Miscellani

If you have just read about Henry Royce’s investigation into makes other than his own in the 1920s, you may find of interest a formula R-R used to compare different cars. It used weight, displacement-per-road wheel and revs. Thus a 40hp Fiat of 4766cc/2.15 tons/4.08 axle and 835×135 tyres equalled 9044cc, the R-R Phantom One 10,400cc. It is all too much for my non-mathematical brain; did any other manufacturer apply it, though?

The career of Sir William Lyons is portrayed in his official biography, by Philip Porter and Paul Skilleter (Haynes, ISBN 185960-84-0, £19.99). Inevitably it repeats much Jaguar history, but it does deal with the life of Sir William in great detail, with many previously unpublished pictures of Lyons, his colleagues, his family and his motorcycles (he raced a Harley-Davidson and owned a Brough Superior with, of course, a Swallow sidecar) and cars. A book every Jaguar owner should read.

The Chester MC, founded in 1921, recently held its 80th Anniversary dinner and has produced a most interesting history of its activities, including a climb of Alt-y-Badi in 1921 and its Llinegar motorcycle hillclimb in 1923. The Club’s President was then the Duke of Westminster, its Vice-President Sir C Vayzer. Later speed events such as the Queensferry Sprint, one of the oldest in the North, survived to give F Ws to Bob Berry and Ken Wharton in the 1950s. The events at the Summers Steel works, and trials, rallies, grass and sand racing are covered, as is the post-war circuit racing. The Club is collecting items for its archiver; Martin Pratt, 32 Shavington Avenue, Hoole, Chester, CH2 3RD is the grateful recipient. Motors Sport 1810