fascinating and soon I was taking a couple of like-minded friends along as guests. Sometimes we had guest speakers like Rivers Fletcher who would bring their historic racing films, and the George Monkhouse Shell films of the late 1930s Grand Prix racing were particular favourites. Dudley owned a large library of original Brooklands film and newsreel, and he owned film shot by Princes Chula

and Bira on their travels while racing their ERA and Maserati all over Europe. The film was old and fragile and regularly the lights had to come on to repair breaks. It was all valuable reference for the aspiring artist, though the one thing missing in the period films was colour.

Those Society meetings were memorable and enjoyable, and they became a monthly pilgrimage each winter season. From Charrington’s, the venue changed to Weybridge Services and Social Club, and then finally to Brooklands. I found senior members such as Dudley Gahagan, Cyril Posthumous, Tony Hutchings, and Len Battyll to name a few were always very helpful. Others were less welcoming at times because I was too young to have experienced Brooklands in period, so I felt I was regarded as something of an interloper, perhaps treading on other people’s toes.

In 1980, the Society co-hosted with The Guild of Aviation Artists a memorial exhibition dedicated to the work of the much admired motoring and aviation artist Roy Nockolds. The exhibition was held in a gallery space within the Qantas office in London. Although I would have loved to have met him, sadly Roy had passed away the year before I joined the society.

With others like the former Brooklands driver Kenneth Evans, Roy had been a prime mover in protecting what was left of Brooklands, he was also a founding member and former president of The Guild of Aviation Artists.

This was the first time I’d seen a live art exhibition dedicated to the two subjects that I was passionate about, aviation and motor racing. Many of the paintings were Brooklands subjects, not all necessarily painted in period, but it was fascinating to see Brooklands in colour. Many of the outstanding aviation paintings stemmed from Roy’s period and experience as a war artist. After a full morning at the exhibition, much of the time spent taking notes, I made my way home on the train, convincing myself that I could have an exhibition of my own and I just needed more consistency in my work.

Watercolour and gouache were used for this painting of the 1908 Match

Richard painted this canvas in 2018 of Raymond Mays in ERA R4D winning the 1938 Mountain Championship at Brooklands.

Up to that point, something like one out of every three drawings of mine were consigned to the bin before the paint went on. I had to improve on that if I was to take commissions from customers in the future. I would also need something to build a display around. My solution was to set myself the task of producing a series of 12 paintings identical in size and using a mix of watercolour and gouache.

Furthermore, I needed a range of subjects from different eras. By chance, up to 1982,

Race between Newton’s Napier and Nazzarro’s FIAT at Brooklands.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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THE BICESTER 23 HERITAGE SALE SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER

Entries include:

VIEWING DAYS

Thursday & Friday 21st / 22nd September 9am-5pm

SALE TIME

Saturday 23rd September Commences 9.30am Doors open 8.30am

A LIVE AUCTION OF HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE CLASSICS

REGISTER TO BID. In-hall, by phone and online

01753 639170 auctions@historics.co.uk www.historics.co.uk

1965 ALFA ROMEO 2600 TOURING SPIDER RESTORATION

No reserve

t

ge in the FIAT on the Byflee as’ Leyland Thomas leading Ernest Eldrid Called ‘Home Win’, we see Parry Thom from 2020. he gouac and colour Water Race.

Banking in their 1925 Match

there had been 12 different British drivers who had won Grand Prix races: Seagrave, Seaman, Hawthorn, Collins, Brooks, Moss, Hill, Clark, Surtees, Stewart, Hunt, and Watson. On completing the series of winning drivers in action, I was happy I’d achieved the consistency that I’d been looking for and now had a set of paintings to show off at my first exhibition. As well as these non-Brooklands subjects, I added a few Brooklands studies and applied for a stand space at the 1983 Brooklands Reunion.

The one thing I didn’t have too much of was spare cash. I had promised my wife that this painting indulgence wasn’t to be funded from the housekeeping and if the exhibition didn’t at least ‘wash its face’ then I’d call it a day. To minimise my costs, I constructed my own display stands, which were housed inside a large wooden building that once stood on the left-hand side at the front of the Clubhouse, so there were no worries about inclement weather. Framing was kept to a minimum by recycling old frames and using inexpensive clip frames. For that year, the reunion didn’t move up to the Byfleet Banking in the afternoon as it had on previous years, so the exhibition was on show for the full day.

My paintings were well received and I even managed to sell enough to cover my costs and picked

up a couple of future commissions. Buoyed by my success, I made plans to return in 1984 and eventually did four of these Reunion displays, each year introducing fresh paintings with some Brooklands and others from later eras and well known racing locations. I made a lot of new contacts too and one year an American visitor purchased most of my stock before the show, red spots indicating what had already sold. I introduced a print in 1985

which was ‘pre-digital’ and quite an expensive process at the time. Although it just about covered its costs, advertising it effectively was expensive, but the exercise got my name out there. By 1987, the 1935 Singer Le Mans that I’d been restoring was ready to return to the road and now I had a car to bring to Brooklands instead of the paintings. Fortunately, over these early years my exposure to the world of motoring art had developed and new exhibition opportunities had come along.

I had joined with other motoring artists to form The Guild of Motoring Artists, established gallery contacts, and even found a connection in the US. I’d also moved into Christmas card art through the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund (BEN). I was first commissioned to paint their Christmas card image in 1989 and it’s a task that I still undertake each year, 33 years on. The card brings much needed funds for the charity and exposes my work to a wide range of enthusiasts.

Forty years later and looking back, things are now very different. I’m a founder member of The Guild of Motoring Artists, a full member of The Guild of Aviation Artists, and a ‘foreign affiliate’ member of The American Society of Aviation Artists. None of that would have happened had it not been for those early Brooklands exhibitions and the valuable lessons learnt.

‘Fast Lady’ shows Kay Petre in her Austin Seven single-se ater, which was part of the the 1937 Relay Race at Broo winning team in klands.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

23

hire space, and sell the paintings to our my studio. I suppose my customers. It’s not surprising that it doesn’t choice of classic mirrors always add up commercially. I like to think much of the general trend I’m a better artist than a salesman. in old car ownership The world of aviation art is a rather these days, which is different prospect. I would say that interest also true with my art in aviation is even more enthusiast based currently. It’s probably than the world of the automobile. Second the case that today an World War militaria subjects, Spitfires in interesting painting of particular, still dominate the aviation art a Ford Escort Mk1 Twin scene. There are exceptions with iconic postCam is likely to receive war subjects like Concorde, Lightning, TSR2, far more attention than and Vulcan having a place in the market, a painting of a 1930 but today there isn’t much happening in Blower Bentley. what remains of the UK aviation industry to As far as exhibiting, inspire the artist - a far cry from when the following my efforts in industry was positively buzzing. those early years I moved There is always a place for early motor on to taking exhibition racing history and Brooklands in particular space at major events like will always hold a special place in my The Silverstone Classic. repertoire. Over 40 years I’ve certainly I’ve also been fortunate acquired a fair bit of knowledge on the to be invited to exhibit subject, but it still throws up new surprises. at a number of group The way the Museum has developed since exhibitions at venues 1987 is fantastic, it’s really moved with like Goodwood, Shelsley ock study of a former period the times and remained relevant. It was a Walsh, and at the Royal ‘Jano’s masterpiece’ is a detailed padd which Richard studied at the Brooklands racer, an Alfa Romeo P3 pleasure to be asked to host a few online Automobile Club in London.

