THE CRAIGANTLET HILL CLIMB.

THE CRAIGANTLET HILL CLIMB.

THE “TERROR” COMES TO GRIEF. W. SULLIVAN (LEA-FRANC(S)

MAKES FASTEST TIME.

WHAT might have developed into a very bad accident was narrowly averted at the Craigantlet Hill Climb, Belfast, when “the Terror,” driven by R. G. J. Nash, charged a bank on which many spectators were sitting.

It will be remembered that Nash set up a new record for the hill last year, in tin. 29s., and it was in trying to improve on this time that the accident occurred. Unfortunately, the road was wet, and the ” Terror ” got into a front wheel skid on the first corner, leaping up the bank and coming to rest within a few inches of the spectators. Actually, a small boy received a slight blow on the wrist, but that some people were not seriously injured was a miracle. This cross-country work naturally did not suit the ” Terror,” which was rendered hors de combat with a damaged front axle, so that fastest time of the day was made by W. Sullivan on a” hyper ” Lea Francis,

who drove very neatly to climb in 1m. 35 4/5s. A very welcome reappearance in competition was made by Cecil Kimber, the founder of the M.G. Car Company, at the wheel of a 746 c.c. Midget, Our readers will remember the good shows Mr. Kimber used to put up in the M.C.C. trials, on early M.G.’s, and at Craigantlet it was seen that his hand had lost none of its cunning, for he won one 1st and two 2nds, there being only 2/5ths of a second variation between his first and last runs,

Mrs. Wisdom also competed with an M.G. Midget, and driving with her usual skill scored a 1st and a 2nd.

RESULTS.

NON-RACING 860 c.c.

1. H, Wilson (M.G. Midget 847 c.c.), lin. 56 1/5s. ; 2, J. W. Patterson (M.G. Midget 847 c.c.), lin. 57 2/5s.

1,100 C.C. 1, C. Kimber (M.G. Midget 746 c.c.),

lm. 44s.; 2, W. M. D. Montgomery (Austin 747 c.c.), lm. 57s.

1,500 c.c.

1, Mrs. Wisdom (M.G. Midget 746 c.c.), lm. 48 1/5s. ; 2, H. C. 1VIcFerran (M.G. Magna), lm. 53 2/5s.

2,000 c.c.

1, W. Sullivan (Lea-Francis), lm. 37 3/5s. ; 2, C. Kimber (M.G. Midget 746 c.c.), lm. 43 3/5 s.

UNLIMITED.

1, W. Sullivan (Lea-Francis), lm 36 4/5s. ; 2, Mrs. Wisdom (M.G. Midget), lm. 43 3/5s.

RACING, UNLIMITED.

1, W. Sullivan (Lea-Frauds), lm. 35 4/5s. ; 2, C. Kimber (M.G. Midget 746 c.c.), lrn. 43 4/5s. ; 3, W. Griffiths (Riley), 2m. Is.

HANDICAP, UNLIMITED.

1, H. W. Sloane (Wolseley Hornet, lm. 32s. ; 2, Tie, H. M’k. Harvey (Alvis) and S. J. C. Cupples (Wolseley Hornet), 1m. 32 3/5s.

TWO TRIALS-A FAVOURITE AND A NEWCOMER. THE LONDON-BARNSTAPLE TRIAL.

ONE sometimes hears the complaint that reliability trials nowadays have become so easy that any modern car, carefully driven, can be almost sure of a premier award. To those holding this view we offer the advice to take part in the London-Barnstaple Trial, for so difficult did the hills included in the event prove this year, that only three cars made clean climbs of all gradients. Starting from Hampton Court at 11 p.m. on the Friday of the August Bank Holiday week-end, the competitors were sent off to the first test hill, Grabhurst, which was

surmounted successfully by all, and so to Doverhay, where a timed section over which competitors had to average 15 m.p.h. caused a few failures. Among the best we noted H. C. Hunter, Ripley, and Appleton, all on Rileys.

M. W. B. May had already retired, breaking an axle shaft on the hybrid B. P. Special, but the family honour was upheld when his brother, C. May, made the best performance over the timed 15 m.p.h. section on his Alvis, with an error of 18 3/5 secs. Beggar’s Roost for once decided to offer

no resistance, probably because there was not a large crowd to show off its power in front of, and the only failures were Tuson (Fiat) and Thatcher (Triumph).

Then came the toughest proposition of the day, Yealscombe, with its deep water splash at the foot. Failures were recorded one after another, and in point of fact the only drivers who made absolutely clean climbs were Richardson and Goldsworthy, on Singers, Twist’s Standard, and Mrs. Clayton (Frazer-Nash), who was the fastest of the lot.

Followed an easy run to Barnstaple.

THE FIRST M.C.C. LONDON-SCARBOROUGH TRIAL.

The M.C.C. have now completed their series of Bank Holiday week-end trials by organising their first London-Scarborough Reliability Trial, which made a successful debut on July 29th and 30th.

86 cars left South Mimms, on the Great North Road, and after an easy night run to Doncaster, encountered the first hill— White Horse, a longish affair, albeit not very difficult. Good performances were made by all,while outstanding climbs were those of Tongue’s Brooklands Riley, Finch’s Alta, Schofield’s Frazer-Nash, and Patrick’s Hornet Special. The next hill, Boltby Bank, proved to

be the most difficult of the lot, and caused quite a few retirements, but really good climbs were put up by C. M. Harvey (Frazer Nash), Raymond Way (Rover Speed Model), Lees (Frazer Nash), and Marker, on one of the actual Le Mans 44-litre Bentleys. Old Byland and Little Blakey were fairly easy, the former especially so, but in spite of causing few failures, they brought out clearly a fault in the modern small sports car which is becoming fairly prevalent, i.e. an inadequate ground clearance. Time after time fearsome noises were made as cars bounced over

the gullies of Little Blakey, undershields, exhaust pipes and battery boxes all receiving their share of hard knocks. Among many good climbs on both hills we noticed particularly fast ascents by Legard’s beautiful new Vanden Bias Talbot ” 105,” Hopkin’s Frazer Nash, which, in spite of its very full life of six years, seems just as fresh as ever, Langley’s M.G. six saloon, and Finch’s Alta.

The last hill, Little Beck, caused little difficulty, good climbs being made by the M.G. Magnas and Hornet Specials, while the Frazer Nashes were as fast as any.

The Scarborough has come to stay. AUSEFUL new accessory has just been introduced by Messrs. Frank Ashby & Sons, Ltd., of Stirchley, Birmingham, the manufacturers of the well known ” Brooklands ” equipment for sports and racing cars. This is a plug spanner specially designed for the job, the box being made of carbon steel, the

handle of silver steel, and the whole tool well finished in dull plate. It is made in two lengths, long reach for M.G. Magnas and Wolseley Hornets, etc., and short reach for Rileys. The price is 8s. 6d., and the spanner should be a useful addition to the tool-kit of every sports or racing car.