Rhydymwyn sprint and the ERA special
#1
Posted 16 February 2003 - 21:25
There is a report on a sprint at Rhydymwyn, described as Prescott on the flat with both ends joined together. I have never heard of it. Nor have I heard of "Jim Berry in the well-known ERA special" which set BTD by a margin of 3 seconds.
Can anyone help?
Advertisement
#2
Posted 16 February 2003 - 21:59
Jim Berry's first ERA Special was built from the ex-Bertie Bradnack F2 Woden (ie HAR) but I think that was a bit earlier than 1958. Another comprised the ex-Gerard Cooper-Bristol with 2-litre ERA engine but think that was a couple of years later. Whether his 1958 mount was one of these, or a third car, I can't recall at the moment
#3
Posted 16 February 2003 - 22:00
#4
Posted 16 February 2003 - 22:07
#5
Posted 16 February 2003 - 22:13
Sorry but I also play Scrabble, in French...
#6
Posted 16 February 2003 - 22:14
http://www.google.co...G=Google Search
#7
Posted 16 February 2003 - 22:24
http://www.subbrit.o...yn/history.html
#8
Posted 16 February 2003 - 23:22
#9
Posted 16 February 2003 - 23:40
Originally posted by dolomite
(OT) Also the site of a large, unpleasant and very hush-hush hole in the ground.
Wales?
#10
Posted 17 February 2003 - 00:44
#11
Posted 17 February 2003 - 05:58
#12
Posted 17 February 2003 - 19:25
The article to which I referred was about a meeting organised by The Wirral Hundred Motor Club.
The front view of the car photograph shows a very tall machine in the ERA mould, but with a rounded nose and strange suspension fairings. Were spare ERA engines for use in special making that abundant?
The info about the underground facility is a bit, errr....sinister, eh?
On the other hand, could this pic show the circuit's main straight?
#13
Posted 17 February 2003 - 20:04
You didn't tell us there was a photo of the car in the Autosport report, David!Originally posted by David Beard
The front view of the car photograph shows a very tall machine in the ERA mould, but with a rounded nose and strange suspension fairings. Were spare ERA engines for use in special making that abundant?
I've now got up from my chair and looked at the photo - I'm pretty sure that's the Woden-based car. Annoyingly, I know I've seen a picture of the Woden in its original form, but danged if I can find it. Maybe it was a Classic & Sports Car mystery car a few years ago?
ERA engines weren't much use for anything else by 1953 or 1954, when I believe Berry carried out the transplant operation.
And in answer to an earlier posting, he always had a Bugatti or two, frequently using both in the same events
#14
Posted 17 February 2003 - 20:27
Originally posted by David McKinney
You didn't tell us there was a photo of the car in the Autosport report, David!
I've now got up from my chair and looked at the photo - I'm pretty sure that's the Woden-based car. Annoyingly, I know I've seen a picture of the Woden in its original form, but danged if I can find it. Maybe it was a Classic & Sports Car mystery car a few years ago?
ERA engines weren't much use for anything else by 1953 or 1954, when I believe Berry carried out the transplant operation.
And in answer to an earlier posting, he always had a Bugatti or two, frequently using both in the same events
David, I can't speak for the heavyweights around here....but I need to know what this "Woden" thing is!
#15
Posted 17 February 2003 - 20:47
H.A.R.
...
A second chassis was built for Bertie Bradnack, and during 1952 and 1953, this was entered in a couple of races under the name 'Woden' and was apparently to be Bristol-powered. It did not actually appear in any races, however, and it is thought that the 'Woden' was never completed, although later the chassis was used as the basis of a sports car. It currently lives in Australia, where it is fitted with a Jaguar engine, and its owner describes it as very fast, but somewhat lacking in both handling and stopping power.
#16
Posted 21 February 2003 - 08:30
#17
Posted 21 February 2003 - 10:04
The chain drive was arranged in cast chain cases which doubled-up as rear suspension leading - very important, NOT trailing - arms, the car had something like 70 rear/30 front weight distribution, and when first tested by RM and Ken Richardson the car proved an instant disaster. Its drive torque wound up the chains which raised the 'free' end of the chain-case and the corresponding rear wheel along with it. The spring then reacted, throwing the wheel back down, whereupon the suspension/drive unit on the other side would wind up. The process was self-agitating and the result was that the car would wiggle off the line like a freshly shot duck, paddling madly, wagging its tail wildly from side to side while simultaneously oscillating like a metronome sans governor around its longitudinal axis.
The project was abandoned before a) RM ended up in jail for misappropriation of BRM project hardware or b) either he or Richardson ended up in hospital. The car had been highly publicised, too, before it ran...
Some blokes just never learned...up to and including BAR/Reynard.
DCN
PS - By the way, poor Jim Berry was killed in an accident at Oulton Park, not in the ERA Special.
#18
Posted 27 February 2003 - 22:40
Originally posted by Doug Nye
The chain drive was arranged in cast chain cases which doubled-up as rear suspension leading - very important, NOT trailing - arms, the car had something like 70 rear/30 front weight distribution, and when first tested by RM and Ken Richardson the car proved an instant disaster. Its drive torque wound up the chains which raised the 'free' end of the chain-case and the corresponding rear wheel along with it. The spring then reacted, throwing the wheel back down, whereupon the suspension/drive unit on the other side would wind up. The process was self-agitating and the result was that the car would wiggle off the line like a freshly shot duck, paddling madly, wagging its tail wildly from side to side while simultaneously oscillating like a metronome sans governor around its longitudinal axis.
DCN
Thanks Doug. Sounds like this special owed more to Lambretta design principles than BRM or ERA :
#19
Posted 27 February 2003 - 23:11
As for the Woden, what car is this now in Australia? Anybody have a clue?
Lovely description of the 'old queen's' departure from the starting line, Doug... "the car would wiggle off the line like a freshly shot duck, paddling madly, wagging its tail wildly from side to side..."
Advertisement
#20
Posted 03 February 2017 - 10:33
I'm interested in 57/58.
Thank you
Rob
#21
Posted 03 February 2017 - 14:07
1958? Not that late,, I might have earlier.
There used to be some personal blogs on Internet mostly motorcycle experiences racing etc, Wirral 100 club mentioning Rhydymwyn, but lots of former stuff on Internet has vanished & is not to be found today.
My father used to take me to the events there usually the motorcycles being more interesting as they raced but the cars only did the timed runs as a sprint. It was interesting to see the cars then 1950 era.
The track is now covered by a trading estate built in the 1960's I think.
The government buildings were for making and storing gas as used in nice wars, & I think post WW2 there was storage for other things more deadly. I imagine the workers glowed in the dark.
One of the first times Mike Hailwood competed was at Rhydymwyn, 1957?