32 replies to this topic

[Paul Taylor]

I heard there were speed trials at Luton Hoo in the late-40s and early-50s, but the best I can figure out is that they were held along the driveway to the Luton Hoo hotel.

 

It seems it wasn't a circuit, but was a point-to-point, timed run. Any circuit maps?

Edited by Paul Taylor, 10 May 2020 - 10:16.

[Richard Jenkins]

Yep,the 1940s were on the extensive drive they have there.
https://books.google... trials&f=false

It looks like in World War 1, it was a slightly different course http://worldwar1luto...peed-trials-hoo

Hopefully someone will come up with something specific, but I can't imagine the course/drive would've changed all that much
https://historicengl...t-entry/1000578

Edited by Richard Jenkins, 10 May 2020 - 10:32.

[Vitesse2]

WB's report in Motor Sport of the 1948 event describes it thus: 'By allowing competing cars to negotiate a roundabout, consisting of a yellow-hued 45-gallon oil-drum, after running up this course, the finish was located halfway down it, giving a total timed distance of 1.4 miles.

 

There's a photo of Arthur Mallock on Austin Harris's site, in which he appears to have just negotiated said oil-drum, which bears the legend "KEEP to the LEFT" ...

 

https://austinharris...399#comment-399

 

And here's another view of it from the other direction:

 

https://austinharris...speed-trial/235

 

The estate had previously been used for at least one 'flying half-kilometre' motorcycle sprint in 1919:

 

http://worldwar1luto...peed-trials-hoo

 

And it was also used for testing Churchill tanks, built at Vauxhall's Luton factory.

 

https://www.historic...chill-Tank/3259

[MCS]

It was up the drive to the house, round the oil drum (in the picture in the link that Vitesse2 posted) and then back down again. 

 

They started using the venue the month after they stopped climbing Sharpenhoe Hill a few miles away, although I've never discovered why they stopped at Sharpenhoe.

[Allan Lupton]

It was up the drive to the house, round the oil drum (in the picture in the link that Vitesse2 posted) and then back down again. 

 

They started using the venue the month after they stopped climbing Sharpenhoe Hill a few miles away, although I've never discovered why they stopped at Sharpenhoe.

Using Motorsport Explorer as my crib sheet, the change from Sharpenhoe to Luton Hoo was in 1908 so was well before the events we've had in this thread so far. After 1925 the use of public roads was prohibited and Sharpenhoe, like many others in the area would have been stopped, had something else not stopped them first.
 

Such was the interest in motor sport in 1948 that the LNER put on special trains to Luton Hoo from Hatfield to carry the spectators from London - there was no basic petrol ration (mid-1947-June'48) so motoring there was not supposed to be possible.

[Vitesse2]

 

Such was the interest in motor sport in 1948 that the LNER put on special trains to Luton Hoo from Hatfield to carry the spectators from London - there was no basic petrol ration (mid-1947-June'48) so motoring there was not supposed to be possible.

Although as WB pointed out, despite that lack of 'basic',  which meant that all competitors had to use unrationed methanol, there were more than a few cars present:

 

A few words about these spectators. They came in unprecedented numbers; indeed, a long queue was still paying to come in at half-time. The National Institute for the Blind will benefit accordingly, but not thanks to the many policemen who, having let cars into the public park without question, busied themselves taking down numbers of cars in the public park. Just how much this check is going to cost the tax-payers we do not know  —  thousands of letters will presumably be exchanged between the registration authorities and the D.P.O.s in trying to catch out some unfortunates “off their tolerated routes.” For the police it must be said that they were only obeying instructions. Every Trade Plate in the land must surely have been at Luton Hoo, so some people were privileged to spectate unmolested.

[cooper997]

As far as I'm aware the VSCC ran just 2 Luton Hoo Speed Trials 'By kind permission of Sir Harold Wernher'. The first was Easter Monday, 29th March 1948. Significant in several ways, not least for Cooper enthusiasts because it was the first time a customer/production Cooper 500 ran with Sir Francis Samuelson and John Cooper sharing the car.

 

The other meeting was Sunday, 9th October 1949 and if this is indeed the second and last Luton Hoo then the Saturday practice fatal involving Austin driver, K C Jarvis into a tree would probably play into the reasoning.

 

The following map is an insert in the 1948 programme and the text that follows the image is from the reverse side.

 

"The Vintage Sports Car Club who have organised these Speed Trials hope that you are enjoying yourself.

 

This type of event enables one to make interesting comparisons between various makes of car and drivers and is not lacking in a few thrills and lessons in driving technique.

