14 replies to this topic

[RAP]

The Bertram brothers were, I think, from Scotland and raced Lotus 11 (1959) Lola Mk1 (1960) and Senior F Junior (61-62). Their first names were David and Douglas but can anyone confirm whether W D was Douglas and D M was David or the other way round?
Thanks
Richard

[Graham Gauld]

If I remember correctly D.M. Bertram was David and the other was Douglas. They built their own Formula Junior car, the LWS - Leith Walk Special as it was built In Leith Walk. All the details and photos in History of Scottish Motor Racing and Drivers (plug)

[RAP]

Graham, thanks for the reply, I was hoping this would catch your attention! One question, in your book you talk about the LWS Special F Junior. I have a Snetterton programme with W D entered in the FJ race with a Senior Ford - assume this is the LWS special with a "sexier" name? Please also see your PMs
Richard

[ajg141]

Bit late into this post - but I can confirm Graham's reply that DM refers to David McNab Bertram. The embryo Junior was named 'Senior' because Douglas Bertram walked into the Halmyre St workshops one afternoon to see how construction was coming on and said 'looks very senior' to Peter Beaton who designed and built the car. The name just stuck. I used to spend far more time down there acting as 'gofer' and working on my Morgan 4/4 than I should have. As far as I can recollect the LWS name was not used until the conversion to the later sportscar format when it was later campaigned by Bill Turnbull. At one time I had all the original construction photographs of the car but these were unfortunately lost in a house move many years ago more's the pity.

Andrew

[RAP]

Andrew
Thanks for that confirmation.
RAP

[Proditto]

Interesting post on the LWS which as an Edinburgh resident I remember well. I understand from Graham that it had Lola suspension fitted to a square tube frame. Has anyone got any photos of the car without body? In fact any data on the car chassis and fittings would be interesting.I presume that as Bertram had a FJ Lola the suspension would be from that car.
Sandy

[eliter]

I have several pictures of the Senior Junior which hopefully appear on this post; the driver in one picture is Peter Beaton. I dont think that this car incorporated parts from the Bertrams Lola as this car is alive and well in the US and has been there for many years.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by eliter
I dont think that this car incorporated parts from the Bertrams Lola as this car is alive and well in the US and has been there for many years.

or Germany

[Proditto]

Sorry for confusion ! The parts for the LWS were purchased from Lola and I presumed that they were the same as the Lola Mk2 as he had had one. The offset differential is a pointer to this.
The car photos are excellent. Anyone got any chassis photos?

Sandy

[ajg141]

The diff was certainly purchased from Lola but my recollection is that the front suspesion incorporated modified Triumph Herald parts whilst the rear was designed and fabricated by Peter Beaton. The bodywork was made by J Gairn & company - a coachworks owned by James Bertram & Sons Ltd. The Mk 2 Lola was raced succesfully in club events and also at Nurburgring and Silverstone in International races before being sold to America. After engine re-builds it was not unknown to run it in by driving the car up and down the roads leading to Charterhall as it was road registered. The Bertrams previously raced their road going TRs and a Morgan Plus 4 before progressing to a Lotus Xl that I can remember seeing at Crystal Palace amongst other places. The third brother had a Jensen 541R into which Peter Beaton squeezed a 3.8 Jaguar engine after the original blew up.

Andrew

[JeremyB]

David was my uncle - only once saw him race at Charterhall when I was very young.

I remember visiting the family in Edinburgh. They had a Peerless GT as well as an Isetta bubblecar - which had apparently on more than one occasion been rolled on the city's greasy cobblestones. "Just ask a passer by to put it back on its wheels!'

Does anybody have any photos or other stories. I now live in Australia and have lost track of the family. Would love any photos or tit bits!



Jeremy Braithwaite

[JeremyB]

Discovered David is alive and well. The Leith Walk Special was converted into a sports car before being sold to America.

Jeremy

[RAP]

Jeremy Have sent you a PM.
Thanks RAP

[Mistron]

Was just reading about the LWS in Graham Gould's book and a google search immediately led back to TNF... Isn't it always thus?

The previous posts do seem to be slightly at odds with the info in the book however. The book has the Brothers Lola and Lotus sold to the US, and the LWS ending its days being crashed by a guy from south west Scotland.

How was the LWS FJ converted into a sportscar? do the photos of it above show it in a widened form? does anyone know when / where the crash happened?

I'm intrigued.

Edited by Mistron, 29 August 2009 - 22:04.

[ColinB]

I happened to stumble upon this message board as my dad, David Bertram, has just bought a laptop and I was looking for Bertram related web sites. It was quite a surprise to find people discussing him and my uncle Doug!

I can confirm that both my dad and Doug are alive and well. My parents live in Edinburgh and Doug lives in Newtonmore in the Highlands. Both are still keen drivers and currently own Subarus. I didn't catch the motor racing bug from Dad so am not 100% sure of the model but I'm pretty sure dad drives an Impreza.

Dad is new to computers and the internet so is just getting to grips with email etc but he has seen this bulletin board and says it is "most interesting".

I should also say a hello to Jeremy. I just received an email from dad saying you are second cousins. Nice to make contact!


Colin Bertram

Edited by ColinB, 24 November 2010 - 14:49.