RACING XK120s RETURN TO BOREHAM

BOREHAM - WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN…

Fast and challenging, Boreham could have been the UK’s premier race circuit, virtually equalling the speeds attained at Silverstone. And yet as the 1953 season was about to start, racing at Boreham in Essex was cancelled

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM PATTEN

Jaguar were impressed enough with Boreham that they committed to the first onemake race for their XK 120 at the inaugural meeting. The list of XK 120 drivers was an impressive one from Roy Salvadori to Duncan Hamilton, Leslie Johnson and Ian Stewart.

The flat Essex countryside with its proximity to the English Channel was absolutely perfect for the erection of military airfields during World War 2. A 620-acre site of woods, fields and orchards had been identified in rural Boreham and was given over to the 861st Engineer Aviation Battalion of the United States Army. Working around the clock the gentle English countryside was transformed into an airfield with three runways, the longest at 6,000 feet. It took a year and became operational in 1944, in time for the D-Day offensive.

Like many airfields, it was simply abandoned after the hostilities to finally close in April 1946, when it reverted back to the use of growing crops by Co-Partnership Farms Ltd. Empty airfields were attracting the attention of racing and Chelmsford racer, Alan Rippon began to look at the potential of the Boreham site. Typically, the airfield was littered with broken concrete and debris. With a bunch of enthusiasts (he called the early settlers), they began to clear the site. The Essex police also showed interest with a view of teaching advanced driving techniques. Soon the West Essex Car Club (WECC) became involved. A newly formed club, they had nowhere locally to exercise their interests. Competition secretary, George Matthews had been investigating various sites and in 1949, came to an agreement with Co-Partnership Farms to run speed events.

The first ever meeting was a sprint in the Spring of 1950, with an entry of some 100 cars, including officers from the Chelmsford Police Driving School. The main 6,000 ft. runway was used,

It could be 1952 and the William Lyons XK 120 race

Three XK 120s return to Boreham for the first time since 1952

Duncan Hamilton had much success with his XK 120 at Boreham Original poster from August 11 1951, showing the XK 120 race

allowing a straight 1-kilometre standing start. Jaguar interest at this stage was limited but George Matthews took fastest time of day in his modified SS Jaguar 100, old number 8 (18008), at 76.74mph. Matthews would become Clerk of the Course for subsequent meetings. By 1951 and the second sprint, XK 120s were beginning to be seen in numbers but the awards went to the many modified pre-war cars. Gordon Parker did rather well with his Jaguette, an SS 2 ½-litre engine, neatly fitted into a pre-war MG Magnette chassis.

Two-wheel action brought circuit racing to Boreham in September 1950 when the airfield’s perimeter track was used for the first time. Entrants included John Surtees. The managing director of Co-Partnership Farms was quoted as saying: “I am delighted with the success of the meeting. Now we must go all out to build this track into something really big”. When the RAC announced that it would not renew its lease of Silverstone at the end of 1951, attention and hope turned to Boreham. Close to London »

Ecurie Ecosse thought enough of Boreham to send this XK 120 down from Scotland to compete ‘Jim’ Swift was a hard charging local driver in his modified XK 120

with easy links, it could have been a natural choice. The first circuit race for cars on May 6th, 1951, included several XK 120s in the over 2,500cc event. Plagued by wet weather, something that would be ever present at Boreham, a good number of cars spun off, including several XKs. Hugh Howorth won in his XK 120, with the type filling four of the top five places. There followed the first ever race purely for the XK 120. By now though the weather was truly appalling, and the race was reported as a somewhat dull affair. This is reflected in the times. Howorth won again but some 8mph slower than his previous outing. In even worse conditions, Dennis Poore won the Formula Libre race in his Alfa Romeo 8C-35 at 80.36mph, Parnell managed 91.25mph driving his Maserati 4CLT in practice though! The rain proved impossible and in the final sports car race, just about every car spun, allowing the 4.0-litre Darracq of Guy Gale to emerge as winner, Howorth a distant third in his recovering XK 120.

