Wrong Routes

Reading in the February issue of Aeroplane Monthly of the sad accident which occurred at the 1952 SBAC Farnborough (RAE) Air Display, in which John Derry’s DH 110 disintegrated over the crowd, killing the famous test pilot, his observer and 28 members of the public, reminds me of two happier Farnborough happenings. One Sunday evening, having a motor-racing assignment at the News Chronicle, I was on my way from Fleet to London and, hoping to avoid the congestion on this public display viewing day, I used a narrow lane across the common to gain the A325.

What I didn’t know was that this main road had been turned temporarily into a four-lane one-way exit from the RAE in the Farnham direction, by putting up “No Left Turn” notices at all adjoining roads where normally a right turn was permissable. Except that this little-used lane had been overlooked by those erecting the notices!

So in my innocent A7 I made a left turn, after which all hell broke loose. Confronted by cars four abreast bearing down on me I blew the horn and stopped. A policeman rushed up, demanding to know what the hell I thought I was doing? “Trying to get to London”, I replied. “It’s a one-way road; you’re in big trouble” the constable responded, as an Inspector hurried to join him. He repeated this information, almost yelling “You disobeyed the notices”. “There isn’t one at the lane I used” I told him. The gloating young bobby was sent unbelievingly, to check. He came back crestfallen. I was vindicated and the volume of exiting traffic from the RAE had to be halted, to enable WB and one little A7 saloon to proceed…

On another occasion I was driving with a young daughter in the Morgan Plus-4, but this time, at the same place, traffic was pouring into the RAE, for the afternoon flying. I was waved into the left hand lane, although protesting that I had seen the Display on Press-day and now I just wanted to get home. No go! Perhaps a label (motor racing) on the windscreen had convinced the police that I was Display-bound. So in we had to go. Arriving at the pay-box/ticketcheck I explained the situation. “Just drive on to that RAF Officer” I was instructed. He was 100% politeness and understanding and showed me how to escape; or, he said, you can stay and see the Show again, free — except unfortunately, young children are not allowed on Trade days. Full marks for sensible organisation, presumably intended to appease those with no tickets or the wrong ones…

A notice had been put up at Frimley Bridge, on the Londoners’ route to the Display, reading “SPEED IN THE AIR, CARE ON THE ROADS”, but it was a fast aeroplane that killed those unsuspecting spectators. On a happier note again, Motor Sport’s photographer once went to the Display on a very wet day, but got good pictures. On his return he said “What puzzled me was that the only aeroplanes unable to take off were the All-Weather Lightnings!”