16 replies to this topic

[Steve L]

The best things I've seen all year!

 

A Christmas browse on Youtube has turned up a few great motor sport related things, but my favourite by far is this video posted from the David Roscoe collection of the 1946 Brighton Speed Trials in gorgeous colour!

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGdFYynxA0

 

I can spot some great cars and drivers including Prince Bira in his Maserati 8CM, Raymond Mays in ERA R4D, Geoffrey Taylor in his Alta, Anthony Heal in the Sunbeam GP Cub, John Bolster in Bloody Mary, the Newsome Jaguar SS100, The Lightweight, some wonderful Amilcars...  Also other faces from the scene include Earl Howe, Rivers Fletcher, Bill Boddy...

 

Running the Brighton film a close second is this other one featuring the 1949 Manx Cup.

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LfyW1KrIjTk

 

(With apologies if these have already been posted elsewhere on TANF or on a Motorfilms dvd etc).

 

   

[Vitesse2]

The best things I've seen all year!

 

A Christmas browse on Youtube has turned up a few great motor sport related things, but my favourite by far is this video posted from the David Roscoe collection of the 1946 Brighton Speed Trials in gorgeous colour!

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGdFYynxA0

 

I can spot some great cars and drivers including Prince Bira in his Maserati 8CM, Raymond Mays in ERA R4D, Geoffrey Taylor in his Alta, Anthony Heal in the Sunbeam GP Cub, John Bolster in Bloody Mary, the Newsome Jaguar SS100, The Lightweight, some wonderful Amilcars...  Also other faces from the scene include Earl Howe, Rivers Fletcher, Bill Boddy...

 

Running the Brighton film a close second is this other one featuring the 1949 Manx Cup.

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LfyW1KrIjTk

 

(With apologies if these have already been posted elsewhere on TANF or on a Motorfilms dvd etc).

 

   

Nice. I also spotted Joan Gerard and 'Bill' Wisdom in the Brighton film.

[Alan Cox]

Lovely stuff, Steve. We owe David Roscoe a great deal for capturing a great era of British motor sport, spanning almost thirty years, and which we can now enjoy via You Tube. I met him on a number of occasions in the 1980s when he raced his Alvis in VSCC events and, after his film-making career, he became a very effective head of PR for Rolls-Royce Cars in Crewe and later worked for Vickers, R-R's then parent company. I believe he is still around and living in the West Country.

[Rupertlt1]

NUMERICAL LIST OF ENTRANTS, 1946

1. H.L. Brook E.R.A.

2. R. Parnell Riley.

3. R. Parnell E.R.A.

3a R. Parnell Maserati.

5. G. Taylor Alta.

6. R.W.J. Appleton Appleton Special.

7. G. Abecassis Alta.

8. “B.Bira” Maserati.

