E.R.A.AND THE SUNSHINE AT SHELSLEY

E.R.A. AND THE SUNSHINE AT SHELSLEY

RAYMOND MAYS’S NEW RECORD. A SPLENDIDLY ORGANISED MEETING.

Perhaps Leslie Wilson’s luck has changed, for with the commencement of the new timing methods at ShelsleyWalsh Hill Climb cante really good weather conditions, a thing very necessary but, alas, all too rare at our premier speedhill climb.

This year eliminating runs were held in the morning, the afternoon section being devoted to the fastest two cars in each recognised category, together with the potential record-breakers, each given two runs. In this instance entries were on the sparse side, but with Shelsley’s usual enormous entry., which will doubtless return for the September climb, the new arrangement should work very well indeed. The sky was cloudy and threatening as we drove up in, the morning, but ere we had parked the A.C. Ace it had become sunny and distinctly warm, albeit there was a stiff breeze which worried the cars along the final straight until later in the

afternoon. The attendance appeared smaller than usual, but as ever the organisation was excellent, with the double commentaries, the prompt dispatch of cars and the instant display and -announcement of competitors’ times. If on have never been to Shelsley you should make every possible effort to be present at the next meeting.

The morning rims were not concluded until about 12.30 p.m., and when. we arrived the Paddocknow a real Paddock with a hard surface floor, ‘covered bays, parking space for vans and drivers’ cars and a times board, etc.—a stout effort— was a hive of industry. Mrs. Petre, in blue overalls, blue-rimmed glasses and blue hair-ribbon, was dashing up and down in the little Austin, John Bolster drew a big assembly as he ran-up the twin J.A.P.s of ” Tudor Mary,’ and H. D. Killick’s freak Ford was posed beside Sir Lionel Philip’s huge LeylandThomas to give daily-press camera men an unrivalled “Dignity and Impudence” picture. The Ford-Special was a sort of “doodle-bug” with wide-track axles, a midget frame and body and 12 inch wheels, handled by a very worried-looking individual and having, curiously enough, quite a ” 80/98″ tick-over. We thought that Killick had a rear-engined V-twiu special job and would infinitely have preferred to have seen this to the Ford construction. Shelsley is not a circus.

R. Macleod-Carey was working on. his Grand Prix Bugatti with four Amal motor-cycle carburetters, and W. G. Wilson was weighing with a big springbalance a fine collection of oddments removed from his Ford V8 saloon, which included doors, bonnet, the more obvious bits and piecesand even the exhaust manifolds. Berg’s Alfa-Romeo, which arrived in a very smart van, was being revved-up with a loud and stirring supercharger whine. There were some non-runners, notably Freddie Dixon’s Dixon-Special, and the Halford-Cross Rotary, while Watkins-Pitchford’s Ballot, which we hope will form the subject of a future “Veteran Types” article, had had oil

pump maladies. J. B. Dyke-..A.cland, with one of the ex-Musketeer M.G. Magnettes, had suffered on the morning runs from the wrong dope, after a hectic week involving eight runs to and. from the hill. First up in the afternoon were the three potential record-breakers — Raymond Mays with the 11-litre E.R.A., which rumour reputed to have been fitted with a suitable back axle within one and a half hours of the finish of the I.O.M. race, Denis Scribbans’s 11-litre E.R.A. and Charles Goodacre’s little Austin. Mays was terrific, appearing slow on account of neat handling, though he was working very, very hard, and as you all know, he set a new Shelsley record at 39.69 secs. Scribbans came up next, front wheels lifting at the corners, but mis-firing slowed him. He was followed by Good

acre, in cap and rolled-up shirt-sleeves, who climbed to the tune of 42.92 secs., correcting a vi c ions slide at the last bend. The crowd clapped their appreciation.

