10 replies to this topic

[RaymondMays]

A permanent memorial to Raymond Mays and BRM is to be unveiled in South Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, I believe on Sunday 16th November.

The last time I passed through Bourne, the memorial had been erected, but was obviously covered up.

I believe that as well as many of the local BRM employees, representatives of the Owen family, and possibly former BRM drivers will be present.

[RaymondMays]

It will be at 11:30am on the 16th November, with David Owen and Louis Stanley.

[RaymondMays]

Here's a picture from the Bourne website, of the unveiled memorial.

[oldclassiccar]

Rather than start a new thread.

I recently bought a miscellaneous bunch of old photos, among them this photo (no credits, details or copyright info on the back) showing Mays and ???? at the drawing board. I had a flick through a copy of the BRM V16 booklet produced in 1950, and the nearest match I can find is Peter Berthon (both have a similar thin 'tache), although this photo shows a chap with more hair than the pic of P.B. from 1950. Can anyone confirm who this is, and perhaps the location?

thanks, Rick

[jph]

Judging by the picture on Page 52 of Volume 1 of Doug Nye's magnum opus, might it be Eric Richter?

[Doug Nye]

It is indeed the eccentric, impossible, sometimes brilliant Eric Richter, who later did design work for Vanwall and the Rootes Group. It was taken in the first-floor drawing office at the Old Maltings behind Eastgate House, Bourne, the historic old building now very sadly long-demolished (the Maltings that is). Great shot!

Richter was the man brought in by Mays and Berthon soon after the entire BRM project's inception. He thought they should have built a V12. Later fellow design engineer Harry Mundy concurred. As did the Rolls-Royce supercharger team. But that was insufficiently theatrical for RM and PB... Had it emerged as a V12 the project might have been more successful...

DCN

[oldclassiccar]

Thanks for that!! I knew it wouldn't take long for someone on here to know the answer

Rick

[RaymondMays]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Had it emerged as a V12 the project might have been more successful...

DCN

But almost certainly wouldn't have sounded as spectacular or resulted in such an interesting story.

Changing the subject slightly, will Volume IV cover the entire remainder of the story, or will there be a Volume V? There's so much left to cover!

[Doug Nye]

I think a supercharged V12 would have sounded pretty darned good actually. As for V4...If it happens (God willing) - it will cover the rest of the story, H16s and V12s, plus all the usual divertissements... such as the CanAm project, the Reliant engine, the motor-cycle, the kiddy cars - oh, and the "Seek a Sheikh" forays to The Smoke...

DCN

[ian senior]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
I think a supercharged V12 would have sounded pretty darned good actually. As for V4...If it happens (God willing) - it will cover the rest of the story, H16s and V12s, plus all the usual divertissements... such as the CanAm project, the Reliant engine, the motor-cycle, the kiddy cars - oh, and the "Seek a Sheikh" forays to The Smoke...

DCN

The Reliant engine.... can you give a premature spilling of beans please, Doug? I have visions of two 750cc Reliant Robin engines spliced together to form a 1500cc V8 which was then turbocharged to make a Formula 1 engine. Surely not....

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by ian senior


The Reliant engine.... can you give a premature spilling of beans please, Doug? I have visions of two 750cc Reliant Robin engines spliced together to form a 1500cc V8 which was then turbocharged to make a Formula 1 engine. Surely not....

Surely knowing BRM it would have been FOUR engines spliced together to make a 3000cc V16!