13 replies to this topic

[tsrwright]

‘CLIMBED YOUR LAST HILL’ ... So concluded Camille, wife of the great Bruce Walton, in a notice of his death in The Age of Melbourne this week.  Australian hillclimb champion for six years on the run from 1958-1963, Bruce was 90 and had been disabled for some years after a stroke. Tribute and lots of pictures at http://www.loosefillings.com

Edited by tsrwright, 11 June 2017 - 12:56.

[Ray Bell]

A legend in his time...

But his time was so long ago, it's hard to reconcile that he was only 90. And it's sad to know his final years were driven with a handicap.

[GMACKIE]

Something I'll never forget [hopefully], is watching Bruce Walton at Silverdale hillclimb...in 1961.

 

Jack Bono suggested I observe Bruce Walton, as he negotiated the tricky hill, if I wanted to learn how to drive ! Great advice...

 

RIP Bruce.

[tsrwright]

Something I'll never forget [hopefully], is watching Bruce Walton at Silverdale hillclimb...in 1961.

 

Jack Bono suggested I observe Bruce Walton, as he negotiated the tricky hill, if I wanted to learn how to drive ! Great advice...

 

RIP Bruce.

 

That's something people keep saying about Bruce -  how good his driving looked. Unfortunately I wasn't here then so I never saw him drive.

[DanTra2858]

I never saw Bruce Walton drive but I find it so sad that an Australian who was 6 times an Australian Champion in his field of Motor Sport has little following of his achievements, RIP Mr Walton.

[GMACKIE]

Jack Bono also told me Bruce had the ability to 'shave' small amounts off the outright Silverdale record at will. There was a prize of 25 quid for breaking the record !

 

Bruce had natural 'traction control'. He could drive at record-breaking speed, on skinny tyres...with virtually no wheel-spin.

 

Another thing that I found strange, was the lack of exhaust noise through corners. He seemed to 'feather' the throttle until the steering wheel was straight, then feed just the right amount of power on. A joy to watch.

[tsrwright]

Greg, on the exhaust, Bruce was very fussy about his throttle setting and told me I should set it so the engine just shuts down when the foot is taken off, this being to have maximum control. This was probably aided by there being butterflies right at the inlet port as well as in the carburetor. I'm afraid I haven't been able to cope with this from the point of view of the practicalities of keeping the thing running in today's crowded paddocks. Mind you, I haven't got the incentive he had. The following pictures at Big Tree, Silverdale will illustrate your point. First is Bruce of course - look at the eyes, the concentration etc. Second is John Fish, the next owner - not quite the same thing

 

 

Edited by tsrwright, 14 June 2017 - 02:54.

[tsrwright]

Here's another 'maestro of the hills'. David Boshier-Jones at Rest and be Thankful, not sure which year. Bill Henderson pic courtesy LAT Photographic.

 

[Ray Bell]

That would be right at the top of the hill...

[tsrwright]

That would be right at the top of the hill...

Yes, the hairpin just before the finish - magnificent spot - try it in the rain

[Ray Bell]

I would have but the gate was shut!

All your fault, Terry, it was your mention of the history of the place in your book that made me target that as one of only two places I made a point of visiting in Scotland.

[tsrwright]

I would have but the gate was shut!

All your fault, Terry, it was your mention of the history of the place in your book that made me target that as one of only two places I made a point of visiting in Scotland.

 

Yes, I found that -  at the bottom -  but if you go to the top you get this view (note the old lower down and new road higher up) and this old stone. You can just see the road heading for the final hairpin on the right of the picture.
.

Edited by tsrwright, 15 June 2017 - 03:48.

[tsrwright]

Bruce and Camille Walton's guided tour of Templestowe, Victoria, 2008

[john medley]

Bruce Walton's legendary throttle control would have helped at Templestowe's legendary locations like The Wall and The Hole.

 

I ran there just once, late 70s or early 80s, close to the time of its closing. Lou Molina said he couldn't do the track walk because his leather soled shoes would have no grip on The Wall. In support of Lou, Greg Smith turned up shirtless but in a black sleeveless vest, a grey Fedora, and carrying a violin case (containing 6 cans of beer)

 

We lesser mortals battled for FTD. My first sight of The Wall at speed was character-building: the heart told me I was about to crash headlong into a vertical tar wall; the mind reasoned that Man had climbed this before. The corner at the top of The Wall was about 270 degrees, a tiny platform near spectators' feet, before plunging downhill almost as steeply into The Hole. Graeme Snape and I consulted: one said braking point UP The Wall was when driver spied spectators' heads, the other said spectators' belts; neither cared to contemplate brake failure at that point. A story was told of a 7R AJS rider too conservatively attacking The Wall, to stall, and slide ignominiously backwards and downwards before eventually disappearing backwards into the timber.

 

Terry, thanks for the pics!