Denis Evans then brought up the famous Bellevue Montlhery M.G., but was slow through lifting his foot after clouting the bank above the ” S ” in a bad power-slide. Hadley in the Austin experienced a very stirring slide on the last bend with wheels furiously spinning and the revs. mounting, but nevertheless he clocked

40.83 secs. The Shelsley crowd showed good taste by clapping on the announcement that Walter Balmier, the German, was on the line. In a beautifully clean run his Austin clocked 43.30 secs. Mrs. Petre came up next on another Austin, but did not look especially rapid and Mrs. John Bolster’s (she is still Miss Skinner to Annotmcer Findon) special blown Morris Minor mis-fired very badly before reaching the ” 5″ and was steam

ing, Mrs. Bolster making vague gestures with her left arm indicative of her disappointment.

Miss Stanley Turner then gave us a dashing show with a Q-type M.G. Midget which bounced and slid at the S-bend.

Rupert Instone worked hard to pilot the supercharged, J.A.P.-engined G.N. Martyr to the summit, doing an inward skid at the” S “and wearing an expression which may have been a smile or may have been an air of tenseness. Incidentally, S. H. Newsome had given a special prize for the fastest special job, a splendid idea for which he deserves full marks.

E. J. Moor, that great specials enthusiast, had, we were bucked to notice, qualified in the mornint, with his rather dirty but very fascinating G.N. ” Wasp.” He came up now in 49.37 secs., showing real braking power for the ” S.” The Carlmark-j.A.P., now rear-engined, did 46.8 secs., the tail snaking viciously, front wheels dancing, and N. G. Wilson cornered his M.G. carefully at the ” 5,” leaning out on the final corner. S. H. Newsome ‘s smart Frazer-Nash, numbers flapping, was slowed by reason of a missed change, and then Pane went up very fast indeed (41.94 secs.), taking the last bend extremely well and so rapidly that the rear wheels juddered under the acceleration.. Mrs. K. Petre handled her blown Riley nicely, but had mis-firing to contend with, and Villoresi’s Maserati raised dust from the banks, the driver’s tongue showing his inner feelings! Dick Nash toured up, the Union-Special’s engine cutting-out, but Barrie Goodwin’s FrazerNash made a very fine run, heavily braked for the ” S.” E. Lloyd-Jones’s

Lea-Francis was brought through the bends with a sweeping action, and S. C. H.

Davis employed a very fierce expression, driving a 2-litre Alta. John Bolster’s wonderful BolsterJ.A.P., still in last season’s trim, failed to start but later came up most sensationally, sliding at the ” S’ and getting into apparently almost uncontrollable bothways slides at the final corner, while just to liven things up John thrust out his

right arm between the corners—not comically ; no doubt he had a good reason.

Time : 54.8 secs., spoilt by mis-firing. Robin Hanson was fast with. the Maserati but spun his wheels for twenty yards in starting, to clock 46.86 sees. A. P. P. Pane then brought up the white “one hundred in one hour” Frazer-Nash B.M.W. sports job, which got away extremely well, was rock-steady all the way up, sliding Cleanly at the bends,

and very quiet with a typically B.M.W. exhaust note when accelerating. His morning runs had been clocked at 47.2

and 47.23 sees. and this ascent occupied 46.77 secs., a most noteworthy performance, well clapped. H. G. Symonds on the 1-litre V-twin B.H.D.-Special treated us to a big slide with lifting inner front wheels, A la Davenport, and going into the final bend he had to grab the handbrake. Time

47.6 secs. F. G. Rossiter’s A.C. Special, which weighs under 14 cwt. and has a 1925 engine, was braked early for the ” ” but handled in a most masterful, clean manner. I,. Cam’s ex-Bainton 2.3-litre G.P. Bugatti was driven in a most spirited

manner to return .a fast time, and J. Lemon Burton, with a blown 2.3 Bugatti with typical Bug. wheels, was -even faster, taking the ” S” in a wide sweep. Berg’s Alfa-Romeo, running with wings and screen in place, was dripping water

during a dean ascent. It had been taken up in practice in the Morning, after arriving late. S. H. Newsome’s S.S. was impressive, sliding at the ” S” and more vigorously at the last bend, and Michael May’s amazing old Allis was fast and steady with a few diversions as the motor tried to play. Forrest Lycett’s smart Bentley started on the very near side of the road and went up absolutely effort lessly and quietly in 49.12 secs., after morning ascents at 50.85 and 49.73 secs. Then up came Wilson’s very stripped Ford V8 saloon, driver in a wooden bucket seat, looking rather like a ” Hell Driver ” and the whole outfit comic, the engine noise not at all as Dagenham would have

it. But this was an enthusiastic effort and though the tyres screamed the car kept a surprisingly even keel and did 49:03 secs.

