Hello Lads
I wonder if there is anyone out there who can recall any motor racing connection with my home county of Bedfordshire?
I'm very interested to hear any association with Teams and Drivers from the 50's 60's and 70's
The only team I have come up with is B&S Fabrications who ran most notably Brett Lunger in F1 during the mid 70's and before Pescarolo in a Surtees.
I mention B&S as I worked for the Team when the ran the BMW M1 Procar's during 1980. It was my first job on leaving school, just a 10 min. walk from home to their base at Craddock Road in Luton.
There must be others one would think, being within easy reach of Silverstone.
Thanks to all in anticipation.
Cheers
Rob
Bedfordshire, motor racing oasis ?
Started by
BANZAI
, Mar 16 2005 07:10
80 replies to this topic
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#2
Twin Window
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 07:25
Was Bill Blydenstein based in Beds? I'm only guessing, but it would make sense for DTV to have been nearish to Luton.
#3
ian senior
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 08:16
Bob Anderson, F1 privateer from the 60s (and one of my heroes), was based at Heynes near Bedford. Do a search on "Bob Anderson" and you will find lots of stuff about him on here.
#4
soubriquet
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 08:48
Blydenstein was at Shepreth, in Cambs.
#5
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 09:12
Bill Blydenstein was based at Shepreth in Cambridgeshire.
Royale Racing which started out in London moved to Huntingdon, then to Little Staughton airfield north of Bedford in the marques glory days when Rory Byrne was designer there. I worked there as 'gofer' at this time, when Trevor van Rooyen's works FF RP24 was sponsored by Bedford building firm SDC Builders who sponsored several cars in different series from '77 to the early 90s.
Royale later moved to the Bedfordshire village of Riseley before folding.
Perhaps the biggest connection Bedfordshire has with motor sport is through drag racing.
Europe's most famous strip Santa Pod is near Rushden and many drag race teams and workshops are in the Rushden area. John Woolfe Racing has a large involvement in this sport and founder John Woolfe was Bedford based when he raced his sports/Can Am cars in the 60s, sadly killed at Le Mans in '69. (His M6B McLaren which was sold to John Jordan is under restoration now, not far from Bedford).
John Jordan ('Jordans Cereals' - muesli bars etc) is from Biggleswade. He raced a GT40 in the 60s and later the ex-John Woolfe M6B. He then owned the Jordan-BRM team in British F1 in the late 70s
and the Tony Trimmer driven Lola T332 in F.Libre in the 80s, which Frank Lyons owns now.
2 of John's BRM P207s are also under restoration (one completed) at the same location as his M6B.
Also in Biggleswade is the office of Mark Blundell where he operates his driver management company 2MB with Martin Brundle.
Not far from Biggleswade is the Shuttleworth collection of aircraft and vintage cars. I am sure that
historians here can tell us of the pre-war motor sport involvement of Shuttleworth.
But my county Cambridgeshire, neighbour to Bedfordshire, seems to also have a rich motor sport involvement. I live only 2 miles from the Beds border. Lola Cars, Titan, Lister & Archie, Tojeiro, Blydenstein, Don Moore, Arch Motors, Louis Stanley, Radical etc...
Royale Racing which started out in London moved to Huntingdon, then to Little Staughton airfield north of Bedford in the marques glory days when Rory Byrne was designer there. I worked there as 'gofer' at this time, when Trevor van Rooyen's works FF RP24 was sponsored by Bedford building firm SDC Builders who sponsored several cars in different series from '77 to the early 90s.
Royale later moved to the Bedfordshire village of Riseley before folding.
Perhaps the biggest connection Bedfordshire has with motor sport is through drag racing.
Europe's most famous strip Santa Pod is near Rushden and many drag race teams and workshops are in the Rushden area. John Woolfe Racing has a large involvement in this sport and founder John Woolfe was Bedford based when he raced his sports/Can Am cars in the 60s, sadly killed at Le Mans in '69. (His M6B McLaren which was sold to John Jordan is under restoration now, not far from Bedford).
