Reports of Recent Events, December 1946

Bouley Bay Hill Climb
Held over a 1,200 yards’ twisty course, this event might be termed the “British Stelvio.” Unfortunately, in spite of the length of the course, the finish was placed close to a corner, which resulted in Bainbridge crashing the Ansell E.R.A. after making f.t.d. in 55.9 sec., a new record. Bainbridge went to hospital with broken ribs. For 1947 this fault in an otherwise first-class meeting will be rectified. Leslie Johnson, with but a short look at the hill immediately after his Airspeed “Consul” landed, did a magnificent climb in the Darracq in 59.8 sec. Allard, however, beat him with the o.h.c. Allard, in 58.7 sec., as did Monkhouse, by .1 sec., using Leslie’s own car. Willis’s B.M.W. won the 1 1/2-litre sports car class in 64.9 sec. from a Rover and an M.G., and Oscar Moore, in the ex-Johnson B.M.W., the 1 1/2-2-litre sports car class, in 61.3 sec. from Kennington’s blown M.G. and Miss Haig in her B.M.W. Dowson got the Lightweight up in 59.0 sec. to win the up-to-1,100 c.c. racing class. Bainbridge was rewarded for not lifting his foot by winning the 1,100-1,500-c.c. racing class, beating Le Gallais, the previous record holder, who clocked 58.9 sec. in his Jamieson-blown, Wolseley-engined Hybrid-Special. Cowell (E.R.A.) was third, in 59.9 sec. Bear’s Type 51 Bugatti took the up-to-2,500-c.c. racing car class, in 56.2 sec., from Monkhouse’s sister car, which clocked 59 sec., Cowell (Alta) and Grey (Bugatti) tying for third place. In the big racing class Benett’s. V8 Benett-Special won in 58.6 sec. from the Allard and Darracq. A very good event indeed.

Sheffield and Hallamshire M.C. High Peak Trail
Starting from Sheffield, this 22-mile event attracted over 60 entries. Bole’s Bank failed 39 cars, and was followed by a special test, in which Wise’s V8 Ford-engined C.W.8 was fastest, in 13 sec. Gatehouse, Pindale and Rebellion Knoll followed, claiming a few failures, and then Abney ‘Azard stopped the entire entry save for Clegg’s Ford Ten Special. Hucklow Bank was easy, likewise Monsal splash. Wise again made best time in the stop-and-restart test. Ashford splash wasn’t too difficult, but Gipsy Lane was in fine fettle, stopping all save Watson’s Watson-Special, which had come from Scotland to compete. This excellent trial concluded with Contesbury and Dowlow. Mrs. Flather (M.G.), in her first trial, and Mallock, in his Austin Seven, did especially well, but Wise’s C.W.8 made best performance, runner-up being Hutchison’s Allard.

Best Performance: T. C. Wise (C.W.8). Runner-up, K. Hutchison (Allard).
Best Under 1,500 c.c.: J. Clegg (Ford),
Best Performance by a Sheffield and Hallamshire M.C. Member: A. G. R. Watson (Watson-Special).
Novice Award: Mrs. D. Flather
Team Award: “The Tail Waggers”: K. Hutchison, G. Warburton and D. W. Price.
Souvenier Awards: J. F. A. Clough (Singer), T. C. Harrison (Riley), G. Warburton (Ford-Special), F. D. Gilson (Allard), A. M. R. Mallock (Austin), A. G. Imhof (Allard), K.. Burgess (Allard), K. Hutchison (Allard), H. W. Morgan (Riley), D. W. Price (Price-Special).

Pena Rhin G.P.
This was another victory for the 16-valve Maserati, Pelassa winning from Basadonna and Alberto, also driving Maseratis. Cavenna’s 1,100-c.c. Cisitalia did well to come in 4th, and Brooke’s E.R.A. had a collision and trouble, but was 5th. Parnell’s Maserati retired early in the race.

Riley M.C. Trial
The Autumn Trial of the Midland Centre started and finished at Stourbridge and received 35 entries. Gerard and his wife tied in the timed hill climb, and Gerard was quickest in the special test. Beetson’s “Sprite” made best performance amongst the privately-owned sports cars, Gerard scoring for the Trade and Lady Mary Grosvenor for the ladies. Edwards’ Falcon, Zillwood’s 1 1/2-litre and Brand’s “Kestrel Sprite” scored in the touring car categories.

S.W. Germany M.R.C. Autobahn Races
Isn’t it the last straw? In the American Zone in Germany the S.W. Germany Motor Racing Club has held a series of races over a bit of autobahn, before 50,000 spectators. A Fiat aerodynamic saloon beat a Morgan “4/4” in the 1,100-c.c. race and Von Falkenhausen’s “328” B.M.W. won the unlimited sports car race from Kieffer’s Bugatti and Martin’s B.M.W.-engined Bugatti Special. The winning B.M.W. averaged 63 m.p.h. Farr’s M.G. took the 1 1/2-litre sports car race. Lang, Stuck and Muller were present.

The Vesey Cup Trial
In the Sutton Coldfield and N Birmingham A.C.’s Vesey Cup Trial the only man to return a clean sheet was C A N. May with his Ford V8 Special. An entry of 44 was received, and the course measured just that number of miles. In the driving test Gilson’s V8 Allard just beat Parker (Allard) and Delingpole (H.R.G.), who tied. Eleven cars climbed Longvile, including Newton’s H.R.G. and Hutchison’s Allard, the latter’s rear tyres inflated at a mere 6 lb./sq. in. It was Haywood Common which failed all save May’s Ford, the “best failures” being Hutchison and Delingpole. In a timed climb of Goat Hill Appleton’s 3,917-c.c. Allard was 2 see. faster than May.