9. Cowell-Watson St. Bugatti.

10. Cowell-Watson St. E.R.A.

11. Cowell-Watson St. Alta

12. Raymond Mays E.R.A.

14. Raymond Mays and Ptns. Frazer Nash B.M.W.

15. I.F. Connell E.R.A.

16. P.R. Monkhouse M.G.

17. P.R. Monkhouse Bugatti.

18. G.A. Ewen Itala.

19. Rowland Motors Cisitalia.

20. John Bolster “Bloody Mary.”

21. Pedigree Cars Bugatti.

22. A.C. Whincop Bugatti.

23. C.W. Rowe Swift.

24. H. Kidston Bugatti

25. R.C.K. Money M.G.

26. Mrs. Gerard Riley

27. F.R. Gerard E.R.A.

28. C.P.D. Tooley Riley G.N.

29. J.N. Cooper Cooper Special.

30. H.C. Lones “Tiger Cat.”

31. Ditto “Tiger Kitten.”

32. G. Oliver Panhard.

33. D.B. Tubbs Gobron-Brillie

34. A.S. Heal Sunbeam

35. Ditto F.I.A.T.

36. R.M.W. Arbuthnot Dusenburg.

37. R.M.W. Arbuthnot Alfa-Romeo.

38. R.D. Poore Alfa-Romeo.

39. Speedsters, Ltd. Bugatti.

40. Ditto. Bugatti.

41. T.L. Allard Napier.

42. P. Melville “Chatterbox.”

43. D.H. Clayton-Wright Alta.

44. G. Hartwell Alta.

45. K.C. Jarvis Austin.

46. R.W. Westall Westall Spec.

47. I. Metcalfe Lagonda.

48. R. Booth Alta

49. T.A. Jones “Chatterbox.”

50. O.A.F. Finch Amilcar.

51. Ricardo Motors Amilcar.

52. A. Issiginis Lightweight Spec.

53. J.M.P. Dowson Lightweight Spec.

54. J.M. James Bugatti.

55. P.J. Stubberfield Bugatti.

56. G.H. Symonds Austin.

57. T.H. Wisdom Jaguar.

58. Rowland Motors Alta.

59. M. Chambers Austin.

60. R. Salvadori Riley.

61. E.C.T. Clark Mercedes.

62. L.D. Hawthorn Semmence.

63. S. Mond Bentley Special.

64. D.H.C. Fry Bugatti

65. R. Salvadori M.G.

66. P.B. Reece Bugatti.

67. R.C. Foster M.G.

68. E.G. Pool Lea Francis.

69. J.C. Elwes Aston-Martin.

70. P.B. Reece Bugatti.

71. P.B. Reece Vauxhall.

72. R.M. Boothby J.B. Special.

73. R.C.C. Palmer Frazer Nash

74. G.W. Best Singer.

75. D.A. Wilcocks M.G.

76. P.F.C. Pyecroft Pyecroft Special.

77. C.J.L. Mertens Bentley.

78. R.M. Blomfield Invicta.

79. A. May Vauxhall.

80. Cowell-Watson St. Riley.

81. L.C. Williams Wolseley Special.

82. M.L. Quartermain Vauxhall

83. W.G. Render Morgan 4/4

84. R.C. Willis Frazer Nash B.M.W.

85. J. Lowrey H.R.G.

86. A.E.Legg M.G.

87. L. Leonard M.G.

88. F.R. Gerard Riley.

89. J.G. Fry Bugatti.

90. R. Hodgson M.G.

91. H. Lester M.G.

92. J.W.S. Dudley M.G.

93. E.N. Davidge-Pitts Riley.

94. T.L. Allard Bentley.

95. K. Watkins Jaguar

96. G. Wilkins Frazer Nash B.M.W.

97. A.G. Imhof Allard.

98. J.B. Heath Alta.

99. J. Kingston-Whittaker Railton.

100. Dorothy Patten Peugeot.

101. H.K. Dezsoe Alfa-Romeo.

102. M.J. Lipsey Frazer Nash B.M.W.

103. S.J. Gilbey Alfa-Romeo.

104. R.R.C. Walker Delahaye.

105. P.R. Emery Hudson Special.

106. J.A. Thompson Salmson.

107. J.V. Bowles Austin.

108. T.L. Seccombe Leyland.

109. C.A.N. May Ford.

110. G.E. Ansell Aston Martin

111. C.L. Holdup Riley.

112. A.J. Butterworth Bentley.

113. D. Phillips M.G.

114. Ricardo Motors Invicta.

115. G.E. Matthews Jaguar.

116. C. Mann Jaguar.

117. Miss B. Haig A.C.

118. J.N. Innes M.G.

119. T.D. Wagner Jaguar.

120. F.W. Kennington M.G.

121. M. Thursby-Pelham M.G.

122. G.V. Coles M.G.

123. L. Parker Allard V12

124. J. Ching Frazer Nash.

125. S.H. Allard Allard.

126. Mrs. G.E. Templer Alfa Romeo

127. R.M. Henning Maserati.

128. A.F. Rivers Fletcher H.R.G.

129. O. Moore B.M.W.

