HERE and THERE, June 1931
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ONE of the most surprising tests in the history of motor-cycling was brought to a successful conclusion on the 22nd May, when a Britishbuilt motorcycle and sidecar completed its 20th journey between Brooklands and Land’s End.
The machine was one of the ” all-enclosed ” New Hudsons with a large touring sidecar attached. The test was carried out under the observation of AutoCycle Union officials, one of whom occupied the sidecar throughout. A London agent and three testers from the works in Birmingham drove the machine in spells of about eight hours each.
A remarkable feature of the test is that the engine was not stopped at all on nineteen out of the twenty trips between Brooklands and Land’s End. It had been intended that twenty non-engine-stop runs should be made, but on the second run, when filling up with fuel at Salisbury in the middle of the night, the garage hand accidentally allowed the petrol to overflow. As a precaution against fire, the engine was stopped for two or three seconds, after which it was at once restarted.
Brooklands was selected as the starting point in order that the severe traffic of London might be avoided. The test began on the 11th of May at 8 a.m. and Land’s End was reached at 7.30 p.m. The machine set off on its second run at 8 p.m., reaching Brooklands at 7.30 a.m. and so on. During many of the runs very heavy rain was encountered, but despite this, the traffic of the towns en route and the many hours of night driving, an average of 24 miles per hour was easily maintained throughout. The machine arrived dead on time at the conclusion of each trip.
The total mileage covered was 5,560, and the actual running time was 231 hours 40 minutes. It is estimated that the engine revolved over 25,000,000 times and that the piston actually travelled 3,123 miles in the cylinder. The machine was a 5.50 h.p. standard model side-valve, which sells to the public at just over 250. It was equipped with Dunlop tyres, and a Lucas electric lighting set, whilst Pratts petrol and Castrol XL oil were used.
The D’Annunzio Cup.
A striking recognition of Kaye Don’s gallant effort to win the D’Annunzio Cup has been made by Signor Gabriele D’Annunzio, the donor of the Cup. Although no one won the trophy outright, D’Annunzio has decided to place it in the care of the Marine Motoring Association in England, where it will remain till the next regatta.
D’Annunzio’s suggestion was made in a letter handed to Kaye Don just before he left for England. “I was amazed at D’Annunzio’s intelligent interest in Lord Wakefield’s boat,” Kaye Don said on his return to London. “He had an intimate grasp of the technical features of the boat and he spent an hour sitting in the cockpit, asking questions about the Rolls-Royce engines and about the various controls. He was particularly
interested to learn that the engines are of the same type as those fitted in the seaplanes which beat Italy in the Schneider Trophy race in 1929.
“I am delighted at the sporting offer of D’Annunzio to let usThave:the Cup in England.”
Tarring Again.
New road work has begun all over the country, and there will soon be the usual complaints from motorists about tar splashes and showers of loose gravel.
In order to reduce the discomfort to a minimum the Road Improvement Association has made a recommendation which motorists should bring to the”notice of their local surveyors.
“Complaints have been received that there are certain areas that use the larger chippings on tarmacadam and similar roads, but omit to lightly roll them, with the result that the chippings are not pressed into the surface, and in consequence they are crushed by the passing traffic, shot into the channels, or otherwise rendered noneffective.”
Rolling the chippings into the tar has also the effect, the Association says, of helping to make the roads skid-proof.