THREE TRIALS

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THREE TRIALS

The Brighton and Hove 12 Hour Team Trial.

THE idea of a team-trial is a thoroughly sound one, for there is a greater demand for all-round consistency when three drivers instead of one are involved. One of the most successful events of this description is the 12 Hour Teams Trial organised by the Brighton and Hove Club.

This year the start was given at Bolney at midnight on Saturday, April 7th, and 60 cars moved off in the direction of the early breakfast stop at the ” Jack o’ Lantern” near Ringwood, in the New Forest. This journey was not as easy as it sounds, however, for a thickish fog hindered and exasperated the competitors for a good deal of the way.

Abbotsbury was the first hill, that long winding ” road” which can be so difficult in certain circumstances. The recent fine weather deprived the bill of its sting, however, and only 5 cars were penalised for failing to keep on the move.

The dry condition of the hills was likely to make the whole trial easy, for Knowle Lane provided no failures at all. On Eggardon Hill there was planned a special test, but a few cars got up before the marshals arrived (they had been delayed by a faulty motor-car) and so it was washed out.

The next test was the braking one on Whitesheet Hill, and this gave the organisers a definite ” slant ” on the relative team performances. The test was not easy, for cars had to accelerate downhill for about 30 yards and pull up between two lines—all as quickly as possible. A lot of people lost marks here, but on the brighter side of the picture the fastest time was made by that excellent driver, G.M. Lenton (Ford V8) in 6.8 secs. -Unfortunately one of his team-mates, E. H. Banfield (M.G. Magna) failed. Next fastest were A. Powys-Lybbe (Alvis) 7.2 secs., T. H. Winterborn (Alvis) 7.4 secs. and R. A. Macderrnid (M.G.) 8 secs. The best team performance was that

Ashton-Rigby’s Brighton and Hove team, consisting of F. W. Quero (M.G.) and M. H. Lawson (Singer) 8 secs„ and Rigby himself (M.G. Six) 8.2 secs. Two old favourites in Meerhay and Ibberton completed the route, and of the two, Meerhay was the more difficult, stopping 14 cars. And so to the finish

at Blandford, where it was found that the Brighton and Hove team were the deserving winners of the team prize.

RESULTS.

TeamPrize.—B. and H. M.C. Ii: F. W. Quer* (LG.); M. H. Lawson (Singer), A. A. Rigby (1i/L.G. Six).

Runners-Up.—Hastings and D. M.C.: E. G. Benge, C. A. Hall, G. A. Thomas (Singers).

First-clan Awards.—T. H. Winterborn (Alvis) F. W. Quer°, R. A. Macdermid (M.G.’s), A. A. Rigby (M.G. Six), G. M. Denton (Ford), M. H. Lawson, W. J. B. Richardson, D. Loader, C. A. Hall (Singers), G. H. Goodman, C. U. Davis (Austins), R. j. ‘Appleton (Riley). Second-class Awards.—M. W. B. May (Alvis), C. V. Wells, A. 2. K. Debenlsam, C. Ball, H. M. Avery, F. A. Thatcher, E. G. Benge, G. A. Thomas, C. A. Parrott (Singers), E. A. Dicks, W. F,. C. Greenleaf, J. G. C. Bond, W. E. Chandler (Morris Minors), R. Westlake (Morris), S. S. Randall (Austin)/

I. Creek (Ford).

The Lancashire and Cheshire Club’s Sporting Trial.

Considering that it was their first attempt to run a reliability trial, the recently formed Lancashire and Cheshire Club are to be congratulated upon securing an excellent entry of 48 cars, of whom only 4 were non-starters.

The trial took place on April 7th, starting and finishing at Buxton, in the heart of a favourite trials district. A brake test on Cowdale, not far from the start, was first encountered and resulted in ” premier ” performance being made by H. P. Holden (Frazer Nash). Blackermill was a little farther along the valley, and performed its usual function of racking the springs and chassis of the cars, to say nothing of the uncomfortable occupants.

A new hill known as Chelmorton followed, being a grassy track which soon caused violent w-heelspin. Litton Slack, famous Derbyshire “terror,” was next attempted with varying degrees of success. The first man up was H. D. Wyatt (M.G. J2) but he failed to go through the gate at the top, turning right instead of left. Fine climbs were made by H. P. Holden and R. Tweed.ale (Frazer Nash), also by Mrs. Needham and Miss V. Wild on V8 Fords. Two easy gradients followed, Monsal Dale and Eyam Bank, but the ” storm ” was reached when the cars arrived at Jenkins Chapel. Here again fortunes were varied. Cars of over 8 ft. 6 ins, were allowed one reverse on the sharp hairpin, and Lady Mary Grosvenor (Riley) effected

this manceuvre very neatly. Big cars can be coaxed round by skill, and Mrs. Needham was very confident with her V8 Ford. Tweedale and Holden failed with their Frazer Nashes, in spite of climbing the smooth ” banking ” made by the efforts of many trials cars to get round. R. T. Gardner, on another Nash, was more successful, however, and made a splendid ascent.

Finally on Goyts Bridge Hill an acceleration test was held, in which Ford V8, and Singers were very fast, as was Miss E. V. Watson on a P type M.G. Midget.

A dinner-dance at the Palace Hotel concluded a most enjoyable event, which bids fair for the success of the Club.

RESULTS.

Gentleman’s Cup and £6 Es.—J. R. H. Baker (If-litre Le Mans Singer), 98 marks. Ladies’ Cup best perforniance by a lady).— Miss E. V. Watson (847 M.G., P. type), 97 marks. Team Prize.—Singer Club (Le Maus Singers):

J. R. H. Baker, 98 marks; J. A. M. Patrick, 97 marks ; A. H. Langley, 88 marks ; total marks, 283.

Runners-up.—Singer Club (Finger Nine Sports): R. C. Tibbey, 91; M. G. Dillingham, 97; T. E. Price, 88; total 276.

First-class Awards (95% marks).—D. F,. Harris (Singer), R. T. Gardner (Frazer Nash), V. Sutton (Riley), J. A. M Patrick (Singer), M. G. Dillingham (Singer), 97 marks; R. Duckworth (Riley), J. liarrop (M.G.), 95 marks.

The Scottish Sporting Car Clubs 2 Day Trial.

Easter motoring events can be assured of a good field, and the 2 Day Trial organised by the Scottish Sporting Car Club was no exception.

As it turned out the hills were not so difficult as had been expected, the first three being Collium, Logic Kirk and Fornought. A special test at Stoneybrae followed, consisting of three hairpins which had to be negotiated non-stop. Good performances were made by J. K. Nisbet (M.G. Midget J2), K. W. B. Sanderson (Speed Twenty Alvis), Murray Frame (Singer) and Cockbun (Singer). The last hill of the first day was Hudson, near Aberfeldy. There were one or two failures, notably Smith’s Singer and Murray’s Frazer Nash, but on the whole the hill was coped with satisfactorily.

Next morning another hairpin-hill still further eliminated competitors, Anderson accidentally switching off the engine of his ” Special” and Potter stopping with a faulty battery lead. Special tests concluded the trial, which was well organised throughout.