Reports of Recent Events, January 1947

Harrow C.C. Cottingham Trial
Held on Bagshot Heath, this event unfortunately clashed with the Veteran Car Run. The fifty competitors who entered had a hard day’s sport in fearful weather. Two sections failed the entire entry, while two hills were included which only Morrish’s 1928 Frazer-Nash managed to climb. Red Roads, divided into three sections, was in dour mood and only the Frazer-Nash (we believe its owner is A. F.N. Ltd.’s store-keeper), C. A. N. May’s Ford V8 Special and the Price-Special got up. Imhof’s Allard dug itself in near the top. Price won the trial, but even he did not qualify for any other award — it was a difficult day all right!

Results
Cottingham Memorial Trophy: D. W. Price (3,922-c.c. Price-Special).
Committee Challenge Cup: M. H. Lawson (1,497-c.c. H.R.G.).
C.L.J. Challenge Cup: C. A. N. May (3,622-c.c. Ford-Special).
Dryden Challenge Cup: K. Delingpole (1,497-c.c. H.R.G.).
Team Prize: Harrow C.C. Team — L. Potter (4,000-c.c. Allard), D. W. Price (3,922-c.e. Price-Special), K. Hutchison (3,622-c.c. Allard-Special).
First Class Awards: F. Morrish (1,496-c.c. Frazer-Nash), J. H. Appleton (4,000-c.c. Allard), K. Hutchison (3,022-c.c. Allard-Special).
Second Class Awards: G. N. Mansell (3,917-c.c. Allard-Special), K K. O. Burgess (4,000-c.c. Allard), A. L. S. Denyer (1,496-c.c. Lea-Francis), E. J. Newton (1,497 c.c.. H.R.G.).

Taunton M.C. Allen Trophy Trial
Thirty-nine entries produced 34 starters in spite of fearful conditions and flooded roads. The Price-Special had apparently overdone things in the “Cottingham” the previous Sunday, for it had axle trouble just prior to the start. The Glade failed everyone, best effort to ascend it being by Warburton (Ford-Special), after good attempts by the Allards of Parker, Hutchison and Burgess. The upper sections of Underhill again failed everyone, and only C. A. N. May Ford V8 Special, McAlpine’s V12 Allard and Evans’ “Special” with 2-litre engine got up Carpenters. The first special test saw Bryant’s T-M.G. make best time, and the second test gave f.t.d. to Warburton, with Buncombe’s Jeep only 0.2 sec. slower. The Allards and Fords nearly all got up Truckwell, Appleton and Parker very quickly, Potter and Warburton in slow but sure fashion, while Hutchison just failed. Of the smaller cars, Cleave’s Morris-Special, Morrish’s two-carburetter, blown M.G. “Midget” and Evans’ “Special” were outstanding. Five cars failed to finish, including Best’s blown 1 1/2-litre Singer, which broke a piston. Evans, in a car he calls the “Stark Adder,” won on his times in the tests, from May’s Ford-Special.

Results

Best Performance of the Day: C. C. Evans (1,991-c.c. Stark Adder), 15 marks lost, 33.2 sec. total time In driving tests.
Runner Up: C. A. N. May (3,622-c.c. Ford Special), 15 marks lost, 54.4 sec. total time in driving tests.
1,100 c.c. Cup: W. A. Cleave (1,086-c.c. Morris), 20 marks lost.
1,500 c.c. Cup: T. C. G. Butler (1,287-c.c. Ophella), 25 marks lost.
Over 1,500 c.c. Cup: L. Potter (4,000-c.c. Allard), 20 marks lost.
First-Class Awards: J. .H. Appleton (4,000-c,c, Allard), 20 marks lost; A.G. Imhof (4,000-c.c. Allard) 20 marks lost; G. Warburton (3,622-c.c. Ford-Special), 25 marks lost: K. E. O. Burgess (4,000-c.c. Allard), 25 marks lost; J. W. Dyer (1,089-c.c. Riley), 25 marks lost.
Second-Class Awards: L. Parker (4,438-c.c. Allard), 25 marks lost; C. S. Dewey (2,093-c.c. Willys Jeep), 30 marks lost; J. Buncombe (1,983-c.c. Ford Jeep), 30 marks lost; K. Hutchison (3,622-c.c. Allard), 35 marks lost; A. W. Morrish (939-c.c. M.G.), 35 marks lost.
Team Award: “Candidi Provocatores” Allards (A. G. Imhof, K. E. O. Burgess, J. H. Appleton).

