THE 1955 R.A.C. TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

THE 1955 R.A.C. TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

Newman Wins Again

muu-TELAis have become a specialised branch C. f motor sport. contested between drivers rather than ears, for, as last, month’s Championship Trial emphasised, trials ears are largely standardised. They consist of light weight vehicles powered by the robust Ford Ten engine. modified where possible, hut usually with twin 45-deg. or full-downdraught S. Is, while invariably the vital matter of ‘wheel-grip is met by using Goodyear tyres on the back wheels. Rigid front axles are universal, drilled in the ease of J. S.

Jenkins’ N. Carr’s Trafford, ‘I’. C. Harrison’s Harford 11 and F. T. Lea is’ Squamigerous, the last-named, -like N. Kennedy’s Harfeach. (lit Cannon Fourteen and the J.C.B., using Austin Seven front wheels and brake drums.

Nineteen dri era contested the 1955 Championship. 11 front the South, seven front the North, onerepresenting Scotland; they brought their ” specials ” in vans and on trailers to Scarborough. to attempt stiff Yorkshire ” sections.”

In spite of design standardisation. some special items were noted as the ears were serutineered b? A. :St. J. Mitchell. a ho checked dimensions, safety and legality, even trials cars requiring horns ! The imposing ribbed light-alloy Aquaplane Specialhead was seen Ott R. Chappell’s Cannotton-, R. Faulkner’s Paul Special II, and the Harfeach Mudmaster Mk. II, with its tubular frame: divided colour scheme (a future idea for Rows ?), and with a big water-bottle on hoard. D. L. B. Cannon’s Cannon V and the Cannotton possessed one-piece detachable bonnet tops a it it screens attached, J. II. Appleton’s Cannon Eight had a filler tap in t he top water hose, incorporating a vent-pipe. while Reg. Phillips’ Fairley, with yellow wheels and black mudguards. relied oil a c.i. head and 45-deg. S.U.s. M. R. B. Cannon’s Cannon Fourteen hail a wire-mesh front, beltdriven water pump and an ordinary alloy head, while C. Corbishley’s C.C,S.4 ‘sported an external speedometer, drilled disc wheels and an alloy head. A variant of the rigid, widened Ford Ten front axle W8 S seen on the Cannon Fourteen. which has i.f.s. of light tubular wishbones above a wide transverse leaf spring. Faulkner caused interest by haying an ndrex TelecOntrol or his rear suspension, with a vast pressure gauge on the floor. and the air-intakes for the full d,d. 5.1..s of B. II. Eyes’ P. Al.-Special were ducted into the firewall. conspicuous atliong,1 these — speChlk ” was A. E. Marsh’s blown Deno,. carrying tail, spare wheels. while .1. C. Broadhead’s J.C.B. had i.o.e. valve gear and a remote-cowl-id gear-lever.

It was these ears with+ followed Mike Wilson 1.0 the first sections ” on an Army artillery-range. Not one driver got up any of these ” clean,” the second hill being liberally provided with ” stoppers ” in the form of steps under the heather. Appleton. Chandler. Corbishley (in spite of his lady passenger’s vigorous bouncing), the Dellow, and D. Cannon failed at the first. whereas Jenkins, Barden. M. Cannon. going exceedingly well. Kennedy.

using most effective blipping tactics, Broadhead, employing lofty revs., Carr, taking it neatly, Faulkner, with bags of power, Phillips picking his way, and Dees, in clouds of oil-smoke, all reached the limier step, with varying degrees of lost points. Newman, with his throttle-blipping, and Lewis receiving the loudest applause.

Another section in this arcs consisted of a mud-bath, a nasty hump, a right-hand bend, and then straight up a steep heathercovered hillside. Here Dees, Broadhead andCorbishley negotiated the lower hazards but were defeated early by the gradient. the Dellow did better, Lewis about as well, and then Carr’s Trafford went magnificently, but not quite to the top. D. Cannon. his passenger leaning well back over the back wheels, took it carefully and skilfully, engine boiling, Phillips ran wide and stopped on the corner. M. Cannon nearly made the lot, whereas Kennedy grounded on the hump, shedding the silencer, Lawson recovered well from similar trouble, but it was left to Newman, whose girl passenger wore a blue hood matching the Cannon Seven’s bonnet, her feet on the seat and using sidecar-racing tactics, to make the best show a all. Nearly as good was Jenkins’ Austin.

Competitors now went to a country inn for lunch, and more steep. very muddy ” sections ” on an adjacent farm, watched critically by Earl Howe. The Harfeach needed attention to one S.U. and was having its Champions changed, -and Chandler smote a tree; again Newman’s blipping produced outstanding climbs.

When the officials had toiled with their marker-tapes the 1955 Trials Championship was found to belong deservedly to G. H. Newman (as in 1954), with a loss of 44 points. P. Bartlett was second, losing 69 points, M. IL Lawson and M. Cannon tying third, with 72 points.lost. All represented the South.

This expedition to Yorkshire, made in the Jupiter, proved that if you pia your route you can avoid the traffic. We went out of London on Al0 to Cambridge, thence via the by-roads of the fencountry through Earith, Chatteris• and March to Wisbech, pausing for a promptly-served dinner at the “White Hart ” at Boson, and so up Al6 and A18to cross the Humber at Boothferry Bridge. Although we arrived in Scarborough after the bewitching hour of midnight. the Grand Hotel, with true Continental initiative, had an excellent cold meal awaiting US’, and thereafter every amenity. We returned via Beverley, crossing the Humber on the Wingfield Castle paddle. steamer ‘Which, I was pleased to find, is equipped with BoddyHarris life-savers !—En.l, coming downhill into Lincoln past the splendid cathedral, through Raymond Mays’ Bourne, to join Al at Norman Cross, after the straggling expanse which is Peterborough. We ate at ” The Bull ” at Royston, where the service is excellent. wine is served by the glass. and those who dine there will discover good food and something of interest from the motor-racing past.—W. B.