Results:
Vesey Cup (best performance of the day): C. A. N. May (3,622 Ford), 0 marks lost. Carless Cup (best over 1,500 c.c.): K. Hutchison (3,622 Allard), 5 marks lost. Watson Gwynne Bowl (best under 1,500 c.c.): E. J. Newton (1,497 H.R.G.), 5 marks lost. Team Prize: Midlanders team, G. N. Mansell (3,917 Allard), K. Delingpole (1,497 H.R.G.) and C. A. N. May (3,622 Ford).
First-Class Awards: L. Parker (4,440 Allard), 7 marks lost; K. C. Delingpole (1,497 H.R.G.), C. L. Bold (1,089 Riley), D. W. Price (3,922 Price-Special), A. G. Imhof (4,000 Allard), J. A. Appleton (3,917 Allard), and G. Warburton (3,622 Ford), all 10 marks lost.
Second-Class Awards: F. D. Gilson (3,622 Allard), 15 marks lost; H. W. Morgan (1,496 Riley), 15 marks; G. N. Mansell (3,917 Allard), 15 marks; K. E. .O. Burgess (4,200 Allard), 15 marks; B. Humphreys (747 Austin, s.), 20 marks; A. W. Morrish (939 M.G.), 20 marks; T. Lund (930 M.G. s.), 25 marks; K. Rawlings (847 M.G.), 25 marks;D. G. Mather (1,292 M.G.), 25 marks; J. H. Leigh (1,496 Frazer-Nash), 25 marks.

Darlington and District M.C. Trial
This trial was won by Capt. A. R. Mallock’s Austin Seven Special, the runners-up being Wise’s C.W.8, Clough’s Singer and Wilson’s Austin Seven Special.

S.S.C.C. Half-Day Trial
Fourteen cars started in this 30-mile event. Thorne’s Allard won the big-car class, Ivor Page’s M.G. the small-car division.

Lockhart-Bossingham Trial
The Berkhampstead and D.M.C. used some stiff sections in this event, which was a combined car and motorcycle affair, and a long delay at the first section resulted in many of the hazards being cut out later on. The special test had to be eliminated because it was too dark to time the later cars through it. Marshalling seems to have been distinctly vague, so that no detailed results were issued. Hutchinson’s Allard appears to have won, with Price’s Ford V8 Special the best visitor.

Manchester Cavalcade
This was the last of It is year’s excellent S.M.M.T. open-air Motor Shows. Rain fell heavily to uphold Manchester’s tradition and the route was on the short side, so that the veterans tended to hustle the moderns at the finish. Interesting runners were an 1896 Stutz de Dion of German origin, about which we would like more information; a 1906 Germain tourer; Neve’s 1914 T.T. Humber; a White-and-Poppe Morris-Oxford; the 1919 Castle Three 8-wheeler; Provis’ 1920 E-type “30/98” Vauxhall; a 1923 12-h.p. Mathis cabriolet; the original 1923 M.G., wrongly termed the first M.G. “Midget” ; Mrs. Neve’s very smooth and silent “O.E.” “30/98” Vauxhall; Buck’s Type 35 G.P. Bugatti; a 1926 Morris coupé; Bramley’s “12/50” beetleback Alvis; a 1926 13.9 Standard drophead; Ashton’s and Byron’s “Red Label,” Van den Plas Bentleys; a 1927 T.G. “12/50” Alvis sports saloon; a 3-litre twin o.h.c. Sunbeam; Heal’s similar car and several of his racing Sunbeams; a 1924 Alvis; a 1928 18-h.p. touring Star; Whittaker’s 4 1/2-litre open Bentley; a 1928 Humber Nine; a “blown” T.T. Lea-Francis 2-seater; another old-school Bentley; an early Singer “Junior”; two straight-eight Lanchesters, and two 1923 Belsize-Bradshavvs, both by the same owner, one a 2-seater, the other a 4-seater.

M.C,C, Active Again
Difficult Buxton Trial. No first-class awards.
Barred by petrol rationing from holding its Exeter, Land’s End and Edinburgh trials, the Motor Cycling. Club, under “Jackie” Masters’ able guidance, last month held a very successful “Buxton.” The trial started, traditionally, from the Palace Hotel and covered a difficult 59-mile course embracing six sectioins. For the first time since 1901 the M saved all its first-class awards, Litton Slack stopping the entire entry, which ranged from the Trogans of Scroggs and Pidgeon to a whole string of Allards. Imhof’s white 1947 Allard and Harrison’s Riley made the best onslaughts, while Newton and Delingbole (H.R.G.s) were almost as good. The first section of Jenkin’s Chapel stopped all but the white Allard team, Hutchinson’s Allard and Newton’s H.R.G. Here Potter’s Allard sheared a key in its back axle. The Allards, H.R.G.s and Denyer’s vintage Lea-Francis again showed up best at Bamford Clough. Scrogg’s famour Trojan very nearly climbed Jenkin’s Chapel and Bamford Clough. Wright’s Frazer-Nash, Thomson’s “blown” Morgan and Potter’s Allard fell by the wayside.

Results:
2nd Class Awards: Imhoff, Burgess, Parker, Appleton, Zwick and Hutchinson (Allards), Newton and Delingbole (H.R.G.s) May (Ford V8), and Denyer (Lea-Francis)
3rd Class Awards: Scales (M.G.), Hutchinson and Morgan (Rileys) and Dargue (B.M.W.)
Team Prize: Allard Team