Miscellany, January 2003

101 cars entered this years VSCC Welsh Weekend Trial, all of proper pre-1931 vintage; they included 31 A7s, 12 Ford Model-As, five 30/98s and five 4.5-litre Bentleys, which made a fine high-speed procession on the compulsory Saturday 100-mile road run. Best overall was Geraint Owen (1930 Morris-JAP), top in Class Two Dougal Cawley (1928 Ford). In the separate Navigation Rally, the Talyllyn Trophy was won by Peter Glover/Bob Roberts (1927 12/50 Alvis).

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The Hornet Special Club, founded in 1950, caters for the well-liked sports Wolseleys. I remember how Hutchins’ team of Hornets won the LCC Relay Race at Brooklands in 1932.

The Club has a spares service and magazine. Secretary: Chris Hyde (tel: 01929 471630).

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Volume three of Motorfilms Quarterly (tel: 01372 805000) video has coverage of the 1954 Swiss and 1976 British GPs, Sunbeam Tigers in the Geneva Rally and at Le Mans in 1964, items from the career of Sir Jack Brabham, the model cars of Harry Olrog, with a 1912 racing drama as light relief. Edited by Doug Nye and David Weguelin, it’s available at £17.49 inc p+p.

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Fry Flashback: Some years ago there was a knock on our door. A stranger said he was our new neighbour, and as his fields ran with ours he had climbed a fence and negotiated a stream to visit us. “Mr?” we asked. The answer was “Fry — but not of whom you are thinking,” which was of Joe and David of Freikaiserwagen fame. But that evening the caller insisted I accompany him to watch a stage of the RAC in a nearby forest— proof that such things had remained a family interest.