John Jordan ('Jordans Cereals' - muesli bars etc) is from Biggleswade. He raced a GT40 in the 60s and later the ex-John Woolfe M6B. He then owned the Jordan-BRM team in British F1 in the late 70s
and the Tony Trimmer driven Lola T332 in F.Libre in the 80s, which Frank Lyons owns now.
2 of John's BRM P207s are also under restoration (one completed) at the same location as his M6B.
Also in Biggleswade is the office of Mark Blundell where he operates his driver management company 2MB with Martin Brundle.
Not far from Biggleswade is the Shuttleworth collection of aircraft and vintage cars. I am sure that
historians here can tell us of the pre-war motor sport involvement of Shuttleworth.
But my county Cambridgeshire, neighbour to Bedfordshire, seems to also have a rich motor sport involvement. I live only 2 miles from the Beds border. Lola Cars, Titan, Lister & Archie, Tojeiro, Blydenstein, Don Moore, Arch Motors, Louis Stanley, Radical etc...
#6
ensign14
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:01
Luton's in Beds, isn't it? In which case Gary Evans, son of the Luton Town chairman and erstwhile F3000 driver/team owner, can be added.
#7
ian senior
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:10
Originally posted by ensign14
Luton's in Beds, isn't it? In which case Gary Evans, son of the Luton Town chairman and erstwhile F3000 driver/team owner, can be added.
I'm sure Gary is a lovely chap. His Dad isn't (former Chairman now, for which all Hatters breathe a sigh of relief...).
#8
Huw Jadvantich
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:29
I think Rushden is in Northants.
#9
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:35
Correct, but Santa Pod is just in the Beds border.
#10
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:42
Aha, at last - a thread up my street!
Although I have moved to Buckinghamshire now, I lived in Bedfordshire for 16 years & I'm suprised a few people have been omitted.
ERA is the big one.
When Leslie Johnson took control of the team, he moved it, to Dunstable, Bedfordshire (where I lived). Nothing sadly remains of it now, after it was knocked down in the early 1990's. Only a few years later did some of the local community realise what they'd done but by this time it was too late.
If you want to visit the site of the ERA factory (which of course shut down when Leslie, who based it in the town for its close proximity to the M1 & Silverstone, died of a heart-attack), then you'll find it by going along High Street South, into London Road. When you pass Half Moon Lane, you'll see a number of car dealerships. As I've moved I'm not 100% sure what the name of the dealership is but basically its the industrial works/dealership before Hartwell Ford.
Stuart-Lewis Evans & Bill Moss were born in Luton, whilst Jackie Oliver lives in a small town half-way between Luton & Bedford. Tom Belso lives on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire border.
That's all I can recollect off the top of my head - I'll post anything more if I think of it or find it out.
At first I was going to add Santa Pod raceway is in Northants, but Podington (home of Santa Pod) is just inside the border.
http://www.multimap....=1000000&addr1=
Bedfordshire map in case anyone finds it useful. There's a lot of cross bordering!
Although I have moved to Buckinghamshire now, I lived in Bedfordshire for 16 years & I'm suprised a few people have been omitted.
ERA is the big one.
When Leslie Johnson took control of the team, he moved it, to Dunstable, Bedfordshire (where I lived). Nothing sadly remains of it now, after it was knocked down in the early 1990's. Only a few years later did some of the local community realise what they'd done but by this time it was too late.
If you want to visit the site of the ERA factory (which of course shut down when Leslie, who based it in the town for its close proximity to the M1 & Silverstone, died of a heart-attack), then you'll find it by going along High Street South, into London Road. When you pass Half Moon Lane, you'll see a number of car dealerships. As I've moved I'm not 100% sure what the name of the dealership is but basically its the industrial works/dealership before Hartwell Ford.
Stuart-Lewis Evans & Bill Moss were born in Luton, whilst Jackie Oliver lives in a small town half-way between Luton & Bedford. Tom Belso lives on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire border.
That's all I can recollect off the top of my head - I'll post anything more if I think of it or find it out.