Finally, the remarkable old LeylandThomas completed a slow, dignified climb. So to the second half of the programme, for which the foregoing notes could largely

be repeated. Mays came up first, wheels spinning some forty yards past the line, and Ray mond working hard, to return 39.09 secs., against his last year’s record time of 39.6 secs. That did a whole lot to revive flagging enthusiasm on a warm

afternoon. Goodacre’s Austin touched the bank low down but recovered, and Denis Evans completed a careful ascent with the M.G. in 47.89 secs. Then Hadley (Austin) came into sight going really quickly, held a great slide

well and was very good up the finishing straight, to return the excellent time of 49.83 secs. Mrs. Petre’s Austin went a trifle wild on the last bend to dock 46.79 sees., and Walter Balmier, apparently employing all his revs. on the run to the finish, took 42.31 secs.

R. F. Turner, recovered from his Donington upset, had gone up very fast on his previous run with his elderly Austin, so wide on the ” S ” that he almost touched the bank, but looking ‘essentially safe, and now he used his stoppers to get round the ” S” and was notably steady. Miss Stanley Turner lost time on the “S,” her M.G. asking 47.05 secs., and poor Inatone’s G.N. went sick, blowing vigorously back through its carburetters, though it reached the summit. John Bolster changed a magneto and then made one of the greatest runs up Shelsley he has ever done, Mrs. Bolster subsequently proving herself every bit as skilful as

of old with the Morris Minor.

Pane gave two more Splendid exhibitions of how Shelsley should be climbed, with the appropriately-named FrazerNash and the truly impressive FrazerNash-B.M.W., and Davis climbed really fast, looking much happier with the Alta, which the announcer said needed considerable handling lower down. Giron brought his Bugatti up in another dashing climb which marks him as a driver to watch in. future, and J. Lemon Burton was really fast with his Bugatti on a very well-driven ascent. F. C. Rossiter on the A.C. Special made what in our opinion was one Of the cleanest rims amongst the less rapid ;.’ars, while Wilson’s Ford was faster and if anything more comic than before but again very stable. Lycett was very masterful with the Bentley and almost the only incident of the day was provided by the Leyland-Thomas, Which shed part of a brake-drum cover-plate with a great clatter, causing its driver to pull up hastily and reverse clear of the road. On his previous run he had carried a passenger and there was some doubt as to whether that unfortunate mortal had been flung out of the car as part of the ” crash “—-which was only a brake drum cover-plate. Then Mrs. Bolster, with magneto loaned by Austins„ made a splendidly judged ascent, watched from the ” S ” by a tense and excited husband, and anotlwr Shelsley meeting was over, with R.A., Austin and Frazer-Nash the the lime-lighted ” marques.” So down the road and into the Paddock streamed the crowd, not heeding the loud-speaker announcements, and we dug oat the A.C. for a pleasant and not sluggish run back to London. The following tabulated results amplify the foregoing, which is in the nature of a stop-press report. :-

RESULTS CUP WINNERS

CUP WINNERS

Shelsley Challenge Cup and 31100 (fastest car of the day): Raymond Mays (1i-litre KULA.), 39.09S. New record.

MAX. Trophy and £25 (fastest foreign driver) : Walter Barnum. (Austin Seven), Germany, 42.31s. M.A.C. Sports Challenge Trophy and £25 (fastest sports-car—A.C.F. regulations): Not awarded owing

to i t. entries. Souvenir presented to A. F. P. Fane (2-litre FrazerNash-B.M.W.), 40.77s.

