Dudley Gahagan

It came as a great shock to learn that cheerful Dudley Gahagan had died on February 1; he seemed the sort who would ‘go on for ever’. Born in Kensington in 1920, he joined in helping his brother George working on the cars of the Conan Doyle brothers, and was soon hooked on the Track. Starting a motorcycle business, he first bought a T35 Bugatti, then in 1940 a T37, which he kept for the rest of his life. I had several rides in it, ending one so covered in mud that only my eyes were visible.

After serving with the REME, Dudley ran motor businesses in Church Crookham and Aldershot, in Hampshire, unperturbed about renting cars to soldiers because the Police would always find any unreturned cars! In 1960 Dudley bought the ex-Arthur Dobson ERA R7B, and later a T57 drophead Bugatti. They typified Dudley’s passions, and after l had founded the Brooklands Society, Dudley somehow always managed to drive highest of all up the banking at reunions. An efficient marshal and chauffeur of VIPs in the T57, and a fine companion when we went to search out Brooklands can and personalities, he served an the Society committee for 30 years and ran its film shows.

I will miss this dedicated enthusiast with his ready humour. No one was more stimulated by the magic of the Weybridge Track than he when he pointed his ERA out of any Paddock gate. I feel sure the view he saw before him was always that of pre-war Brooklands. WB