Fanoe Island trials

Jan Clausen Nielsen, one of the three authors of a top-quality book about the Fanoe Island speed trial, tells us that the book is still available from him, for £25 including p&p. This Fanoe event, held only from 1919 to 1924, attracted some most interesting entries, including Malcolm Campbell’s 350hp Sunbeam, a big Austro-Daimler, the Carl Joms’ Opel and aero-engined monsters such as Edward Scarisbrick’s copy of Chitty II, his `Scariscrow’ with Benz engine, the Stoewer-Argus, and Denmark’s Fiat-Mercedes.

Not much has been released here about this event but in this book all is revealed — the motorcycle riders as well as the car drivers, with a wealth of interesting pictures, full results, official letters (one trying to get Zborowski and Chitty-Bang-Bang there) reproductions of advertisements, cartoons, the lot… The address is Hadsundvej 86, DK-8900, Randers, Denmark.

Incidentally, last year, at the 70th Anniversary of Fanoe, the Scariscrow’, and the Austro-Daimler ran on the sands and the NMM lent the 350hp Sunbeam as a static exhibit. I assume the `Scariscrow’ came from the USA, to which it was exported long ago, mistaken at first for one of the Zborowski Chitty Bang-Bangs. What, I wonder, became of Mr Scariscrow, whose wife rode with him in the speed-trials? I believe in later years he had a Monza Alfa Romeo, etc, but I was unable to trace him.

On a different publishing tack, Dreoilin have another excellent book in their Irish Transport series. Chamber’s Motors 1904-1929 by John S Moore (ISBN 1 902773 09 8.) is a concise history of this Irish-built car, with 43 pictures including not only the cars but van, ambulance, hearse and a hillclimb chassis, as well as factory interiors. One might say that never before has so much been offered for so little cost, the price being £4.50.