Goodwood Revival. video presentations for Members over the Taking premier event space individually I’ve re-discovered aviation art on the lock down period when the Museum was is now very expensive with every square way and now divide my subject choices closed to visitors. I’ve also held a number of metre of grass carefully costed into the between aviation and motoring. Trends art presentations at the Museum, meeting event. For artists, we not only have to have changed over time: when I attended so many interesting people as a result, and devote time to producing our ‘product’, those Brooklands events in the late long may that continue. we then have to pay to frame them, 1970s and early ’80s, there were people in attendance who had experienced Brooklands in period, even a few former drivers and mechanics. Things move on and thanks to events like the Goodwood Revival, enthusiasts’ perceptions of historic racing these days tends to be more about cars of the post-war period.

I reluctantly parted with my trusty Singer Le Mans in 2019 after it had served me well for 35 years. Although my contacts with Singer remain, my allegiance changed to Triumph with the purchase of a 1965 Triumph TR4, which I must say is a real pleasure, much easier to manage and it keeps up with modern traffic. I loved the vintage car scene but it was time to move on while I can still get in and out of a 1960s sportscar. I don’t have garage space for ‘Birkin’s Out’ gives a unique perspective of Tim Birkin’s Blower Bentley retiring from the 1932 British Empire Trophy as George Eyston and John Cobb race two old cars since half my garage is now on to the finish.

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

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any cars fall into disrepair and are eventually brought back to life by keen restorers, but few have dodged the scrapman so fortunately as chassis Number Two of the Alvis Grand Prix race cars built for the 1927 British Grand Prix.

When the Alvis factory was looking to clear space and sell on unwanted projects, this Alvis was a broken hulk. In the late

1930s, it was sent to the car breaking firm Roach Brothers in Coventry with explicit instructions it should be broken up and not sold on to anyone else. For whatever reason, Roach Brothers ignored this command from the Alvis factory and the car was secretly passed on to Bill Pitcher, a motorcycle dealer in Rugby.

We’ll come back to Mr Pitcher’s good nose for a car and the fortunate events this led to, but let’s go back to the start of

Few cars have had more second chances than this 1927 Alvis Grand Prix that made its debut at Brooklands. We look at its history and restoration ahead of a planned return to the track.

SECOND CHANCE

ALVIS Words: Al Suttie Photos: The Alvis Car Company

CM Harvey with one of the 1927 Alvis Grand Prix cars. He qualified first for the 1927 Junior Car Club 200 Mile race where these Alvis cars made their debut.

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BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

the Alvis’ story. The first front-wheel drive Alvis racing car arrived in 1925 at the Kop Hillclimb on 28 March. Nicknamed Tadpole because its rear end waggled about, the car was quick enough to score second place in the 1½ Litre class. Further developments of this car were used for racing and recordsetting at Brooklands. Then followed the cars with supercharged straight-eight engines in 1926, though both retired from that year’s British Grand Prix.

Alvis was back again in 1927 for the Grand Prix at Brooklands, but unreliability blighted the efforts of the team and neither entry made the start of the race. For these two cars, it fell to the Junior Car Club 200 Mile race two weeks later in mid-October to give them their debut run. The unusual layout of the front-wheel drive Alvis cars made them appear unlike any other racing machine on the grid. With the engine mounted behind the gearbox, the Alvis Grand Prix had a very long bonnet out of necessity.

Chassis Number Two was driven by George Duller and qualified second for the race. When

The elongated bonnet of the front-wheel drive Alvis is clear in this image. The length was needed to accommodate the front-mounted gearbox and eight-cylinder supercharged engine.

the flag dropped, Duller took the lead and lapped at more than 120mph, showing just how fast these cars could be. However, after stopping to replace the engine’s spark plugs, the Alvis retired on lap 52 with engine failure.

The car returned to the factory, where a broken con rod was found to be the culprit of the engine’s woes. This con rod now sits in the showroom of The Alvis Car Company in Kenilworth. The rest of the car was pushed into a corner and left unused and unloved until the decision was made to send it to the Roach Brothers for scrapping.

Picking up the tale with Bill Pitcher, he sourced a replacement Alvis engine, which is thought to have come from either a 1929 Alvis TT car or a Le Mans model of the same year. The gearbox that he located was also 1929 vintage and Pitcher

This is the con rod, which connects the piston to the crankshaft, that snapped and caused the engine failure that put Duller out of the 1927 JCC 200 Mile race.

planned to convert the car to rear-wheel drive. However, with the intervention of the Second World War and then a downturn in his business, Bill Pitcher sold the car

in 1955 to front-wheel drive Alvis expert Nic Davies in 1955. He kept the car for almost 50 years and only latterly started a restoration. Even so, it wasn’t until 2003

The start of the 1927 Junior Car Club 200 Mile and the two Alvis Grand Prix cars are clearly identified as they head into the lead of the race.

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George Duller at the wheel of his Alvis Grand Prix car. It managed to lap Brooklands at more than 120mph during the JCC 200 Mile race in 1927.

The 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight engine was powerful and advanced for 1927, but it was also not as reliable as was hoped or needed to win races that year.

that this Alvis ran under its own power again and it stayed in this part-restored condition until 2006. This is when Alan Stote, who owns the current Alvis car firm, and Tony Cox, who is an expert in frontdrive Alvis models, acquired the car.

What Stote and Cox got was part complete and the sole surviving Alvis Grand Prix car. Using period photographs and drawings from the huge archive kept by The Alvis Car Company, the pair embarked on a quest to return the car to its original specification and full working order with the aim of bringing it back to Brooklands in 2027 to celebrate the centenary of its first competitive outing. The challenge was made easier because the remains of the car were largely original, but many parts were missing such as the bonnet, rear suspension, and radiator. There was also the small matter of the engine that came with the car was not the correct one. Alan Stote said: ‘The lack of historical information presented a key

challenge during the restoration process, but at the same time has made the project more intriguing, and one that has been a journey of discovery.’

A new engine was cast by Alvis to give the car its period-correct motor and the rest of the car has been fastidiously restored or brought back to life. Many parts have had to be reverse-engineered using computer-aided design so they could be remanufactured, but much of the car’s core is still as it was in 1927. This includes the unique independent front suspension that uses four elliptic leaf springs that do away with the need for a traditional front axle.

As part of the process of reviving the Alvis Grand Prix, it made its public debut at Automobile Council 2023 in Chiba City, Japan as a rolling chassis. While there is still work to finish off, this Alvis has finally got the second chance it deserves and we’re looking forward to it coming back to Brooklands.

Alvis’ unique front suspension design did away with a traditional front axle, which freed up space for the front-wheel drive system.

The Alvis Grand Prix as it is today, the sole surviving car of this type. A sensitive and detailed restoration will see it run again and return to Brooklands.

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BADGES

Mike Long’s delightful MG PA Airline at Brooklands Best of British proudly displaying its 1937 Coronation bonnet mascot with flags in place.

OF HONOUR Mike Long has an impressive collection of car badges and mascots. Here, he explains a little of their history and significance to him.

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Words and images: Mike Long

n 7 May 2023, I travelled from the Isle of Wight to Brooklands for the Best of British event in my MG PA Airline. I was to join a display of MGs to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the MG Car Company that was organised by the South East Centre of the MG Car Club. At 5.30am, I fired up the PA ready to catch the ferry to Portsmouth en route to Brooklands.

Since it was the day after the Coronation of King Charles III, I decided to fit a radiator

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badge commemorating a coronation.

The mascot dates from 1937 and the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937. The badge carries three flags as I fitted two Union flags and a St George’s cross. This badge attracted a lot of attention at Brooklands.

Car badges and mascots were popular car accessories in the past. Early cars had exposed radiator caps which leant themselves to fitting badges or mascots for adornment. Many car manufacturers added

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

mascots to their radiators to advertise their brand, the most famous being the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy. Accessory mascots and badges were available from various manufacturers. A Desmo catalogue dated 1934 listed 25 different mascots available from stock, together with fittings.

Individual mascots were available to order for those who wanted something different and personal.

