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Scots on Speed


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#1 Roger Clark

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Posted 01 December 2005 - 23:36

Has anybody been watching this series on BBC 2 Scotland, 7:30 on Tuesdays? You can get it on Sky. This week featured Ecurie Ecosse. Some interesting period racing shots, not all of it appropriate to the subject matter, and Graham Gauld. Last week was record breaking, main;y the Campbells, next week we're promised Grand Prix racing. I don't know how many episodes there are.

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#2 LB

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 01:20

I saw the first one but missed this weeks. I'll try and catch the one on Tuesday.

I still think the title sounds like a night out in the gorbals.

#3 Graham Gauld

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 06:16

Threre are three programmes in the series and next Tuesday is the last one. Most of the stuff was filmed in April of this year. You are lucky - or maybe not - as I am unable to see the programmes out here in France. Also I think it was only BBC Scotland who were screening the series. If that was the case then perhaps the English viewers should get on to BBC in London and get them to take it and show it in all regions. After all there is precious little motor sport on BBC these days and to have three half hour programmes must be worth watching despite my contributions

#4 Barry Boor

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 07:46

Like L.B. I saw the first but missed the second. Frustrating really because I swear I 'bookmarked' it on my Sky box but it only reminded me at the beginning of the next programme.

I was seduced into watching by a trailer I caught one evening which actually showed a brief shot of Archie.

I shall endeavour NOT to miss next week as there was no sign of Archie in #1.

#5 Stephen W

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 12:16

Originally posted by Roger Clark
Has anybody been watching this series on BBC 2 Scotland, 7:30 on Tuesdays? You can get it on Sky. This week featured Ecurie Ecosse. Some interesting period racing shots, not all of it appropriate to the subject matter, and Graham Gauld. Last week was record breaking, main;y the Campbells, next week we're promised Grand Prix racing. I don't know how many episodes there are.


Did the Ecurie Ecosse programme touch on the ill fated F3 car? As I know one of the owners of the two cars built.

#6 f1steveuk

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 14:59

Originally posted by Graham Gauld
Threre are three programmes in the series and next Tuesday is the last one. Most of the stuff was filmed in April of this year. You are lucky - or maybe not - as I am unable to see the programmes out here in France. Also I think it was only BBC Scotland who were screening the series. If that was the case then perhaps the English viewers should get on to BBC in London and get them to take it and show it in all regions. After all there is precious little motor sport on BBC these days and to have three half hour programmes must be worth watching despite my contributions


I have Sky TV down in Belves, but don't get BBC Scotland, so I haven't seen any of them. Not at all frustrating!

#7 Graham Gauld

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 15:49

Stephen

Though I have not seen the programme for reasons mentioned earlier. The subject of the Ecosse-Imps did not come up. The idea of using an Imp engine came from Sandy Cormack, whose father, Alastair Cormack was a factory driver for Alta before the war. Alastair Cormack became managing director of his wife's family business which had the Rootes franchise in Edinburgh. Indeed it was Alastair Cormack who gifted the Commer truck chassis to David Murray as the basis of the famous Ecurie Ecosse transporter. Two Ecosse Imps were built, one with a slightly longer wheelbase to accomodate Graham Birrell. The original one was designed for Bill Stein but he was seriously injured in an accident with the Tojeiro-Ford Spyder at Brands Hatch and never raced again. Amongst the other people who raced the Ecosse Imps were Bill Dryden - who became a Dealer Team Vauxhall Driver - Willie Forbes from Aberdeen who raced an Elva-BMW and later a Lola 5000 at Ingliston and Eddie Labinjoh the son of a Ghanaian surgeon who worked in Edinburgh. Labinjoh came back into racing at Knockhill this year. Graham Birrell's brother, Gerry Birrell, also drove an Ecosse Imp , indeed both brothers raced the two cars at Mallory Park on one occasion.

#8 f1steveuk

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 16:02

Gerry Birrell, what a waste. There was car control, and a man who really enjoyed racing.

#9 Ruairidh

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 16:08

Originally posted by LB


I still think the title sounds like a night out in the gorbals.


Aye, it does that!

Pity there is zero chance of this appearing on the other side of the Pond. I'm so sick of US TV sports coverages obsession with roadrage racing with ugly cars and boring oval circuits (aka NASCAR) :mad:

#10 Stephen W

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 16:12

Originally posted by Graham Gauld
Stephen

Though I have not seen the programme for reasons mentioned earlier. The subject of the Ecosse-Imps did not come up. The idea of using an Imp engine came from Sandy Cormack, whose father, Alastair Cormack was a factory driver for Alta before the war. Alastair Cormack became managing director of his wife's family business which had the Rootes franchise in Edinburgh. Indeed it was Alastair Cormack who gifted the Commer truck chassis to David Murray as the basis of the famous Ecurie Ecosse transporter. Two Ecosse Imps were built, one with a slightly longer wheelbase to accomodate Graham Birrell. The original one was designed for Bill Stein but he was seriously injured in an accident with the Tojeiro-Ford Spyder at Brands Hatch and never raced again. Amongst the other people who raced the Ecosse Imps were Bill Dryden - who became a Dealer Team Vauxhall Driver - Willie Forbes from Aberdeen who raced an Elva-BMW and later a Lola 5000 at Ingliston and Eddie Labinjoh the son of a Ghanaian surgeon who worked in Edinburgh. Labinjoh came back into racing at Knockhill this year. Graham Birrell's brother, Gerry Birrell, also drove an Ecosse Imp , indeed both brothers raced the two cars at Mallory Park on one occasion.


Graham, I have passed this onto the current owner of Chassis Number 1.

#11 Mistron

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 21:27

I have to say a big thank you to my wife who remembered to tape it for me when I was out working on the car....... A great show, and great to hear the plans to take EE back to Le Mans.

I'll be carefull using the back roads round my house though, the Radical (I think, it's a bit modern for me) was being run on the lanes just down the road - I'm sure it was taxed!!;)

#12 Vitesse2

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 22:01

Originally posted by f1steveuk


I have Sky TV down in Belves, but don't get BBC Scotland, so I haven't seen any of them. Not at all frustrating!

BBC don't shout about it, but you can now get all regional feeds for both BBC1 and BBC2: BBC2 Scotland is on channel 960 (unless you're in Scotland of course, where it's on 102)

#13 f1steveuk

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 10:23

Originally posted by Vitesse2

BBC don't shout about it, but you can now get all regional feeds for both BBC1 and BBC2: BBC2 Scotland is on channel 960 (unless you're in Scotland of course, where it's on 102)


Thanks for that, my Christmas viewing will improve, can't vouch for the other half!

#14 David Holland

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Posted 06 December 2005 - 20:55

I'd just like to thank Roger for bringing this film to my (our) attention. It's a shame such gems are tucked away in the schedules. Excellent old footage of Archie Scott Brown and contemporary interviews, the other two drivers featured were Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart as you would expect. Mr Gauld was on fine form although a little confused over the number of GP wins and races by Michael Schumacher - easily done I suppose!

Also thanks Roger for pointing out that you can get regional channels higher up on sky digital - I really should read the manual.

Let's hope it gets repeated on proper BBC2 at a later date.

#15 Stephen W

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Posted 07 December 2005 - 09:45

As I can't find time to watch the terrestrial channels SKY would be a waste!

However I am getting a DVD of the programmes sent down from North of the Border! I am particularly looking forward to the Jim Clark bits as he was a hero of mine whilst growing up.

:wave:

#16 ian senior

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Posted 07 December 2005 - 09:51

Originally posted by Ruairidh

I'm so sick of US TV sports coverages obsession with roadrage racing with ugly cars and boring oval circuits (aka NASCAR) :mad:


You'll be in trouble for saying that and so will I, because I agree with you. Sorry Americans, NASCAR and ovals generally do nothing for me at all.

#17 Stephen W

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Posted 07 December 2005 - 13:53

Originally posted by ian senior


You'll be in trouble for saying that and so will I, because I agree with you. Sorry Americans, NASCAR and ovals generally do nothing for me at all.


I believe the Americans are just perfecting the art of turning left. Once they have they will start running at the ovals in the reverse direction. Their progress to date suggests that by 2199 they my just be ready to do both on one circuit!

;)

#18 Barry Boor

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Posted 07 December 2005 - 14:06

Steve, put your tin hat on and get ready to duck.... :lol:

#19 Stephen W

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Posted 07 December 2005 - 16:51

Originally posted by Barry Boor
Steve, put your tin hat on and get ready to duck.... :lol:


Are you inferring that our Friends Across the Water don't have a sense of IRONY! :lol: