Miscellany, October 2001

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Continental rallies have become popular with car clubs and one-make organizations, and are likely to increase while the foot-and-mouth epidemic restricts such happenings here. The Guild of Motoring writers had one such 400-mile jolly in France recently, the entries including its President, Lord Strathcarron, with his 1954 Bentley, the Chairman Matthew Carter in a 1991 Alfa Romeo SZ, Michael Bowler’s 1934 Frazer Nash TT Replica, Chris Willows in a BMW Z8, the Macbeths in the Vauxhall Collection’s 1961 Viva F, the Llewellins in a Ford Heritage 1963 Consul convertible, the Baldwins in their 1960 Austin-Healey 3000, Clive Jacobs with his 1964 Bentley SIII Continental convertible and the editor of the Guild newsletter Update using a 1959 Vauxhall Velox P. The oldest car was the Baldwins’ 1926 Delage. So you see, the motoring writers do know about the older cars! Winners of the clues-correct competition were the Hensons, driving Elaine’s immaculate Austin A35.

For its 50th anniversary the Singer Owners Club will have a novel Run, taking in 10 speed-trial and speed hill-climb courses which were in use before the RAC ban on public-road events in early 1925. These will include Alms Hill near Henley-on-Thames, located with the help of a 97-year old who remembers it, although the ‘Cannons’, once a hazard, have eroded away. It will also take in Kop, Aston, Britwell and other hills and the Dancer’s End sprint course. For details of what will surely be an interesting event, contact Alan Wood, 8 Ambleside Court, Ambleside Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex, BN10 7LT.