A SPLENDID FINALE AT LEWES

A SPLENDID FINALE AT LEWES

THE ever-popular Lewes Speed Trials were held for the last time this year on August 25th, and attracted a first-class entry of over 100 cars.

Miss Joan Weeke.s was the sole entrant in the unlimited touring car class, and her streamlined Hupmobile attracted a lot of favourable attention. S. E. Cummins recorded his time-honoured victory in the Frazer Nash class, and J. Eason Gibson carried off the 1,100 c.c. sports class with his Riley, handsomely beating Major A. T. G. Gardner’s Singer Le Mans and the Marquis de Belleroche’s Austin.

Alec Irrigonis upheld the Austin colours in the Super Sports 1,100 c.c. class, while Cummins collected a couple of silver cups in winning the standard sports classes for 1,500 c.c. and 2,000 c.c. machines.

G. H. Walker recorded another Frazer Nash success in the super sports 1,500 c.c. class.

With the unlimited super sports class came a taste of real speed, for F. Lycett took his magnificent 8-litre Bentley up the half-mile course in 23.4 secs. The Hon. J. D. Leith was a creditable second with a massive but veteran Hispano-Suiza in 25.6 secs., with Robert Strange’s Railton Terraplane third in 26.4 secs.

Then came the racing cars, starting with the 1,100 c.c. class. Although H. T.

H. Clayton’s Amilcar Six made fastest time in 23 secs. dead, probably the finer performance was that of A. N. L.

A PIONEER

July 25th of this year was the 25th anniversary of the first cross-Channel flight, made by M. Louis Bleriot.

The photograph shown herewith is interesting in many respects and it will be noticed that there are no wind screens, goggles, or helmets, indeed no protection at all for the occupants.

M. Bleriot is seen in the cockpit of his machine, which was fitted with two superimposed 50 h.p. 7-cylinder Gnome Radial engines, and with him is Mr.

Maclachlan’s 750 c.c. Austin, which fairly streaked up the course in 23.4 secs. K. A. Maxwell was a whole second slower with the Riley-Maserati Appleton Special, tieing with J. W. T. Raynes V.G. Special. In the racing 2,000 c.c. and unlimited classes Nash was up against stern opposition, but he managed to maintain his unbroken sequence of “fastest times of the day” at Lewes. In the first class he got down to 22 sees. dead, beating Esson Scott’s 2-litre Bugatti by 2/5 secs. W. E. Harker’s ” Special ” recorded 23.2 secs. In the unlimited class Nash improved his time to 21.6 secs., an advisable procedure, for Esson Scott got down to 21.8 secs. J. Street (2.3 Bugatti) was third in 22.4 secs., F. Lycett being a good tie with his 8-litre Bentley. Finally Andy Leitch won the Handicap class with the Spidery Poppet, second place being shared by G. E. W. Oliver (Morgan) and

G. R. Steel (Waverley).

This being the last meeting of the year organised by the Kent and Sussex Club, a word of appreciation is due to Mr.

H. V. Warren., who has so ably carried out the work of running the Speed Trials. There is never a tedious delay ; the spectators are not marshalled in an officious manner ; and the competitors are given every consideration. The charm of the Lewes Speed Trials lies in that important word ” atmosphere ” and for the secret of this success other organisers would do well to take a lesson from Secretary Warren.

Alexander Duckham who bccatne fr’ends with M. Bleriot in 1909 and was privi eged to fly with him in those early days. Mr. Alexander Duckham met M. Bleriot through his brother, Mr. F. W. Duckham, who was the engineer in charge of the building of Dover harbour. Mr. F. W. Duckham most sportingly sent out one of his tugs to be of assistance to the intrepid airman in case of an enforced descent into the Channel