miscellany, January 1999

The cars of the STD combine have been fully documented, as have the Roesch Talbots and the Rootes Group Sunbeam Talbots, Alpines and Rapiers, except for the 1930s French Talbots. This has now been rectified by a translation by Edward Wilson of M. Rene Bellu’s Toutes Les Talbot Des Annees 30, originally for the benefit of members of the STD Register who lacked data on the later cats. Although a spiral-bound soft cover typewritten work, it covers effectively the 1930-1939 Surenes Talbots with competition results etc. The pictures lose little in the production method and number 187, mostly of some very elegant motor cars. This work is available from Mr Wilson, 19 Castle Meadow, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, Essex C09 3PZ, for £15.85 (postage £1.60).

A most commendable wealth of Rolls-Royce history has issued from the R-R Heritage Trust in the form of inexpensive but well presented books. The latest (No 25) is David E Williams A View of Ansty; the place where between 1935 and 1982 so much experimental flying took place and diverse products were tested (there was a 10,000hp test rig) including a high-speed diesel, rockets, underwater weapons, marine and industrial turbines and the supersonic turbojets. There is information on the Hawker-Siddeley merger and the £63.3 million takeover of Bristol-Siddeley by Rolls-Royce. This well-illustrated book is available to non-Trust members from the R-R HT, PO Box 31, Derby DE24 8B1.

The MCC Exeter Trial, to the usual format, is scheduled for January 8/9 1999, and is a spectator event which should not be missed.

With many once-great British car makers now in foreign financial hands, the latest being Rolls-Royce Motors, British Steel is proudly reminding us that it has risen to the call for national suppliers.