Shelsley Ladies Challenge Trophy and 125 (fastest climb by a woman driver): Mrs..1ohn Bolster (Morris Minor. S.), 45.96s.

N.A.°. Challenge Trophy and S25 (fastest driver not liaN’ing won a best Gine award at Shelsley since September, 1932): 11. L. Hadley (Austin Seven), 40.535.

M.A.C. Challenge Cup and £5 (faatot climb by a ” Shelsley Special ” car): john Bolster (2-litre Bolster Special), 42.248.

Fray Challenge Cup (best aggregate team performance) : C. Goodacre, Walter :flamer and H. L. Hadley (Austins), 125.7 . total.

. ELIMINATING RUNS

750 c.c. Supercharged : 1, R. F. Turner (Austin), 42.28s.; 2. Miss D. Stanley Turner (M.U.), 18.088. Unsupercharged : Ni) starters.

1,100 ex. Supercharged : 1, 0. R. Instone (0.N. Martyr), 48.50s.; 2, N. G, Wilson (M.(.), 50.28s. Unsupercharged : E. J. Moor (Wasp), 48.44s.; 2, H. I). Carlinark (Carlinark Special), 49.20s.

1,500 c.o. Supercharged : 1, H. Lloyd Jones (LeaFrancts), 48.25s. Unsupereharged I. B. L. Goodwin Frazer-Nasli), 45.76s.; 2, 0. II. Symonds (B.H.D.

Spei 48.37s.

2-1 ‘res Supercharged : No Starters. I:InstillerOharged • 1, A. F. l’. Fano (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 47.20s.; 2, F. G. Rossiter (A.1′. Special), 47.89s.

841.res Supercharged: 1, J. Lemon Burton (Bugatil), 45.24s. unsupercharged : 1, S. H. Newsome (SS “100 “), 45.94s.; 2, M. W. B. May (Alvis), 48.015.

5-litres Supercharged : NO starters. Unsupercharged : 1, W. G. Wilson (Ford), 48.83s. ; 2, Forrest Lycett (Bell( ley), 49.73s. Over 5-litres Supercharged : No starters, Unsupercharged : 1, Sir Lionel Phillips (7.2 Leyland Thomas), 50s. Continued on page 277

CLASS WINNERS SUPERCHARGED CARS

750 0.c. : 1, H. L. Hadley (Austin), 40.8$8. ; 2, W. Batinier (Austin), 42.31s. 1,100 c.c. I, Mrs. J. Bolster (Mortis Minor Special),

1,500 e.e. : I, Raymond Mays (E.R.A.), 30.098, ; 2, A. F. P. Vane (Frazer-Nash), 40.89s. 2-litres : 1. s. c. II. Davis (Alta), 45.10S. 8-litres : 1„ 3. Lemon Burton (2.3 Bugatti),

43.368.; 2, L. (liron (2.3 Bugatti), 44.728.

5-litres : No starters.

Over 5-litres : No starters.

UNSUPERCHARGED CARS 750 c.c. : No st arters,

750 c.c. : No st arters, 1.100 c.c. : I. 11. I). (arlin:irk (Carlin:irk Special),

4(i.27s.; 2, E. 3. Moor (wasp), 49.87s. 1,500 c.c. : 1, E. L. Goodwin (Frazer-Nash),

45.198. ; 2, G. IT. Symonds (WILD. Special), 47.67s.

2-litres : 1, John Bolster (Bolster-Special), 42.248.; 2, A. F. P. Farm (Fraser-Nash-B.M.W.), 46.778.

2-litres : 1, S. H. Newsome (SS ” 100 “), 47.478. ; 2. M. W. B. May. (Alvls). 49.09a.

5-litres : 1, W. U. Wilson (Ford), 48.078.; 2, Forrest Lycett ( len! hy). 49.07s.

Over 5-litres : Sir Lionel Phillips (7.2-litre Leylan(1 Thomas), 59.408.