Brooklands Bulletin Issue 69 May/June 2021

brooklands bulletin

Sir Henry Segrave

200mph record-breaker

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Electrical

Engine & Mechanical

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Welcome

It can be easy to forget the considerable role Brooklands has played in record breaking, whether it’s at the track or the people and vehicles based there. There’s no missing that record-beating history in this issue with the second part of Gareth Tarr’s captivating look at the life of Sir Henry Segrave, who you will also see on the cover of this issue.

Segrave was relentless in his push to raise the Land and Water Speed Records, which ultimately cost him his life. This pursuit might seem frivolous to some, but these endeavours helped improve engineering and technology at a time when there was far less understanding of the stresses involved in reaching these speeds.

The same is true of the motorcyclists who spurred each other on to reach the 100mph mark at Brooklands. It’s testament to the rapid development of these machines that this record was beaten the very next day and only a year later the first 100mph lap of the circuit was achieved.

We’d like to think there are still records to be broken at Brooklands and, judging by the number of people who have been looking at the Museum’s website, it might happen. This is thanks to the success of the television series Secrets of the Transport Museum currently on the Yesterday Channel. It’s great to know people who are new to Brooklands are keen to find out more and visit just as the Museum reopens.

Alisdair Suttie Editor Brooklands

Bulletin

Become a Member

Brooklands Members is the official support organisation for Brooklands Museum and is dedicated to raising funds for the preservation of the historic Brooklands site.

Members receive the Bulletin six times per year and enjoy free admission to the Museum, except when major events are taking place, in which case additional charges may apply. Club Level Members have access to the Clubhouse Bar on Thursday, Friday and Sunday lunchtimes.

For full details of membership benefits, contact the Members Administrator, Sarah Dover 01932 857381 ext 226; or wwwbrooklandsmembers.co.uk where you can find the latest news on Brooklands.

Front Cover photo: Brooklands Museum Collection

Museum receives £432,000 grant

Brooklands Museum has been awarded a £432,000 grant as part of the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. The grant will be used to enhance the visitor experience, and prepare to reopen the aircraft and interactives around the Museum safely later in the summer.

The award was made at the beginning of April and will also help cover Brooklands’ running costs when it was closed during the lockdown period.

Tamalie Newbery, CEO and Museum Director, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to receive this funding. The third lockdown added to the challenges and financial hardship facing Brooklands. This award will help us carry out essential maintenance and repair work to our built heritage, preserving it for future generations.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: ‘The Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they have ever faced. Now, we’re staying by their sides as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors.’

The new grant is in addition to emergency funds received in 2020, bringing the total support to date to £1.7m. Tamalie Newbery added: ‘Brooklands is an award-winning museum and we will now be able to carry on our work preserving the site and collection.’

Brooklands TV series is a hit Brooklands reopens

Brooklands Museum reopened on 16 April for Members and visitors to enjoy outdoors exhibits on Fridays and Saturdays only.

The Museum will reopen from Wednesday to Sunday for indoor and outdoor spaces from 19 May, provided there is no change to guidance from the government and Elmbridge Council. The Museum will be open seven days a week during the halfterm school holiday and visitors will be able to enjoy vehicle demonstration runs (weather permitting).

Due to Covid restrictions, social distancing of two metres must be observed regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not. If social distancing of less than two metres is unavoidable, face coverings should be worn.

Members need to pre-book a free timed entry ticket. The ticket will include a scannable barcode that you need to show on arrival, along with your membership card.

Secrets of the Transport Museum is now showing on the Yesterday Channel and early indications are it’s a big success. There are 10 episodes, each with a first airing at 8pm on a Tuesday and available on catch-up on UKTV Play.

Early episodes have already demonstrated the wide range of the Brooklands collection, with everything from driving ‘Daisy’, the 1904 Siddeley that belonged to Ethel Locke King, to the 1971 Hawker Siddeley Harrier on long term display at the Museum.

Reaction to Secrets of the Transport Museum has been very enthusiastic from Members, everyone involved with Brooklands, and the wider audience. One Member told the Bulletin: ‘What a great show and I’ve learned a lot from watching the series. It’s great to peak behind the scenes and find out more about some areas that I normally wouldn’t look at. Well done, Brooklands.’

Consultation success on Brooklands future

Brooklands Museum’s Volunteers helped the Trustees and staff with the ongoing consultation on how the Museum will need to change in the next 20 years. Workshops held in March and April looked at how the Museum will remain relevant and inspiring to a wide range of people to ensure it is financially sustainable and able to care for the site and collection properly.

There were two online workshops. The first looked at the new vision for the Museum ‘Inspiring people to shape the future through Brooklands’ history of innovation and endeavour.’ They were able to view a video explaining the vision, which Members can find on the website at: www.brooklandsmuseum.com/about

The workshop looked at how we tell Brooklands’ stories and make them relevant to more people by including links to wider world events. It also considered more stories about the people who succeeded at Brooklands and linking groundbreaking achievements of the past to technology and engineering today.

The second workshop discussed how the museum site will evolve to deliver the vision. There were ideas for new attractions, as well as how the site layout could be made simpler. Practical challenges were addressed such as cafes and toilets, and how some buildings could be better used. This element was led by our masterplan architects, Purcell.

Everyone agreed it is important not to lose Brooklands’ special character. Many suggestions were about enhancing the site’s historic character and showing that Brooklands is a working place, where history is kept alive.

The workshops were extremely well attended, with 115 people taking part in the online workshops and and many more watching the video. The consultation results are now being reviewed by Trustees as we consider which ideas to take forward into our plans for the future. There will be a feature about this in the next edition of the Bulletin.

Message from Members’ Chairman

I hope that by the time this edition reaches you, the Museum will have reopened, albeit with limits on the number of visitors allowed on site and initially only outdoors. I appreciate how much you have missed Brooklands and, although we have tried hard to keep in touch during the pandemic through the wonders of modern technology, it can never replace the experience of visiting in person.

I hope you have been watching the excellent Secrets of the Transport Museum series on Yesterday TV and it’s whetted your appetite to visit again. Many of you have also been tuning in to our Brooklands TV talks during the past year. While we hope to return to holding talks in the Napier Room in due course, the popularity of the streamed talks has convinced us there is a long-term future for them, running alongside live events. We have recently updated our equipment to ensure we deliver first class, professional content. All on the Talks team can be justifiably proud of the progress we have made over the last couple of years. There is no doubt the restrictions imposed by the pandemic accelerated that progress and, as Plato said, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’.

As you will be aware, we postponed our AGM last year and have been considering whether to delay it again until 2022 or hold it this year. After discussions with the Trustees, who are ultimately responsible for our constitution, we have agreed to go ahead later this year and the date has been provisionally set for 15 September. We would like to be able to hold both the AGM and the traditional presentation by the Museum Director in the Napier Room. Restrictions on numbers attending indoor events and social distancing requirements may prevent that, in which case we will need to host a virtual event. Due to the current uncertainties, we are planning for a virtual event, with the option to add a live element for a hybrid event if conditions allow. You will find a formal notification from our Secretary elsewhere in this edition, with an invitation to get in touch if you wish to stand for

HSA begins teaching

The Heritage Skills Academy is now fully operational at its new second facility in the Flight Shed Workshop in partnership with Brooklands Museum. The purpose-built workshop is divided into two spaces, one for teaching coachwork and the other for mechanical work. Apprentices are now onsite and enjoying the new facility.

Stirling Moss Tribute

The Stirling Moss Tribute on the 12 September will feature the Ferguson P99. It’s the only four-wheel drive car to have won a Formula 1 race, driven by Sir Stirling in the non-championship 1961 Gold Cup event. This celebration will bring together an unprecedented number of his racing cars, and you can read the full story of the P99 in the next Bulletin.

election to the Committee.

Our new (2018) constitution provides for the introduction of e-voting, and we announced at our last AGM in 2019 that we would be introducing this for future elections. Irrespective of whether we have a virtual or a hybrid meeting, we will be inviting you to vote online in advance and discussions are currently ongoing with an e-ballot provider. In addition to voting for candidates for Committee, we will ensure the 2019, and hopefully 2020, accounts are circulated in advance of the meeting.

As the Museum has been closed, Gareth Tarr, our Treasurer, has only recently been able to fully review the 2019 accounts and I am pleased to report these reflect the healthy position we were in immediately prior to the pandemic. The 2020 accounts may not present such a rosy picture, as most of our fund-raising activities have been suspended and we have had to reimburse a lot of payments for cancelled events. However, we remain hopeful that Gareth will be able to review them well in advance of our AGM so they can also be circulated. The Committee approved the 2019 accounts at our last meeting in March and I am going to arrange for them to be posted on our website as soon as possible.

Given the current climate of optimism following the successful roll-out of the vaccination programme, we are proceeding in a positive manner and I have been in touch with Members’ President Damon to assess his availability to attend our Annual Dinner. I am pleased to report we have found a couple of gaps in his crowded diary and hope to confirm a date later in the summer. Although the only certainty about this pandemic is there is no certainty, I remain confident we can look forward to a really enjoyable summer at the Museum and look forward to seeing you there in glorious sunshine.

Neil Bailey

Tamalie Newbery

Unit 6, Studley Court, Guildford Road, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8EB

Unit 6, Studley Court, Guildford Road, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8EB

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MUSEUM updates

Director’s Message

After what felt like a very long winter, spring has arrived at Brooklands Museum and the site is looking fantastic, ready to welcome Members and visitors back as soon as possible. At the time of writing, we are getting ready to open for outdoor visits from mid-April. The admission price is reduced and we do not expect to do more than cover the costs associated with reopening the site, but we really wanted people to be able to visit and to give Members the opportunity to come back, at least in some form. We are looking forward to opening fully as soon as we are allowed and, at the time of writing, this is expected to be from 19 May.