At first I was going to add Santa Pod raceway is in Northants, but Podington (home of Santa Pod) is just inside the border.
http://www.multimap....=1000000&addr1=
Bedfordshire map in case anyone finds it useful. There's a lot of cross bordering!
#11
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:53
Yes, Tom Belso lives in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire - about a mile from Beds.
#12
ensign14
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 10:58
The most mis-spelt village in England, according to the Guinness Book of Records - its name had been recorded in more forms than anywhere else...think it was Gamelingei in the Domesday Book.Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Yes, Tom Belso lives in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire - about a mile from Beds.
#13
BANZAI
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 11:00
Thanks chaps for all the input to the thread so far , very interesting stuff.
I have had a thought from the past myself since I posted the thread this morning.
I seem to remember David Howes who had a garage in Eaton Bray nr. Dunstable, racing a G1 Camaro in the Tricentrol saloon car series in the mid 70's.
I'm not sure If it was run from his garage Howes Motors or not ?
Look forward to more.............
Rob
I have had a thought from the past myself since I posted the thread this morning.
I seem to remember David Howes who had a garage in Eaton Bray nr. Dunstable, racing a G1 Camaro in the Tricentrol saloon car series in the mid 70's.
I'm not sure If it was run from his garage Howes Motors or not ?
Look forward to more.............
Rob
#14
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 11:04
David Howes also raced the AMC Javelin in saloon events in the early 70s.
Thought of another too - Group 2 saloon driver Martin Thomas ( Falcons, Camaros etc) lives in Biggleswade too. Runs a pub there now I believe.
Thought of another too - Group 2 saloon driver Martin Thomas ( Falcons, Camaros etc) lives in Biggleswade too. Runs a pub there now I believe.
#15
Mallory Dan
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 11:05
Originally posted by ian senior
I'm sure Gary is a lovely chap. His Dad isn't (former Chairman now, for which all Hatters breathe a sigh of relief...).
Ian, sorry to disagree, I thought David E was OK actually...
You say Hatters fans should be grateful he's not still there, but, isn't it fair to say they had their greatest days under him. Bit like my lot, all the fans detest Robert Chase, but when he was Chairman, we had our best times ever.
#16
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 11:09
I'm no fan of the team, but I can assure you given a choice of David Evans, David Kohler & John Gurney, Hatters Fans are likely to plump for Evans, even if he did use the club as a Thatcher experiment.
Here endeth discussion from me re. Luton Town FC.
Here endeth discussion from me re. Luton Town FC.
#17
ian senior
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 11:46
In footballing terms, you can't object to how the Hatters fared in the Evans days, but he wasn't picking the team. It's all the other baggage that ranckles.
In retrospect, the Gurney stewardship had its moments of hilarity, although no-one was laughing at the time. I'm still waiting for the new board at Luton to adopt Gurney's proposal to build a racing circuit as part of the new stadium, and to hold a Scottish (or whatever) GP there.
In retrospect, the Gurney stewardship had its moments of hilarity, although no-one was laughing at the time. I'm still waiting for the new board at Luton to adopt Gurney's proposal to build a racing circuit as part of the new stadium, and to hold a Scottish (or whatever) GP there.
#18
David Beard
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 13:00
Originally posted by ian senior
In retrospect, the Gurney stewardship had its moments of hilarity, although no-one was laughing at the time. I'm still waiting for the new board at Luton to adopt Gurney's proposal to build a racing circuit as part of the new stadium, and to hold a Scottish (or whatever) GP there.
What
#19
petefenelon
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 13:04
Originally posted by David Beard
What
The racing comics were full of this a couple of years ago, at about the time that Luton were looking to get into FHooligan, er, Premier 1 Grand Prix.
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#20
GPLEagle
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 13:17
Big link to motorsport in Bedford through Cranfield University. Currently have a motorsport course, but also lots of current F1 engineers have done the Aerodynamics course at the College of Aeronautics - Pat Symonds and Dino Toso come to mind.
