Miscellany, May 2004

The VSCC John Harris Trial in March was a stiff test, as shown by only six First Class awards being gained, against 12 Second Class and 16 Thirds. The Batho Trophy was a tie between J Mellors (A7 Special), C Oliver (A7 Ulster) and J Fort (trials A7). First Class awards were also won by D Marsh (Bugatti), S Fathers (Ford A) and G White (LeaF), the last-named taking the Patrick Marsh Trophy.

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The Inter-Register contest pits together different one-make clubs in competitive events. Each Register or Club decides on what kind of contest it will provide. This year’s remaining fixtures are the Pre-war A7 Club’s scatter on May 16, the Humber Register’s navigational event on July 25, and driving tests by the STD on August 1, the Crossley Register in late September and the 12/50 Alvis Register on October 3.

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Although the recent Crossley book has evaded me, I see that the Crossley Register’s magazine devotes 50 pages to these rather scarce cars and commercials. The picture of a charabanc in the current issue makes one wonder how it was legal to carry 10 passengers in it. One day I must try to find my photograph of the Crossley which was Alistair Miller’s first post-WWI Brooklands racing car, presumably based on the wartime Crossley tenders which he overhauled.

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A Feature of the VSCC Exmoor Fringe Trial was the close competition between Ben Collings and his sister Sally Bennie in their Bentleys, both trying their hardest. After a fine drive, only two points separated them at the finish, Sally in front First Class Awards: R Parsons (GN), J Flann (A7), D Uglow (HRG) and Pleavons (30/98).

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Two well presented one-make books have just been published by Haynes of Sparkford, Yeovil. The Healey Story, by Geoffrey Healey with foreword by Sir Stirling Moss, is a much revised edition of this very popular work which appeared first in 1996. With a wealth of pictures of Donald, his sportscars and his family it is like a fresh story (ISBN 85429 949 1, 1,19.99). Then there is Graham Robson’s Bentley — A Legend Reborn (ISBN 1 84252 037 7, £19.99), a large, beautifully illustrated history of these cars from 1919 to EXP Speed 8 Le Mans-winning racing Bentleys. First published in 2003, this is a magnificent book few Bentley enthusiasts will be able to resist.

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The VSCC’S next fixtures are the Scottish Trial on April 17, based in Biggar, and its first race meeting of the season at Silverstone on April 24.

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The VSCC’S Herefordshire
Trial dates back to 1992 when Rodney Felton and the late Hamish Moffatt devised a testing event based on the Verzons hotel in Ledbury and hills in that area of Herefordshire. This year, on March 20-21, 94 drivers had 14 sections up which to gain or lose points. Foxhill’s long ascent was the most testing, Dean’s Place not too difficult, but Frith Wood took its toll. Geraint Owen (1930 Morris-JAP) won the Hereford Trophy and Moffatt Mug (350 points) for best Performance, and Ben Collings (1925 3/4.5 Bentley Special) the Andrew Blakeney-Edwards Trophy (325) for best in the opposite class. Both took First Class Awards, as did G Purnell (Singer Junior Special), G White (12/40 Lea-Francis), B Clarke (A7), J Fort (A7), J Mellor (A7), J Diffey (A7), A Bee (A7), B Cox (Bugatti) and S Fathers (Ford A).