The past few weeks have brought us some very welcome, good news. The much-anticipated television series, Secrets of the Transport Museum, launched on 30 March and everyone seems to be delighted with how well it portrays Brooklands’ history and all the passion that goes into looking after our collection. The viewing figures have been fantastic and we have seen a big increase in traffic to the website and on social media, so it is really helping get the word out. I did a live interview from the Museum on BBC Breakfast to promote the show, which also led to a spike in website visits. If you’ve missed any episodes you can catch up online on UKTV Play.

We were also awarded a £432,000 grant by Arts Council England from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund. This is emergency funding to help us with the impacts of Covid on the Museum’s finances aand brings the total amount of support to date to £1.7m. The award was the twelfth largest to a Museum in that round and it is very good to see Brooklands’ value being recognised in this way.

We have been thinking a lot about the Museum’s future over the past few months and how we can improve it, to better fulfil our

Motoring Volunteers

vision of ‘Inspiring people to shape the future through Brooklands’ history of innovation and endeavour.’ I look forward to sharing more with you about this in the next edition of the Bulletin. In the meantime, I hope we will see you back at the Museum soon.

Tamalie Newbery

We covered the work that has been carried out on the MG PA in the previous issue of the Bulletin. However, the gremlins crept in on the page, where the photo accompanying the story was of the MG M Type and not the PA. To correct that and so you can all enjoy seeing the PA in its full glory, we have a couple of images of the car out in the sunshine when the Museum was open last year.

As many of you will recognise, John Philips is at the wheel of the PA with Debbie Crawt alongside. You’ll also spot the 1904 Siddeley ‘Daisy’ in the background of one of the pictures,

which enjoyed a starring role in the first episode of Secrets of the Transport Museum. Hopefully, you will have enjoyed watching Roger Horsfield coaxing this historic car into fine working order for Tamalie Newbery to realise her ambition to drive Ethel Locke King’s car at Brooklands.

We’re looking forward to driving the MG PA as the Museum reopens. After the work to get the car running, which included a full electrical check and dealing with some rotten wood in the footwells, the MG is in good health.

Chris Bound

R

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All together

Dear Sir,

Anna Jackson’s article about Abbie Eaton and her predecessors in the January-February Bulletin was an amusing read for me. I am just one of well over 500,000 female bikers on UK roads, but it still seems to surprise some people.

In Denmark, bumping into a male colleague who was wearing motorbike gear, I asked him which one of the bikes parked outside was his ride. His reply? The ‘blue one’! When I expressed astonishment that such a tall chap could ride a little Aprilia Pegaso, he was stunned for a moment, then mumbled something about it being quite roomy.

Don’t think it’s just the men, either. At my chiropractor’s, I was sitting in the waiting room, the last patient of the day. His wife walked in and asked the receptionist whether she knew who had left a motorcycle behind in the car park.

This type of incident is not just common in petrol-driven pursuits. When my 10 self-assemble wardrobes turned up, the young delivery man wanted to know where to put them. I asked him to stack them up against the wall so I had enough floor space to assemble them. He looked at me in total disbelief, expressing astonishment that I would be doing the work myself. Maybe this was more due to my advanced age as I was, after all, 60 at the time!

Thank goodness for Brooklands, the one place where we can all come together, men and women, in our love of all things motorised.

Kind regards,

Lois Clark

Farnborough Air Show memory

Dear Sir,

Further to my article ‘Apprentice for Life’ in the March-April Brooklands Bulletin, I mention one of the Section Leaders, Mr Archie Chandler. His son and family were unlucky enough to be at the 1952 Farnborough Air show when John Derry lost control and tragically crashed into the crowd. He evidently was trying to show that the Hunter DH110 could break the sound barrier, but the aircraft broke up, plunged into the crowd and killed 29 people plus the pilot and observer.

All three of Mr Chandler’s family were killed on that dreadful day. His son James Eric Chandler, his daughter-in-law Joyce Mary Chandler, and his grandson Charles Eric Chandler.

The whole factory was in shock, Archie Chandler was held in such high esteem as one of the most skilled men on the shop floor. He told me that the Thiel Mill that I was working on was used by him during the war to machine parts of the undercarriage for the Spitfire.

I am writing this letter because I feel it is part of the history of Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands and if not written down will be lost forever.

Best regards,

John Burch

Aston thanks

Dear Sir,

I have just seen Paula Ware’s outstanding drawing of my Aston Martin Razor Blade (on loan to the Museum) on the Brooklands website. I’d like to congratulate her for the drawing, which is very precise and accurate.

Thank you, Paula! I hope one day I will be able to thank you in person someday soon.

Cheers, James Cheyne

Book support

Dear Sir,

I’d like to thank Andrew Inglis for his letter published in the March-April Bulletin and his generous comments regarding book reviews. I am sure I speak for all Bulletin book reviewers when I say that feedback is always appreciated and it’s nice to know our opinions are trusted and valued. I reviewed the Louis Coatalen book Andrew refers to and would like to make a couple of follow up observations.

Firstly, Oliver Heal’s Coatalen biography made the short list of the RAC Motoring Book of the Year 2020. My interview with Oliver about the book is available on BMtv. Secondly, the publication of the book was sponsored by the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust, an organisation set up in the early 1980s in memory of the motoring journalist ‘to encourage the recording and publishing of motoring history.’ Among other books supported by the Trust are Karl Ludvigsen’s Reid Railton - Man of Speed which was launched at Brooklands in 2018. Members might like to check the Trust’s website for other publications they have sponsored: www.michaelsedgwicktrust.co.uk

Kind regards,

Gareth Tarr

Women and Brooklands

display that were raced by women, the 1933 9hp Singer driven by Eileen Ellison and the 1933 Monza Grand Prix Duesenberg, later driven by one of Brooklands’ great drivers, Gwenda Stewart. Both cars were on permanent display with captions that credited their female drivers. The Duesenberg spent much of its time on display in the Grand Prix Exhibition.

There was also a display about the New Imperial Works Rider of the 1920s, Jessie Ennis, in the Motorcycle Exhibition along with items representing others such as Kay Petre and Tilly Shilling. Ethel Locke King herself has, quite rightly, always been given a high profile as a motorist at the Museum.

Should we be led to believe that all of the above-mentioned exhibits are no longer on view?

Dear Sir,

I was puzzled to read a statement in your lead article in the Jan-Feb 2021 Bulletin, under the sub-heading Women in Motorsport: ‘For a young girl visiting Brooklands looking for stories of the drivers that came before her, the only women she’ll see are in a photograph of a cabaret held by the Doghouse Owners’ Club.’

When I was last at the Museum, there was a room in the Clubhouse dedicated to Brooklands women racing drivers and record breakers with photographs and memorabilia recording the most accomplished of them. There were two cars in particular on

Seems like yesterday

Dear Sir, Reading Morag Barton’s piece in the Bulletin (March-April issue) reminded me that I have been visiting the Brooklands Museum almost since it opened. I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited at least once every year since and have always found something new and exciting to discover.

Perhaps it’s a trick of my age, but it seems like only yesterday when I brought my children to Brooklands when it originally opened. Now, I take my grandchildren and it’s a pleasure to see them take as much interest in the exhibits as their parents did all those years ago. It’s such an involving place for children and we are very much looking forward to coming back this summer when the Museum is back in full swing.

Well done to everyone at Brooklands for keeping the Museum well and truly alive during the trying times of the past 12 months.

Yours sincerely,

Eleanor Stansfield

Hyphen please

Dear Sir,

First, let me say how much I enjoy every edition of the Bulletin, which my daughter passes on to me with her Membership. There is one small point I’d like to make, though, and that is the name Vickers-Armstrongs is hyphenated. It’s a small thing, but I feel it is important given the company’s long association with Brooklands. Even so, it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of John Burch’s excellent article about his time as an apprentice at the firm.

Best regards,

R Henry

Best regards,

John Pulford

There are a number of exhibits still available to be viewed across the Museum that represent the role of women at Brooklands. However, their visibility and the stories being told are limited. This makes it a challenge for people to engage with these and for the stories to have the impact we want them to have. There are opportunities to improve this as we look to redisplay the Motoring Village in the future.

Alex Patterson

Apprentice praise

Dear Sir,

I was delighted to read in recent Bulletins about the Heritage Skills Academy ‘setting up shop’ at Brooklands. What a perfect combination these two make and how vital it is to train a new generation of engineers to restore, preserve and run the machines we all love so much.

Perhaps when the world has reverted to normal service, there might be a chance for Members to see the HSA apprentice workshop and how the recruits are trained? I enjoyed an apprenticeship and know how much pride these young people take in their work. It would be a treat to see them ‘on the tools’.

Best regards,

Bob Warborough

We hope to run occasional open days with the HSA when Covid restrictions allow - Editor

2021 Events Calendar

Sun 27th June London Bus Museum Summer Gathering

Sun 4th July Motorcycle Day

Sun 18th July Italian Car Day

Sat 24th July Vintage Festival: Spirit of Britain

Sun 1st August Brooklands Members RetroJumble and Classic Car Show

Sat 7th August Brooklands Relived celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the British Grand Prix

Sun 22nd August Summer Classic Gathering

Sun 5th September American Day

Sun 12th September Stirling Moss Tribute

Sun 26th September Emergency Services Day

Sun 3rd October Mini Day

Sun 17th October Autumn Motorsport Day

Sun 24th October London Bus Museum Transportfest

Sun 31st October Vintage Sports Car Club Driving Tests

Sun 21st November Military Vehicles Day

For more information visit

forthcoming events

2021 Museum Events

The Events List is subject to change, so please check the website: www. brooklandsmuseum.com. Email events@ brooklandsmuseum.com or telephone the Museum on: 01932 857381 for information. Test Hill, car rides and engine runs are subject to operational conditions. Due to the Coronavirus situation, please check the website for the most up-to-date information on events. Some events may have limited capacity. Thank you for all of your support.