As radiator caps disappeared inside the bonnets of cars after the Second World War, many manufacturers fitted their corporate mascots to the bonnets of their cars. Badges fitted either to car grilles or to bars fixed to the front of cars replaced mascots. It was possible to fit several badges to a car.

Mascots and badges were produced for motoring clubs and other organisations,

A close-up view of the 1937 mascot, which was produced to mark the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12 May that year.

including military units.

Commemorative ones were produced to mark important events, while some were just decorative and those for the AA and RAC were very common.

Others were produced in small quantities and are consequently rare today.

Some years ago, I started collecting old car badges when I had a 1952 MG YB. The car was first registered a few days after the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne and I acquired several badges commemorating her coronation in 1953. My interest widened and I built up a collection of several dozen badges and mascots from the 1930s up to the 1970s.

I saw the George VI Coronation badge on eBay, without the flags. As it was an attractive one, I bought it and later sourced and made the flags to fit. The back stamp says it was made by Smiths. I do not know if this is the same company that made instruments for cars, but I have never seen another one. I put it on my car for special occasions and mount the flags when parked as it’s difficult to see past the flags

Another of Mike’s collection with a royal connection, this badge was made to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935.

when driving! I also have a brass mascot commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George V. After I sold my YB and bought the PA, I decided to reduce my collection, keeping only those from the 1930s and ones with personal significance or relevance to the car. These I fit to my PA in rotation.

The current display on the PA is shown in the photo. These are, from left to right: Junior Car Club, which organised events at Brooklands in the 1930s; RAF Volunteer Reserve; a new badge from Australia commemorating the Centenary of the MG Car Company; MG Triple M Register badge, showing the car’s Register number (200); Institute of Advanced Motorists,

of which I have been a member for more than 50 years; National Motorists Association, which was a shortlived rival to the AA and RAC in the 1930s; and an RAC Associate Member’s badge from the 1930s.

I particularly favour the badge of the RAF Volunteer Reserve in memory of my late father. He was only 16 at the outbreak of war but joined the Air Cadets and then the RAF Volunteer Reserve. In 1943, he was called up to the RAF and trained as a pilot. Fortunately (for me!), he never flew in combat. He served as a staff pilot in flying schools in South Africa, flying Avro Ansons, mainly for navigator training until the war ended. After the war, he joined the Royal Observer Corps.

The Isle of Wight Road Safety Committee ‘Courtesy’ badge that Mike won in a road safety quiz in 1960 next to a National Trust member’s badge on the right.

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Some of the badges and mascots in Mike’s slimmed down collection.

He rotates them regularly for display on his MG PA Airline.

I have two badges for the Observer Corps, one stating simply ‘Observer Corps’, the other ‘Royal Observer Corps’. The Observer Corps was founded in 1925 as a civil defence organisation for the visual detection, identification, tracking, and reporting of aircraft over Great Britain. His Majesty King George VI awarded it the title ‘Royal’ in April 1941 in recognition of service by Observer Corps personnel

The Observer Corps badges that Mike has are in honour of his late father, who served as a pilot with the Royal Observer Corps after the Second World War.

during the Battle of Britain. The first badge predates the Battle of Britain, the second is probably post-war.

One badge of which I am still particularly proud is from the Isle of Wight Road Safety Committee ‘For Courtesy’. This

The badges currently being used on Mike’s MG, which include a Junior Car Club one that comes from when Brooklands was being used for circuit racing.

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was awarded to me as a member of the winning school team in the inter-schools Road Safety Quiz on the Isle of Wight in the late 1960s.

The AA badge is a small car radiator badge, issued from 1929 until about 1952, when it was replaced with the more familiar domed version with the yellow backing. The badges remained the property of the AA and had to be returned on cessation of membership.

The number is the badge number, not the member’s number. The suffix on this one indicates that it dates from the late 1930s.

Interestingly, it is stamped ‘R’, which indicates that it was re-issued to a new member – an early form of re-cycling.

Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travellers and, beginning in the 20th century, of motorists. Medals and badges with his name and image are commonly carried by travellers to show devotion and ensure a safe journey. In French, a widespread phrase for such medals is Regarde St Christophe et va-t-en rassuré, sometimes translated into English as: ‘Behold St Christopher and go your way in safety.’ Dealer dash plaques from the 1930s frequently incorporated a St Christopher medallion.

When I first learned to drive, my grandmother gave me a key fob with a St Christopher medallion. Although the fob has long gone, the medallion remains on my car key ring to this day, some 56 years later. With the keys to my PA, I still carry the well-worn St Christopher medallion that my father carried through his time in the RAF and up until his death.

A 1934 AA badge (left) and Saint Christopher, who became the patron saint of motorists in the early 20th Century.

An RAF radiator mascot on the MG. It reminds Mike of his father, who was called up in 1943 and trained as a pilot.

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Remember Brooklands in your Will Since 1907 extraordinary people have been making their mark at Brooklands in the fields of Motorsport, Aviation and Engineering, leaving legacies that still resonate today.

Brooklands Museum depends solely upon income from our visitors and the generosity of our supporters and sponsors to fund the restoration and interpretation of our objects and site.

If you have been inspired by the pioneers of Brooklands, please help us ensure the enjoyment of future generations at the museum by including a gift to Brooklands Museum in your Will.

If you would like to receive further information about making a charitable gift in your Will or other ways you can help support Brooklands Museum, please contact the Chief Executive’s Office: call 01932 857381 ext 243, email tnewbery@brooklandsmuseum.com, or visit our website www.brooklandsmuseum.com

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rooklands Museum is announcing a prestigious new partnership with The Peninsula London hotel, which opens its doors this September. For nearly a century The Peninsula Hotels has been the world’s leading luxury hotel brand, known for its impeccable hospitality, and its legendary flagship hotel in Hong Kong. The new Peninsula London sits on Hyde Park Corner, overlooking Wellington Arch, and will feature a signature rooftop restaurant named Brooklands. Designed by British architects Archer Humphryes, its various rooms and spaces, which include a bar, a restaurant, terrace and private dining rooms are inspired by the Brooklands story, with clever references to both classic British aviation and motorsport.

It will offer fine Modern British cuisine masterminded by Michelin-starred Chef Director Claude Bosi and panoramic views over Hyde Park and the London skyline.

The original relationship between the hotel and Brooklands Museum began in 2014 when former Director Allan Winn and Stewart John (then a longstanding Museum Trustee) had

a conversation with The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, the Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (owner and operator of The Peninsula Hotels) Group, whom they both already knew, at a P&A Wood function. This conversation was the genesis of the Brooklands theme for The Peninsula London. Sir Michael and some of his team visited the Museum in November 2014.

Discussions continued alongside meetings with the designers and with the Peninsula Board throughout 2015. The Napier-Railton was invited to the Hong Kong Classic and Allan suggested the car stay on to be displayed in The Peninsula Hong Kong for a few days to great success.

As the project has progressed, a more formal partnership developed between Brooklands Museum and hotel. Beyond the design inspiration, this incorporates a short-term loan programme of Brooklands Collection vehicles for the restaurant’s entrance lobby, where there is an exclusive

A trial run was carried out in May 2023 to be sure the Napier-Railton would fit comfortably into the hotel’s restaurant entrance lobby.

LONDON CALLING We find out about the new partnership between Brooklands Museum and The Peninsula London hotel.

Words: Beatrice Meecham Photos: The Peninsula London, Brooklands Museum Collection

The magnificent front of The Peninsula London overlooks Hyde Park and will house vehicles from the Brooklands Museum Collection.

