HERE AND THERE, April 1934

E AND THER HE

The Southport Season Opens.

DISAPPOINT1VIENT seemed to be the keynote of the first race-meeting on Southport sands, held on March 10th. To begin with Jack Field was down on the programme to give a demonstration run on the “Silver Bullet,” but the bad conditions ruled this out and what spectators there were did not even have a glimpse of the car. Then the rain kept the usual crowd away, and finally the entry was a very poor one. As usual a very long programme of

• events was arranged, but owing to the paucity of competitors, the afternoon consisted of a series of races of varying lengths generally fought out by the same ears. M.G„ Austin, Bugatti and Bentley victories were recorded in the Straight Mile races, and a five-mile race resulted in a win for Field’s single seater Bugatti, with T. Simister (M.G. Midget) some way behind.

A David and Goliath touch was given to the Nine Mile sports car race, the two starters being 1′. M. Tomlinson (M.G. Midget) and W. Esplen (41 litre Bentley). The larger car naturally won, but the runner-up was awarded first place in the 850 c.c. class !

The two 11 mile races were not exciting, and the hardy spectators contented themselves with the hope that the 25 mile race would be worth watching. Seven cars started, but Field’s Bugatti did not last long and some of the others fell by the wayside.

.Straight Mile Events.-850 c.c., C. I). Parish (Austin) ; 850 c.c. and 1,500 c.c. sports, J. M. Tomlinson (M.G.) ; 1,100 c.c. and 1,500 c.c., T. Simister (M.O.); 2,000 c.c., F. Allen (M.G.) ; 3,000 c.c., J. Field (Bugatti); Unlimited c.c., P. Stephenson (Austin) ; Unlimited c,c. sports, W. Esplen (4-litre Bentley).

Three-mile, Five-mile and 11-mile Races.–£350 c.c., 1,100 c.c. and 1,500 c.c., T. Simister (M.G.) ; 3,000 c.c. and Unlimited c.c., J. Field (Bugatti). Nine-mile Races.-850 c.c., J. M. Tomlinson

• (MG.); Unlimited c.c., W. Esplen (Bentley). 25-mile Race.-1, P. Stephenson (Austin Seven); 2, C. D. Parish (Austin Seven); 3, T. K. Hunter (Bugatti).

The “Motor Sport” Correspondence Club.

IN the February issue of MOTOR SPORT we published a letter from Mr. Lewis E. Miles, of 4, High Street, Fordington, Dorchester, suggesting the formation of a Motor Sport Correspondence Club.

Mr. Miles now informs us that this idea has received a widespread response from fellow enthusiasts in England, Scotland and Ireland, and new members are joining every day.

The Club has the purpose in view of giving followers of motor-racing, who are often alone in their hobby, a chance of coming in contact with others of a similar taste. Another function of the Club is to assist those who keep a personal motor racing history to fill in gaps either with information or photographs. Finally, several members have donated motor racing books for the purpose of a library, and this is now in full circulation. Overseas members will find the Club a great boon. In order to give the Club organiser an opportunity of keeping in touch with members a regular section of our ” Club News” page is being reserved specially for this purpose every month. Look out for future announcements

The Dieppe Programme.

AS already announced in MOTOR SPORT, the Circuit de Deippe will take a different form this year. Instead of two classes being run simultaneously in one race, unlimited capacity cars only will compete in two heats of one hour’s duration each and a final of two hours. . Lots will be drawn for starting positions, and the first six finishers in each heat will qualify to take part in the final. In addition, the drivers who makes the fastest laps in the heats, whether they are in the first six finishers or not, will be allowed to enter the final.

The Circuit de Dieppe will be run on July 22nd, and the day’s programme will be as follows : 9.30 a.m., First Heat for cars ; 11 a.m., Second Heat for cars ; 1 p.m., motor-cycle race ; 3 o’clock, Final for cars. A wonderful day’s sport.