May

24 Castle Combe track day. For roadgoing cars. UK driving licence and helmet required, but no special clothing. Entry for Members is £180 (non-Members £190) for a single car and driver. At least 28 entries needed to make it viable. No payment required at this time.

June

19-20 Summer Festival of Motorsport

- Double 12. A celebration of racing machinery, and riders and drivers.

July

4 Motorcycle Day. Two-wheel action of all ages, shapes and sizes.

18

24

August

1 Brooklands Members RetroJumble and Classic Car Show. One of the Brooklands summer highlights.

7 Brooklands Relived Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the British Grand Prix Marking the first ever British Grand Prix that was held at Brooklands. 22 Summer Classic Gathering. Cars, motorcycles and plenty more to enjoy.

September

5 American Day. All things US descend on Brooklands.

Brooklands Members Talks: update

With ongoing restrictions for public gatherings indoors, the Talks team has moved Members’ Talks presentations online through BM.tv. Please note the new number for the Talks Booking Line is: 07955 462392. The email address remains: talks@ brooklandsmembers.co.uk

We’ve just recorded our 100th podcast in conversation with renowned artist Michael Turner about his book The Michael Turner Collection. Another recent addition is with Iain Murray of the Barnes Wallis Foundation called Highball - the other bouncing bomb. We have also recorded a live event with motorcycle racers Maria Costello and Steve Parrish. They can all be viewed on our BM.tv channel. You can find a link on the BM.tv section of the Museum website. Future Talks will include Formula 1 driver John Watson in conversation with Simon Taylor.

We are aware that this form of technology is not to everyone’s taste, but during these challenging times it does provide us with a platform to keep the Talks alive and Members entertained and informed. As we come out the current restrictions with the likelihood of smaller audiences in a venue, we will be able to stream to hundreds, not just 20 people in a room!

Steve Clarke and The

26 Emergency Services Day. Enjoy the history of the blue light services.

October

3 Mini Day. A day for all things great and small.

10 Motorcycle Day*

17 Autumn Motorsport Day. A fantastic day out for motor racing fans.

24 Transportfest (London Bus Museum). All aboard for a great day out.

November

21 Military Vehicles Day. From bicycles to tanks for the family and enthusiast to enjoy.

*Alternative date for Brooklands Motorcycle Day

2021 Members’ Events

For Members’ Tours and Trips information, please contact Angela Hume on: angelahume@brooklandsmembers.co.uk

September

4-5 Bournemouth Air Festival and SS Shieldhall. Rescheduled from 2020, everyone should have an email confirming their new booking or refund.

5 Shere Hill Climb. Booking opens on 1 March. Please let Angela Hume know if you want to be included in the Brooklands Paddock.

9-13 Jersey International Motoring Festival. Rescheduled from 2020. A chance to spectate or compete in the hillclimb and sprint, plus scenic driving routes.

28 Shelsley Walsh. Visit the oldest continuous motorsport venue in the world and drive up this famous hillclimb. Excellent local food and accommodation included. Check website for more details.

30-3 Oct Llanerchindda Weekend. This ever-popular weekend in the heart of Wales takes in the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian mountains for some excellent driving roads. This is a second chance for those who missed the previous event.

Talks Team

Italian Car Day. From Abarth to Zagato, a day to admire all things automotive from Italy.

Vintage Aviation Festival. Enjoy classic aircraft at Brooklands.

12 Stirling Moss Tribute. A tribute to the former Brooklands Members’ President.

27 London Bus Museum Summer Gathering. On the Buses is a fun event for family and enthusiasts.

A MAN OF FIRSTS

In the second part of the Sir Henry Segrave story, we look at the feats later in his career that led to him being the first person to hold simultaneous Land and Water Speed Records.

Words: Gareth Tarr Photo: Brooklands Museum Collection, Gareth Tarr, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The 1000hp Sunbeam used twin 22.4-litre Matabele V12 engines with 440hp each. Although not as powerful as the car’s name suggested, it was still more than enough to win Segrave the Land Speed Record at 203.792mph.

The outright Land Speed Record was broken at Brooklands for the third and final time by Kenelm Lee Guinness on 17 May, 1922 with the 18.3-litre aero-engined Sunbeam. His two runs were 133.75mph over a kilometre and a mile at 129.17mph. Major Henry de Hane Segrave watched on with envy at his friend’s achievements. The 350hp Sunbeam was subsequently bought by Malcolm Campbell and became the revised Sunbeam Bluebird he used to raise the record to 150.76mph at Pendine Sands in July 1925.

Sunbeam’s competition boss Louis Coatalen was aware the firm’s motor racing star was waning. As a result, he created a supercharged 4-litre engine from a pair of 2-litre Grand Prix blocks joined on a single crankcase. This 296bhp V12

engine was mounted in a chassis using several Grand Prix car parts. It was capable of many uses, record breaking being one, and it gained the Brooklands lap record.

In late 1925, Segrave tested the V12 Sunbeam at Brooklands before it was taken to Southport Beach in March 1926 to break Campbell’s record. Initially, Segrave was frustrated by supercharger breakages caused by sand. Designer Captain JC ‘Jack’ Irving wanted to return to Wolverhampton, but de Hane asked for the supercharger to be modified for one last try. He made his decisive run on 16 March. The Southport sand was bumpy and he took the first run steadily but went flat out on the return. Nearing the end, he hit a gully formed by draining water, the car jumped 49ft, over-revved the engine and broke the supercharger. Nevertheless, he had his record, achieving an average of 152.33mph over the kilometre.

Segrave’s Land Speed Record lasted only six weeks. On 28 April at Pendine, Parry Thomas raised it to 171.02mph over a kilometre and Campbell’s mile record to 170.624mph. His car was the 26.9-litre Liberty-engined Babs, converted from Count Zborowski’s Higham Special which raced at Brooklands in 1924.

Aiming higher

Segrave met Louis Coatalen in London and pondered: ‘Can’t we really bust the record and do 200mph?’ It was an astonishing thought, increasing the new record by nearly a fifth. In his biography The Lure of Speed, Segrave added: ‘Never before had the attainment of such a high speed been aimed at.’

Coatalen’s answer was a vehicle with two First World War Sunbeam 22.4-litre V12 Matabele engines with 440hp each. Designed by Jack Irving, this monster had engines fore and aft with a central gearbox alongside the driver. Its all-enveloping bodywork was 23ft long and 6ft wide, and it weighed 3.8-tons. Total power was short of the ‘1000hp Sunbeam’ the car was called, but it was a catchy title. When it was fired up, de Hane said: ‘It is the only

time I have stood in front of a car and doubted human ability to control it.’

The Sunbeam Talbot Darracq board agreed to build the car and imposed a strict budget. It cost around £5,400 and required all of Segrave’s charm to bring it to fruition. Its sponsors favoured a British location, but Segrave calculated only the Ormond-Daytona Beach in Florida, USA would suffice and he funded the travel to America and mechanics’ costs himself. Official timing would be by the American Automobile Association (AAA), which was not part of the AIACR (Association Internationale des Automobiles Clubs

Reconnus), forerunner of today’s FIA, so the record would not receive international recognition. Therefore, De Hane had to get the two bodies to agree on timing equipment. During the sea journey to America, Segrave learned Parry Thomas had been killed at Pendine attempting to beat Campbell’s record. Testing at Daytona commenced on 21 March, the 1000hp Sunbeam requiring modifications and further tests.

On Tuesday 29 March, 1927 in front of 30,000 spectators, Segrave began his attempt. Racing towards the measured mile, a side wind caught the Sunbeam and

it took de Hane 1.5 miles to correct. He flashed through the kilometre, mile and 5km markers. The car skidded again for 400 yards and, when de Hane applied the brakes, the aluminium shoes melted. Faced with sandbanks to the right, the Halifax river ahead or the sea to the left, Segrave chose the Atlantic Ocean, hitting the shallows at an estimated 55mph. In plumes of spray, the car slowed, and the engines were undamaged. New Dunlop tyres were fitted for the faster return run down wind. Segrave swept past the enthralled crowd, fighting the steering to keep the monster in a straight line and through the timed sections. This pass was less dramatic and Segrave was told ‘You’ve done it, Major - two oh three!’ Segrave was again the fastest man on Earth, his mile average of 203.792mph was 28mph faster than Campbell’s.

The news travelled fast. Segrave did a telephone interview with the Evening Telegraph and 50 minutes later special editions were on sale in London. Before leaving America, he met Commodore Garfield Wood, the Water Speed recordholder in the 1500hp speedboat Miss America V. Back in England, there were receptions, dinners and public appearances. The 1000hp Sunbeam went on display in Selfridges. Charles Segrave visiting the store told an assistant of his relationship to the driver. The reply came: ‘Really sir? You’re the fourth father we’ve had today.’

Golden Arrow

Among the congratulatory telegrams Segrave received at Daytona, one read: ‘Damn good show – Campbell.’ He knew his record wouldn’t last for ever and, in February 1928, Campbell achieved 206.95mph at Daytona in the Napierengined Bluebird. In April, the creation of a new record car for Major Segrave was announced. Four days later, American Ray Keech took the record to 207.55mph with White Triplex that had three Liberty aero engines totalling 81 litres. The new British challenger, the Irving-Napier, more popularly called Golden Arrow, was based around a 900hp Napier W12 aero engine. Designer Irving reduced frontal area, giving the car faired wheels, inter-axle sponsons, tight-fitting bodywork around the engine, and a vertical tail fin for stability. Golden Arrow was built at the KLG Robinhood works in Putney Vale, London with bodywork manufactured by Thrupp and Maberly.