I guess the wind tunnel doesn't get used by F1 anymore, but a number of teams have used it in the past.
I guess the wind tunnel doesn't get used by F1 anymore, but a number of teams have used it in the past.
#21
David Beard
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 13:19
Originally posted by petefenelon
The racing comics were full of this a couple of years ago, at about the time that Luton were looking to get into FHooligan, er, Premier 1 Grand Prix.
Oh.
But Gurney?
#22
ian senior
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 13:36
Originally posted by David Beard
Oh.
But Gurney?
Well it wasn't Daniel Sexton (only wish it had been). John was the man's name. Like so many who have become involved with Luton, he was a "get rich quick" character who saw that he could make a buck or two by solving the club's perennial problem of needing a new ground, by building a new one on a clear site and also incorporating other and potentially more lucrative features such as shops and hotels. Gurney took this one step further by proposing a grand prix track and holding another British race there (don't think he cleared it with Ecclestone, though).
It was all complete cobblers, of course, and after a thankfully short period of time the club was forced into administrative receivership, and Gurney was out.
#23
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 14:29
Yes of course! I think Adrian Reynard was there too.Originally posted by GPLEagle
Big link to motorsport in Bedford through Cranfield University. Currently have a motorsport course, but also lots of current F1 engineers have done the Aerodynamics course at the College of Aeronautics - Pat Symonds and Dino Toso come to mind.
I guess the wind tunnel doesn't get used by F1 anymore, but a number of teams have used it in the past.
Not far away is the testing ground at Millbrook. It hosted an RAC rally stage a few years back
and still hosts some competition car testing.
#24
MCS
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 16:31
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Royale Racing which started out in London moved to Huntingdon, then to Little Staughton airfield north of Bedford in the marques glory days when Rory Byrne was designer there. I worked there as 'gofer' at this time, when Trevor van Rooyen's works FF RP24 was sponsored by Bedford building firm SDC Builders who sponsored several cars in different series from '77 to the early 90s.
Royale later moved to the Bedfordshire village of Riseley before folding.
The building is still there - or at least it was about a year ago when I was last up there.
The angle iron used to hold the letters R O Y A L E on the roof were still there, but the rest of the place was very ramshackle. Difficult to believe that it was once such a hive of activity!
Mark
#25
MCS
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 18:02
Tom Pryce winning the Formula Atlantic race at Mallory Park in early 1973 in the works Royale RP12A.
His performance in the wet practice, particularly at the hairpin and Devil's Elbow, are sights I will treasure for the rest of my life.
His performance in the wet practice, particularly at the hairpin and Devil's Elbow, are sights I will treasure for the rest of my life.
#26
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 18:14
Nice photo! Bet I'm in the crowd there somewhere. Shaw's hairpin was the favourite viewing spot for most Mallory meetings back then.
The Royale shown would have been built at the Huntingdon factory, near to Arch Motors and Lola.
They moved to Staughton in '74 I think.
The Royale shown would have been built at the Huntingdon factory, near to Arch Motors and Lola.
They moved to Staughton in '74 I think.
#27
fines
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 18:37
Was Bob Salisbury still with BSF, then?Originally posted by BANZAI
I mention B&S as I worked for the Team when the ran the BMW M1 Procar's during 1980. It was my first job on leaving school, just a 10 min. walk from home to their base at Craddock Road in Luton.
#28
BANZAI
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 19:25
Originally posted by fines
Was Bob Salisbury still with BSF, then?
No it was Bob Sparshot and John Woodington who owned B&S Fabrications.
I think Bob Sparshot was at Lotus during the Clark era and John Woodington had some former March connection before BS Fabs.
#29
David Beard
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 20:54
Originally posted by ian senior
Well it wasn't Daniel Sexton (only wish it had been). John was the man's name.
John Gurney? True TNFers have never heard of him.
Twinny, when can we have a football filter?
