Llandow Circuit South Wales

Hi, I’m reaching out to anyone who attended as a spectator, raced bikes or cars at Llandow or holds any kind of ephemera or memorabilia relating to early Llandow race track.
I am assembling a small but complete archive and I am searching for posters, programmes, Club letters, Llandow raced overalls, trophies etc
I’ve seen on many other feeds that people are likely to have these things, also some one mentioned they have a programme from the very first event there, and someone else even mentioned having a 35mm home made video of an early event there also.
I’d love to hear from anyone who can help, donate or sell any items to this project to preserve Welsh racing history for future generations.
Jamie Rees
Llandow Historic Motorsport
Facebook - Llandow Historic Motorsport

When was the very first event at Llandow?

 

1959: The Swansea M.C. will hold a closed sprint on Llandow airfield, near Bridgend, Glamorgan, on 11th October. Regs. may be had from H. Rumble, "Cefn Eithen", 56 Glanmor Road, Uplands, Swansea

 

RGDS RLT 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 16 October 2022 - 20:03.

Do you have documentation of this?

When was the very first event at Llandow?

1959: The Swansea M.C. will hold a closed sprint on Llandow airfield, near Bridgend, Glamorgan, on 11th October. Regs. may be had from H. Rumble, "Cefn Eithen", 56 Glanmor Road, Uplands, Swansea

RGDS RLT

The above is a quote from Autosport, 25 September 1959, Page 406.

 

"The climax of the day's racing was the final event when the fastest car a 3¾ litre Jaguar driven by M. Charles and the fastest motor-cycle a 1,000 cc Vincent ridden by P. J. Barrett of the Aberaman Club raced over the quarter of a mile electronically timed run. The motorcycle was an easy winner."

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 05 March 2023 - 14:13.

'M.Charles" would have been Maurice Charles who had a car showroom in Cardiff's North Road (from dim and dusty memory).

 

Maurice had a crack at Le Mans in 1958 in his ex-Ecurie Ecosse D-Type (XKD 502) without much luck. He then returned to La Sarthe in 1962 with an E Type, again without success. The E Type was immediately retired from competition after Le Mans and ended up languishing as an unloved bare shell in a Channel Islands' outhouse until being rediscovered in 1989.

 

Beautifully restored "503 BBO" (that's a Cardiff reg) enjoyed its 2nd ever race at the 2018 Goodwood MM. It's a gorgeous car and has been rebuilt to a genuine spec. that is pretty much identical to that in period. None of the trickery of some of the fastest "historic" E-Types.

 

Maurice went on to acquire an ex-Alan Mann GT40 (chassis P/1023) during the late 60's. As far as I remember he never ventured on to the bumps of Llandow with the car, I reckon the only GT40 to compete at the Welsh Oval was that of Bristolian Ron Fry (chassis P1073).

Edited by moffspeed, 08 March 2023 - 17:08.

Did you know that they once got a display by the Red Arrows?
Whilst at Cardiff University in the early to mid seventies a friend an I went along a couple of times.
Llandow is very close to RAF St Athan where the Red Arrows were stationed, and they were out practising on the same day as one meeting we went to. My hazy recollection of what we were told over the PA is that as it was a bit of a special event (for Llandow anyway) someone had cheekily phoned up the base and asked if they would like to give us a display like they do at the British GP. The organisers were told to look out for them at some odd number of minutes past the hour, and sure enough, right on time, a few of them did a fast low pass over the race track. Not the full aerobatic display, but what do you want for free?
Now, of course, there would have to be weeks of planning with risk assessments etc.
Happy days!

Steve

Did you know that they once got a display by the Red Arrows?
Whilst at Cardiff University in the early to mid seventies a friend an I went along a couple of times.
Llandow is very close to RAF St Athan where the Red Arrows were stationed, and they were out practising on the same day as one meeting we went to. My hazy recollection of what we were told over the PA is that as it was a bit of a special event (for Llandow anyway) someone had cheekily phoned up the base and asked if they would like to give us a display like they do at the British GP. The organisers were told to look out for them at some odd number of minutes past the hour, and sure enough, right on time, a few of them did a fast low pass over the race track. Not the full aerobatic display, but what do you want for free?
Now, of course, there would have to be weeks of planning with risk assessments etc.
Happy days!

Steve

Hi Steve, In fact I've heard another story about Red Arrows fly over at Llandow.

Stuart Cardell, son of Denis Cardell told me of a meeting at Llandow in the mid 60's; the Red Arrows had recently been formed and Denis had contacted them and asked if they would do a display.

They said no to a display but yes to a pass over at 13.32 hrs.

He said 13;31 came and no sign of Red Arrows fly over, with 10 seconds to go they came into view and at the stroke of 13;32 they flew over Llandow about 20ft off the flow, nearing the Control Tower.

Edited by Llandowhistoricmotorsport, 23 March 2023 - 09:53.

SWANSEA M.C. are to run a closed to

club sprint meeting at Llandow Air-

field on 18th September over a new and

interesting three-quarter mile course.

There will be classes for racing, sports

and touring cars, and regulations are

available from Mrs. H. Strawford, 43

Wind Street, Swansea. A go-kart meet-

ing will be held simultaneously.

Autosport, 19 August, 1960, Page 274

 

RGDS RLT

SWANSEA M.C. are to run a closed to

club sprint meeting at Llandow Air-

field on 18th September over a new and

interesting three-quarter mile course.

There will be classes for racing, sports

and touring cars, and regulations are

available from Mrs. H. Strawford, 43

Wind Street, Swansea. A go-kart meet-

ing will be held simultaneously.

Autosport, 19 August, 1960, Page 274

 

RGDS RLT

 

I have a news paper article dating Feb 1958 holding the first sprint at Llandow Aerodrome, so far its the oldest I've found!

There is a report of a sprint at Llandow, 11 October 1959, in Motor Sport, November 1959, Page 839.

 

RGDS RLT 

I guess Mrs H Strawford is related in some way to the saviour of Castle Combe circuit, Howard Strawford.

I guess Mrs H Strawford is related in some way to the saviour of Castle Combe circuit, Howard Strawford.

Yes his wife I believe, as he was the one who arranged the original sprints on the airfield.

He also tried to buy Llandow Circuit when it had its licensing threatened if more facilities weren’t brought on site.

Edited by Llandowhistoricmotorsport, 24 March 2023 - 14:01.

See ref 1970:

 

https://forums.autos.../#entry10346141

 

RGDS RLT

I have sadly heard that this dear old place is under threat?