Miscellany, October 1998
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At the annual Brooklands Society reunion the Napier-Railton was the major attraction, and 13 genuine ex-Brooklands cars and three ex-BMCRC motorcycles were present, most of them in action.
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Chris Taylor, the A7 Sports Registrar, points out that the car shown in a picture accompanying my article on the Experts Trial is Speedy No4 of this production model, loaned by the works to RJ Richardson for the trial, before he joined the A7 Le Mans ‘Grasshopper’ team. It still exists. Taylor’s own Speedy was used by Austin’s for publicity purposes, and appeared on Motor Sport’s front cover in 1939. It was restored in 1997, since when AEK 31 has continued to be used for competition events.
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The photograph of Moss and Jenks taken just after their victory in the 1955 Mile Miglia, in the 300S LR Mercedes-Benz, their faces still blackened from 1000 miles of road-racing at an average of nearly 100mph, has been presented to the BRDC, and is now in its Silverstone headquarters.
Signed by Moss, Jenks, Neubauer and Uhlenhaut, this classic picture used to hang over the desk of Erik Johnson, Mercedes-Benz PR. Long retired, he has now given it to the BRDC. Stirling Moss, driver in that great Mille Miglia victory, received it from Erik Johnson, at Coy’s Festival, who said that there was no finer place for it than in the BRDC Suite in its Golden Jubilee Year.
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The VSCC, hoping to extend its appeal to a wider audience, has refuted the idea that ‘vintage cars are slow and sedate, dull, even boring’. To destroy any such ideas they invite attendance at their Loton Park hill-climb on September 26/27, when visitors will see ‘some splendid machinery, some exciting driving, cars going sideways, and lots of smoke’. Not too much smoke, I trust. Which is to remind you that admission costs £4 on the Saturday (practice). £6 on the Sunday, under-16s free, as is car parking and Paddock entry the paddock, like the winding hill, is part of Sir Michael Leighton’s country estate, his country house a fine backdrop.