On 29 January, 1929 at a party in Rootes’ showroom on Piccadilly, novelist Gilbert Franklin remarked of Golden Arow: ‘I wouldn’t drive that car for all the money

By the time of this Junior Car Club Meeting in the spring of 1926 with Segrave beside his Sunbeam road car, he already held a new Land Speed Record at 152.33mph over a kilometre distance

Major Segrave said of the 1000hp Sunbeam that it was the only car he ‘doubted human ability to control it.’ However, he mastered it on the sand of Daytona, Florida in the USA

This image captures Segrave during his Land Speed Record-setting run on Daytona Beach on 29 March, 1927. On his previous run, the aluminium brake shoes had melted and Segrave took to the surf to stop safely.

On returning to the UK, Segrave and the 1000hp Sunbeam were in demand for guest appearances. He is seen here at the wheel of the car at Brooklands on the Finishing Straight.

in the world.’ Segrave responded: ‘It’s this boat (Miss England) that puts the breeze up me, kill me before I’m through with her, I expect.’

The Segrave team were in Daytona by 9 February. White Triplex would run if Golden Arrow was successful, but record holder Keech refused to drive so

owner JM White asked the inexperienced Lee Bible. Golden Arrow made only one practice run, achieving 180mph before bad weather postponed running for 14 days.

On 11 March, Golden Arrow was ready and 100,000 people turned out for the spectacle. The beach was bumpier than in 1927 and as Golden Arrow entered

the mile it flew about 30ft, but de Hane found it far easier to handle than the Sunbeam, flashing through the mile in 15.55 seconds. Six minutes later he made the return run, taking 15.57 seconds to average 231.446mph, beating the record by 24mph. The following day, Lee Bible went out in the White Triplex and was killed when he lost control, so Segrave abandoned plans to take the record above 240mph. Remarkably, Golden Arrow has covered less than 25 miles under its own power, a mere 10 minutes running time.

On 6 April, Segrave departed for England via Cherbourg. On arrival in France, he received a telegram that said he was to be knighted. At Southampton, he was handed a telegram from King George V that read: ‘I send you my hearty congratulations on your splendid achievement.’ The train back to London carried a placard reading ‘Welcome home, Segrave’ and a procession took him to the Houses of Parliament before a reception at the May Fair Hotel. Segrave’s investiture took place on 27 May at Craigwell House, Bognor and King George was amused the speed king was 20 minutes late.

Water success

Segrave’s boat racing activities began at the Hythe Regatta in May 1927, winning in his 8hp dinghy called Meteorite at a sedate 17.9 knots. The following summer, he progressed to the 500hp Miss Alacrity. Its engine failed at Cowes Regatta, but at Hythe he won the British Sea Mile Challenge Cup at 60.4mph.

Next came Miss England, which he took to America in spring 1929 with Golden Arrow. Miss England also used a 900hp Napier engine installed in a 26ft hull. The boat’s race debut was on 20

The popularity and impact of Segrave’s Land Speed Record effort was immense and can be gauged by toys like this Schylling model that many children received as a momento of the event.

Major Segrave with his wife at Daytona Beach, Miami with Golden Arrow that he used to raise the Land Speed Record to 231.446mph on 11 March, 1929.

This rear view of Golden Arrow clearly shows the long tail fin that helped to give the car greater stability at high speeds. The car has driven less than 25 miles under its own power.

March at the Biscayne Regatta, Miami in the Carl Fischer Cup, with two 12-mile heats. Main rival was the fastest boat in the world, Gar Wood’s 2200hp Packardpowered Miss America V. Despite the power differential, de Hane told the press: ‘There is just a chance I may win.’ In the first heat, Miss America V stormed into an expected lead but hit trouble on the third lap. The English combine won, with Gar Wood scoring nothing. The following day, Miss England only had to finish the second heat to secure victory, which she did.

On 2 June, Miss England and Miss Alacrity raced in the German Motorboat Championship at Templiner See at Potsdam in Germany, Segrave winning six races. At the Venice Lido International motorboat race, Miss England faced Gar Wood’s latest craft Miss America VII which had increased the Water Speed Record to 92.863mph the previous September. Segrave won the Crown Prince’s Cup contest, averaging 91.91mph and beating Miss America VII driven by Phil Wood, Gar’s brother. The following day, de Hane won the Coppa Volpi, with Miss England unofficially timed at 93.5mph.

Segrave estimated Miss England could probably do 95mph, but he didn’t want to take the water speed record by a narrow margin, he wanted to smash it. In October, Miss England II was announced, which was much bigger at 38ft 6in long. It weighed 4.25 tons and was powered by twin supercharged Rolls-Royce aero engines with 1850hp apiece. Long-time sponsor Lord Wakefield launched the £25,000 craft on 5 June at Lake Windermere. Five days later, she had her first fast run. Riding with Segrave were Michael Wilcocks, an engineer from Somerset, and Vic Halliwell, an engine specialist from Rolls-Royce. The boat proved immediately quick and on

the return run was up to 107mph when the propeller broke. Over the coming days, various propellers were tried without success, but she did clock 101.9mph for the two runs on one occasion but the official timekeepers were not present.

The timekeepers were required at the Isle of Man TT races, so Friday the 13th was the last possible day for the record. A nervous Lady Segrave remarked: ‘I feel that something may happen.’ Her husband planned two runs just above record speed. De Hane said: ‘If everything is OK, I’ll run her all out and see how much over 120 she’ll do. I hope to Heaven she’ll behave herself.’ Wilcocks responded: ‘She’ll be all right, Sir, Friday the 13th is my lucky day.’ ‘That’s something, anyway,’ replied de Hane.

At 1.15pm, Miss England II completed her first two runs smoothly. Segrave tapped Wilcocks on the shoulder, pointed to the stopwatch and gave the thumbs up. The record had been broken. Miss England II commenced a third much faster run, the boat skimming the water. Wilcocks later described what happened next: ‘There was a slight thud from for’ard, a slight list and swerve to port. We straightened, then to starboard and straightened again. The

bows were rising up. She oughtn’t do this. Going over, water coming up to meet. Bang!’

Michael Wilcocks was pulled from the water bruised but otherwise okay, while Halliwell had been killed. Segrave was rescued alive and conscious but with terrible injuries. He survived only two hours, yet learned the record had officially been broken. One magazine reported he said: ‘Now one can die.’

The inquest concluded Miss England II had hit something in the water, possibly a submerged log. The verdict was accidental death. It emerged that in the last fateful moments, Segrave had tried to save his crew ahead of his own life as he wrestled with the stricken boat, a gentleman to the last. On that final run, the boat had attained an unofficial speed of 119.8mph.

The Segrave Trophy was commissioned by Lady Segrave to ‘celebrate and encourage British nationals who demonstrated outstanding skill, courage and initiative – the spirit of adventure –whether on land, sea or in the air’. It is awarded annually by the RAC Club and past winners include both Brooklands Members’ Presidents, Sir Stirling Moss in 1957 and 2005, and Damon Hill in 1996.

Miss England II was powered by twin Rolls-Royce supercharged V12 aero engines, each one producing 1850hp. It took three people to operate the boat.

Segrave lost his life after a crash in Miss England II. He set a new Water Speed Record of 98.76mph shortly before the accident, which also claimed the life of Vic Halliwell, a Rolls-Royce engineer.

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Remember Brooklands in your Will

Since 1907 extraordinary people have been making their mark at Brooklands in the fields of Motorsport, Aviation and Engineering, leaving legacies that still resonate today.

Brooklands Museum depends solely upon income from our visitors and the generosity of our supporters and sponsors to fund the restoration and interpretation of our objects and site.

If you have been inspired by the pioneers of Brooklands, please help us ensure the enjoyment of future generations at the museum by including a gift to Brooklands Museum in your Will.

If you would like to receive further information about making a charitable gift in your Will or other ways you can help support Brooklands Museum, please contact the Chief Executive’s Office: email tnewbery@brooklandsmuseum.com, call 01932 857381, or visit our website www.brooklandsmuseum.com

END OF AN AERO ERA

Brooklands is one of the world’s most prolific aircraft design, production and support sites. The closure of BAE System’s warehouse marks the end of an association that stretches back to 1907.

Words: Julian Temple Photos: BAE Systems, Julian Temple

The recent closure of the 30-year old BAE Systems Spares Logistics Centre at Brooklands marks the end of an important era for the historic Surrey aviation site. As a major aircraft manufacturing centre, Brooklands was Britain’s most prolific location for aircraft design, production and testing with a total output of almost 19,000 aircraft across 270 types from 1907 until the early 1970s. Mass production of aeroplanes started in 1915 when Vickers Aviation took over the Itala Motor Works on the east side of the Brooklands Aerodrome and Motor Circuit to build BE2c military training aircraft designed by Geoffrey de Havilland at the nearby Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough. Brooklands was also

unique as a multi-manufacturer site, with more than 40 different companies and individuals building, producing and, in most cases, test flying their machines here.

As extensive research relating to the Brooklands Aircraft Factory project confirmed in 2017, Brooklands produced more aircraft than any other single site in Britain or Europe. This remarkable achievement was beaten only by a few of America’s largest aircraft factories, particularly when mass production peaked in the USA during the Second World War.

By the late 1980s, when British Aerospace’s last factory, the East Works, was closing down at Brooklands, a major new 104,000sq ft £15m Commercial Aircraft Spares Logistics Centre was already

The BAE Systems Spares Logistics Centre closed its doors at the end of 2020, ending more than a century of aviation manufacture and support at Brooklands.

designed and under construction on the opposite side of the former aerodrome. Located at 16 Vickers Drive South on the newly named Brooklands Business Park, this scheme was organised from 1987 by former Production Control Manager Mike Booth, who oversaw its completion and opening.

The decision to locate this vast new warehouse at Brooklands was chiefly because of its proximity to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Both handled parts needed urgently by overseas operators and 70 per cent of those spares were destined for export, especially to America. Another potential factor is British Aerospace may still have held a stake in the land ownership on this part of Brooklands at that time. Detailed research on Brooklands’ history after I started work at the Museum in 1986 confirms the company’s former West Works and aerodrome west of the River Wey was sold off by the British Aircraft Corporation in 1974 for £8m to Oyster Lane Properties Ltd, a joint venture company formed earlier by Vickers and GEC. London-based architects and quantity surveyors Fuller Peiser was then still actively developing the Brooklands Business Park. In parallel with this, when the closure of the East Works was announced in July 1986, another joint venture company was created by British Aerospace and Trafalgar House tasked with redeveloping that site together with the former aerodrome Brooklands Central Area which ultimately saw the creation of Mercedes-Benz World nearly 20 years later.

A third less obvious factor behind the new centre’s location at Brooklands may have been the earlier loss of the British Aerospace Weybridge factory’s main Civil Aircraft Spares stores and contents in a devastating fire on 27 January, 1980. Located on the East Works site in a 40,218sq ft building previously used for Systems Test and Experimental work, these premises were empty when the fire occurred, so nobody was injured. The blaze was caused by a wiring fault and the loss of aircraft spare parts valued at £20m was said to be the UK’s biggest industrial insurance claim at that time. Important spares were destroyed for civil airliners then supported by British Aerospace including Britannia, Concorde, One-Eleven, VC10, Vanguard and Viscount.

When the unofficial replacement new facility opened in 1990, according to Flightpath - The newspaper of British Aerospace Commercial Aircraft issue 18, June 1990, it offered unprecedented customer service 24 hours a day and replaced nine existing stores in the UK. Comprising three huge storage bays with a three-storey office area in one corner, it featured state-of-the-art fire detection and extinguishing equipment. It also had a fully computerised automated handling system to supply billions of pounds of urgently needed parts worldwide as quickly as possible. Each part was given a bar code to record its place of manufacture and inspector’s name, and all orders from Customer Support Departments came to the centre’s computer via a mainframe computer at the company’s Chadderton factory in Manchester. There were 150 staff at its operational peak, although it was originally intended to have a team of 70. They included Bill Hilsdon, the first Warehouse Manager, who was later succeeded by Mike Steelwell and then Mick Porter until 2014. Colin Buckmaster was the first Quality Control Operator.

Other technical details from Flightpath tell us the internal shelving was more than 10-metres high with room for 25,632 storage trays for aircraft parts. Each tray measured 120 x 60cm and could be subdivided into 48 sections. The automatic warehouse was unmanned and operated by five cranes, each weighing 4.9-tonnes

Construction of the purpose-designed centre began in the late 1980s and it was operational by the middle of 1990, replacing nine existing UK stores facilities.

The BAe Jetstream 61 was among the aircraft supported by the Brooklands centre with parts available 24-hours a day all year round.

British Aerospace senior manager Mike Booth (left) oversaw the warehouse’s design, construction and opening.

but capable of moving at 14ft per second and handling 110 transactions every hour. Another dedicated storage area housed over 2000 pallets and had a wire-guided system for fork lift trucks.

The main airliner types supported for many of the next 30 years were the BAC One-Eleven, BAe 146 and its later Avro RJ/ RJX variants, BAe Jetstream 31 and 41, BAe 748 and its shortlived successors the Advanced Turbo-Prop (ATP) and the derivative Jetstream 61. Most of these aircraft were in airline service. However, some were also operated as military aircraft by British and foreign armed forces, including four BAe 146s still operational today as VIP transports with 32 (The Royal) Squadron at RAF Northolt.

Other well-known British airliner types were also supplied with spares from the new centre, included Concorde and the Vickers Viscount and Merchantman. The last Merchantman, G-APEP, was retired by Hunting Cargo Airlines at East Midlands Airport and impressively flown into Brooklands to be donated to the Museum on 17 October, 1996. Some Concorde spares were apparently still held in the Brooklands warehouse and were audited in May 2006.

Unfortunately, a major recession in commercial aviation followed the devastating terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Centre on 11 September, 2001. The fully automated storage bay was cleared and closed as the high cost of upgrading its Swiss-made OWL computer system could not be justified, but the remaining two-thirds of the warehouse continued as normal.

Later, BAE Systems warehouse manager Mick Midgely generously provided free storage for Brooklands Museum’s large number of older Concorde, Vanguard, Viscount and VC10 airliner spares. In March 2013, to facilitate the Stratosphere Chamber’s conservation, I secured further sponsorship from Mick who very kindly permitted us to use two 40ft shipping containers outside the BAE building to accommodate spare aircraft seats and other material. BAE staff even provided a vehicle to assist with this task which was greatly appreciated and the only condition was that we acquired hundreds of blue plastic trays originally from the fully automated store for re-use at the Museum.

By 2015, BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Ltd’s Manager Graham Tannoch, based at Prestwick Airport, was tasked with further downsizing the Brooklands centre. This led to half of the storage space being cleared and withdrawn from use. Sadly, this saw the end of the Museum’s sponsored storage there, so we had to rent half of a large unrestored historic aircraft hangar at ex-RAF Bicester (now Bicester Heritage). This was necessary at the time as the Brooklands Aircraft Factory project was in full swing and required extra storage in 2016 to 2017.

In early 2020, with far fewer British-built airliners in service and the BAE Systems Spares Logistics Centre’s original 30-year lease

due for renewal, the company decided to close the Brooklands warehouse on 31 December. Graham Tannoch gave us permission to revisit and record the premises for the Byfleet Heritage Society.

On 17 December, Andy Lambert and I were given a fascinating guided tour by Operations Manager David Brown and his

The size of the centre’s warehouse can be gauged from the truck on the left of this image. It had to be big enough to hold an aircraft’s tail piece among the ‘Uglies’.

Father and son team Jack and David Brown. Jack started work for VickersArmstrongs at Brooklands in 1952.

The multi-coloured cargo door for a BAe 146 freighter conversion was one of the last items to be dispatched from the centre.

A fully automated parts handling system allowed the BAE Systems centre to handle thousands of parts quickly and accurately every day.

colleague Jack Brown. Jack is David’s father and started working for Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands in 1952, later specialising in factory plant room maintenance. He was one of the last British Aerospace engineers to operate the 1947 Barnes Wallis-designed Stratosphere Chamber before it was decommissioned in 1980. Remarkably, he was still working at the age of 83 when the centre closed last December. After a remarkable 68 years in the aircraft industry at Brooklands, Jack’s amazing achievement is believed to be unsurpassed and will now never be beaten. Jack and David Brown could not have been more helpful during our visit, being extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable and proud of working in this impressive building. Incidentally, as far as David knows, although the capacity was surely available, nothing larger than a complete BAC 1-11 tail-plane was ever held among ‘the Uglies’ (the nickname for large awkward parts) in the open storage bay.

Towards the end, there were just 11 remaining staff working there. During our visit, the very last pallet of spares was awaiting despatch to a customer. Otherwise, the main item of interest was a BAe 146 freighter conversion kit with an original colourful cargo door believed to be from 146-200 airliner, G-ZAPL, which was built at Hatfield in 1985.

The BAE Systems Spares Logistics Centre’s closure on Christmas Eve 2020 after 30 years of continuous operational service represented the end of Brooklands’ important contribution to the origins, growth and development of the British aerospace industry for more than 100 years. At the time of writing, the empty building

is still owned by BAE Systems but faces an uncertain future. To preserve the site’s history, I would be interested in hearing from anyone who was involved with its construction or worked there in its early years.

Thanks to David Brown, British Aerospace/BAE Systems SLC; Andy Lambert of Andys Video - you can see his video of our final tour of the centre on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvMTFWGUg4; aviation author and historian Tom Wenham.

An HS146 in the livery of SAM Colombia demonstrates the worldwide reach of the BAE Systems Spares Logistics Centre.

As the centre was gradually wound down, few spares were left. Among the last consignments were the row of seats in this photo.

THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY

The Brooklands Society helped preserve the historic Brooklands site and played an important role in establishing the Museum. We chart its roots and development.

Words: Gareth Tarr Photos: David Burgess-Wise, Gareth Tarr

In 1946, Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd bought the Brooklands site for £330,000 despite protests from the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club (BARC) and British Racing Drivers Club. Many still harboured hopes for the old track, even the return of racing.

Although re-opening the track was unlikely, many lobbied to preserve what they could. In 1957, as an act of appeasement, VickersArmstrongs agreed to fund a memorial to Brooklands on the Golden Anniversary of the track’s opening. Who better then to unveil the memorial than Lord Brabazon

of Tara, PC, CBE, MC, who drove in the parade on the opening day of the circuit 50 years earlier?

However, rather than the usual platitudes in his opening comments, his Lordship remarked: ‘We come here with little joy in our hearts. We are attending,

A Napier taking part in the 1967 Reunion. This event was organised by the Godalming Round Table and attracted a crowd of more than 10,000 visitors.

in fact, a burial service of something that was to me, and to many that are around me, one of the joys of life, and I am here to unveil a tombstone.’ Despite it being 18 years since cars and bikes had roared round Brooklands in competition, Brabazon’s words reflected the opinions of those to whom the Surrey track meant so much, and they weren’t going away quietly.

