LETTERS from READEARS

World’s and Class ” A” Records. issue

SIR,—In your January issue you give a list of World’s and International Class Records and in it there are one or two points which I cannot understand.

In the World’s records the 1 mile (F), the 1 Kilo (F) and the 5 Kilos (F) are held by Sir M. Campbell at 272.11, 272.46 and 257.30 by the Campbell Special. The Class A (over 8,000 c.c.) are however held by the Napier-Campbell at 253.97, 251.34 and 247.94 m.p.h. respectively. It would appear that the “Campbell Special ” being well over 8,000 c.c., should hold the Class A as well as the world’s records. The 5 miles and 10 kilos in the World and Class A records are identical although held by different cars, i.e., the Napier-Campbell and the CampbellSpecial, which, I believe had a RollsRoyce engine. Another point is that the world’s 10 miles (F) is held by N. Smith on” Enterprise” at 164.08 m.p.h. but the Class A record by John Cobb on a Delage at

129.29 m.p.h. I believe the ” Enterprise ” had a Napier engine of well over 8,000 c.c.

Perhaps you would be good enough to explain these points to me.

There is just one other point you can also assist me on. In” Here and There” on page 141 of January’s MOTOR SPORT under the heading of “A Coveted Record,” you say J. G. Parry-Thomas broke Chassagne’s record on his Leyland-Thomas on November 17th, 1924. Was this the Leyland-Thomas as rebuilt by Mr. lhomas or was it the original eight-cylinder Leyland with the high radiator as it was before being altered and called the “Leyland Thomas.”

I should like to wish your magazine every success, and I can assure you that I get hours of enjoyment from it every month. I am, yours, etc., LESLIE W. EASTWICK. 9 Marine Terrace, Folkestone,

Kent.

(When a car breaks a Class record, its engine has to be stripped and measured. For World’s records, however, this rule does not apply, and consequently do not trouble to claim the Class distances and put their mechanics to the long job of dismantling the power unit. In 1924 Parry-Thomas’s car was the original Leyland Eight with the high ra(liator.—ED.)