The reports of that first race meeting proved favourable despite the mayhem. All saw the immense potential. An optimistic reckoning of 50,000 spectators were said to have attended the second race meeting on June 30th, where a 20-year old Bernie Ecclestone entered the F3 race. The indefatigable Howorth was in action again, battling an out of class and supremely well driven Frazer-Nash of Tony Crook. Howorth clobbered a marker twice and in both instances lost ground, the second time would cost him the win. The third meeting on August 11th witnessed a more realistic estimate of a 20,000 crowd. Once again, the conditions were treacherous. The 10-lap William Lyons XK race was full of drama as Howorth shot off in the distance, only to suffer a delay when he struck a marker drum, it became lodged beneath the car. Duncan Hamilton was through, while Wood and Craig apparently entered a corner simultaneously and did not emerge until some time later, both with damaged bodywork. Hamilton won the race in LXF 731, the green car featured here, with Jim Swift second in OVT 325, also featured. Roy Salvadori took an impressive third place with his standard road going car, in his first event since a huge accident almost cost him his life. Heavy rain drenched the unlimited sports car race, but it wasn’t enough to stop Duncan Hamilton crossing the line ahead of Leslie Allard’s mighty Cadillac engined car bearing his own name, with Salvadori in third place.

Those involved with the first race season at Boreham had every right to be pleased with themselves. The fledgling circuit had been mentioned favourably in high places and their events had attracted top names. But there were some negatives. Co-Partnership Farms suffered a loss, not helped by the huge 50% Entertainment Tax. But they saw the potential in the future and determined to carry on. However, the track surface had come in for some criticism as being unduly slippery, not helped by the unusually wet season. »

The dapper Jim Swift in action, his XK 120 much modified Photo from the Guy Griffiths collection

RACE RESULTS

LXF 731 1st 11th August 1951 OVT 325 2nd 11th August 1951, 21st June 1952 DNF LXO 126 7th 21st June 1952

Duncan Hamilton on his way to a win in the XK 120 race on August 11 1951 Photo courtesy of JD Classics

Moss wins the 1952 sports car race in XKC 004 Pic from the Les Downes archive

Start of the 1952 Sports Car scratch race Photo from the Les Downes archive At the end of the year, backing had been secured from the Daily Mail newspaper. Given that rivals the Daily Express had sponsored Silverstone, their reasoning had a sound commercial basis. The track was resurfaced, while Jaguar Cars sponsored a bridge over the track. Shell Oils meanwhile paid for a fine scoreboard. All the signs were for a successful 1952.

Boreham had never been blessed with fine weather but the first race meeting on May 17th, 1952, was an exception. Four XK 120s were listed to appear at this meeting. Archie Scott Brown was honing his skills on an MG TD, while the XKs were outpaced in the over 1,500cc sports car race as Ken Watkins won with a Cadillac Allard followed by Gale in a Mille Miglia Frazer-Nash both heading the Jaguars. More XKs were battling it out on June 21st, when Jim Swift headed Salvadori to win the unlimited capacity sports car race. The William Lyons XK 120 race proved an absolute humdinger, with the lead constantly changing. First Howorth led, then Salvadori before Howorth slid off – and then regained the circuit and battled back into the lead, only for Salvadori to get it back with Howorth leaving the circuit again. This was repeated throughout the race with Howorth winning by 1.2 seconds. Ian Stewart had come down from Scotland to wave the Ecurie Ecosse flag, and although going well, was hampered by a misfiring engine. The XKs were out again for the unlimited capacity race, this time with Oscar Moore winning in an HWM Jaguar ahead of Salvadori and Howorth in their XK 120s.