The 1957 memorial unveiling was accompanied by a party for 1000 guests, with demonstrations of many historic vehicles that had graced the circuit. In subsequent years, there were annual

gatherings, these ‘Reunions’ organised by pre-war motorcycle racer Rex Judd and held at the Hand and Spear, adjacent to Weybridge station. By 1963, Motor Sport editor William ‘Bill’ Boddy (WB) was promoting the idea of forming a ‘Brooklands Society’, saying he would be pleased to encourage any suggestions.

The following year, WB and Dudley Gahagen managed to persuade the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), which VickersArmstrongs had become part of, to allow around 100 cars to tour the remains of the old track behind a BAC Land Rover. Similar Reunions followed in 1965 and ’66, and in 1967 the Godalming Round Table took over the event. This attracted an estimated crowd of 10,000, but the sheer numbers caused great problems for BAC. The interest generated gave Boddy the impetus to accelerate his plans for The Brooklands Society, and the first meeting was held at Motor Sport’s offices on 15 August, 1967.

Society is formed

The aims of the Society included keeping alive and fostering interest in the old Motor Course, taking steps to preserve relics such

as pictures, films, and documents relating to motor racing and flying history, and potentially publishing a magazine. The title of The Brooklands Gazette had been made available by Motor Sport. Subscription was £2 for Members who went to the Track and Aerodrome in the days prior to 1940, and 10 shillings (50p) for Associates. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was the first President, although he soon handed over to Thomas Alastair Sutherland Ogilvy ‘Taso’ Mathieson. The Brooklands Society Ltd company was registered and among its memorandum were objectives ‘to preserve, restore and perpetuate the 1907-1939 Track and Aerodrome’ and ‘to seek to influence decisions by planning and other authorities… in favour of preserving the Motor Course, Aerodrome, etc.’

The Society’s badge featured the shape of the track in yellow on a black background. These were the colours of the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club and yellow was probably chosen because Lord Lonsdale, the first BARC President and founder of the Automobile Association, had a fondness for the colour. Initially, administration of the Society was run from Motor Sport’s offices, WB no doubt twisting a few arms. Dudley Gahagan, who was to be a committee member for more

Among those taking part in the 1967 Reunion at Brooklands were a number of motorcyclists on machines that had competed at the track.

Cars lined up in front of the Brooklands Memorial funded by Vickers-Armstrongs. Lord Brabazon described the memorial as a ‘tombstone’ at its unveiling.

than 30 years, latterly as Vice-President, organised film nights and reunions. In 1969, WB resigned as Honorary Secretary and administration of the Society was handed over to a new team.

In 1968, the Society published its first newsletter and in March 1970 the first journal of the Society was published called The Bulletin of the Brooklands Society. This first edition reported on the Annual Dinner held at the Lords Tavern the previous November with Lord Essendon, known as Honourable Brian Lewis in his racing days, as guest of honour. Raymond Mays, Kaye Don, and Bill Boddy were also in attendance. The Bulletin observed the distinction between Members and Associates excluded many of the latter gaining the privileges of full membership simply due to age and the long-term survival of the Society was at risk if this wasn’t addressed. The journal changed its name to Gazette in 1976.

Among those early Members were the Evans family, who had raced at Brooklands in the 1930s. Brothers Denis and Kenneth and sister Doreen campaigned MGs, and Kenneth also raced Alfa Romeos including the ex-Nuvolari P3 that won the 1935 German Grand Prix. Kenneth helped with the listing of the various parts of the Brooklands site. In the Spring 1975 Bulletin, he announced the Brooklands Ancient Monuments to be listed. This included The Railway Straight, Members Banking with abutments to the old Members Bridge that had by then been demolished, Test Hill, part of the Campbell Circuit that is today’s

Members Hill and rear restaurant building in the same location, and the flight buildings

the old Thompson and Taylor workshop, were demolished before listing could be

entrance from Brooklands Road, The Clubhouse, the former Restaurant on the Members Hill and rear restaurant building in the same location, and the flight booking office. Unfortunately, the buildings comprising the Flying Village, including the old Thompson and Taylor workshop, were demolished before listing could be registered. The only surviving building was the control tower. Today, that area in the south west corner of the site is occupied by supermarkets and warehouses. Vickers had left all sorts of debris over the site and no maintenance of the track had been performed since 1939. John Wall organised volunteer track clearers, whose laborious work continued well into the next century, and

Years of neglect during and after the Second World War left volunteers with a lot of work to clear the remaining track of debris and overgrown plants.

The final issue of The Brooklands Society Gazette was published in 2013. The yellow on black Society badge can be seen in the top right corner of the front cover.

The attraction of Brooklands remained long after the track closed for racing and brought many cars to the site for Reunions. These led to the formation of the Society.

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it demonstrated how much people cared. It also added credibility to the preservation of Brooklands as a historic site.

A step towards the Museum

In 1977, the Society registered the company Brooklands Track Ltd with the aim of buying 40 acres on the north east of the site that comprises the Museum today. Ultimately, the Society was unsuccessful in this aim as it could not raise the required funding, but it was an important step towards the establishment of the Museum.

Like the Members organisation today, revenues generated from the Brooklands Society’s activities were spent on donations to projects supporting Brooklands. Most high profile was a £10,000 donation towards the purchase of the Napier-Railton. Further notable sums were £15,000 to purchase signage, another £15,000 for display cabinets, and £1000 towards the Pratts Pagoda. In 2007, as part of the centenary celebrations, the Society commissioned a painting of the Clubhouse imagined from Test Hill on the opening day of the track that now hangs in the Napier Room.

Motor Sport and Brooklands

Following the opening of the Brooklands Museum in 1991, much of the key work of the Society had been achieved. It continued to hold annual Reunions and dinners, and publish the Gazette. The 2001 Reunion was particularly memorable, with 114 vintage Bentleys assembled to celebrate 80 years since the marque’s first win. In 2008, the Society’s Members chose not to merge with the organisation that is today’s Brooklands Members. Despite carrying on as a historical society for a few years, the Brooklands Society Members finally voted to close in 2013. Its endeavours played a huge part in preserving the historic site and without their efforts there would be no Museum today.

Many of us feel that Brooklands is still ‘one of the joys of life’ as described by Lord Brabazon and, if you want to visit the ‘tombstone’, you will find it at the Museum between Concorde and the River Wey.

Thanks go to former Brooklands Society committee members David Burgess-Wise, Tony Hutchings, and Chris Bass for their help with this article. I would like to dedicate this article to Brian Joscelyne who died last November. Named after Brian Lewis, BKJ was the last surviving Society committee member to see racing at Brooklands. It was Brian’s encouragement that got me involved in writing for the Gazette and latterly the Bulletin.

derived from a certain corner of Surrey.

However, a year later the editorial stated ‘the original title did not adequately cover the field of our activities’ and the magazine became known as Motor Sport and it continues to this day. Over the years, the magazine has been associated with several distinctive characters. In 1936, the title was saved from bankruptcy by the eccentric Wesley J Tee, and one of its most famous contributors was Denis Jenkinson who navigated Stirling Moss to his famous 1955 Mille Miglia win.

July 1924 saw the first publication of The Brooklands Gazette. It stated: ‘Brooklands is synonymous with motoring sport wherever it is held,’ while conceding ‘The attentions of this journal will not be confined to events at the Weybridge track.’

There were very few permanent racing circuits in Europe at that time. Monza

had been built two years earlier in 1922, Sitges-Terramar opened in Spain the year after, and Linas-Montlhéry was nearing completion as the Gazette published its first edition. So, the magazine was right when it said that ‘Brooklands has worldwide significance’ and it is no surprise that much of the first magazine’s content

The most famous Motor Sport personality was Bill Boddy, who first visited Brooklands aged 10 in 1926. He cut his editorial teeth at the Brooklands Track and Air magazine and wrote his first article for Motor Sport in 1930, appropriately on the history of the circuit. He soon became the magazine’s editor, doing much to build its reputation and even continued publication throughout the Second World War. He wrote for the title and the Brooklands Society Gazette until just before his death in 2011 aged 98. His love of Brooklands is reflected in his part in the inauguration of the Brooklands Society and The History of Brooklands Motor Course that was published in 1957. He was appointed MBE in 1997.

Denis Jenkinson, on the left, was a key figure at Motor Sport and a stalwart supporter of Brooklands before and after the opening of the Museum.

The popularity of Reunions at Brooklands organised by Bill Boddy, Dudley Gahagen and others can be gauged from the number of cars parked behind this Aston Martin.

At the centenary of the first motorcycle to reach 100mph at Brooklands, we look back at some of the key moments that led to this milestone in Brooklands history.

MOTORCYCLE CENTURY

Words: Martin Gegg Photos: Brooklands Museum Collection

In June 1907, Brooklands was opened for motor racing on four wheels and motorcyclists were beginning to dream of the day they could take to the Surrey track. Charlie Collier, an enthusiastic and very successful two-wheeled pioneer racer, announced it was his intention to become the first motorcyclist to record a speed of 100mph and that he was already working on a special machine specifically designed for Brooklands. The gauntlet had been thrown down, but it would not be until April of 1921 that this elusive speed would be reached in Britain.

In 1909, the record for a 1000cc motorcycle was 75.9mph, set by WE

Cook on an NLG Peugeot. The mammoth 2700cc NLG, also ridden by Cook, had the potential to reach 100mph but was only to manage an unofficial estimated speed of 90mph. Cook proclaimed it was just too powerful for the oval circuit.

Canadian-born American racer Jacob ‘Jake’ de Rosier burst onto the scene in 1911 and became Collier’s main competition, both on the track and in record attempts. He announced to the press in January that year he would be taking part in the Isle of Man TT and de Rosier first appeared at Brooklands on 3 June, when it was announced in the programme that he would be making a record attempt during the tea interval. Whether or not foul play was afoot we may never know, but the attempt was deemed unauthorised and downgraded to an exhibition ride. However, Collier won the opening round in the psychological battle by winning his race on a 580cc machine and, in doing so, setting a record for that class. This fascinating 1911 Collier versus de Rosier rivalry will be explored further in a future article.

The day before Jake de Rosier left for America, he returned to Brooklands early on Friday 4 August for a record attempt on his 7hp Indian. He elected to run down the Railway Straight towards the Members Bridge, reaching a speed of 88.77mph for the flying kilometre. This beat the outright world speed record and he became the fastest Brooklands rider. Later the same evening, the Collier family generously treated de Rosier to a farewell dinner.

Charlie Collier, keen to regain the title for Britain, was back out on the Brooklands concrete seven days later on a warm summer Friday evening on 11 August. Collier calmly and successfully demolished all of de Rosier’s records. Collier’s third run that evening set the outright world speed record for a mile at 91.37mph the fastest ever speed recorded at Brooklands on two wheels.

As racing returned to the track in 1920 following the First World War, the fastest motorcycles were averaging 80- to 85mph during races. In February of that year, in America the outright 100mph barrier was passed at 103mph and increased to 105mph in April.

Day to day racing and record setting was managed using a series of classes denoting engine size. Class E, for engines limited to 1000cc, was the largest and most likely candidate to break the 100mph barrier, but had the hallowed ground reached its limit for two-wheeled outright speed records? A limiting factor was the track, which had deteriorated since the war. Although record attempts were being made on the Railway Straight, the high speeds and modifications including light frames, big engines and often no brakes made the pursuit of ever faster speeds more dangerous. It was also not uncommon for riders to suffer head and face injuries caused by hitting the handlebars at speed on the bumpy circuit.

During the November 1920 record sessions, Bert LeVack on a very flimsy looking 992cc Indian known as the Camel

Sydney Garret waits on the Harley-Davidson for a run at Brooklands in 1921, but injury was to rule him out of the duel to reach 100mph at the track.

Douglas H Davidson was the first rider to reach 100mph at Brooklands. He was brought in to replace the injured Sydney Garrett on the race-prepared Harley-Davidson.

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beat Charlie Collier’s long-standing 1911 record at a speed of 95.24mph. The same month, Duncan Watson, who was the British agent for Harley-Davidson, had received two of the latest racing machines from America, frame numbers CA13 and CA14, with the intention of breaking the Brooklands 100mph barrier.

These 989cc machines, designed for board-track racing in the USA, were modified to increase the wheelbase for Brooklands and the team arrived at the

track for an attempt on the record on 27 April, 1921. Sydney Garrett was to have ridden one of the machines, but he was injured and his place was taken by Douglas H Davidson, a comparative newcomer to Brooklands and no relation to the manufacturer. The second rider was Claude Temple, who won the toss of a coin and selected machine CA14. It was claimed that both had reached 104mph in practice, so the record seemed to be a foregone conclusion to the team.

However, in circumstances fit for a movie, only one timekeeper was available, so the attempt was postponed until 6pm. Bert LeVack had got to hear of the attempt the previous weekend and, having spent all of Tuesday night preparing his machine, swiftly made his way to the track in time for an unofficial practice run of 103mph and was, by all accounts, confident of beating the Harley-Davidson team to 100mph.

It was a sunny evening with no wind and ideal conditions for the attempt.

Davidson outside the Clubhouse with the motorcycle he would use to set the first 100mph record. It had a specially lengthened wheelbase for Brooklands.

Bert LeVack helped raise the motorcycle speed record at Brooklands, but was to miss out on the 100mph milestone. He contemplated quitting racing as a result.

Claude Temple rode the second Harley-Davidson, frame number CA14, and came within a whisker of 100mph when he recorded 99.86mph.

Claude Temple, sporting a new Americanstyle crash helmet, was the first to run clockwise round the track with a lap to warm up. He launched himself from high up on the Member’s Banking to begin the run onto the Railway Straight. His primary chain snapped and his run was over.

Next to run was Davidson, who completed the run perfectly to set a new outright record of 97.26mph. Bert LeVack followed on the 992cc Indian, which had a shorter wheelbase, and he increased the record to 98.98mph. As he crossed the line, he must have known this was to be his last run of the session as he had broken a cam lever, smashed the timing case and lost a push rod. Davidson ran again, but was unable to beat LeVack’s time. Billy Wells, the Indian Motorcycle importer and LeVack’s sponsor, was keen for Bert to have another run. However, the late nights meant that he was just too shattered to

complete the repairs and the session was adjourned at dusk until the following day.

During the afternoon of Thursday 28 April, Claude Temple made several attempts on the record. He was able to achieve a tantalisingly close speed of 99.86mph, beating LeVack’s record of the previous day. We can only presume that Temple’s machine was not yet fixed because Davidson ran next on frame CA13, running down the Railway Straight’s measured kilometre in 22.2 seconds, equivalent to 100.76mph, and became the winner of the Godfrey Cup for the first motorcycle to reach 100mph on British soil. He also went on during the same session to set a new flying mile and 10-mile records, while Temple was never able to beat his own fastest time.

In a postscript to this story, Bert LeVack, who was devastated at not getting to 100mph, contemplated giving up racing.

The perils of speed

However, Billy Wells managed to persuade him to have another go at beating the record. Bert realised the valves he was using needed increased clearance, which had resulted in his previous failure. On Friday 29 April, the Camel was ready to roll once again and was able to beat Davidson’s record at a speed of 106.5mph, LeVack becoming Britain’s fastest man on two wheels. The following year on 27 October, 1922, he became the first man to lap Brooklands at an average of 100mph on a 998cc Zenith JAP and, in doing so, became the first winner of the Brooklands Motorcycle Racing Club Gold Star. It was reported in the motorcycle press of the day there had long been dissatisfaction among motorcyclists that the first motorcycle to reach 100mph had been American and satisfaction ‘that greater effort has now been made to produce a really fast big British twin.’

On 2 October, 1920, Reuben Harveyson was riding a 994cc Indian with no brakes fitted. He launched himself at full speed over the banking after crossing the finishing line having had a neck-and-neck tussle with Oliver Baldwin at an estimated speed of 90mph. The winner Baldwin managed to slow his machine and guide it left towards the Railway Straight, but Harveyson landed some distance away in the trees, his bike having been broken almost in two as it hit a tree.

Somehow, Harveyson managed to climb back up the rear of the banking with torn leg ligaments and a dislocated shoulder. He slid down the trackside of the banking and made his way on foot to the Clubhouse before the ambulance had arrived. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of no brakes, an eye-witness related that the crude engine cut-out taped to the handlebars failed to operate and Harveyson was unable to lay the bike down to negotiate the bend.

Claude Temple became the first rider to win a race at Brooklands with an average speed of more than 90mph in the Harry Smith Cup on 9 July, 1921.

LeVack raised the record to 106.5mph. He later recorded the first 100mph lap of Brooklands in 1922, winning the first BMRC Gold Star.

Harveyson immediately before the start of the race.

PLANES, CRANES AND POLICE AUTOMOBILES

Vickers Viscount Stephen Piercey arrived at Brooklands 30 years ago. Andy Lambert recounts the aircraft’s amazing journey to the Museum.

Words: Andy Lambert Photos: Andy Lambert, Robin Cordery

The main fuselage of Viscount Stephen Piercey on to the conveyor using Milly, the AEC Militant Recovery Vehicle that still works for a living at Brooklands.

It is 30 years since the Vickers Viscount G-APIM, called Viscount Stephen Piercey (or VSP for short), arrived at Brooklands Museum. Like many others, I have made no secret of my love for this aircraft and you may wonder why? Is it perhaps because it was the first aircraft I recovered? No, that was its neighbour the Vickers Varsity, along with a few others before we rescued VSP. The reason for this affection is simply because of the story behind its rescue, and now seems the ideal time to explain on the 30th anniversary of this important event.

The story of VSP starts with the Museum wanting a Brooklands-built version of the Viscount, and a brief search came up with G-APIM at Southend Airport. It was in a poor state, having been involved in a ground collision with a Shorts 330 aircraft in 1988. In 1989, after some negotiating, it was offered to the Museum by its owners British Air Ferries (BAF). The Museum’s Julian Temple then invited me to a meeting about the VC10 to discuss how we would achieve getting it home to Brooklands.

At this meeting was a smartly dressed gentleman who listened intently to all that was being said and, when all the obstacles to its rescue had been laid out, quietly said something along the lines of: ‘They are just problems and problems can be solved, let’s do whatever it takes to bring the old lady home.’ He was of, course, Ray Piercey, a retired airline pilot who had flown G-APIM on its inaugural flight from London to Barcelona way back in 1958. He was also father to Stephen Piercey, who the aircraft was named after.

Stephen Piercey was a local lad from Addlestone, an accomplished aviation photographer and founder and first editor of Propliner magazine. He had been tragically killed aged just 26 at the Hanover Air Show in 1984, but had been so highly respected throughout the industry that his friends at BAF had renamed the aircraft in his memory. Although I never met Stephen, I can tell by the sort of people his friends and family are that he was a very special person and knowing them has certainly enriched my life.

In August 1989, I drove Milly, my AEC Militant Recovery Vehicle, to Southend

where I met up with the Julian Temple and Proteus Aero Services’ Roger Hargreaves to commence the dismantling work. Milly would stay there for the next six months being operated by Mick Bates, himself a legend in the world of classic aircraft restoration and who more or less single-handedly dismantled the aircraft ready for transportation. As major parts came available, my company at the time National Rescue would go and collect them to transport them back to be safely stored at Brooklands.

