CLUB AFFAIRS, September 1951

CLUB AFFAIRS

A social rally for lunch and tea and a conducted tour of London Airport will be held on Sunday, September 2nd, at Hanworth Park Hotel, Feltham, MiddleSex, by the Alvis Owner Club. All enthusiasts and friends will be welcome ; meet at 11 a.m. Further details from the secretary, E. E. Turner, 3, Gatwick Road, S.W.18. * * *

The Alvis Register hopes to hold driving tests at Abridge Airfield, Essex, on September 9th, starting at 11 a.m. Entrance fee is 2s. 6d. and the event is open to Alvis Register and Alvis Owner Club members. * * * The Morgan 4/4 Club held its first Road Rally on Sunday, August 5th, starting from Burton-on-Trent, via a 75-mile route to Banbury. At the conclusion of the road sections various driving tests were held. The results were :

1st: G. J. Stallard, of Worcester. 2nd : T. A. Parkes, of Persigire, 3rd : W. Allerton, of Chester.

Mr. Allerton completed the road sections without loss of any points. All entrants completed the course.

At the conclusion of the driving tests an excellent dinner was enjoyed at the Wakely Hall Hotel, Banbury, where the awards were presented by Mrs. R. G. Pritchard, wife of the chairman of the club. * * *

By a large majority in each organisation the 2-litre Lagonda Register and the Lagonda Car Club have agreed to unite and form a single rallying point for Lagonda owners. The new name and other details have yet to be decided upon. The final A.G.M. of the 2-litre Lagonda Register will be held at the ” Lambert Arms,” Aston Rowant, on September 23rd, that of the Lagonda C.C. at the “Prince of Vales,” Drury Lane, on October 10th. The first rally to be held by the combined organisation will be at Thome on October 20th. Details from A. J. Fisher, Apsley Cottage, Kingston Blount, Oxon. * *

The newly-formed Wolseley Hornet Club held a rally at Tatsfield, on July 29th, at which 24 cars, some from far away, attended. A Concours d’Elegance was held in the afternoon, and Mr. Startin’s rather special blown car, in immaculate condition, was adjudged the winner and awarded the cup. A series of driving tests was held later, and at tea all rally entrants were presented with souvenir awards. This was the first meeting and augurs well for this Club. A dinner and dance is planned later. Any interested owners of Wolseley Hornet Specials are invited to communicate with J. L. McArthur of 3, The Bungalows, Hook Road, Ampfield, Ramsey, or Peter Wain, of Beggars Roost, Potshot& Surrey. * * *

There was a record entry for the Severn Valley M.C. Driving Tests on July 29th. In the Garaging Test S. R. II. Loxton

(” l ” M.G.) showed a remarkable degree of accuracy.

The Width-.Judging Test was won by T. Oakley (`-“PC ” M.G.), who was only II in. over lila correct width. The In and Out Test which followed

produced a fair amount of tyre wear. Drivers starting from a given line, entered a bay, reversed in the bay, drove out, then round a series of pylons to a similar bay, ending in a flying finish level with the starting line. S. R. II. Loxton again gave an excellent performance, beating C. Emberton (” TC ” M.G.) by 0.4 see. The final Blindfold Navigation Test

produced a large variance of times and a great deal of amusement for the spectators. It. Tart (” TC ” M.G.) beat G. Cope (Lea-Francis) by one second, in an amazingly fast run. One competitor took a short cot through a straw bale. Results :

GeasGiso TEST : S. It. It Loxton (” It ” M.G.), Thompson (Singer) and T. Oakley (” TC ” lie. WInTii-JminiNo TEST : T. Oakley O’ TO”

F. Oldham (Morris Eight). IN-AN»,OuT Tzsir : S. It. it. Buxton (” I} “

C. Einberton C’ TC MA/. ritowsoto NAvtovrica: TEST: B. Tart (“TO”

Cr. Cope ( LoaFrancis). * * *

Forty very sleepy members of the Southern Centre of the Singer Owners’ Club arrived at Brighton early on Sunday morning, July 29th.

They had just taken part in the club’s first all-night event—a rally which took them from Hertford on a 150-mile course to end at Madeira Drive, Brighton.

Several special tests were arranged en route—changing a hot plug, an acceleration test, and other obstacles designed to harass a tired driver at 3 a.m.

The fastest plug changer proved to be C. J. Preston. The best in the acceleration test was N. J. Prescott. Results :

1st O. .1. Preston (1,074 c.c.). 2nd : A. S. Bennett (1,500 cc.). 3rd : N. J. Prescott (1,500 c.c.). CLASSES:

Bilsr ovutt Lope e.e. : A. S. Bennett. 1lEST UNDER 1,0000.C. : M. Arlott. .15551′ &DAMN (0720.0.): M. Bird. * * *

Although over 130 Sunbeams converged on their birthplace, Wolverhampton. for this event, they were the only sunbeams present and rain fell unrelentingly most of the weekend. This did not prevent drivers from taking part in the driving tests at Patingham on the Saturday, held in a large stubble-field found by John Riley and Geoffrey Frank and kindly made available by Tom Oliver. In the evening informal talks were given by such well-known Sunbeam personalities as Geoffrey Frank. Bill Perkins, Frank Bill and ex-Foreman Tanner. On the Sunday morning. Perkins, who was Segrave’s riding mechanic, led a procession of Sunbeams round one of his old test-routes, from the passenger’s seat of Carter’s 1915 ex-W.1). tourer. In the afternoon, with police escort, the ears, headed by Geoffrey Frank’s 1914″ 16120″ cabriolet. paraded through Wolverhampton to %Vest Park, where a Conconrs d’Elegance was judged by Norman Goodchild. the Chief Constable, aided by Eddie Russell, late of Sunbeam’s, and T H. Paule Ministry of Transport. They

examined the ears Most painstakingly, checking such items as oil level in sump, soundness of battery connections, condition of water joints, petrol-cap washers, tyre valve caps, lamps, horn, wipers, seat adjustment, etc. Results : 1)atVt30 TESTS.-*–Ist : S. I t . 1 ta this) ( 1 9.2.11

” P40 ” Special to(lrer): 3nd .1. NI. Masm,11 11930 2:1-h.p. coup0 ; 3rd : F. NV. .loyee (1933 In Op. CI,N1:01 ICELEGANcE. ** Express and Star ” II (er 011) for bcst-1,ept, Sunbeam W. L. Pcart

9:: I :(1-11.11. SI?10010.

The A.C. Owners’ Club will hold driving tests similar on general lines to last year’s at Redhill Aerodrome on Sunday, September 1 ot li. The following (dubs have been invited (and members thereof who wish to compete and who have not already lieen notified should write without delay to T. C. Sanders, The Little Cott:key. Chertsey Road. SheDDerton. Middlesex) : Fiat: 500, .-ston-Mart in, Southern ‘towel!, Citroen, Frazer-Nash Section of V.S.C.C., Singer Owners’, alai Lancia.