26 replies to this topic

[Charles Helps]

The original of this photo came from the Broad family. S.T. (Sid) Broad's Lotus Mk VI is visible towards the back of the photo. Sid thinks it may have been taken at Blandford during an unofficial event but with several well-known cars there I am not so sure. I think that I see Bette Haig in her Lotus Seven (behind another Seven)and possibly Ashley Cleave's Morris Special (19). Lotus Seventeen in the foreground.


Any thoughts?

[garyfrogeye]

It must be 1958 or later as there is a Mk1 Sprite in the background. Sorry that I can't help with where it is.

[David McKinney]

Or 1959 to have a Lotus 17 in shot

Ash Cleave never strayed far from the West Country, did he?

[Charles Helps]

... and Sid Broad mostly competed in events in Devon and Cornwall so somewhere in the West Country is most likely.

I think that this photo was taken at the same event (although it probably won't be very helpful in identifying the venue!). Sid is on the left of the photo with his foot on the cockpit side.

[bradbury west]

Is that a Lester MG top right? Let's go for Tregrehan hillclimb. It is rewarding to hear that Ashley Cleave's Spl is being restored after all these years.
Roger Lund.

[Sharman]

Lovely evocative photographs. They just feel so right

[fuzzi]

Lovely photos.

The second one of the Lotus looks like Blandford Camp. Very similar low kerbs to road are in a photo I used (p68 Motorsport Explorer) with the ground falling away on the far side of the road.

The original shot has a nice clear view of the Cripps Special on the left.

[Charles Helps]

Thanks very much. Those kerbs do look like something the Armed Services might have put in. I didn't think it was Blandford Camp because I thought that four wheeled motor sport had stopped there after Joe Fry's accident. However I have now seen a 1958 Blandford Hillclimb programme on eBay. Tregrehan is a possibility but the modern start arrangement looks completely different.

The October 1958 event was organised by the 750MC, Southern Centre and is described as the '1st Blandford Camp Speed Hillclimb'. This is too early for our photo - as David points out the Lotus Seventeen didn't appear until 1959.

Does anyone know for how long the speed hillclimbs at Blandford Camp continued? As far as I know, the last year that Sid drove the Lotus 6 in competition was 1961. That really gives three years: 1959, 1960 or 1961 for this photo.

[D-Type]

In Motorsport Explorer, Julian Hunt (fuzzi) clearly explains that although racing at Blandford ceased in 1950 hillclimbs continued until 1963. Newly erected barbed wire fences meant that the 1964 meeting had to be cancelled and there were no more hillclimbs after that.
But that doesn't help to date this picture.

[RS2000]

Can't see how it's ever Tregrehan. (I've competed there)

[Ted Walker]

I would also plump for Blandford. I think the 17 is the late Mike Horton(Hortons Books)

[Stephen W]

Thanks very much. Those kerbs do look like something the Armed Services might have put in. I didn't think it was Blandford Camp because I thought that four wheeled motor sport had stopped there after Joe Fry's accident. However I have now seen a 1958 Blandford Hillclimb programme on eBay.

Does anyone know for how long the speed hillclimbs at Blandford Camp continued? As far as I know, the last year that Sid drove the Lotus 6 in competition was 1961. That really gives three years: 1959, 1960 or 1961 for this photo.

In Motorsport Explorer, Julian Hunt (fuzzi) clearly explains that although racing at Blandford ceased in 1950 hillclimbs continued until 1963. Newly erected barbed wire fences meant that the 1964 meeting had to be cancelled and there were no more hillclimbs after that.
But that doesn't help to date this picture.

Just to add some more weight to the Blandford claim it was still listed as a venue in the RAC Blue Book in 1962.

[BarryD]

BarryD here,

Lucky man, I have this car under my care at the moment, having brought it home from the USA where dastardly deeds were done to the poor thing.
It is about 80% finished, and with the help of Charles Helps, John Watson, Ted Ferret, and Sid Broad and his family, it will be pretty close to being Sid's car again very soon.
Here is my favorite of the many wonderful pix we have accumulated.

If you would like to see more please shout.

No prizes for identifying Wiscombe, or the bearded gent to the rear of the car.




BD

[Sharman]

BarryD here,

Lucky man, I have this car under my care at the moment, having brought it home from the USA where dastardly deeds were done to the poor thing.
It is about 80% finished, and with the help of Charles Helps, John Watson, Ted Ferret, and Sid Broad and his family, it will be pretty close to being Sid's car again very soon.
Here is my favorite of the many wonderful pix we have accumulated.

If you would like to see more please shout.

No prizes for identifying Wiscombe, or the bearded gent to the rear of the car.




