NO BAD BEER

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NO BAD BEER

CLASSES FOR STANDARD AND COMPETITION TYRES IN ANNUAL BRIGHTON AND HOVE TRIAL

IT is said that some beers are better than others, but that there is no bad beer. This year’s Brighton-Beer Trial was a little curious in places, as when the route-card had an error of more

than forty miles over one section—which seems extraordinary—but in general it was greatly enjoyed by nearly fifty competitors. The entry for the trial, which started from Taunton at the ungodly hour of

5 a.m. on June 19th, was divided into two sections, for those using ” ordinary ” tyres, and for those with ” comps.” Separate awards were offered for the two classes. Generally speaking, the same route was followed by both divisions. On Widlake, however, the standard tyre group had only to reach a line some distance up the hill, and no penalisation was Incurred for failure higher up. This pro vided one competitor who did stop on the upper reaches, using standard tyres, with the ingenious excuse that he had already gone as far as he need, and there was no point in wearing out the motor by trying to climb the whole hill ! Of

the standard tyre brigade D. E. Harris (M.G.), L. E. Flatt (Hornet), R. M.

Andrews (M.G.), J. G. Murray (M.G.) and M. P. Laudet (Hornet) lost no marks, which was a creditable showing. Ten of the comp. tyre drivers failed, but the old hands found no difficulty. It had been intended that the standard tyre group should not tackle Hatherland,

but in the dry weather conditions it was ruled by the stewards at the last moment that the whole entry should be sent up the hill. Hatherland appeared strangely altered. The wood through which it used to run has been cut down, so that one would scarcely recognise the hill at all. Hatherland is now a bare-looking track on an

open hillside, and with the sheltering trees removed, which used to keep the muddy surface wet and slippery, it has lost much oi its difficulty. With both sections of the entry trying the ascent, there was a most interesting result. Only one standard tyre driver failed, whereas four with comp. tyres stopped. This seems to bear out the argument that, where speed is not absolutely essential, a careful driver picking his way with ” standards ” may

do as well as, or better than, a “comp.” driver who just goes at a hill bald-headed. R. A. L. Meyrat, with standard tyres on his L.M.B. Ford, made an especially good climb at Hatherland, and Miss Samuels with her V8 Special provided some excitement at the S-bend at the top, going right up the bank on one side, correcting violently, and then going up the bank on the other side l The brake test, by the results of which any ties for the principal awards were to

be decided, consisted of accelerating downhill and bringing the car to rest astride a line. D. E. Harris (M.G.) was best with 7 secs., and next came D. R. Clement (Singer) and J. G. Murray (M.G.), both of whom took 7.5 secs. All these drivers were using standard tyres.

Next came A. B. Langley and J. E. S. Jones with their M.G.s, taking 7t secs.

The error had by now crept into the route-card, and the marshals at Windout and Fingle Bridge, arriving at the time scheduled for the distance on the card, were astonished at the apparent lateness of the competitors. At Fingle Bridge, at any rate, the interval was useful, for it enabled the marshals to thread a length of cable through the trees for the timed section, which extended from the start up to the fourth of the thirteen corners. When this was done, they could at least admire the scenery, for Fingle Bridge in the early morning in midsummer is a particularly lovely spot. At last the competitors arrived, some two hours later than schedule. Fingle

Hill appeared to be very rough and loose, especially between the third and fourth corners, but the first corner, an acute hairpin, has lost most of its terrors since the M.C.C. laid down tarmac. It was surprising that so few cars stopped, and all the standard tyre brigade was successful. M. Estler made a very good climb with his Silver Eagle Alvis, while Harris with the M.G. came up very steadily, yet actually made best time (51.9 secs.) In this class over the timed section. Laudet’s Hornet, E. G. S. Cook’s Magnette, and A. E. Bussey’s Riley also did well.