V.S.C.C. DRIVING TESTS
The Vintage Sports Car Club again held a series of driving tests at Bisley on November 24th. Rain fell unmercifully, but lunch at the “Pavilion” did much to dispel the gloom. After Forrest Lycett had said a short grace a very good meal was served and the attendance must have been a record. Spectators’ cars included a new member’s old four-cylinder Crossley tourer, Packman’s Trojan (the one which used to tour the world on the deck of a battleship), Power’s Rolls-Royce “Twenty” saloon, full of humanity, many Bentleys, Peter Clark’s “Aerodynamic” H.R.G., etc. The first test consisted of accelerating to a considerable speed, stopping, reversing over a line and accelerating off again. Cruelty to vintage cars, but interesting. Birkett’s Austin delivery van was first victim. Hill’s Edwardian “Alphonso” His pano-Suiza was outstanding, but Samuelson’s very desirable 1914 T.T. Sunbeam rather crashed its gears. Axel Berg was terrific in a friend’s “100-m.p.h.” low-chassis Invicta, a “12/50” Alvis waited whilst its driver climbed out to search for reverse gear, and a “30/98” Vauxhall couldn’t stop. The 2-litre Lagondas, Bentleys and Lancia “Lambdas” were generally neat, and Peter Clark, the ultimate winner, carried a full crew — Ariel and her two children — in his “Le Mans” H.R.G. The next test was an in-and-ou-the-garage affair, after which came the more welcome tea and film show.

Results

Over 1 500 c.c.: (1) Richardson (3-litre Bentley); Jane (Lancia “Lambda”); (3) Cuthell (“12/50” Alvis).
Under 1,500 c.c.: (1) P. Clark (H.R.G.); (2) Welfare (Austin); (3) Blackall (M.G.).
Special Award W. A. Hill (1912 Hispano-SuIza “Alphonso”).

N.W.L.M.C. Gloucester Trial
This oId-established classic a the N. W. London M.C. attracted 65 entries, if we discount A. N. Atom’s Uno-1956 of .001 c.c., entered by the Suicide Club, and due to carry No. 13, but which didn’t appear. The trial took place in typical country, and was run in two circuits, the hills being Bownham, Juniper, Hodgcombe and Nailsworth. Juniper and Hodgeornbe proved unclimbable on the first circuit and the latter was cut out on the second, while Juniper’s “observed section ends” notice was brought halfway down the hill. In this condition, clean ascents were scored by Parker’s Allard, Delingpole’s H.R.G. (easily!), Mansell’s Allard (just!), Newton’s H.R.G. (only just), Zwick’s Allard (splendidly!) Uglow’s H.R.G. (beautifully!), Imhof’s Allard (fast!) and Hutchison’s Allard. Good efforts were made by May’s Ford, which nearly got up, Yates’ Austin Seven, Morgan’s Riley, Virr’s B.M.W., Lund’s M.G., and McAlpine’s Amongst those whom we saw defeat Nailsworth’s notorious “step” on the second circuit were Lund’s M.G. and Uglow’s H.R.G., amongst many failures. Imhof had a North Downs Eng. Co. Marshall twin-belt-driven blower on his Allard. Welfare had a baby’s shoe dangling from the instrument panel of his Austin Seven — we conclude that the baby had fallen out on one of the sections, leaving at least one shoe behind to humour tradition; or perhaps the driver had merely provided for ary eventuality.

Results not available at time of going to press.