BD

Shout!!!

[RAP]

Reverting to the original photos, it fits Blandford 15 May 60 where

19 Ash Cleave Morris Spl
60 T M Horton Lotus 17
64 S J Broad Lotus MG

It looks like the Cripps Special being pushed which was 65/66 (shared drive)

RAP

Edited by RAP, 15 December 2012 - 16:55.

[RWB]

Reverting to the original photos, it fits Blandford 15 May 60 where

19 Ash Cleave Morris Spl
60 T M Horton Lotus 17
64 S J Broad Lotus MG

It looks like the Cripps Special being pushed which was 65/66 (shared drive)

RAP

I'm sure you're right Richard. That looks like Wilf Cripps pushing the car.

[BarryD]

Shout eh!!!


OK, here is Sid with SRL 2 and a win at Tregwainton.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

and again in action at Tregwainton, showing the unusual spare wheel carrier (that we have just re-instated)



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

These two fabulous archive pix supplied by the Broad family.

I am hoping to get the car finished by early Spring and take it down for Sid to be re-united with it.

BD

[Ted Walker]

The lower shot taken by James Brymer (now Ferret Fotographics)

[Charles Helps]

Thanks very much again Richard, Robert and Ted. I am fairly certain that this action picture taken at Blandford was not taken by one of Ted's copyrighted photographers (that we mustn't post) but does show some of the pale kerb lined course.


Photo again supplied by the Broad family

Assuming that it is the May '60 meeting at Blandford Camp, can anyone let us know who entered/drove the Lotus Seven S1s?

I think that in addition to looking for a copy of Julian's book on venues, I need to find copies of CAN May's speed books.

[RAP]

51 J Ball 1172
52 J A Rodwell 1172
54 J Derisley Lotus type not given but I recall he raced a VII 1172
56 W J Brooke Lotus VI 1172
57 B J Parker Lotus type not given 1172

58 D Richmond Lotus type not given but presume VII 948
61 R Legg 1172
62 Betty Haig 1460 Climax
63 P Bailey type not given but I think XI
64 S J Broad MG 1466
Some could be shared cars (eg 51/52) because they didnt use the more common 56 / 56A approach but gave each driver his own number

Edited by RAP, 16 December 2012 - 11:19.

[Charles Helps]

Thanks very much, Richard.

Yes, Jon Derisley had sold his Mk VI by then and traded up to a Seven S1, registered 10 FPK.

Was there an 1172 class at Blandford Camp? W J Brooke ran in the 1172 class at Stapleford hillclimb a week later but lost his life in the Mark VI in Kensington, London, in October the same year according to a piece in the 750 MC bulletin at the time.

[Charles Helps]

Thanks to Jon Derisley's having kept masses of paperwork related to his racing and, post his death, it having found a good home, I have now been sent a page of the results from this event. It answers my last question about the 1172 class - there was:


Once again many thanks to all who have contributed.

[Ted Walker]

Charles. I am MORE THAN HAPPY. to have you post my photographs with a credit.

[Sharman]

There's interesting, an Elva running in the Racing Car clas with an 1172, presumably open wheel, I wonder what it could be. The Elva Junior had started production early 1959 but I doubt it was one of those.

Edited by Sharman, 17 December 2012 - 11:32.

[Charles Helps]

There's interesting, an Elva running in the Racing Car clas with an 1172, presumably open wheel, I wonder what it could be. The Elva Junior had started production early 1959 but I doubt it was one of those.

It could just be a Ford Special with an Elva overhead inlet valve cylinder head. If it was an Elva chassis you might expect to see it shown as Elva Ford in the programme perhaps...

Thanks very much, Ted. I will check with you first before posting.

[Rupertlt1]

Is R.P. Heatley aka Rex Heatley (a man with speedway, sprinting and drag racing background)?

 

R.P. Heatley was a class winner at Firle Hill Climb, 2 June 1957, in a Ford saloon up to 1,600 c.c.

Gosport A.C. Speed Trials, Eastney, 14 April 1957, class winner up to 1,200 c.c., Ford Anglia.

Southsea M.C., Thorney Island R.A.F. Station, nr Emsworth, 27 May 1956 - Grenfell Special. (Is this a 'new' venue?)

B.A.R.C. Sprint Goodwood, Grenfell Special, 1 Oct 1955.

Ford V8 Grenfell ran Brighton Speed Trials, 1954. 

Ran a Lagonda at Ramsgate, 16 July 1950. 

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 19 July 2019 - 02:14.

[Rupertlt1]

According to Motor Sport, October 1959, there was a 750 M.C. speed hill-climb scheduled for Blandford on 18 October.

 

RGDS RLT