For the benefit of those who have never been. to the Dieppe Meeting the following particulars may be useful. A second class week end ticket from Victoria to Dieppe can be obtained for about £2 10s. By motoring to Newhaven the fare can be reduced a good deal. Accommodation is cheap and comfortable, and Dieppe is a pleasant combination of seaside resort and French country town. And there is a Casino.

The circuit is about two miles from the town, and there are plenty of buses to and from the course. A party will find a taxi cheap. The grandstands face the pits ‘and are placed immediately after the Maison Blanche hairpin bend. Foot passengers can also reach the famous Esses de St. Aubyn, and the virage du Val Gosset, a sharp corner at the end of the ‘ straight leg.’

The whole trip need only occupy a normal week end, leaving Victoria at about 10 o’clock on Saturday morning and catching the midnight boat from Dieppe on Sunday night. Those unfortunates who cannot get off on Saturday morning can go over on the 10.15 boat from Newhaven, but this method, although cheaper, is rather tiring.

New Shock Absorber Control.

RFSEARCII work is always being carried on at the Derby works of Rolls-Royce Ltd. with a view to perfecting the various functions of the modern car. The latest device which has reached a stage when it can be incorporated on current productions is a new controllable semi-automatic damper system to the road springs. This is now standardised on the 40/50 h.p. Phantom II. model chassis.

The new device is claimed to provide a solution to a problem which has puzzled engineers for many years, i.e., to provide a suspension system which can deal equally smoothly with fast and low speeds, and with varying loads. It comprises the usual hydraulic shock absorbers, to which has been added a patented governor system that augments the load on the damper as the speed of the car increases.

In order to cope with varying loads which may be carried, a finger-operated control on the top of the steering column can increase the rate of damping throughout the complete automatic range in ten different stages.

The range of the new Rolls-Royce control is sufficient to enable the car suspension to be adapted to any road condition such as may be found either in England or on the Continent. or on

The Australian Grand Prix.

THE Australian 200 Miles Grand. Prix was held on Phillip Island, Victoria, on March 19th, in the presence of a crowd estimated at 10,000 people. The results was a victory on handicap for R. Lea Wright, driving a Singer Nine. Second place was taken by W. B. Thompson with his K.3 racing M.G. Magnette,

at a speed of 77.8 the fastest in the race. Thompson also made the best lap speed at 83 m.p.h. Third came J. Clements on an M.G. Midget, with M.G.’s also occupying 4th and 6th places. All these cars used Castrol.

In another recent Australian sporting event, the Canterbury Automobile Association Big Reliability and Petrol Trial on March 3rd, sweeping successes were recorded by Singer Nines, in the face of competition from a field of 47 which included all the prominent British and American makes. In the Private Owners’ class Singers were first and second ; in the Ladies’ Class Singers were first and third ; in the Open Class they were first, second and third ; and finally Singers won the Team Prize.

A Handy Map.

AUSEFUL booklet has been recently produced by Messrs. Alexander Duckham & Co. Ltd., manufacturers of Adcol N.P. Oils. It contains a 20 page Bartholomew map of England, Scotland and Wales, the scale being 16 miles to an inch. For touring or long distance runs the map is ideal, for it is of a convenient size to be handled easily in an open car.

The book also contains a Guide to the most economical and efficient lubrication of the petrol engine, with particular reference to Duckham’s N. P. oils.

A number of copies of this book are obtainable by MOTOR SPORT readers, on application to the Publicity Manager, Messrs. Alexander Duckhana & Co. Ltd., 16, Cannon Street, ‘London, E.C.4.

Ruesch wins at Titisee.

The race meeting on the frozen lake Titisee, near Fribourg in the Black Forest, was a great success. A circuit of 15 kilometres was used, and fastest time was made by the young Swiss driver, Hans Ruesch, with a sports-type Alfa-Romeo. His average speed of 53 m.p.h. was better than any of the racing cars present.

Our apologies!

IT has been pointed out to us that several errors occurred in the Frazer Nash advertisement in our last mouth’s issue, and we would like to say that these were entirely printer’s errors and were not attributable to Messrs. A. F. N. Ltd. Sorry I