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After some very careful measurement and positioning, the Napier-Railton takes pride of place on the plinth where it will be for the opening of the hotel.

opportunity to share Brooklands Museum’s story with guests. In preparation for opening, a number of The Peninsula’s Guest Services Team have visited and toured the Museum to understand the collection and experiences offered. At the end of May, the Collection team took the Napier-Railton for a practice run, testing the plinth where our loaned vehicles will be housed, in the restaurant’s dedicated lobby. The NapierRailton will be the first car to make an appearance for the hotel’s opening month and it will return to them again at Christmas.

Tamalie Newbery speaking of the partnership said: ‘Brooklands was the pre-eminent venue for motorsport in its heyday. It was the place to be seen, with a reputation for glamour and speed that thrilled competitors and visitors alike, and where pioneering engineers designed the leading aircraft of the day. The partnership celebrates this unique history in a new way. It has been exciting to work with The Peninsula team to establish the Brooklands restaurant concept. We look forward to the opening with great anticipation.’

The Peninsula Hotels group, was established in 1928 and has a unique identity among the world’s leading hotels, so Brooklands is excited to confirm this partnership that will provide a great opportunity for the Museum to reach a wider national and international audience.

‘Automotive excellence and innovation are abiding passions of The Peninsula

brand and ownership, so Brooklands was the perfect British partner to inspire this important project in London. Visitors to our signature rooftop restaurant will have the chance to view iconic cars from the Brooklands Collection as they begin their dining experience. Each design and detail

honours Brooklands’ singular heritage as the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation.

The collaboration has been an exciting journey so far, and the best is yet to come as we begin to welcome guests from the 12 September,’ said The Peninsula London’s Managing Director, Sonja Vodusek.

The elegant interior of The Peninsula London takes its inspiration from many classic motorsport and aviation cues with much of the inspiration from Brooklands.

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Tom Corry and Museum CEO Tamalie Newbery head to the stage when Brooklands Museum won Learning Programme of the Year in the Museums + Heritage Awards 2023.

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AN INNOVATIVE TEACHER Tom Corry is seconded to Brooklands Innovation Academy and has found it’s reinvigorated his own passion for learning as well as the students he works with.

Words: Al Suttie Photos: Brooklands Museum Collection

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rooklands Innovation Academy aims to take people out of usual teaching environments and put them in a very different, handson location. This applies just as much to those teaching as the students, as Tom Corry has discovered in his role as Educational Consultant at Brooklands Museum.

‘I was quite nervous when I took up this role as I didn’t know quite what to expect,’ says Tom. ‘Coming out of the pandemic, the trust of schools where I work was talking to Tamalie Newbery and Alex Patterson about using the Museum to inspire kids into STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) careers. I was asked to go along to a meeting and this was the first time I’d been to Brooklands. Like so many people who live locally, I knew Brooklands was here on the doorstep but I’d not got round to visiting. The moment I stepped in, I fell in love with the place and its stories. One of the most amazing things is that every generation here has pushed boundaries, and that’s what we’re trying to do with the Brooklands Innovation Academy.’

From his usual job as a science teacher at Chertsey High School, Tom was offered the opportunity to be a seconded teacher at Brooklands Innovation Academy, working one day per week at the Museum.

Starting in January 2022, Tom became part of a ground-breaking approach to learning

that demonstrates to students from diverse backgrounds that STEM subjects cover an enormous range of career options.

Brooklands is the perfect place to host these events thanks to its rich history of daring engineering and the people who have worked here that have shaped the worlds of motoring, aviation, motorsport, and record-breaking. Alongside this, Brooklands Innovation Academy works with contemporary innovators, international businesses, and STEM leaders, including Professor Brian Cox, so Tom is in very good company.

While the main Brooklands Innovation Academy event in October 2023 is the pinnacle of the year, Tom puts in a huge effort all year round. He says: ‘I act as a sort of conduit to work out what schools want and need, and what the Museum can offer.

A very down-to-earth example of this is we quickly established that it was best to have group sizes of no more than 10 students because this is the number you can easily transport by minibus. It also makes it easier with teacher to pupil numbers, so it’s small things like that I help with alongside the bigger picture.’

Tom’s modest claims about his own input are set aside when he begins to talk about what the students achieve when they become part of Brooklands Innovation Academy. ‘I’m a careers leader at my school and Brooklands Innovation Academy has been a gamechanger in showing the full SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN

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As a seconded teacher at Brooklands, Tom believes the different learning environment is one of the keys to the students being so engaged with Brooklands Innovation Academy and science, technology, engineering, and maths subjects.

Kirsty Murphy, on the right, is the first female RAF Red Arrows pilot. She inspired one of Tom’s students to have the confidence to join the Air Cadets.

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range of jobs and options that can result from STEM-based learning. It’s helped open students’ eyes to different types of education because it’s outside of their usual learning context and is very hands on.

‘As a teacher, you don’t really get time to think about the bigger picture very much as a great deal of your working day is divided into hour-long sections as part of a lesson plan. Brooklands Innovation Academy allows much more time for the students and those teaching them to delve into a subject, talk about it, and swap ideas. For example, we can spend the time designing an electrical circuit to power a small electric car, think about where the energy will come from, cost it out, and look at how that all fits together. This is because we have the time and there are

More than 400 students will attend the 2023 Brooklands Innovation Academy event in October, helping them to explore a wide range of STEM career options.

Tom is delighted Brooklands Innovation Academy is such a hands-on learning experience and is supported by leading companies from many different sectors.

so many fantastic people from industry and Brooklands Volunteers who can take the time to look at all of this with the kids rather than just telling them. Of course, it also helps that Brooklands has the hook of being so central to the development of propulsion in many forms.’

Throughout this summer, Brooklands Innovation Academy has held a number of lead-in events to the main event in October. These have been supported by Airbus and McLaren Automotive, engaging students with new ideas, challenges, and the possibilities of careers in critical sectors. These events include Jobs of the Future with McLaren Automotive, Lightbulb Moments with Airbus, and Civil Engineering Changes Lives with Wilmot Dixon and Balfour Beatty. Each of these

Tom has worked with the Museum, the Bourne Education Trust and industry partners to help create unique opportunities for students at Brooklands Innovation Academy.

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Tamalie Newbery and Tom Corry, with awards presenter Iszi Lawrence on the left, after winning the prestigious Museums + Heritage Award 2023.

three precursor events features a specific industry theme and sponsorship, with company representatives supporting students to solve hands-on problems while learning about some of the greatest challenges of our time.

Brooklands Innovation Academy is also delivered in close partnership with the Bourne Education Trust, a relationship that was formed simultaneously with Science Summer School and has accelerated the magnitude of the programme. The collaboration of partners with a shared vision to inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers through impactful, out-of-classroom experience has won Brooklands Museum and Bourne Education Trust the coveted Learning Programme of the Year in the Museums + Heritage Awards 2023.

Tom is delighted with the award win but quick to point out this is a team effort from everyone involved with the Brooklands Innovation Academy. He says: ‘The Museum team have been great at bringing in companies from across the business spectrum and I talk to them to work out what is best for them, the Museum, and most importantly the students. This has led to some extremely varied workshops that cover anything from a Dragon’s Den-style event to workshops, discussions, and all sorts of different means of learning. If it works, we’ll try it and that can be quite daunting for me to make sure that everyone is getting the absolute

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As Brooklands Innovation Academy’s seconded teacher, Tom Corry is in good company alongside Professor Brian Cox to encourage students to learn in new ways.

best from their time here and after, but I’m quite used to that feeling from standing up in front of a full school at assemblies!

‘I think a measure of how well we’re doing is every school that has been to Brooklands Innovation Academy before is returning in 2023 and there are others that want to join, so it’s oversubscribed. Much of this is, I think, due to the feedback the kids give their teachers and schools. They don’t get a lot of downtime when they are here and it’s a short lunch break, so it’s very intense. However, it also means the day flies by and the kids are fully engaged – you don’t see them getting bored or their

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attention wandering. What you do see is them coming up with their own questions and ideas, bringing a creativity to STEM learning. Without creativity, STEM just doesn’t work as it would just be lots of logic and numbers.’

While it’s still too early to gauge the longer term effects of Brooklands Innovation Academy, Tom explains there is already plenty of anecdotal evidence to prove it’s working: ‘One of my own students has gone on to join the Air Cadets as a result of being at Brooklands Innovation Academy. After hearing Kirsty Murphy, the first female Red Arrows pilot, speaking at the event in 2022, this student told me it was the nudge she needed to give her the confidence to try something she wanted to do but had previously felt was beyond her reach. That’s an amazing story and a huge success if we can change just a few lives and inspire them.

Brooklands Innovation Academy is great for helping kids who maybe are not as confident with STEM in the classroom but have the skills in the real world.’

Brooklands Innovation Academy has also inspired one other person, and that’s Tom himself. He says: ‘I absolutely love it. It’s completely refreshed my view of teaching and will keep me in the profession for many more years to come. Through this new role, I feel inspired all over again as the Museum, the schools, industry partners, and the students all share the same belief in learning.’

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brooklands JULY-AUGUST 2023

A DAY FOR THE

100 years to the day since Kenelm Lee Guinness set a new Land Speed Record at Brooklands, the Museum marked the occasion with a splendid day of events.

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Words: Gareth Tarr Photos: Marc Bow, Julian Nowell, Gareth Tarr, Mike Venables

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Sir Kenelm Lee Guinness takes the wheel of his grandfather’s 350hp Sunbeam to recreate the famous Gordon Crosby painting at Brooklands.

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n the 17 May, the Museum celebrated the centenary of Kenelm Lee Guinness breaking the Land Speed Record at 133.75mph. The full day of events wasn’t just a nostalgic look back at a significant moment in Brooklands’ past, some of the features of the day looked to the future, using the circuit’s history to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists.

The day started with a recreation of Gordon Crosby’s painting of KLG’s achievement. Sir Kenelm Lee Guinness, grandson of the recordbreaker, sat in the 350hp Sunbeam used for the record on the Railway Straight as the steam locomotive Mayflower passed by on the banking behind. Several members of the Guinness family were present, including KLG’s nonagenarian daughter, Geraldine Essayan.

There were also descendants of Malcolm Campbell, who in 1925 used the 350hp Sunbeam in revised form to go through 150mph, Louis Coatalen, Sunbeam’s chief engineer and team manager, and John Marston who founded Sunbeam.

The Vickers Suite played host to a talk from Oliver Heal, author of the Louis Coatalen biography, together with Andrea Bishop and Doug Hill from the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu where the 350hp Sunbeam is permanently displayed.

The talk covered the history of Sunbeam and it was noted the 350hp Sunbeam first raced at Brooklands in June 1920, when it was crashed by Harry Hawker. The same year, Sunbeam merged with Talbot and Darracq to form the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Group and many members of the STD Register brought along their vehicles, including several historic race cars.

At midday, the Finish Straight was used for the Centenary of Speed STEM Schools Competition, in which four local schools competed with model cars of their own design, part of the Museum’s initiative to inspire young people to become the next generation of scientists and engineers.

The winners were Jubilee High School of Addlestone. It was also announced that Professor Brian Cox will be visiting the Museum later in the year, where he will talk to 400 young people.

There followed a demonstration on the Finishing Straight of historic racing cars celebrating speed records. Among them were the 350hp Sunbeam and the Napier-Railton driven by Allan Winn, but

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Martin Gegg explores some of the motorcycle highlights of 1922, culminating in the first motorcycle to lap Brooklands at an average speed of 100mph, the first motorcycle Gold Star, and the records set by the Museum’s 1922 Rudge.

The 1922 Rudge ridden by Dicker and Mathers to such great effect.

It was gifted to the Museum in 2019 by the family of the late Bryan Reynolds.

THE TERROR RGJ Nash’s aptly named special, The Terror, set the fastest ever ascent of the Brooklands Test Hill 90 years ago, a record that still stands to this day.

Words: Al Suttie Photos: Brooklands Museum Collection, Frazer Nash Club Gazette via the Frazer Nash Archives

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ew cars can have been more appropriately named than The Terror, a Frazer Nash special developed and raced by RGJ Nash. Irish-born Richard GJ Nash, or Dick to his friends, was no relation to Archie Frazer Nash, but he had an affinity for the lightweight British sports cars and already owned several of the marque before he arrived at the famously quick car with the apt nickname of The Terror.

Nash had started his motorsport career with a Morgan three-wheeler, followed by an Austin Seven and a Bugatti Brescia.

This Bugatti was then replaced with a Targa Florio Bugatti, though Nash sold this soon after as it was so loud it upset his neighbours. This led him to his first Frazer Nash, a Super Sports that he used

for his first sprint competition. It was then superseded by a Boulogne model with supercharged Anzani engine. Always looking to improve his cars’ speed and power, RGJ replaced the Cozette Number 8 supercharger with a larger item. This car brought him a taste of success at events like the Lewes and Brighton hillclimbs, where Nash and his car were timed at 108mph over the flying kilometre.

By now, RGJ was a familiar owner to the Frazer Nash works and he kept in close contact with Archie Frazer-Nash. This put RGJ in a position to buy a factory car called Mowgli, which was a single-seat racing car with drilled chassis to make it lighter and improve its power-to-weight ratio.

Words: Martin Gegg Photos: Brooklands Museum Collection

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ast year we commemorated the first person on a motorcycle to reach 100mph at Brooklands and as 1922 dawned the big V-twins continued to make their mark. In May, the then Duke of York, later to become King George VI, attended Brooklands with his chauffeur SE Wood riding the Duke’s 994cc Trump-Anzani in the 1000cc race. Unfortunately, the Duke’s bike failed to finish, but by way of some consolation another Trump-Anzani ridden by J Hall won the race, with pre-race hopeful Claude Temple and his 998cc HarleyDavidson way down the finishing list having been heavily handicapped.

Also in May, the latest one-hour 500cc record dual was under way, with Jack Emerson setting the record at just under 79mph.

Trump was topping the charts again on 14 June with Colonel Robert ‘Bob’ Stewart smashing the 1000cc two-hour record. The following day, the Duke’s Trump-Anzani had better luck with Wood winning the five-lap solo handicap race after a two-minute start on the field.

Allchin was second, with Claude Temple third. In the same race was Bob Dicker on a Rudge, who led into the second lap before dropping to fourth. We are not sure if it was the same bike now owned by the Museum. Herbert Le Vack was also in action in the sidecar race, coming second on a Zenith JAP behind a Morgan 3-Wheeler powered by an Anzani engine.

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Still in its earlier form of bodywork in this image, The Terror was a formidable hillclimb and sprint car thanks to its potent engine and light weight. It could be fragile, however.

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Again, Dick’s pursuit of speed instigated a programme of improvements for this car that included a Bosch racing magneto and a larger Gazette supercharger. He also fitted a slender new body that reduced weight and carried out more drilling of every possible component to further lower the weight while still retaining the car’s necessary strength.

By 1930, however, RGJ felt he’d developed Mowgli as far as it could go and he wanted something quicker. A brief dalliance with a Frontenac-Ford followed, but Dick was back in the Frazer Nash fold when he bought The Terror from the works. This car had been built for Archie Frazer-Nash to use in sprints and was already a rapid machine with good eliability and power.

As it stood when RGJ bought the car, it had a 1.5-litre Anzani engine with Number 9 Cozette supercharger, front wheel brakes, and four-speed chain-anddog transmission, a gearing arrangement that was a hallmark of Frazer Nash cars and earned them the Chain Gang nickname.

There wasn’t much to the bodywork of The Terror at this point, and nor was there much to the brakes. At Shelsley Walsh hillclimb, The Terror was fine when ascending the hill in competition, but on the way back down it had to be driven in gear as it was found the brakes were so marginal they couldn’t stop it.

For 1931, RGJ applied the same methods of improvement that he had with Mowgli, drilling every possible part to remove unnecessary weight from The Terror. The body was removed at this point too and new chain drives fitted with improved ratios for hillclimb and sprint competitions. With an all-up weight of less than 10cwt (508kg), RGJ also looked at using alcohol fuel to further boost power.

John Bolster wrote in his book Specials that: ‘The power unit was very light and had a Powerplus supercharger mounted vertically at the offside front of the timing case, and driven by the skew gears that normally turn the dynamo. It had a cylinder block with a specially-made thick bottom flange, extra studs to hold it down to the crankcase, a large water pump, and rollerbearing crankshaft.’

Bolster added: ‘This particular “blown” Anzani engine not only gave far more power than any similar engine had done before, but it also had an almost unbelievably flat-topped power curve, a combination which, with its light weight, was ideal for sprint work.’ There were reports the engine produced as much as 105bhp during bench testing and it was known to deliver 80bhp with ease while

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CONTACT NICK ON 01452 730770 OR EMAIL nick@hinemarketing.co.uk

ily with a 100mph, Keeping it in the fam ll 30-98 xha Vau old 100-year 16/06/2023 14:22

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members’ matters Going Dutch

Organised by Scenic Car Tours and David Brockington-Hill, the group of five cars and nine crew started this tour with a convivial meal at The Mayflower restaurant by Harwich Port before boarding our ferry for an overnight crossing to the Hook of Holland.

Leaving the ferry the next morning, we made our way to our first attraction, the Louwman Museum, which is the national automobile museum of The Netherlands near the Hague. The collection of more than 200 cars has been assembled since 1934 by two generations of the Louwman family. It was founded in 1934 with the purchase of a 20-year-old Dodge by importer Pieter Louwman, the father of the current owner. We spent five hours there with still plenty to see.

Then, we set off to the Fletcher Hotel, Loosdrecht, which is situated just north of Utrecht, for our three-night stay. Our rooms overlooked the terrace and lake. Following

advice from the waiters, we sampled a wonderful variety of beer and other various drinks. Enjoying the summer weather, it was not long before the drinks evaporated, and the quality cuisine throughout our stay was all enjoyed alfresco.

Scenic Car Tours gave us maps and details of various places of interest. On the first day, some went to the Healey Museum, Bergseweg. This houses a superb collection of cars showing the full history of the company. The rest of the group took a scenic drive along the 30km of the Houtribdijk, a dam built between 1963 and 1975 as part of the Zuiderzee works to connect Lelystad and Enkhuizen. This was part of a loop of around 120 miles on the day, passing through numerous picturesque villages. Then another hearty meal at the hotel by the lake.

For our final full day, we visited the Netherlands Open Air Museum (Nederlands

Openluchtmuseum). It takes you back to the everyday life of ordinary Dutch people.

The museum lies in a beautiful park near the vibrant city of Arnhem. Started in 1912, it is similar in many ways to our Weald and Downland Living Museum in West Sussex.

Similarly, various period buildings have been brought in from all over The Netherlands to highlight the cultural history of the country.

We could not do it justice in one day.

Our tour finished far too soon, and we all agreed an extra two or three days would have given us the chance to see some more of the many attractions. We returned for our early afternoon sailing, but without cabins as it was a daytime crossing, so we did our best to relax.

Leaving the ship, we began our journeys home, and soon appreciated the smooth billiard table surfaces of the Dutch roads.

The A120 then the A12 made every effort to shake the screws, bolts, and rivets loose on our Morgan.

A very sincere thank you to David and Tara, our speciality navigator, and Scenic Car Tours. The Brooklands Members Driving Group is hoping to revisit in a few years. If so, I would recommend it.

Howard and Mel Martin

Members’ Talks and BM.tv On the evening of 15 June, Dr Kate Vigurs delivered an engrossing talk on the Women of SOE. Looking at the work and risks they undertook as part of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War, this was a fascinating and sometime shocking story of these agents’ ingenuity and courage.

The superb Q&A session with members of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation on 10 July was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended in person and online. Richard Jenkins led the talk in conversation with Rob Coleman and Neil Trundle, and Derek Daly joining by video

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link. We were also honoured to have present Bob Tyrrell, Ken Tyrrell’s younger son.

Then, on 25 July, we were treated to an inspiring talk from the RAF Presentation Team. Wing Commander Manjeet Ghataora and Air Specialist 1 (Technician) Catherine Ryan gave a detailed insight into the demands on the modern Royal Air Force and how they meet those challenges. This was a very special evening and well worth watching on BM.tv if you missed it.

Both of these talks are now on BM.tv, along with a host of others from Motorcycle Day, the Members Summer Classic Gathering and Autojumble, and a tour of the Museum’s Vickers Viscount by Volunteer Tom Singfield. You can find these films at: www.youtube. com/c/BrooklandsMemberstv/ videos or: www.podcasts. apple.com/gb/podcast/ brooklands-members-talks/ id1449720627 Image by Cliff Bolton

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

Scan this QR code to see all videos available on BM.tv

members’ matters Gee-gees, Gliders and Gardens It was a gloriously sunny day for the 4G Touring Assembly on 24 June organised and run by the Brooklands Members Driving Group.

We started with breakfast at the Sandown Ski and Sports Centre, catching up with friends on the first of our one-day tours this year.

After registration and distribution of the tour pack, we received a briefing from Gareth Tarr, the designer of the route, to be sure we all knew what to expect.

We were waved off in formation through arched Brooklands flags and captured on film by Mark Jarman (Mr BM.tv himself).

There were 33 cars of all vintages and descriptions, headed to the Lasham Heritage Glider Centre near Alton, Hampshire. We had some informative tours and conversations with the curators of the centre and the opportunity to see the marvellous collection of gliders, some of which are owned by Brooklands. The most notable is one previously owned and flown by Prince Bira of Siam, who was no stranger to Brooklands.

Sadly, only 31 cars left the centre for the next leg. Of the two dropouts, one decided the gearbox no longer considered its oil to be a necessity, while another blew a bank of fuses in protest.

Fortunately, both were recovered and returned to their safe havens for repair.

The rest of us soldiered on to the first of the two gardens we were visiting, West Green House. Nestling in a woodland corner of northern Hampshire, the gardens surround one of the prettiest manor houses in England. It is a garden with a distinct sense of place created over two decades by Marylyn Abbott, a renowned Australian garden designer whose twin passions for English gardens and international opera have created a unique environment. The perfect place to stop for lunch.

It does seem our tours are largely about lurching from one meal to the next, so it won’t surprise you to know our final stop at Ramster Garden near Chiddingfold involved a rather lovely cream tea.

Ramster Garden is famous for its stunning spring colour, with over 25

acres of peaceful woodland, lake views, and hillsides filled with colour and interest. It is noted for its magnificent displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, many rare and unusual trees, and flowering shrubs and outstanding colour during Spring and Autumn. And did I mention the cream teas?

Afterwards, we parted company to return home at our own pace. The total mileage for the day was about 95 miles, most of which was run over roads less travelled.

You know, those roads that run through lovely villages in Surrey and Hampshire that we say: ‘We must come back here to visit again.’

For many, this was their first touring assembly and I am most grateful for the positive comments we received about the event. My thanks also to Gareth for designing a most enjoyable route, to Jim Sell for organising all the stops along the way, and to Fred Eaves and Jo Buckley for testing the route in advance. And also thanks to Mark and Simon who captured the entire day on video, including some interviews with the participants. You can see this at: https://vimeopro. com/brooklandsmembers/brooklands-members-driving-group Finally, sincere thanks to you, our Members and their guests, who came along and supported the event to make it what it was - a great day out! If you would like to help bolster our team and get involved in organising tours or similar events, do please get in touch with me.

David ‘Biggin’ Brockington-Hill

London to Brighton update

I am now in the planning stages of tackling the London to Brighton Run, with me as Grandfather on a motorcycle and my son-in-law Phil on a bicycle. The machines have to be pre-1904, and it’s not the pioneer run for motorcycles only held in March each year.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Runs starts in central London on the first Sunday in November. It is mainly for cars but has recently been opened up to a small number of motorcycles and bicycles.

I have managed to obtain the use of the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s Dreadnought, which has no real brakes or clutch, and is

driven by a leather belt. Between me and the bike we have 200 years.

My motorcycling pedigree includes riding in trials, desert races in Saudi Arabia, 15 consecutive finishes in the Welsh Two Day enduro, and starting the Brooklands Motorcycle Team in 2003. I currently hill climb, sprint, and parade classic bikes, and my current three bikes are a 1939 Velocette, 1968 Ducati, and 1972 TR3 Yamaha that are specials I’ve built. The Dreadnought has a similar pedigree being built by Oily Karslake.

Son-in-law Phil is a mere 52 and he competes in the London Cyclocross League during the winter and road stuff in the summer. He has taken part in Ride London on numerous occasions and ridden in Europe at the Cyclocross World Masters in Belgium. At the moment, we’re not certain which push bike he will ride out of the Brooklands Collection.

I will be putting together a support team of VMCC members from sections on route to ensure we survive to the end.

John Bottomley

Danny’s secret

One of Brooklands’ best kept secrets is Danny’s Night, a noggin ’n’ natter that takes place in the Members’ Bar, and outside when the weather permits, on the second Tuesday evening every month. It was started at Allan Winn’s request nearly 20 years ago and Danny Byrne, with the tireless support of his wife Wendy and others, has run it ever since.

One of the event’s biggest evenings of the year is its Concours, which this year was on Tuesday June 13. The informal judging was undertaken by John Wallis and Tony Byrne, and the winner was Chris Wood with his MG L1. Second was Geoff Stowe with his Ford Mustang and third was Tim Raven with his Lotus Esprit S4S. All are welcome on the first Tuesday of every month to enjoy a barbecue, quizzes and chat.

Chris Bass

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members’ matters Sun shines on Summer Classic The rain held off and the sun shone for the Summer Classic Gathering and Autojumble held at the Museum on 23 July. We had a fabulous turnout of more than 500 vehicles and 3000 visitors, augmented by 60 autojumble, trade, and car boot stalls.

As is tradition, we embraced this unique car show and held a competition across five categories. In a break with tradition, however, we selected Brooklands Members to be the judges for each category. These good folks where effectively ‘pressganged’ by Derek March and his team as they came through the Members Fast Track entrance on the day.

I then had the pleasure of meeting with each of the judges to explain what was required of them, and off they went to do their thing. The results are as follows: Bikes Member Judge: Andrew Penny Winner: Paul Knight, Kawasaki KH250 Andrew was a very keen judge and is a bike fan. The trophy went to Paul and his beautiful machine Modern 1981 or newer Member Judge: Nick Dare Winner: Paul Enticknap, Aston Martin Vantage; Second: Kai Attwood, Toyota Supra Celica; Third: Nick Whittaker, Ferrari F355 GTS Nick was a very enthusiastic judge who was taken aback at how hard it was to mark the cars on show, so he took a simple approach and went with what he liked. He said: ‘The Aston is a brute in a suit with real presence. The Toyota is stunning, while the Ferrari is one of the most beautiful cars.’

Boomer: 1946 to 1980 Member Judge: Jennifer Hudsmith Winner: Melvin Walker, 1962 Bedford J Type; Second: Simon and Anna Freemantle, Fiat 500L; Third: Geoff and Jan Mitchell, 1961 Chrysler Newport Jennifer set about her task with real purpose. Genuinely chuffed to be asked to judge, she was one of the first to complete her laps around the cars on display. I think her first choice reflected her passion for all things Bedford, which she was keen to share with me when discussing her picks.

Pre-war – up to 1945 Member Judge: Norman Bristow Winner: Chris Wood, MG Special; Second: Unknown, Austin 7; Third: Alan Sylvester, Morris 8

Staying on track in 2023

Caroline Archer and her family judged Chris Wood’s MG Special as the Best in Show at the Summer Classic Gathering and Autojumble.

Norman was the first of the judges to set about his category. I was impressed with how thoroughly he reviewed the cars. Of the Morris 8 he said: ‘Clean, rare car and the Austin is a good honest car, while the MG Special is a car I would take home!’

Best in Show Member Judges: Caroline Archer and Family (Benedict, Theo and Paul Tweddle) Winner: Chris Wood, MG Special; Second: Paul Enticknap, Aston Martin Vantage; Third: Melvin Walker, 1962 Bedford J Type The final category called on Caroline Archer and her family to choose an overall winner from the class victors.

I know that they had quite a heated debate about which vehicle to pick and felt very honoured to have been asked to judge the best in show category.

Eventually, they all came to a decision and together with Norman Bristow they made the presentations to their winners at the end of the day, ably photographed

by Gareth Tarr Congratulations to all our winners and a thank you to all the Members and public who brought along their pride and joys to make it very special day. Also, a sincere thank you to our judges for allowing yourselves to be volunteered, the spirit in which you undertook the role, and for making it a lovely competition.

Do check out the Brooklands Members Facebook page which has a variety of posts and pictures of many of the other cars shown on the day: www.facebook. com/groups/brooklandsmembers David ‘Biggin’ Brockington-Hill

The Motorcycle Team continues to work with Classic Bike Track Days. After an excellent day at Castle Combe in April, a small group of us rode in The Welsh Classic Motorcycle Festival at Anglesey Circuit over the Bank Holiday weekend in May. For those who have never been, it is certainly well worth a visit.

The circuit is in a stunning location looking out over the sea and one could easily lose concentration taking in the vista. A further benefit was enjoying a few days holiday, taking in some fabulous countryside, good food and hospitality while driving on the traffic free roads of Anglesey.

Moving on, we had a small group entered for the track day at Castle Combe on 25 August. We were riding with the Vintage Motorcycle Club (VMCC) group.

Unfortunately, I was not there due to riding at Spa in Belgium.

Last year, a good number of us finished off the season riding at the VMCC event at Cadwell in September. To attempt to replicate the experience, I tried to recruit sufficient riders to make up our own group.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t put together enough people for a full group, but we have a sizeable number which will ride in the novice group. We have spaces left and if you want a last shakedown to finish off the year, then you will be very welcome. Visit: www. classicbiketrackdays.com/events/ and pick the Brooklands rider option. Spectators are welcome at CBT events and entry is free for them. I hope to see you there and ride safely!

John Bottomley

In Memory of…

Sadly, each issue we do lose some of our Members and we would like to pass on the condolences of the Brooklands Members, Chairman, and Committee to the families of the following who we have been notified have recently passed away.

Mr Mole Kenny, a Club Level Member of 16 years with his wife Gail, who continues the membership with us.

Mr David Mark, a long standing Individual Member of 14 years, who sadly passed away in March this year.

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reviews The detail is in the story Paul and Andrew Wood, the brothers behind the worldrenowned Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist that bears their names, made attention to detail their guiding principle. Little wonder this mantra has been adopted as the title of the company’s history, superbly written by David Burgess-Wise.

Whether it’s restoring cars to show-winning condition for the lawns of the Pebble Beach Concours or tending to cars from the Royal Mews, every one has been subject to the same philosophy. This is obvious as you read through the early years of the brothers as they established the business, moving to larger premises, and expanding into the present site at Great Dunmow in Essex. It’s also testament to their skills, and those of their team, that almost any and every important car built by Rolls or Bentley has passed through their workshop.

They have also helped with the Napier-Railton in the Brooklands Collection.

However, what makes this book much more of an appreciation than a mere company history are the many stories about the brothers’ wider interests. This covers a lot of ground, from Austin Sevens to vintage aircraft, adventure travel and epic rallies. What becomes clear is that all of P&A Wood’s work is about using the machinery as intended.

Sadly, Paul Wood passed away in 2022 shortly before this book was published. However, his craftsmanship and eye for detail is

evident in the graceful design and layout. It’s richly illustrated with photos of cars the firm has worked on, as well as family travels and escapades. The images alone make it worth the £50 cost, but it’s the stories within that make Attention to Detail priceless.

Al Suttie Attention to Detail – the P&A Wood Story by David Burgess-Wise is priced £50. Published by The Lavenham Press Ltd: ISBN 978-1-3999-3153-3

Jaunty take on flying circus The flying circus in the title of this children’s book comprises four aircraft from very different ages of flying, and each with their own distinct characters as the main protagonists of the three stories within its pages.

As well as being fun to read about, with lots more technical detail than you would expect for a book aimed at a younger audience, the characters develop as you read along.

Far from putting off children from reading the book, this reviewer found his 10-year old daughter asking more and more questions.

Luckily, there are plenty of explanations and brilliantly clear, simple diagrams and drawings that show what is being described. For anyone with kids interested in aircraft or flying, however slight, this is a book that will

quickly and surely fire their imaginations and passion.

As well as all this, Leona Cobham also tells a good yarn. With three short stories, you can get through one as an evening bedtime story and there’s plenty of humour along the way. As many Members will have children and grandchildren who will have visited Brooklands, Flying Circus Takes to the Skies is a very enjoyable way to further explore how aircraft work.

Leona Cobham is well placed to explain this sort of detail as she has a lifelong love of aeroplanes, helped by her grandfather Sir Alan Cobham who was an early aviation pioneer and the inventor of in-flight refuelling. Her knowledge of flying and aircraft will not be limited to this one book as more are on the way in the Aeroplane Adventures series, which is great news for young and old readers alike.

Al Suttie

Flying Circus Takes to the Skies by Leona Cobham is priced £6.99. Published by Cobham Wings: ISBN 978-1-7394070-0-1

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AROUND THE

COLLECTION Brooklands Members Members’ Administrator Sarah Dover 01932 857381 ext 226 Tues-Fri 9am-2pm members@brooklandsmuseum.com Chairman Neil Bailey 07970 206778 chairman@brooklandsmembers.co.uk Secretary Kevin Lee 01932 562246 kevin@abbeywalls.com Tours and Trips David Brockington-Hill 07766 198735 dbh@brooklandsmembers.co.uk Outreach Debbie Crawt 0208 549 0185 Talks Harry Sherrard 07899 984535 harrysherrard@brooklandsmembers.co.uk BM.tv Mark Jarman 07710 783536 nonesuche@gmail.com Bulletin Editor Alisdair Suttie 07768 372440 brooklandsbulletineditor@gmail.com Contributors Chris Bass, Clifford Bolton, John Bottomley, David Brockington-Hill, Martin Chandler, Tom Corry, Sarah Dover, Martin Gegg, Mike Long, Beatrice Meecham, Julian Nowell, Harry Sherrard, Gareth Tarr, Mike Venables, Richard Wheatland, Allan Winn Advertising, Design and Production: Hine Marketing, Tel: 01452 730770 Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Gloucestershire GL2 9LN E-mail: nick@hinemarketing.co.uk Address change and Bulletin distribution queries 01932 857381 ext 226 members@brooklandsmuseum.co.uk Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN 01932 857381 Fax: 01932 855465 www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Brooklands Museum Chairman Sir Gerald Acher CBE LVO gerryacher@brooklandsmuseum.com CEO Tamalie Newbery ext 243 Executive Director, Engagement, Heritage and Operations Alex Patterson ext 247 Head of Operations & Visitor Experience David Hopkins-Holder ext 238 Head of HR and Volunteering Samantha Mitchell ext 303 Learning Officer Laura Barclay ext 257 Curatorial and Archive Enquiries Andrew Lewis ext 246 Events Manager Mark Hastings ext 276 Concorde Bookings ext 266 flyconcorde@brooklandsmuseum.com Hospitality Sales Manager Andrew Webber ext 251 hospitality@brooklandsmuseum.com Marketing Director Andrew Smith ext 225 Email addresses are available on the Museum website www.brooklandsmuseum.com/about/ contact-us

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Margaret Allan is one of the most successful, yet perhaps less well known, female racers to have competed at Brooklands. Born in July 1909 in Renfrewshire, Scotland, she attended Bedales School near Winchester, which had a reputation as an unorthodox school.

This suited Margaret, and her family’s progressive ideas, as it allowed young women to be much more creative and independent in their approach to thinking than was the norm for the period.

An interest in cars was nurtured by Margaret’s mother and she was soon using the family’s Lagonda to ferry guests between the railway station and house.

This led, almost inevitably, to a move into motorsport, though Margaret was less than impressed by some other women racing drivers who she thought didn’t take the task seriously enough. This is not something she could be accused of as her driving quickly earned her favourable mentions in the motoring press for being ‘fast and neat.’

This driving style proved immensely useful during rallies in the UK and on the Continent where Margaret was much kinder on the car than many other drivers.

She was still using the faithful family Lagonda up to this point for much of her motorsport, but for Margaret’s 1932 Brooklands debut, her father funded a supercharged model of the same marque.

A Bentley followed for 1933 and this was the car that helped Miss Allan to her maiden win at Brooklands at an InterClub meeting, winning the Handicap Race on the Outer Circuit with a lap speed of 97.65mph.

Further success followed in the Bentley and then as a member of the MG Cars team. Other drives came Margaret’s way because of her obvious skill, notably in Richard Marker’s Bentley Old Mother Gun. In this car, Margaret clocked 122.37mph in the Second Whitsun Long Handicap in 1936 at Brooklands, earning her a coveted 120mph badge.

After this, Margaret switched to writing about cars as a motoring journalist, but used her talent at the wheel as an ambulance driver during the Second World War. She also worked as a code breaker at Bletchley Park, while after the war she competed in the 1950 Circuit of Ireland, winning the Ladies’ Prize. Margaret retained her verve throughout her life and lived to the age of 89.

Parking arrangements Please note that for all events marked ‘Parking in The Heights’, designated vehicles only can enter via the Campbell Gate, off Brookland’s Road. All other Members including Club level and visitors please park in The Heights or main public car park unless otherwise specified. Members with a Blue Badge may park on-site using the Campbell Gate entrance.

Parking arrnagements for other weekend events are: Club Level Members: entry via Campbell Gate. Period and classic vehicles may park outside the Paddock. Other vehicles to park in the Campbell Car Park adjacent to the Race Bays. Please abide by staff directions..

All other Members and visitors: entry via main public entrance off Brooklands Drive.

This issue of the Brooklands Bulletin (incorporating The Spirit) is published on behalf of Brooklands Members, supporters of Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd, by Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Gloucestershire GL2 9LN. The statements and opinions expressed in the Bulletin are not necessarily those of the Brooklands Members’ Committee or Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd. While every effort has been made by the Publishers to include correct information, they are unable to accept responsibility for errors or omissions. The Publishers, Brooklands Members and Brooklands Museum Trust Limited cannot accept responsibility in the event of misinformation or lack of source relating to images supplied by a third party by electronic or other means.

Charity number 296661. Please quote this if making donations or requesting them via a funeral director.

BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023

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