#30
MrAerodynamicist
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Posted 16 March 2005 - 23:59
Theres an ex DERA / QinetiQ wind tunnel just north of Bedford, which has been passed along between Arrows - Jaguar - Red Bull.
http://www.grandprix...ns/ns03739.html
it's one of these buildings
and then just north of that theres the ex DERA aerodrome, now used by Jonathan Palmer as a test track. (it's one click north on the multimap site)
http://www.grandprix...ns/ns03739.html
it's one of these buildings
and then just north of that theres the ex DERA aerodrome, now used by Jonathan Palmer as a test track. (it's one click north on the multimap site)
#31
MCS
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 09:40
I had a look at the "Bedford Autodrome" a while back when I had some time to kill, having dropped my daughters off at a nearby party.
Apart from being somewhat windy - it's on a hill by the A6 - it looked quite a good venue with various circuit configurations seemingly available. The single-seater Formula Palmer Audi cars looked very impressive (honestly!) as I moved around the periphery of the circuit.
Did Palmer ever attempt to get permission for real racing there?
Have any TNFers driven the circuit??
Mark
Apart from being somewhat windy - it's on a hill by the A6 - it looked quite a good venue with various circuit configurations seemingly available. The single-seater Formula Palmer Audi cars looked very impressive (honestly!) as I moved around the periphery of the circuit.
Did Palmer ever attempt to get permission for real racing there?
Have any TNFers driven the circuit??
Mark
#32
RTH
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 10:48
Who do you think is the real owner of the Bedford Autodrome ?
#33
Stephen W
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 12:03
Originally posted by MCS
I had a look at the "Bedford Autodrome" a while back when I had some time to kill, having dropped my daughters off at a nearby party.
Apart from being somewhat windy - it's on a hill by the A6 - it looked quite a good venue with various circuit configurations seemingly available. The single-seater Formula Palmer Audi cars looked very impressive (honestly!) as I moved around the periphery of the circuit.
Did Palmer ever attempt to get permission for real racing there?
Have any TNFers driven the circuit??
Mark
As far as I am aware there are NO plans to have racing at "Bedford Aerodrome". Apparently it makes enough money as it is. The cost of bringing it up to spec for racing would be prohibative so it will stay as a test track and corporate headquarters.
After all I wonder why the group would need ANOTHER race track!
#34
MCS
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 12:30
Originally posted by RTH
Who do you think is the real owner of the Bedford Autodrome ?
Not sure Richard. But it was something to do with DERA - the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency...
Mark
#35
MrAerodynamicist
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 20:42
The Thurleigh airfield was shut down as non cost effective, and sold off. No idea who actually owns the various bits of land. DERA has since disappeared, becoming QinetiQ and DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory). DSTL is to remain a government agency, QinetiQ is eventually to be floated off. Slightly more recently, QinetiQ has also shut down wind tunnel site (Twinwoods), and except for the one I mentioned previously, have been decomissioned and are being scrapped.
http://www.dstl.gov.uk/
http://www.qinetiq.com/
http://www.dstl.gov.uk/
http://www.qinetiq.com/
#36
MCS
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Posted 17 March 2005 - 21:32
Twinwood was the wind tunnel site?
Really. Didn't know that.
Apart from the notorious Yarls Wood Detention Centre - or should that be Yarls Wood "Detonation" Centre
- I thought there were only the small old buildings left (Control Tower, etc.).
Incidentally and very OT, there is a quite excellent, well cared for and understated Glenn Miller Museum housed in the old Control Tower with much of the old WW2 equipment and paraphernalia on display. Fascinating place - even, astonishingly, for my two young daughters. (There's hope yet!)
Mark
Really. Didn't know that.
Apart from the notorious Yarls Wood Detention Centre - or should that be Yarls Wood "Detonation" Centre
- I thought there were only the small old buildings left (Control Tower, etc.).Incidentally and very OT, there is a quite excellent, well cared for and understated Glenn Miller Museum housed in the old Control Tower with much of the old WW2 equipment and paraphernalia on display. Fascinating place - even, astonishingly, for my two young daughters. (There's hope yet!)