Only two of the competition tyre class failed, but one of these, surprisingly enough, was Guy Warburton’s Allard Special, owing to some trouble, and this spoilt the ” Tailwaggers’ ” chance for the team prize. D. Walker came up well with his old J2 M.G., nicknamed “Ye Royal Bath,” and W. A. V. Davis’s Singer showed up nicely. D. G. Silcock slid into the bank on the third corner, but kept going. The competition tyre drivers certainly did better over the Fingle timed section, and on an average were about 10 secs. faster than the other class. The latter numbers did especially well, and fastest of all was K. Hutchison with the twelvecylinder Allard Special, who, with his passenger crouching quite out of sight below the scuttle, came up as though in a speed hill-climb, and took only 40.8

secs. R. A. Macdermid (M.G.) took 42 secs., and S. H. Allard (Allard Special) 48 secs. Simms was the next hill, and, again, on a dry day in the summer this once dreaded obstacle is no longer what it

was, after M.C.C. road-making, Only two cars failed, both in the “comp. tyre” class. Simms, with its 1 in 2i

gradient, is certainly a hill where a little spin may be a help rather than a disadvantage, if a car is at all lacking in power. The standard tyre group also had the advantage of an easier starting line.

The last hill was Waterloo, a “Brighton and Hove” discovery of many years ago, which formerly was only used for motor-cycles. Its grassy surface on this occasion was fairly dry, but difficulty was increased by the sharp corner at the foot, only a few yards after the start. This brought about the downfall of Harris with his M.G., which had looked like carrying off the best standard tyre award.

Waterloo is about 300 yards in length, and has a number of difficult corners, With, in two places, a nasty drop on the right hand side. The first successful climb on standard tyres was by Cook’s Magnette, a very neat piece of driving, and A. C. Crornar’s Singer managed to complete the climb successfully even though a gear jumped out half-way up. Fstler was going well

with his old Alvis, and reached the last corner, within a few yards of the top, when he stopped, and there was some difficulty in restarting the engine. The reason for the trouble was believed to be that the water had boiled, and. flowed over onto the magneto. A. L. Baker came up well in his Ford Special, but J. E. S. Jones’s M.G. had a nasty moment on the top corner. C. W. Taylor (M.G.) was getting some spin at the same point, and came round the corner looking at his back wheels. Somewhat naturally, he ran into the bank and stopped

Near the foot, W. J. Green, driving his M.G., was coming up with such vigour that he shot off the road into the ditch. He was pulled out by a crowd of helpers, and accelerated away in great style. Hutchison (Allard) displayed great speed, as usual, but Allard himself made a comparatively quiet climb, and certainly experienced less spin than Hutchison at the top. Right at the end came R. M. Andrews (M.G.), who should have been one of the first. His gear lever had broken off earlier in the trial, and he drove into

Exeter with the idea of retiring. On hearing that the customer was in a trial, however, a mechanic at a garage in Exeter (on a Sunday morning, too I) showed such speed in effecting a repair that Andrews was able to rejoin the trial, and, with a fine climb of Waterloo, actually won the premier award for standard tyres!

RESULTS

Brighton and Hove Trophy: A. B. Langley (M.G.). Bishop Trophy: P. Twiley (Riley).

Midgeley Trophy: K. Hutchison (Allard Special).

Chaterlea Trophy: R. M. Andrews (M.G.). Simpson Lee Trophy: L. E. Platt (Hornet). Lord Thompson Team Trophy: Three Musketeers: R. A. Macderntid, A. B. Langley, I. A. Bastock

(M.G.$).

First Class Awards: Standard Tyres. M. P. Laudet (Hornet). Comp. Tyres. W. S. Whittard, E. S. Haesendonck, 0. A. N. May, It. A. Macdermici, J. A. Bastock, H. J. Crawford, J. E. S. Jones, A. G. Imhof (M.G.$) • K. Hutchison, S. H. Allard (Allard Specials); R. M. Henning (L.M.B. 9); C. E. Crump (Riley Special). Second Class Awards: Standard Tyres. D. E. Harris, J. G. Murray (M.G.$); A. C. Cromar (Singer). Comp. Tyres. D. Walker, W. J. Green (M.G.$); W. A. V Davis (Singer); A. E. Frost (Frazer

Nash-B.M4.); A. L. Baker (Ford Special) ; G. Silcock (Ford V8); Miss Samuels (V8 Special); C. Warburton (Allard Special).

Third Class Awards : Standard Tyres. F. B. Bryden, E. G. S. Cook (M.0.8) ; P. A. L. Meyrat (L. M. B. Ford); F. Morrish (Ford V8); A. E. Bussey (Riley) ; Comp. Tyres. C. S. Dewey (Riley) ; I). W. Price (Ford V8) ; C. W. Taylor (M.G.).