Rumblings, May 2007

The piece by Mark Hughes in the March issue about Monaco and its famous Casino revives for me the occasion when I was in the Principality for a GP with a fellow reporter from Motoring News. During the race the Casino was open to anyone reasonably dressed, instead of in the formal attire normally insisted upon. We decided to have a mild gamble and soon lost the modest sum from our expenses fund. How to explain this on our return? By saying that in Monaco they were very strict about dirty cars and to avoid trouble we had to have ours washed more than once…

At the VSCC’s Measham Rally the Measham Trophy was won by Peter Glover’s Alvis 12/50. The Jeddere-Fisher Trophy went to John Warburton’s Gwynne Ten and the Richard Dames-Longworth Trophy to Ray Edge (Bentley 3½). Top novice was Roger Twelvetrees (Buick D45), outstanding newcomer Robert Gibson (Wolseley Hornet Sol).

Excellent that 1.7m car users signed a petition against the Government’s plan for road charges, by tagging your car as if it were a convicted law-breaker. The cost would be astronomical, and not only an interference with civil liberties but probably unworkable.

The Rolls-Royce EC celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year. Its Bulletin is packed with fine photos. The Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation has been given six more sectioned R-R engines, and while these somewhat sadden me, I concede that these will be useful at the Club’s technical seminars.