 

We would however prefer to run, and we are sure you would prefer to watch, Real Races with a number of cars competing at the same time, passing, repassing, refuelling at the pits and all the other incidents of a real Grand Prix race.

 

Unfortunately there is at present no course available in England and as the closing of public roads for racing is illegal here (unlike the Continent, the Channel Islands, Ireland, and the Isle of Man) nothing can be done until either Donnington Park is de-requistioned by the Army or a new course is built.

 

Please do your best to bring one of these about.

 

Write to your M.P. and give support to any new venture in this line. "

 

So a slight political tone.

 

Stephen

 

 

[Odseybod]

As far as I'm aware the VSCC ran just 2 Luton Hoo Speed Trials 'By kind permission of Sir Harold Wernher'. The first was Easter Monday, 29th March 1948. Significant in several ways, not least for Cooper enthusiasts because it was the first time a customer/production Cooper 500 ran with Sir Francis Samuelson and John Cooper sharing the car.

 

 

Well, since you mention it ... This from the 29th March 1948 meeting

 

 

Plus a bonus pic of a bustling Luton Airport on the same day ("Here Be Dragons").

 

[cooper997]

Tony, great stuff. That's likely to be Eric Brandon in the second Cooper with updated 'corporate' nose.

 

Stephen

[Odseybod]

Glad it's interesting, Stephen - afraid that's the only view I have (in fact, the only pic he took there that's suvived).

[Vitesse2]

The exact location isn't immediately obvious on Google Maps, not least because the embanked A1081 New Airport Way seems to have obliterated the old road layout. However, the road used - still private, and so not on Street View - is called The Luton Drive. Look for 'Luton Hoo Hotel Deliveries/Coach Entrance' on Google Maps - it's at the south end of Park Street, which the locals seem to use as a free car park for Luton Parkway railway station and/or the airport. You can see the entrance gates on Street View. The course follows The Luton Drive to almost as far as the house: on satellite view you can still see what appears to be the area where the oil drum was placed; there's a car park adjacent with a Chargemaster Charging Station marked. The Motor's map of course has south at the top ... it makes much more sense once you invert it!

 

There's now no sign of the buildings visible in the background of the second Austin Harris photo I linked though - presumably something temporary erected by the military while the house was being used as HQ Eastern Command during the war?

[cooper997]

Tony, glad it has survived, always good to see early Cooper photos.

 

I suspect that Eric is oversteering around the  'Keep Left' drum (to his right near stain on the road) at the course's 'Hairpin' end point and then return. Rather than him way off line.

 

Stephen

[Odseybod]

Yes, I was trying to place it from the map in your post and reached the same conclusion - rest of the couse looked to be fairly gentle 'sweepers'.

 

I'll know who to contact if any more 'Surbiton Specials' turn up in the archive!

[BRG]

 

Unfortunately there is at present no course available in England and as the closing of public roads for racing is illegal here (unlike the Continent, the Channel Islands, Ireland, and the Isle of Man) nothing can be done until either Donnington Park is de-requistioned by the Army or a new course is built.

 

Please do your best to bring one of these about.

 

Write to your M.P. and give support to any new venture in this line. "

 

So a slight political tone.

 

Stephen

And barely 70 years later, road closures become legal.

 

 

Plus a bonus pic of a bustling Luton Airport on the same day ("Here Be Dragons").

 

 

And Doves.

Edited by BRG, 11 May 2020 - 17:36.

[Vitesse2]

It's somewhat surprising to see them still hoping to see Donington reopened in 1948. The government had made it perfectly clear that there was no prospect of this in May 1946 when the newly-established MIRA - via the SMMT - had advised them that they had no use for Donington Park as a test circuit (the main argument put forward in favour of reopening it for racing) and were seeking a suitable site on a disused airfield. Earl Howe - and others - had tabled a motion seeking Donington's release in the Lords in July 1946, but it was withdrawn when the relevant minister - Lord Nathan - had made it clear once more that the army would retain it for the foreseeable future.

 

MIRA eventually settled on RAF Lindley, having considered more than forty sites, among them RAF Silverstone. Bizarrely, Lindley had been one of four sites offered to the RAC by the Air Ministry as a possible racing venue during 1946 - although it was rejected due to its remoteness. The others were RAF Little Horwood (supposedly vetoed by the Ministry of Supply but possibly for other reasons - it had been an out-station for Bletchley Park and there may still have been equipment in situ), RAF Harrington (again too remote) and - the most bizarre of all - RAF Castle Donington! Yep - literally next door!

