Miscellaneous
September Fixtures
Tourist Trophy
Entries for the T.T. at Goodwood on September 5th are coming in well although the works teams are not yet finalised. Full works teams can be expected from Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and Lotus, while Ecurie Ecosse have entered a D-type Jaguar and the Tojeiro-Jaguar and John Coombs has entered his Cooper Monaco for Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren to drive. Chris Bristow has been engaged by Porsche and will probably partner Hans Herrmann. Other drivers will probably be Bonnier, von Trips, Barth and Heins. Aston Martin have not nominated their full team yet, but Ferrari has nominated his full works team of Brooks, Gurney, Allison, Gendebien and Cabianca.
Most of the prominent British private owners have entered but with an entry limit of 35 cars a lot of them will he disappointed, but at least a high quality entry is assured. The race starts at 12 noon and finishes at 6 p.m.
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The Gold Cup
Enthusiasts will be pleased to learn that at least one more Formula 1 race will be held in Britain this year. This will take place at Oulton Park on Saturday, September 26th. The Formula 1 race which will be for the Gold Cup and substantial cash prizes is to be run over 150 miles. The organisers, The Mid-Cheshire Motor Club hope to encourage a representative entry for this race which falls a fortnight after the Italian Grand Prix.
Supporting races will include a 50-mile saloon car race and a qualifying heat of the Autosport Sports Car Championship. Racing commences at 1 p.m.
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Brighton Speed Trials
A popular event which unhappily clashes with the Tourist Trophy on September 5th this year is the National Speed Trials on Madeira Drive, Brighton, and organised by the Brighton and Hove M.C., Despite this a very large entry has been received in all classes including the motor cycles which usually make f.t.d. Sydney Allard is due to make his first appearance with his new twin-engined racing car if it is completed in time. Sports cars start their run at 9.30 a.m.
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That Water Splash
Most of the correspondents who wrote to us about the puzzle picture on Page 628 of last month’s issue correctly recognised the watersplash as that at Charlton Road, Shepperton, Middlesex. We did not realise we had so many readers living in Shepperton, some of them in Charlton Road itself! One reader reminds us that it has been the scene of a number of film shots, chief among them being a scene in “Cockleshell Heroes.” From incorrect solutions it is apparent that there are at least two somewhat similar splashes the other side of London.
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That Dirty Thirty
To provide the sequel to the article headed “Dirty Thirty” which we published last month, the 30 m.p.h. sign referred to was again flat on its back when we drove past it (at 29.9 m.p.h., of course), on August 7th. However, when we passed that way some days later, lo and behold, the sign was once again standing erect, guarding as it should this particular speed-limit area. To our knowledge it had been down for the count for approaching three months and it seems probable had we not drawn attention to it, this would still be a “Dirty Thirty!” That it remained one for so long is a disgrace to the Sunbury authorities. However, all is now well again and as it was the fine extracted from the Editor of Motor Sport that caused attention to be focussed on this disgraceful neglect of proper warning signs, perhaps the money wasn’t forfeited in vain!
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Good for Ipswich
After a 30-m.p.h. speed limit had been removed from a test Section of the Ipswich By-pass and it was found that the accident rate did not increase, a further lengthy section is to be freed from a speed limit.
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A New Three-Wheeler
Berkeley Cars announce a new three-wheeler. Powered with a 328-c.c. Excelsior twin-cylinder two-stroke engine, the Berkeley three-wheeler is said to do 55 to 60 m.p.h. with a petrol consumption of 50 m.p.g.
The body is of moulded glass-fibre construction, with a soft top of durable material. Accommodation is provided for two adults, with room at the back for children or luggage.
Drive is to the two front wheels through an Albion gearbox having four forward speeds and reverse. The gear ratios are: first 25.77 to 1, second 15.72 to 1, third 11.09 to 1, and top 7.98 to 1. The gear lever is mounted centrally on the floor. Final drive is by roller chain through Hardy-Spicer universal joints placed inboard and outboard of left and right-hand shafts.
All wheels are independently sprung; front by unequal wishbones; rear wheel by swinging arm. All three wheels have Armstrong spring and damper units. Girling 7-in, hydraulic brakes are fitted; an adjustable pistol-grip handbrake operates on rear shoes. The wheels are lightweight with 5-stud fixing, having 520 by 12 Michelin tyres. Steering is by Burman worm-and-nut steering box with three-piece divided track-rod. The price is £399 19s. 11d. inclusive of purchase tax, which reminds us of the shopkeeper’s addiction to so-many-pence-three farthings.