August 2nd marked Boreham’s first ever International Festival of Motor

Raincoats abound as Roy Salvadori lines up in his XK 120

Sport. Mike Hawthorn was to give a master class display as he battled his Frazer-Nash Mille Miglia against the more powerful Le Mans Replica versions, taking 17 places on the first lap alone. The track was wet, then dry as Hawthorn took Ken Wharton for the lead, only to be re-passed. But he was soon back again only to fall out with a failing clutch one lap from the end. It was a Le Mans style start for the large capacity sports cars where Jaguar faced Ferrari and works backed Aston Martin. Stirling Moss exercised another rapid start as he bolted away in the disc braked C-type. Other Jaguar drivers were not so fortunate with Duncan Hamilton being swamped by the field and Ian Stewart sliding off with unscrubbed tyres in the Ecurie Ecosse C-type, plummeting into the crowd through inadequate straw bales, causing injuries to seven spectators. The race carried on with Hamilton scything through the field as he passed every car up to second. But the drum brakes on his C-type were no match for Moss and they came home in that order. XK 120s did extremely well in an International field comprising Aston Martin and Ferrari, with Bill Dobson of Ecurie Ecosse bringing the Flag Metallic Blue XK home in sixth place overall.

The main event had Ferrari versus BRM with Hawthorn in a cheeky Cooper Bristol. In changing weather conditions, Hawthorn gave the might of Ferrari a real scare as he wriggled his way through to eventually take the lead. The smaller car drifted back as the track dried, but even so his supreme skill took him to a podium third place. Villoresi won with Landi second, both in Ferrari 375s. Hawthorn had driven with such skill that it was no surprise when he was given a

The helicopter crew. Captain Graham Wayman in OVT, Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) Simon Knightley in LXF and TFO Paul Grindley in LXO

works Ferrari drive two-weeks later.

Incredibly, after such exciting racing, the International Event was the last race for cars at Boreham. The decision not to continue came as a complete surprise to the West Essex Car Club, especially as no definitive reason was ever forthcoming. The 50% entertainment tax was crippling for any organiser, even with the healthy numbers attending Boreham. Hawthorn is quoted as saying the the inclement weather that afflicted the few race meetings could have also been a contributory factor. Certainly, more needed to be done around the circuit but that was the same for every track in the country. John Frankland, co-author of the excellent book on Boreham, has never been able to get the bottom of the closure and thinks that opposition from local landowners, other vested interests along with those reasons already quoted may well have contributed to the closure. The Ford Motor Company, looking for a testing ground, came on the scene in 1955 and were to buy the site outright. Whatever the reasons motor racing suddenly stopped. For just 30-months this rural track gave huge pleasure to many and became inextricably linked to Jaguar, where the marque had considerable success and was the scene of their first one-make race.

Boreham eventually passed from Ford to the Essex Police Force, where they operate the police helicopters. Our introduction came by former police officer and friend to CJ, Kevin Collet. We’re extremely grateful to Chief Superintendent Simon Williams, who authorised unique access to the site and although much has now disappeared, sufficient remains to get a feel of the place, including the original control tower. JD Classics (a Woodham Mortimer Company) have handled several Boreham XK 120 racers. The Roy Salvadori XK was in for race preparation so was absent, but they did bring three other cars to the circuit. The John ‘Jim’ Swift car, (chassis number 660493); Duncan Hamilton’s XK registered LXF 731 (chassis number 660332) and the Ex-Ecurie Ecosse car, LXO 126 (chassis number 660578). There isn’t the scope to tell their individual stories but, in the meantime, we can only lament what might have been had Boreham continued. Another year could have made all the difference. ■

THANKS TO

A huge measure of gratitude goes to John Frankland for the use of his files and access to his superb book. Without leaning heavily on the information, this feature would not have been possible. Copies of ‘Boreham, a history of the racing circuit’, are available at £12.95 post free from: info@ian-henry.com Thanks also to JD Classics for the huge efforts in bringing these three XKs along. www.woodham-mortimer.com