[Odseybod]

Allan Lupton has pointed out that the airport is almost certainly Croydon, not Luton - I jumped to conclusions because the pic appeared immediately before the Cooper on the strip of 35mm negs.

 

Never assume nuttin' (nohow).

[Vitesse2]

Yes, that's Croydon. Several other photos here showing the control tower from the other direction: http://airportofcroy...m/Post WW2.html

 

(No sign of Lewis, though. Typical.)

[BRG]

Allan Lupton has pointed out that the airport is almost certainly Croydon, not Luton.

 

We should have guessed it was Croydon as it is very clear that Lewis Hamilton isn't there.

[Odseybod]

Then again, not in Luton either - well, apart frm the private jet park.

[Gregor Marshall]

Has the main driveway for Luton Hoo changed then?  The current driveway(s) are nowhere near the A1081 (that's the Spa/Golf course and the Estate) - if you look at a map, all the roads that are used around the estate now are on the south side.
I wonder if Vauxhall being on the doorstep had any influence?
As an aside, if you go North West a mile or so, there is Chaul End (next to Caddington) and there was a lot of hillcilmbs there (I know my Dad competed there in the '60s), before Vauxhall sold it off to be redeveloped into housing and they then built the Millbrook testing facility from my understanding
 

[Vitesse2]

I think the road used for the trials was probably always the 'tradesmen's entrance' Gregor. The approach from the west, up what is now Beech Tree Drive, which has a far more impressive arched gateway and an ornamental wall - complete with pillars - at its entrance and would afford generous views of the front of the house would surely have been the route used by the gentry!

[Vitesse2]

Here's the 6" map on which the programme map was probably based:

 

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101568683

[cooper997]

Unfortunately I don't have the whole issue of The Autocar this page was liberated from. There may well be more Luton Hoo news in other pages, alas this is the main report for the 1949 VSCC event..

 

Stephen

[Odseybod]

Interested to see my Dad was one of the commentators - so presumably no time for taking snaps (certainly none in the archive)..

[cooper997]

Tony, The same map (as above) gets used in the 1949 programme with 3 commentary points shown.

 

Potentially The Motor covered this meeting in the week or so after the event. Likely the VSCC published something too.

 

Stephen

[Odseybod]

Stephen, don't laugh but the "Garage & Motor Agent" might also have had some coverage. A publication mainly devoted to such exciting topics as decarbonising kits and the latest in foreocurt design (as well as garage businesses for sale), my father somehow convinced them they needed a Sports Editor, namely him, and had joined them in that role, while also writing for them about some of the oily things when necessary. He didn't join The Motor full-time until 1952/3, though had been contributing occasional bits before then. His fellow commentator at Luton Hoo, Bunny Tubbs, was also a freelance contributor to The Motor at the time, or shortly afterwards. Without the glamour of Casablanca, Luton Hoo might also have been 'the start of a beautiful friendship' - my Dad and Bunny Tubbs were often the commentators at VSCC Silverstones during the 1950s.

[Allan Lupton]

Bunny Tubbs was commentating at VSCC meetings, usually with John Willis, in my earlier years as a VSCC Member. Often they just discussed relevant motoring history, rather than what was happening but sometimes they did act as commentators.

Renowned for a ready and appropriate wit, when Sam Clutton (whose other passions included clocks and watches) left the Prescott track but recovered and continued, Bunny described him as having had a verge escapement.

[Paul Taylor]

Interested to see my Dad was one of the commentators - so presumably no time for taking snaps (certainly none in the archive)..

 

What is really interesting is that (assuming it was your dad who took the first set of pics) is the person next to him had a camera as well and captured George Nixon running up the bank:

 

[Odseybod]

Perhaps the owner of the intrusive arm and elbow (and woolly pully) on the left of my Dad's pic of the Cooper?

[Dutchy]

What car is George Nixon driving - is it the Brooke Special?

[Allan Lupton]

What car is George Nixon driving - is it the Brooke Special?

According to the Motor Sport report "G. Nixon had the Brooke Special, with 1,749-c.c. Riley engine having six S.U.s, and a Lucas vertical magneto. The seat is now set high over the prop. shaft."

[cooper997]

The George Nixon Brooke special is listed as follows

Class 5 1,501 to 2,000cc

42 G Nixon  Riley 1749cc

 

What follows is The 500cc Club secretary, John Siddall's take on Luton hoo from the April 1948 Iota

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

This fairly comprehensive report appears in May 48 The Light Car and suspect has Gregor Grant as its author. The commentary team get a good wrap!

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen