12 replies to this topic

[bradbury west]

Looking through the back of Autosport, Sept 22, 1961, there is an ad for a speed hillclimb event organised by the S Wales Automobile Club, at Castel Farm, Llangynwydd on Sept 24th, admission free, parking 5/-, (25p)

Practise 10.30am Racing 2.30pm

Interestingly they state that the course has been completely resurfaced.

Does it ring a bell at all?
Did it have the makings of a South Wales Harewood or Castle (Castell)Howard??

Roger Lund.

[Stephen W]

According to Chris Mason's superb book UPHILL RACERS it was .....

"a sports cars only venue"
"a farm track and both narrow & rough"
"South Wales AC ran three meetings a year"
"it was neither long nor steep"

The inaugural meeting was in 1954 and was still in use in 1965 When Swansea MC took over although it had "become rather neglected".

[RS2000]

Swansea MC's current venue Llys-y-Fran has such potential but seems to have suffered since its debut from being so far from the main competitor base for speed events.

[bill moffat]

As it happens, if you go onto the final page of the "Aerial pics of old racing venues and bases" thread you will see our discussion about Penrice hillclimb on the Gower coast.

Amidst that you will my find my link to the Swansea MC web site, some info on Castel farm therein (look in the 1960 > section ).

[johnwilliamdavies]

Castel Farm was first used as a hillclimb venue by South Wales Auto Club on 3rd April 1954. The course was 600 yards in length and the event was won by Jack Williamson driving a pre-war Bentley 4.5 in a time of 24.5s. After a couple more climbs in 1954 the course was extended to 656 yards for the start of the 1955 season, winner again was Jack Williamson, 2500 spectators turned up according to Autosport.

By late 50s David Boshier-Jones was winning most of the events in his Cooper 1100. In the early 60s the fastest times were being set by the sportscars again with people like Ken Wilson in his Lister-Jaguar (the ex Ecurie Belge yellow one), Peter Cottrell Lotus 15, and Charles Sgonina Aston Martin DBR1.

It all came to an end in 1967.

If anyone wants to have a look on Google earth the O.S. reference is SS 847 886.



--------------------
Welsh Motor Sport History

[bradbury west]

Bill M;

Many thanks. I have been to the site and read up on the venue.

RL

[Rupertlt1]

As it happens, if you go onto the final page of the "Aerial pics of old racing venues and bases" thread you will see our discussion about Penrice hillclimb on the Gower coast.

 

Penrice Hill Climb, 8 October 1972, 840 yards, inaugural event

FTD Peter Voigt (Palliser Repco) ???

Source: Motoring News, 26 Oct 1972

 

RGDS RLT

[Stephen W]

Penrice Hill Climb, 8 October 1972, 840 yards, inaugural event

FTD Peter Voigt (Palliser Repco) ???

Source: Motoring News, 26 Oct 1972

 

RGDS RLT

 5.0 Repco V8 - the ex-Mike MacDowel car if memory serves

[moffspeed]

 5.0 Repco V8 - the ex-Mike MacDowel car if memory serves

Yes, I was there and a great event it was.

 

For those of you who know the Gower Peninsula the Penrice climb was on the land of Lord Methuen-Campbell and was on the same steep hill (but a few hundred yards the other side of the Estate wall) that you would negotiate as a holidaymaker on your way down to the gorgeous Oxwich Bay.  An absolutely stunning location and even as a die-hard petrol-head it was, and still is, difficult to believe that permission was given by Swansea Council for such an event - but I guess they were different days.

 

As a 17 year old, I think it was this event (or maybe Pontypool) that I was covering for Motoring News along with my school buddies the Price brothers.  Voigt (as a violin maker/restorer) prompted some corny headline or text stating that he ended the event on " a high note".  Perhaps this elegantly illustrates why my career pathway took me to medicine rather than rubbing shoulders with DCN/Roebuck etc.....

[Rupertlt1]

Yes, I was there and a great event it was.

 

For those of you who know the Gower Peninsula the Penrice climb was on the land of Lord Methuen-Campbell and was on the same steep hill (but a few hundred yards the other side of the Estate wall) that you would negotiate as a holidaymaker on your way down to the gorgeous Oxwich Bay.  An absolutely stunning location and even as a die-hard petrol-head it was, and still is, difficult to believe that permission was given by Swansea Council for such an event - but I guess they were different days.

 

As a 17 year old, I think it was this event (or maybe Pontypool) that I was covering for Motoring News along with my school buddies the Price brothers.  Voigt (as a violin maker/restorer) prompted some corny headline or text stating that he ended the event on " a high note".  Perhaps this elegantly illustrates why my career pathway took me to medicine rather than rubbing shoulders with DCN/Roebuck etc.....

 

Bravo. I'll see what I can find ref your reports - what are your initials? RGDS RLT

 

Update: I have "Voigt starts on high note" Pontypool Park, 4 April 1971, report by M.P.T.A. in Motoring News, 15 April 1971. PM me.

Edited by Rupertlt1, 14 April 2019 - 02:15.

[moffspeed]

Aha - that was it, MPT = Moffat, Price & Taylor so MPT. (not sure about the A). M = Moffat, P = Price brothers , T = Taylor who wasn't a wordsmith but all-importantly had a  dad who tended to drive us to the meetings. I can't quite remember how it came to pass that 3 spotty teenagers ended up providing M.N. with their South Walian reports but it lasted for a couple of years (at Llandow in particular)-  until other interests and studies took over. I think it was Robin Boucher who did most of the hillclimb reports.

 

Incidentally I met Peter Voigt a couple of years ago, he still has a violin shop in Lindfield High Street, Sussex.

[Doug Nye]

Moffspeed wrote:

 

As a 17 year old, I think it was this event (or maybe Pontypool) that I was covering for Motoring News along with my school buddies the Price brothers.  Voigt (as a violin maker/restorer) prompted some corny headline or text stating that he ended the event on " a high note".  Perhaps this elegantly illustrates why my career pathway took me to medicine rather than rubbing shoulders with DCN/Roebuck etc.....

 

Aaaah - but Moffers, old sport, medicine actually helps people...  Good decision.  Respect...

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 15 April 2019 - 21:53.

[moffspeed]

Moffspeed wrote:

 

As a 17 year old, I think it was this event (or maybe Pontypool) that I was covering for Motoring News along with my school buddies the Price brothers.  Voigt (as a violin maker/restorer) prompted some corny headline or text stating that he ended the event on " a high note".  Perhaps this elegantly illustrates why my career pathway took me to medicine rather than rubbing shoulders with DCN/Roebuck etc.....

 

Aaaah - but Moffers, old sport, medicine actually helps people...  Good decision.  Respect...

 

DCN

 

That is really so kind. Yes the chosen pathway has generally been agreeable and, metaphorically speaking, I have enjoyed more sunny days at Monza than wet days at Zolder. However in 50 years time I reluctantly concede that folk will be more inclined to discuss your magnificent BRM works rather than how I expertly treated their grandmother's piles.

 

Incidentally, a classic headline on the Autosport F1 news section today "Ferarri (sic) is a victim of poor journalism". The typo has now been corrected but it made me chuckle.