A ONE-MAKE 24-HOUR TRIAL

A ONE-MAKE 24-HOUR TRIAL

RALLIES of one sort and another are becoming more popular every year, and there is no doubt that the opportunity of individual planning which this type of event provides is a great attraction to many drivers. The Riley Club went one better, however, and combined a rally with a trial over some difficult country in Wales, so that those who had successfully completed their self-imposed tasks of journeying from London, Leeds Newcastle, Southsea, and other points on the map, then had a chance of sampling some Welsh hills, including the famous Bwlch-y-groes.

The cars set off in the evening of July 3rd, and arrived in Brecon in the early morning. After hasty ablutions and some food to freshen -drivers and passengers after their night drive, the first man left on the trial proper at 8 a.m. The remainder .of the entry, nearly 70 cars, set off at minute intervals to follow the unpronounceable route of 156 miles to Llangollen.

The whole route led through some of the most wonderful scenery in Britain, though it is doubtful if the competitors had very much time or inclination to take advantage of this. The first hill was situate in the Elan Valley, and named Elan’s Back Door, and provided quite a tricky little climb whose three hairpin bends were very loose, and gave -opportunity for neat driving, as well -as for some which was anything but.

The hill did not present any real difficulty however, and the various types of Rileys coped with the gradient with ease.

A point which made all the hills a little more severe than they might have been in an ordinary trial was the fact that all cars were compelled to carry their full load of passengers for the entire event, and therefore owners of two seaters were at a distinct advantage in actual hill performance, though at a corresponding disadvantage when their figure of petrol consumption in ton-miles per gallon came to be worked out. The next hill, Stay-a-little, was also used as a timed climb, which caused the above-mentioned complement of passengers to be considerably shaken up on the very bumpy

NEARLY SEVENTY COMPETITORS TAKE PART IN WELL ORGANISED EVENT ARRANGED BY THE

RILEY CLUB.

surface. Once again, though, the cars performed well.

Breakfast having by now been well shaken up—or down—lunch was taken at Dinas Mawddwy to fortify competitors for the attack on Bwlchy-Groes. This hill, which may be pronounced as it is spelt, if you can do it, is nearly 2 miles in length, 1 in 4i in gradient in places, and has a prevailing wind designed to overheat nearly any normal car.

The first section of the hill produced no great bother, but the cars were stopped shortly before the half distance had been covered for a timed climb, to ensure that they were given a real blind to the summit. This resulted in good deal of steam being generated, though the speed of most of the cars did not

seem to be affected by whether they boiled or not. The ” nines ” were particularly good, both for speed and lack of boiling, exceptions being G. S. Davison (Monaco) and W. E. Chadwick (Biarritz) who stopped momentarily, and Miss Pinder (tourer) who had to unload her passengers before the car would continue.

Excellent climbs by ” nines ” were made by G. Clifton, C. E. H. Finch, G. A. Wooding, and C. Crosthwaite, the latter eventually proving the winner of the Premier Award.

The route led from here via Bala and Corwen to Llangollen, where the cars, after checking in, were sent across the town to the station to be weighed, complete with passengers, what time their remaining petrol was also measured and the results were worked out in time for the awards to be allotted within a few hours of the finish.

Results were based not only on time-keeping, and petrol-consumption on a weight basis, but also on shortage of correct number of passengers, performance in the timed sections of the hills, and distance from Brecon of the chosen starting point.

Awards were also given for various special features, and it was generally voted at the dinner following the event that the Riley Club were to be congratulated on their enterprise in staging such a novel and interesting trial. The results were as follows :The Ski-Lady Challenge Trophy

Fostering Overseas Trade.

pESSIMISTS to-day are apt to say that foreign countries and our Dominions are so badly hit by the general trade depression that it is no use doing anything about overseas trade. An example has been set to them by Mr. S. Bettmann, founder and managing director of the Triumph Company, who has just returned from a business trip to South Africa. Mr. Bettmann did not go there to appoint new agents, for so energetic has been his company’s policy that they are fully represented in South Africa and, indeed, almost all over the world. He merely went to cement the close business relatiorships which exist between him and his customers in distant lands and to renew the numerous friendships

(Premier Award. Best performance by any competitor)—C. Crosthwaite (Leeds), 34.25 ton-miles per gallon.

Directors’ Challenge Trophy (best trade perfoTmance).—J. Hobbs (London), 34.59 ton-miles per gallon.

“Good Housekeeping” Cup (Best Lady’s performance).—Mrs. Harold Goodwin (Southsea), 30.53 ton-miles per gallon.

J. 0. Jones Cup (best fuel consumption) .—H. N. Booker (Leeds), 53.56 ton-miles per gallon.

Harold Goodwin Cup (best allround condition at finish).—Harold Goodwin (Southsea).

Derick Burcher Cup (best trade fuel consumption) .—S. E. Ellis (London) , 42.77 ton-miles per gallon. Leverett-Kearton Cup (best performance by lady on both hills).—

formed during his previous visit to South Africa some years ago.

If the managing director of a concern which has business relationships already established overseas finds such trips necessary, how much more so are they necessary when new ground is being broken ?

AN analysis of the results of the recent Rover” E5 trial’s in New Zealand shows that there is even more in them than meets the eye. Under the official observation of the Auckland A.A., a ” Family Ten” saloon covered 1,577 miles at a cost of R-I 17s. 6d. This in itself sounds good, but in New Zealand petrol is more costly than it is here—the average price paid was nearly

Mrs. Lilian Butchart (Newcastle). Blake Challenge Cup (best performance by a Riley Nine).—J. H. Fuller (Southsea).

The Secretary’s Tankard (best 14 h.p. six-cylinder Riley).—H. J. Ripley (London).

The Club Cup (best two-seater) .— C. H. Finch (Leeds).

Stelvio Trophy (best performance on hills).—R. K. Appleton (Cambridge).

Riley M.C. Novice Cup (best performance by novice).—B. Bowles (London).

Harold Phippen Cup (best trade performance on both hills).—G. M. Densham (Exeter).

Service Challenge Cup (for oldest car to complete course).—Miss M. H. Shaw (Leeds).

is. 10d.—and as petrol was naturally the largest item the results take on a new aspect when translated in English figures.

Corresponding quantities of fuel at the average’ home” price of the best spirit— Is. 30.—would, have cost under £3, where as in the test they cost £4 5s. 9d. Proportionately, for the round sum of £5, the car could have completed 2,354 miles in Great Britain.

Another interesting point is that in the last ” £5 trial” held in England, a Rover Ten did 2,147 miles, under R.A.C. observation, at an average consumption of 32.4 m.p.g., petrol then averaging Is. 20. per gallon. In the New Zealand test, despite the inclusion of atrocious road surfaces which necessitated the use of chains over long stretches, the consumption was 34 m.p.g.

How Far For £5?