130. L.D. Hawthorn Alfa Romeo

131. J.D. Hanman M.G.

132. D.W. Price Price Spec.

133. P.J. Baker Morgan.

134. E.S. Oliver Norton

135. E.S. Oliver Oliver Spec.

136. P.A. Seymour Seymour Special

137. E.V. Evans Morgan J.A.P.

138. L.W.H. Collins Velocette.

139. J.J. Rampley Vincent H.R.D.

140. D.A. Fox Vincent H.R.D.

141. D.H.R. Gray Velocette.

142. D.H.R. Gray Gray Special.

143. G.H. Ashenden Henley.

144. R.E. Vinall Excelsior

145. R.C. Hogarth Velocette.

146. R.H. Vinall Norton.

147. C. Mortimer Velocette.

148. A. Leveson-Gower Norton

149. N. Sharp Brough Sup.

150. N.B. Pope Brough Sup.

151. A.T.W. Lewis Norton.

152. A.H. Taylor Norton.

153. D. Jenkinson Scott.

154. J. Rampley Velocette.

155. V.C. Tait Martinsyde.

156. F.J. Williams Cotton.

157. J.B.B. Hall Excelsior J.A.P.

158. J. Shenston Velocette.

159. B. Berry Brough Sup.

160. Theresa Wallach Norton.

161. Francis L. Beart Norton.

 

Note: the above is an exact copy, including errors.

 

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

David Roscoe was the course record holder at Firle Hill Climb.

 

See: http://forums.autosp...-3#entry6418251

 

RGDS RLT

[Tuboscocca]

The best things I've seen all year!

 

A Christmas browse on Youtube has turned up a few great motor sport related things, but my favourite by far is this video posted from the David Roscoe collection of the 1946 Brighton Speed Trials in gorgeous colour!

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOGdFYynxA0

 

I can spot some great cars and drivers including Prince Bira in his Maserati 8CM, Raymond Mays in ERA R4D, Geoffrey Taylor in his Alta, Anthony Heal in the Sunbeam GP Cub, John Bolster in Bloody Mary, the Newsome Jaguar SS100, The Lightweight, some wonderful Amilcars...  Also other faces from the scene include Earl Howe, Rivers Fletcher, Bill Boddy...

 

Running the Brighton film a close second is this other one featuring the 1949 Manx Cup.

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LfyW1KrIjTk

 

(With apologies if these have already been posted elsewhere on TANF or on a Motorfilms dvd etc).

 

   

Steve--wonderful!!

 

Isn't that W.Boddy at 1.56 min  under the Union Jack--(far right)??Glasses and no hat/cap..

 

Michael

Edited by Tuboscocca, 27 December 2014 - 12:14.

[Vitesse2]

Steve--wonderful!!

 

Isn't that W.Boddy at 1.56 min  under the Union Jack--(far right)??Glasses and no hat/cap..

 

Michael

Yep, that's WB. In the same frame, George Abecassis (white cap) and Earl Howe.

[Tuboscocca]

Yep, that's WB. In the same frame, George Abecassis (white cap) and Earl Howe.

..thanks..NO new glasses for me!!

 

Michael

[Steve L]

 

NUMERICAL LIST OF ENTRANTS, 1946

 

17. P.R. Monkhouse Bugatti.

28. C.P.D. Tooley Riley G.N.

36. R.M.W. Arbuthnot Dusenburg.

51. Ricardo Motors Amilcar.

72. R.M. Boothby J.B. Special.

76. P.F.C. Pyecroft Pyecroft Special.

132. D.W. Price Price Spec.

136. P.A. Seymour Seymour Special

 

 

Thanks very much for posting the full entry list which makes for illuminating and mouth-watering reading considering the type, breadth and quality of entries...

 

The Bugatti with the stripe down the side may have been the Bugatti Owners Club T51 which (I think, although I cannot remember the exact timeline) was soon afterwards written off?

