Obituary: Lindsay Eccles

The motor racing world and the Bugatti fraternity in particular will mourn the loss of another driver who was prominent in the sport before the war, when amateurs mixed it with the professionals. Lindsay Eccles was in the former division, his wealth stemming from Welsh steel production. With his brother Roy Eccles, remembered for his blown Lagonda Rapier, Lindsay raced for relaxation, at the pre-war circuits, notably Brooklands and Donington, and in the road races of those days. He favoured Bugattis, racing 2-litre GP, 2.3 s/c GP in which he survived a horrific crash at Dieppe and a T37, finished in his colours of black-and-green and prepared by the celebrated HW Papworth, although his competition career had opened with a 4 1/2-litre low-chassis Invicta at Shelsley Walsh in 1931.

In 1934, with three other British drivers, he bought from Molsheim one of the T59 3.3-litre GP Bugattis, and used it for long-distance racing, and at Shelsley Walsh and Brighton, where it gained class wins. Eccles also shared a single-seater Frazer Nash with “Tim Davies” in the BRDC 500 Mile Race at Brooklands, and he continued to race a 2.3 Bugatti while owning the T59, the latter driven in the loM and in important races at Donington, and at Brooklands, where he gained his 120mph badge in 1935.

Most of AHL Eccles’ successes were in the shorter Brooklands and Donington races but he preferred road racing to the Track. He had a T57 Bugatti before the war, with James Young saloon body to his own design but in later days ran an Aston Martin and was a keen member of the Silverstone Club. Our condolences are with his wife, step-daughter Bunty Moffatt and his many motoring and business friends. WB