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The Torbay & Totnes Motor Club


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#1 Vitesse2

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Posted 26 March 2016 - 10:41

This is one of those backroads of history which I believe are worth recording ... because sooner or later, someone will want to know!

 

The TTMC was very active in the 1930s - I've often come across mentions of their events in the press of the time - but like a number of other clubs it disappeared without trace during WW2. Browsing the online Totnes Times today, I came across this 1966 article on their 'Peep at the Past' page:

 

TTMC.jpg

 

I believe two of its leading members were a couple of Totnesians called Evans and Cutler - see Tony Rudd's It Was Fun, where they are recalled as staunch ERA supporters. What Tony perhaps didn't know was that the two gents in question later ran one of the best-known garages in Totnes, which started in 1946 as a Standard dealership, later expanding to five premises and a full BL franchise. Later still a Ford main dealer, and although the name lives on they are currently selling only used vehicles (IIRC the original company went broke in the early 2000s).

 

http://vitessesteve....and-cutler.html

 

http://www.evansandcutler.co.uk/

 

(Tip of the hat to Ken Prout, a volunteer at Totnes Museum, who digs through old copies of the paper to find this stuff!)



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#2 D-Type

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Posted 27 March 2016 - 22:46

I wonder what happened next to the trophies.  The 1970 RAC Yearbook lists both the West of England Motor Club and the Torbay Motor Club as "Motoring Organisations Recognised by the RAC - But not Registered for the Promotion of Motor Competition"



#3 Rupertlt1

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Posted 04 January 2020 - 15:26

Motoring News/Castrol Rally Championship, 28 Oct 1972, Round 12

Torbay Motor Club, Torbay Rally

"Starting from Paignton sea front at 2.45 p.m. the event is also a round of the Escort Rally Championship and has attracted a full entry list of 120 competitors."

1. Harold Morley/Peter Bryant, Lloyds of Stafford, Ford Escort RS 2-litre, 26m 13s

2. Nigel Rockey/Paul White, Hoopers of Bristol, Group 1 Ford Escort Mexico, 28m 09s

3. Russell Brookes/John Brown, Brooklyn and Ullenhall Garages, Group 1 Ford Escort Mexico, 33m 11s

 

Torbay Motor Club also organised events at Oddicombe hill climb:

11 March 1962

28 Oct 1962

17 March 1963

15 March 1964

18 Oct 1964

14 March 1965

17 Oct 1965

 

See also: https://forums.autos...-3#entry8977835

 

RGDS RLT 


Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 January 2020 - 23:25.


#4 BRG

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Posted 04 January 2020 - 21:30

Motoring News/Castrol Rally Championship, 28 Oct 1972, Round 12

Torbay Motor Club, Torbay Rally

 

To complete the picture....

 

DNF: me, due to impact with unyielding Devonian bank, bending front suspension.

 

We had already found out that there was a gulf between the MN championship regulars and us regional association championship types!



#5 Rupertlt1

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Posted 05 January 2020 - 12:16

It was quite a weekend in British rallying:

Oct 28 1972: Dukeries MC, Esso Uniflo Dukeries Rally, County Hall, Nottingham, 08.00 (N) - won by Roger Clark/Jim Porter (1.8 Escort RS)

Oct 28/29 1972: Torbay MC, 18th Torbay Rally (MN/Castrol Championship Round 12) Festival Hall, Paignton Promenade (188/893½606½) 22.45 (Restricted)

Oct 29 1972: Berwick & District MC, 21st Border Rally, Hawick, 08.30 (Restricted)

 

Some crews went to extraordinary lengths to compete in more than one event. The Torbay and the Border were both rounds of the Mexico series.

"George Hill/Keith Wood together with Sport men Roland Young/Dave Cowell shared a light aircraft from Blackpool to Exeter and then from Exeter to Scotland in time for the Border Rally."

Martin Holmes having finished third on the Dukeries (with Chris Sclater) flew south to take in the Torbay with Paul Faulkner (Triple C/Team Castrol Escort RS1700) finishing 7th.

 

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 06 January 2020 - 15:03.


#6 Rupertlt1

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Posted 08 January 2020 - 14:12

Nov 1/2, 1969, 15th Torbay Rally

TORBAY RALLY

BOB SHINER and Bob Davis repeated their 1968 Torbay Rally

success by winning this year's event quite convincingly from John

Ford/Bob Riley. In third place came the always consistent crew of

Dave Warren/Richard Hitchens, who at present now share the

lead in the current ASWMC Rally Championship stakes with

Shiner/Davis.

1. R. Shiner/R. Davis (Ford Escort TC)

2. John Ford/Bob Riley (Porsche 911T)

3. Dave Warren/Richard Hitchens (Ford Escort TC) 

Motoring News, 6 Nov 1969, Page 13

 

RGDS RLT


Edited by Rupertlt1, 08 January 2020 - 19:47.


#7 Rupertlt1

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Posted 08 January 2020 - 18:13

I wonder what happened next to the trophies.  The 1970 RAC Yearbook lists both the West of England Motor Club and the Torbay Motor Club as "Motoring Organisations Recognised by the RAC - But not Registered for the Promotion of Motor Competition"

 

So what could the cups and trophies possibly be?

TORBAY AND TOTNES M.C.

The second English Riviera Trial will

start from Torquay on October 24th and

will embrace some new Devon hills.

N.W. London, Sunbac, W.A.S.A., Singer

M.C. and M.G. C.C. members will also

take part. Hon. Sec.; C.H.F. Cattel,

25, Blindwylle Road, Chelston, Torquay.

Motor Sport, September 1936, Page 444.

 

D'Espiney trophy (premier award)*

Eric Perry cup (runner-up)

De Walton-Reade challenge bowl (best performance by a lady)

Mellow cup (best performance by a blown car)

Edna Flood Challenge trophy (best performance by member of promoting club)

Bibbings cup (best performance by a visiting competitor)

Singer Co.'s Cup (best performance by Singer car)

Letchworth Cup (best performance in tests)

M.G. Car Co's award (best performance by M.G. car)

Gresham team trophy   

*Deputy-Mayor of Torquay in 1933, Mayor 1935 (Mr. A. L. J. d'Espiney, a hotelier.)

 

RGDS RLT 


Edited by Rupertlt1, 08 January 2020 - 19:07.