Veteran to classic: VSCC Weston

Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Seaside vintage

On the beautiful day of October 2, the VSCC again held speed-trials along the front at Weston-Super-Mare, furthering a tradition which started in 1913. Weston’s earliest sprints were over a mile on the beach, later becoming a half-mile along the Marine Parade with paired runs, and are now run as a half-kilometre event with single runs.

In practice this year LJ Smith proved that even in a simple speed-trial it is possible to have a considerable accident; he failed to see the finish, spun his Derby-Bentley into a lamp-post, and was removed to hospital with broken ribs, the car having been chopped virtually in half! But they have done almost as much at Brighton, without getting far from the start. . .

Otherwise things began well, with Selwyn-Smith setting new vintage and general class-records (21.43 seconds) with his 1930 Interceptor Frazer Nash in the 1500cc sports-car category, beating Golder’s 1936 Riley Sprite. In the over-11/2-litre class Matthews’ Delahaye 135 set a new general class-record, (19.70 sec), just beating Craig Collings, who won the vintage section in the 41/2-litre Bentley (20.11 sec).

Records fell again in the class for special and supercharged 11/2-litre sports-cars, won by Mrs Ricketts’ Riley Special (19.28 sec) from the Riley “Wagtail” and Keens’ neatly supercharged 1.3-litre Lagonda Rapier, whilst Gordon’s Riley Special took vintage honours (25.15 sec). All except two of the big special sports-cars were post-vintage, the Royce-Bentley (displaying BARC and BRDC badges) winning in 17.52 sec after an excithig take-off. Bruce Spollon’s 41/4 Bentley and Roscoe’s 4.3 Alvis filled the places.

Of the little racers, Brian Gray scored in the Hardy (17.76 sec), from the Gunns in the MG Q-type replica, Colin the quicker by 0.27 sec. The Allt’cok went limp and retired, and Hernandez’ A7 finished its run at 54 mph (the Bentley-Royce had done 94) but was best vintage car. Purnell’s monoposto A7 (with “knees-op” cockpit and single SU gasworks), needs development, and like the real racers Keeling’s PB MG was started with a battery-trolley.

The 11/2-litre racing-car class went to Sayers in his Motor Sport Brooklands Trophy winning Riley (16.82 sec), 0.61 seconds quicker than ERA R12C, with Danaher’s 4CM Maserati third. It was very good to see the Halford Special win the vintage section with a class-record 20.30 sec, which was too much for a T37 Bugatti and the BHD in this poorly-supported category. The Vernon-Crossley appeared to have a radiator-shell made of gold , which would put it in the Royale valuation bracket!

The merged big-racers and historics class saw Mayman continue his very successful season with FTD (14.70 sec, another record) in ERA R4D, which went over the line at 122mph, eclipsing Felton’s Alfa Romeo (15.00 sec) and Jolley in the jolly-long shining-silver Giron-Alvis (15.46 sec). By dint of blowing a Speed-20 engine Hulbert’s Silver Eagle Alvis, although not placed, pulverised the vintage class record of Ghosh in the TT Vauxhall and was fastest vintage car (16.94 sec). The pre-war sprint flavour was endorsed by the Djinn, attended by Rupert Instone, although this in 1949 form.

The veterans and Edwardians produced. two newcomers: Harold Smith’s 1916 Indy 4.9-litre Sunbeam, out for the first time since 1936 and wisely keeping to about 2800 rpm, which nevertheless won the class in the record time of 21.87 sec, and Brown in the 1914 3.4-litre SAVA (with overhead exhaust, side inlet-valves and a replica TT body) brought back from Australia in 1985 (28.14 sec).

In fact Roger Collings’ 1903 Mercedes was a worthy second (23.47 sec) from Valentine Lindsay’s 1914 GP Opel (24.47 sec) which his girlfriend Miss Whittome also courageously drove on this her first competition appearance, to a most commendable 25.85 sec. Nick Ridley drove his mauve 1914 TT Sunbeam, imported from New Zealand two years ago.

So ended a most enjoyable day by the sea, with the handicap awards to add to the enchantment. WB