On this day Train strike causes traffic jams – in 1955

ON THIS DAY IN 1955

A train strike in central London led to gridlock

Looking back on our diamond year

KRIS CULMER

Catastrophes cast dark clouds over rosy British prospects

Motorsport had a tough time in 1955, as two disasters befell sports car racing.

At the Le Mans 24 Hours, 83 fans were killed and 180 more injured when a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was launched into the grandstand. Still the most catastrophic incident in motorsport history, it led to the leading German firm immediately withdrawing from motorsport, not returning for another 35 years. Then just three months later, at the incredibly tight and fast (read dangerous) Dundrod street circuit in Ireland, three drivers crashed fatally. Incomprehensibly in retrospect, both races were allowed to continue up to the scheduled finish.

We did find the faintest of silver linings, with Mercedes’ withdrawal leaving the British cars of Jaguar and Vanwall to dominate the endurance racing scene. The UK already had arguably the best driver corps, having won Le Mans, Dundrod, the Targa Florio, the Mille Miglia and the Goodwood 9 Hours. Mercedes quitting would also benefit grand prix racing, because it had tediously won the Formula 1 title. Only a surprise win for Ferrari in Monaco broke the hegemony, the Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio becoming a three-time champion. And to our liking, rallying grew in popularity and therefore attracted more manufacturer investment.

Urban motorways wanted

As traffic got so bad that the national papers started writing about it, The British Road Federation “showed what should be done, with its model of an urban motorway” . Manchester had proposed ring roads as early as 1945 and opened the M60 in 1960; while from 1957 to 1971, Birmingham ripped itself up to make space for the Queensway. London was to copy it but halted after the Westway. Why? Well, in addition to actually inducing more traffic, not reducing it, urban motorways restrict open spaces, growth and local economy and make cities dirtier, noisier, uglier, more crowded and harder to navigate…

Our first Escort experience

Seeing small estate cars growing in popularity, Ford of Britain decided to enter the market, using the Anglia and Prefect saloons as bases for the new Escort and Squire. They used the same body and Ford’s proven 1172cc side-valve engine, making 36bhp, the difference just £41 worth of ‘luxury’ on the Squire (that’s £852 today). Our road testers concluded: “Both models are smart, economical maids of work, pleasant to drive and to look at, and are offered at an initial cost that is relatively low when one considers their versatility. ”