Mark
#37
fines
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Posted 19 March 2005 - 12:27
Rats, I always get them confusedOriginally posted by BANZAI
No it was Bob Sparshot and John Woodington who owned B&S Fabrications.
I think Bob Sparshot was at Lotus during the Clark era and John Woodington had some former March connection before BS Fabs.
thanks for straightening me out! 
Still, the question remains: didn't Sparshott found his own firm (Bob Sparshott Engineering) while BS Fabrications was still operational? So, when did he leave his old enterprise, or did he run both simultanously?
#38
RTH
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Posted 19 March 2005 - 13:08
Originally posted by fines
Still, the question remains: didn't Sparshott found his own firm (Bob Sparshott Engineering) while BS Fabrications was still operational? So, when did he leave his old enterprise, or did he run both simultanously?
Yes he did, just about the time BS fabs went bankrupt, I went to the liquidation auction in the Luton area and bought some items, it must be about 20 years ago.
#39
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 19 March 2005 - 17:47
Currently reading Murray Walker's book which reminded me of one thing - motocross scrambles were held on Dunstable Downs. (and indeed Muzza was there as a young pup on his bike!)
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#40
MCS
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Posted 01 April 2005 - 20:09
Works Formula Atlantic Royale at Oulton Park - 1st Round(?) 1973.
Pryce is clearly on the right as we look at the picture, but who are the two gentlemen on the left?
Anybody?
Pryce is clearly on the right as we look at the picture, but who are the two gentlemen on the left?
Anybody?
#41
MCS
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Posted 09 April 2005 - 20:47
I've just been reading a most informative and entertaining thread - Gransden Lodge" - which led me to this...
http://www.silhouet....s/gransden.html
Mark
http://www.silhouet....s/gransden.html
Mark
#42
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 10 April 2005 - 08:13
Mark, that is very interesting regarding Gransden - a very good 'motor sport friendly' pub in Great Gransden village - The Crown & Cushion. But Gransden aerodrome / circuit is in Cambridgeshire, between Gransden village and Longstowe.
#43
MCS
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Posted 10 April 2005 - 19:31
Maybe. But surely it was in Bedfordshire in 1946/1947.............................
#44
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 12 April 2005 - 08:03
Mark
Yes you are correct regarding Gransden being officially recognised as Bedfordshire back in the 1940s, however the airfield straddled the two counties back then as confirmed in this info on the wartime airfield.
http://www.glide.co....tus/history.asp
However it is now definitely in Cambridgeshire as can be seen on the multimap link below. The Beds county border can be seen to the left. The airfield is between Great/Little Gransden and Longstowe. Strange though that the postal address is Sandy, Beds despite being several miles into Cambs.. It is still very active as a gliding club base and for light aircraft.
http://www.multimap....ut.x=1&out.y=10
Amazing to think of ERA's etc charging around this little airfield that I have passed so many times.
You learn a great deal from TNF!
Yes you are correct regarding Gransden being officially recognised as Bedfordshire back in the 1940s, however the airfield straddled the two counties back then as confirmed in this info on the wartime airfield.
http://www.glide.co....tus/history.asp
However it is now definitely in Cambridgeshire as can be seen on the multimap link below. The Beds county border can be seen to the left. The airfield is between Great/Little Gransden and Longstowe. Strange though that the postal address is Sandy, Beds despite being several miles into Cambs.. It is still very active as a gliding club base and for light aircraft.
http://www.multimap....ut.x=1&out.y=10
Amazing to think of ERA's etc charging around this little airfield that I have passed so many times.
You learn a great deal from TNF!
#45
Alan Lewis
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Posted 12 April 2005 - 18:19
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
...Strange though that the postal address is Sandy, Beds despite being several miles into Cambs...
That happens all over the place, it depends on where the nearest "postal town" is.
My parents live seven miles into Shropshire, but the postal address is "...Kidderminster, Worcs" - Kidder is eleven miles away, the nearest Shropshire towns, Bridgnorth and Ludlow, are twelve miles in other directions.
And their postcode is "DY" for Dudley, which was Worcestershire but is now West Midlands, a third county!