 

I wonder if the Duesenberg was the Brooklands Outer Circuit car?  Hardly a "sprint" machine perhaps, but I guess in 1946 the opportunity to run anything again was enjoyed hugely and grasped with both hands.

 

As well as the "pure" racing cars there seem to have been some very interesting specials running which I have never heard of before, as well as more Altas entered than anywhere else I have seen?!

 

Amilcar's are a particular favourite, and it would be nice to somehow find out more about the background to the #51 car and Ricardo Motors.

Edited by Steve L, 28 December 2014 - 20:16.

[Vitesse2]

Reports of the event say that about five hundred entries had been submitted, of which three hundred were accepted: presumably some of those were for more than one driver in the same machine.

 

I doubt the Duesenberg actually ran - I don't recall seeing it in any report. And Arbuthnot had been killed in a road accident on August 29th.

[cooper997]

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, for the record this Brighton Speed Trials took place September 7th, 1946.

 

Stephen

[Alan Cox]

Just over a year since VJ Day 1945 - It must have been wonderful to enjoy a carefree day out such as had been enjoyed before the war, and little wonder that they amassed such an entry

[Vitesse2]

Just over a year since VJ Day 1945 - It must have been wonderful to enjoy a carefree day out such as had been enjoyed before the war, and little wonder that they amassed such an entry

Of the four biggest sprint and hillclimb events up to that point in 1946 it was only the second one run entirely in the dry - which the drivers and spectators no doubt appreciated. There were about ninety drivers at VSCC Elstree, which was also blessed with good weather. The Bugatti OC had capped their main Prescott meeting at eighty (although they apparently received more) and the Midland AC had accepted 117 at Shelsley: at both those the rain had been of Biblical proportions at times!

 

Since Shelsley, the petrol ration had been increased - which no doubt helped the numbers at Brighton too.

[Steve L]

Reports of the event say that about five hundred entries had been submitted, of which three hundred were accepted: presumably some of those were for more than one driver in the same machine.

 

I doubt the Duesenberg actually ran - I don't recall seeing it in any report. And Arbuthnot had been killed in a road accident on August 29th.

 

The Duesenberg is a very interesting car although it never seems to have been entirely suited to any of the events it ran in?!

 

As a Scuderia Ferrari entry it never had any success (there is a lovely picture of the Duesey's engine in Simon Moore's new Grand Prix Alfa Romeo book), the chassis was perhaps too flexible to be an effective Brooklands car while it ran there, and it certainly can never have been considered a successful sprint or speed trial car?

 

Yet it has survived due to DSJ's ownership and bequest on to the Brooklands Museum, and it is still a real beauty.  I heard a new original specification engine was being built for the car, although things seem to have gone a bit quiet on that front - it would be great to hear some positive news.

 

As a slight aside, I am sure one of the cars that can be seen in the 1949 Manx video posted above is the Lagonda-powered Emeryson which was eventually fitted with the original engine from the Duesenberg and which after ownership again by DSJ went on to be restored itself in recent years...

 

[cooper997]

Does anyone have access to the official entry list or results for the September 1946 Brighton event please?

 

Rupert has gone to great efforts with the entry list in post 4, but I can't see Eric Brandon's number.Which is what I would like to find out.

 

I believe he was entrered in the Cooper, but ran 4th place in the 1100cc racing class. With John Cooper winning the 850cc racing class.

 

Stephen

[pete53]

A lovely film. Colour, as opposed to black and white,  tends to make the occasion seem a bit less distant and remote.

 

As an aside, sadly, the arches along Madiera Drive ( the backdrop to the Brighton Speed Trials) have fallen into disrepair through on-going neglect and the pathway running under them is now closed to the public, as is the terrace above.

[cooper997]

Brandon was No. 29
Entered for John Cooper.

Thank you Jhdrussell.

I guess sharing the same number worked if they were running in different classes.

Stephen