The X-Pics - British motorsport incidents to identify

First post has been updated. The latest unknown photos are:

Edited by Paul Taylor, 17 January 2017 - 19:20.

The Fotheringham one may be in practice for the 1932 Empire Trophy. The preview in The Times (30/4/32) mentions 'connecting rod trouble earlier in the week'.

"Connecting-rod trouble" probably couldn't take the rear wheel off though. His engine also blew up during the race itself according to Motor Sport. When were the Vickers sheds being built (re-built?). Might give us a clue.

 

First post has been updated. The latest unknown photos are:

 

T.S. Fotheringham, Bugatti T54, when he lost a wheel at Brooklands. Any idea of year or race?

 

Michael Herman, Brands Hatch.  Seems to be a 500. A Mike Herman is listed on some race results at Brands in the early 1960s, but I can't find anything else. Any ideas?

 

 

In the second pic Dick Seaman in a blazer, collar and tie is striding toward the Bugatti and on the old Team Dan Brooklands races site there is Fotheringham in a Bugatti (but no type no.) retiring in the Gold Star handicap race on Whit Monday May 16 1932. I could find no mention of Fotheringham at this race in the updated Boddy Brooklands book, unless I missed it.

However in the background is the nose of Trossi's Clemens engined Duesenberg which did not appear at Brooklands until 1934 driven by Whitney Straight, so I suspect this must be 1934 or later when Duller owned it.

That's very helpful GazChed. I did consider the possibility of a test day or practice session, there doesn't seem to be a lot of people around in any of the photos.

#29 Bugatti in this picture fits to crashed one.

Original caption: MG R-TYPES & BUGATTI ON THE BROOKLANDS BANKING, NEW HAW HANDICAP, c.1935/

There were New Haw handicaps at March 16 meeting.

http://www.motorspor...rooklands-again

 

 

Next door lay the 4.9 Bugatti, once owned by Kaye Don and called Tiger II. Manby-Colegrave is its new owner, while Dudley Froy is to *handle it at all track events. 

Froy turned out for this race, but sheared his back axle on the line. After being towed back to the Paddock it was jacked up, when one wheel promptly fell off ! The break revealed a fracture that had taken a long while to develop, and Froy shuddered to think of the 40 practice laps he had done before the meeting

Amazing! I'm convinced that's the one, brilliant work. According to the Bugatti Trust, the Kaye Don/Dudley Froy Bugatti was a Bugatti Type 54, chassis number 54203. Did T.S. Fotheringham ever own or race it? Or did the current owner of the Bugatti get that wrong? Or are we wrong?

(Weren't you over at The Fastlane with us a few years ago Vladimir?)

Edited by Paul Taylor, 19 January 2017 - 20:43.

Weren't you over at The Fastlane with us a few years ago Vladimir?

Probably yes. There are too much forums to follow them all.

Apparently appeared in an Autosport magazine in 1967 or earlier. Seems to be Brands Hatch. 

Any info?

Paul, regarding your post of the two Elans (26R ????) I have come across that image before somewhere ? there are Lotus registries, you might be able to find an answer there.

I'm sure some one on this forum will come up with the identification, bumping the post might bring a reply.

Michael

Edited by group7, 17 March 2017 - 16:12.

I posted that Elan photo on another forum, three venues have been put forth with out a positive identification,  Oulton Park, Mallory Park or Lydden Hill.

I posted that Elan photo on another forum, three venues have been put forth with out a positive identification,  Oulton Park, Mallory Park or Lydden Hill.

My money is on Lydden Hill. The bank at Chesson's Drift(?) looked much like that before it got an Armco barrier at trackside level.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 19 March 2017 - 09:03.

Bringing up again the topic of the Bugatti with the lost rear wheel which reportedly shows Fothringham (btw, often written Fotheringham, which one is correct?).

These mystery photos puzzle me since years, as I always was convinced it's indeed a T54, because of the rear suspension. However, I actually changed my mind, it's for sure no T54, shape of frame is different, brakes are too small, and the typical oil filler on the bonnet is missing. I also had the 2 events in mind which had been posted here, but both do not fit. The Brooklands BRDC 500 on 22.9.1934 was the only occasion where Fothringham was entered as driver (by Kaye Don) for 54203, but Oliver Bertram retired the car with a broken gear lever before Fothringham had a chance to take over the wheel. Brooklands BARC Meeting on 16.3.1935, Manby-Colegrave had bought 54203 from Don and entered it for Dudley Froy, but the car was freshly painted in silver and carried r/n 1.  Reportedly the rear axle broke at the start, and the wheel fell off. Looks promising, but in that case the whole wheel assembly would have been missing, including brake, whereas on the photo only rim and tyre disappeared. 