For that matter, my brother lives in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales, but his postcode is "CH" for Chester, Cheshire, England - not just a differnt county but a different country.
This is the sort of thing that makes us such a quaint and attractive place for tourists.
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
You learn a great deal from TNF!
Yup. Not all of it apparently useful at first sight, but...
APL
#46
MCS
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- 4,705 posts
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Posted 14 April 2005 - 13:10
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Mark, that is very interesting regarding Gransden - a very good 'motor sport friendly' pub in Great Gransden village - The Crown & Cushion. But Gransden aerodrome / circuit is in Cambridgeshire, between Gransden village and Longstowe.
Andrew
Is the "motor sport friendly' pub in Great Gransden village - The Crown & Cushion - worth a detour then?
An alternative to Woburn perhaps for a TNF get together? (Not that I'm personally looking for an alternative, but it may be more convenient for others...)
Thanks
Mark
#47
Andrew Kitson
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Posted 14 April 2005 - 13:49
It will be once the refurbishment is finished and the many racing pictures and prints are back on the wall. Not a very big pub, but cosy, friendly.
Avoid Thursday nights though if you want to chat 'motor sport'!
You won't hear a thing due to live music - normally blues, rock.
Deep Purple/Rainbow keyboard player Don Airey is a regular as he lives in the village.
Cambridge Motorsport are just around the corner. One Sunday each month is the Crown & Cushion classic car show. The car park is reserved for those arriving in exhibits - Cambridge Motorsport usually display a car or two.
Avoid Thursday nights though if you want to chat 'motor sport'!
You won't hear a thing due to live music - normally blues, rock.
Deep Purple/Rainbow keyboard player Don Airey is a regular as he lives in the village.
Cambridge Motorsport are just around the corner. One Sunday each month is the Crown & Cushion classic car show. The car park is reserved for those arriving in exhibits - Cambridge Motorsport usually display a car or two.
#49
condor
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- 12,509 posts
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Posted 14 April 2005 - 21:14
Originally posted by MCS
Incidentally and very OT, there is a quite excellent, well cared for and understated Glenn Miller Museum housed in the old Control Tower with much of the old WW2 equipment and paraphernalia on display. Fascinating place - even, astonishingly, for my two young daughters. (There's hope yet!)
Mark
Not that O/T
...sorry I got to this thread late 
There was a 'Transport extravanganza' Easter weekend - I did a hop , skip and a jump over the fields and got in for free - I was intending to pay but the money men were only interested in taking payment from the cars.....I did give a £1 for a programme though ( all proceeds went to Macmillan Cancer Relief)
A large assortment of 1930- 60's vehicles...cars, lorries, buses and coaches - was a very cold and windy day - and not many punters. Shame really, because they'd put a lot of work in (just didn't advertise it).
#50
Cranclive
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- 23 posts
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Posted 11 March 2012 - 16:34
Dan Wheldon went to Bedford School www.bedfordschool.org.uk/
Cranfield University has some other facilities related to motorsport. The Cranfield Impact Centre conducts FIA approved crash testing for most of the F1 teams. Cranfield Motorsport Simulation has developed g cueing simulators for F1 and NASCAR and operates race simulators at Cranfield and Silverstone with GPR. The University has a unique off road vehicle dynamics facility and specialist dynos. The MSc Motorsport Engineering and Management has produced many engineers www.motorsport.cranfield.ac.uk On 3 July the University will host the first History of Motorsport Technology Conference www.motorsportconference.com
Cranfield University has some other facilities related to motorsport. The Cranfield Impact Centre conducts FIA approved crash testing for most of the F1 teams. Cranfield Motorsport Simulation has developed g cueing simulators for F1 and NASCAR and operates race simulators at Cranfield and Silverstone with GPR. The University has a unique off road vehicle dynamics facility and specialist dynos. The MSc Motorsport Engineering and Management has produced many engineers www.motorsport.cranfield.ac.uk On 3 July the University will host the first History of Motorsport Technology Conference www.motorsportconference.com