I'm quite sure that the car is Fothringham's 4896, the ex-Campbell T39A, which Fothringham converted to T35B with a 100 mm crank. Car can be seen here at the Brooklands BRDC 500 on 16.9.1933:

https://lh3.googleus...AiXKFINTeE=s117

Obviously front and also rear suspension are not original anymore, seems that the rear springs had been changed from inside to outside the bodywork. 4896 was painted green, which would fit to the photos. I agree that the Trossi Duesenberg which can be spotted on one of the photos only appeared at Brooklands in 1934, so any earlier identification is out of question. As 4896 was sold to Ralph Vickers around May 1935 we can limit the period to March 1934 up to April 1935, under the condition of course the photos show indeed Fothringham. 

https://s28.postimg....NDS_BANKING.jpg

The Bugatti looks indeed as our mystery car, however, I cannot find Fothringham racing at the BARC opening meeting on 16.3.1935.

Okay, the reason I left this forum years ago already is the photo topic. Correct decision..... 

DCN

I'm quite sure that the car is Fothringham's 4896, the ex-Campbell T39A, which Fothringham converted to T35B with a 100 mm crank. Car can be seen here at the Brooklands BRDC 500 on 16.9.1933:

 

https://lh3.googleus...AiXKFINTeE=s117

 

Seems like you may be right: http://www.bugattibu...lbum=1105&pos=3

The car is now owned by Julian Majzub.

A little confused by your other post, though... 

The pic labelled Lister Jaguar looks like a D type Jaguar to me, the passenger hatch panel is missing, the curved body side and no door unlike a Lister, could this be OKV 3 after Martin Morris' Snetterton shunt circa early 1970s when it was owned by John Melvile-Smith if I recall correctly.

It turns out you were half right. It IS a D-Type Jaguar, but it was actually OKV 2! The "ex-Stirling Moss" (ex-a lot of drivers actually) car which went up for auction for £9 to £11 million a few years ago. I'm not sure if it sold.

It was crashed by Bob Berry at the Whitsun Goodwood meeting in 1956. As quoted in Motorsport:

Berry led Flockhart for two sensational laps, then left the road at high speed at Fordwater. The Jaguar went through the wattle fencing, knocked down a concrete post and somersaulted over the spectator-road, ending up in a field upside down. Berry was airborne for a fantastic distance and was exceedingly fortunate to escape with a broken ankle.

 

The pic again:

As a young fan of Bob Berry I was relieved to hear that he had survived that one.

Found this at https://www.racingsp...5-21-11013.html

Berry seems to have won a race on that day as well.

S+2.0

Bob Berry started from pole.

 

ANY information on these will be useful, even identifying the car model or the circuit. We've been sitting on these for some time with no idea of who/what/where and have exhausted all other forms of research.

 

What we know: Probably 1959. Car is a Peerless GT, reg. no. URK 803. Can't do any better than that. Someone has suggested it might be Albert Gay.

Can we get this picture back again? What happened?

Peerless seen at Goodwood, #56, 14 March 1959, URK 803.

Who was the driver?

Also here at Silverstone, 13 June 1959:

https://library.revs...gham-scc/449260

For a different Peerless shunt see: https://forums.autos.../#entry10415197

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 21 October 2023 - 12:03.

Can we get this picture back again? What happened?

 

Peerless seen at Goodwood, #56, 14 March 1959, URK 803.

 

Who was the driver?

 

Also here at Silverstone, 13 June 1959:

 

https://library.revs...gham-scc/449260

 

For a different Peerless shunt see: https://forums.autos.../#entry10415197

 

RGDS RLT

Goodwood 14th March (33rd Members Meeting)

Event 2:  Handicap Race (A) for Closed Cars: No 56 Albert Gay (Peerless Reg URK 803) 

Information Volume 2 'A Record of Motor Racing at Goodwood (1959-1966) by Robert Barker

Goodwood 14th March (33rd Members Meeting)

Event 2:  Handicap Race (A) for Closed Cars: No 56 Albert Gay (Peerless Reg URK 803) 

Information Volume 2 'A Record of Motor Racing at Goodwood (1959-1966) by Robert Barker

Result for Event 2:  Albert Gay (Peerless reg URK 803)  1st, 5 laps, 10'25.6"