Then, very early in the morning of the 10 February, 1990 we left Brooklands with a second crane, the Brooklands Belle, and a low-loader called the Brooklands Conveyer. It was typical aircraft recovery weather and we all got very wet, but despite everything by early afternoon the main fuselage and some smaller parts were loaded. We had spoken to Essex Police and they had kindly agreed to assist us in getting out of the airport and onto the main A-road and they even stayed with us all the way to the M25.

The recently completed M25’s tunnel under the Thames was the next problem because it had to be shut while we went

through it. Fortunately for us, the Dartford Crossing tunnel was then under the control of Trafalgar House, who by a happy coincidence National Rescue shared the old Brooklands Control Tower offices with. They arranged for us to sail majestically through the tunnel at no charge. All went well as we sped through Kent right up until just before the Leatherhead junction, where a Surrey Police Traffic Car pulled the convoy over. Being winter, it was getting dark early and, despite being lit up like a Christmas tree and just one junction from home, this officer had decided we had to leave the motorway there and then.

As a consequence of this, we parked up in the link road between Leatherhead’s two junctions and I was informed I would be reported for my actions. I may have explained to the officer that his opinion could have been valued, but I could not hear it because his trousers were muffling his voice, but I’ll leave that to your own conclusions. Somewhat cross and disappointed by these events, the team all headed home for a good night’s sleep. That evening, I spoke to Sir Peter Masefield who was President of Brooklands Museum at the time and, although I can never be sure, I think he spoke to his friend the Chief Constable because no charges were ever brought and next day Surrey Police were waiting for us in the layby. They happily escorted us back onto the motorway, staying with us all the way to Brooklands.

Over the following months, and with Milly now back at Brooklands, Mike Bates started to reassemble Viscount Stephen Piercey, often aided by Ron Brant who would eventually take over the upkeep. Mike and Ron also began repairing the damage that had been inflicted in the collision at Southend Airport. The aircraft’s

inside had been largely stripped after its accident, so there were a few more ‘raids’ on Southend to scavenge any usable parts. The Museum itself was struggling for funds and a plan was put together to recreate the world’s first commercial air passenger service flight by a turbinepowered airliner (see the feature in the November-December 2020 issue of the Bulletin). This had been achieved by a Vickers Viscount that flew from London Northolt Airport to Paris-Le Bourget in 1950, 40 years before the commemorative flight. It was thought that by selling tickets the Museum could raise some funds to meet the cost of the restoration.

HRH Prince Michael of Kent was to be the lead figure, but when he had to drop out it looked like the Museum would have to cancel the trip. After a few phone calls, Julian Temple, Tom Singfield, Roger Hargreaves and myself decided we should not let this historic event and opportunity to raise money slip by. Tom formed the Friends of Viscount Stephen Piercey and, with the help of BAF, we reactivated the flight. On the day, all the lucky passengers left from the Control Tower at Brooklands and were taken by vintage bus to Northolt, where we waited in the Queen’s Lounge before flying over Brooklands and on to Paris in one of BAF’s Viscounts. The aircraft

Roger Hargreaves and Julian Temple with VSP and Milly at Southend Airport prior to the dismantling work needed to transport the aircraft back to Brooklands.

The wing sections of VSP arrive at Brooklands thanks to National Rescue. Reassembly could then begin back where the Vickers Viscount was originally manufactured.

was allowed to park in the same spot as the original Viscount had outside what had been the terminal building and the passengers toured the impressive Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace. Thanks largely to the generosity of people like Brian Angliss, the trip made a substantial contribution to VSP’s restoration fund.

Over the months that followed, the Friends organised more Viscount flights

to places like Duxford to visit the world’s oldest surviving Viscount, G-ALWF. There was also a trip to Basel Mulhouse Airport to see if we could rescue a Vickers Viking that was deteriorating there, and another to Jersey to mark the end of Viscount flights there, along with some local flights around the Southend and Brooklands areas. Transport to Southend by coach was nearly always laid on by Ron Brant and his son. On a couple of occasions, we were allowed to sell time on Redifon’s Flight Simulators at Gatwick and Tom Singfield’s Gatwick

Aviation Society still supports the Friends of Viscount Stephen Piercey to this day.

Sadly, 30 years on from bringing Viscount VSP to Brooklands, many of those involved in the recovery and restoration of this wonderful aircraft are no longer with us. However, I have little doubt that what we all achieved with virtually no money and against all the odds will be a shining example to those that come after us when it is their turn to save something special.

If you would like to see a video of Viscount Stephen Piercey’s recovery or some of those fund-raising flights, you can find them in the Viscount Playlist at: www. andysvideo.com

Positioning Viscount Stephen Piercey into place in the Brooklands Aircraft Park required careful planning, delicacy and a bit of brute strength.

A 40th Anniversary Flight was organised from Northolt to Paris-Le Bourget to commemorate the first commercial service operated by a turbinepowered airliner in a Viscount.

A souvenir programme was given to all passengers on the commemorative flight, which helped to raise vital funds to complete the restoration of Viscount Stephen Piercey.

members’ matters

A Family Affair to support charities

More than £2800 has been raised for two Surrey charities in memory of Edwin Genet, one of four brothers who built the Genet Group in Chertsey. Shortly before Edwin’s death at the age of 95, he completed his autobiography A Family Affair

I had the privilege of writing Edwin’s autobiography with him. This was printed in book format and Edwin asked for 500 copies to sell and raise money for two of the charities he supported, the Princess Alice Hospice and the Woking and Sam Beare Hospice. His sons Alan and Andrew are following his wish and looking to use the book to support the charities further. They feel that had Edwin’s funeral been held in normal times, up to 200 people would have attended and contributed towards a very healthy collection. Rather than asking a set price, the family is offering the book in return for a donation to Edwin’s chosen charities.

The book is a fascinating account of his life from the 1920s through to 2020, and it runs to more than 200 pages, with two picture sections and is beautifully printed. It explores the incredible changes to Surrey and England during his lifetime, and he talks about the many organisations he was involved with, his wartime experiences, the amazingly successful family business, the characters he met along the way and so much more. Edwin told me that he felt very blessed to have met the many different people he had during his long journey. I hope we can give him this one final send-off.

The family has already distributed a number of books and there are only limited copies available. Could I ask that if you are interested in receiving a copy, and supporting Edwin’s charities, please contact Edwin’s son, Andrew Genet, on: 07775 870109 or andygenet@hotmail.co.uk

Steve Pitts

Melvyn Hiscock remembered

The sad news that Melvyn Hiscock died of cancer on 20 February, 2021 aged just 63 prompted me to submit this tribute to him not only because he was a loyal friend, but also in recognition of his invaluable contribution to Brooklands Museum’s activities from the mid1990s up to 2009.

Having first met Melvyn at British Aviation Preservation Council meetings, when he happened to mention that he had commentated at a few aviation events, I naturally invited him to join our new all-volunteer airfield team. Soon after this, his expert aviation knowledge, unique sense of humour and general enthusiasm quickly made him a popular character at many Museum events. For more than a decade, Melvyn and his girlfriend Carol Goulden were dedicated supporters of Brooklands Fly-ins, the annual Morris and Austin Day, and the occasional special flypast and air display. To minimise costs, they invariably provided their own sound equipment, which was also used regularly around Melvyn’s native Hampshire by his talented rhythm and blues band.

He also supported the Museum by commentating, ‘prop-swinging’ and occasionally piloting our 130hp Clerget rotary-engined Sopwith Camel during public ground-running demonstrations. Like most of us, Melvyn greatly admired Peter McMillan’s 1994 Vickers Vimy replica. On 19 August, 2005 just over a month after its epic transatlantic crossing, Melvyn and I could not believe our luck when Peter McMillan unexpectedly invited us both to accompany him on a 1hr 30min evening flight in the Vimy from Dunsfold to Turweston, near Silverstone. With the Vimy donated to Brooklands Museum the following year and initially hangared at Dunsfold, Melvyn subsequently became co-pilot and crew chief to chief pilot Jeremy Palmer.

After losing the use of the hard runway at Brooklands to Mercedes-Benz World in 2003, when the Museum boldly organised the first Dunsfold Wings and Wheels Show in June 2005, Melvyn was the obvious choice for aviation commentator. Together with experienced air display pilot Brendan O’Brien, the two of them soon became a popular double-act at all subsequent Dunsfold Wings and Wheels shows.

It might surprise some people that Melvyn was also well known in the guitar world for his ground-breaking 1986 book Make Your Own Electric Guitar. In 1994, the income from this helped pay for the purchase of a 1939 Rearwin Cloudster monoplane. He restored it mostly by himself in a cowshed near Basingstoke between 2001 and 2005, and then based this colourful aeroplane registered as G-EVLE at Popham Airfield. He flew it to Brooklands fly-ins and displayed it at our Brooklands Aviation Centenary Air Display in 2008. Although sold by Melvyn to another Hampshire pilot in 2015, the Rearwin is still flying today.

My grateful thanks to John Downey, Steve Green, Jelle Hieminga, Andy Lambert and Mick Oakey for their help with this tribute.

Julian Temple

Melvyn Hiscock, on the left, with fellow commentator Brendan O’Brien keeping the crowds entertained at the Second Wings and Wheels Show in 2006.

A colourful history

Few cars can have a more colourful history than the ex-Rob Walker Delahaye 135S currently on loan to the Museum. Delahaye produced its first car in 1895 and by the 1920s had gained a reputation for dour but reliable machines. This was to change in the 1930s with the launch of the 135 model. A sports racing version with 3.6-litre straight-six engine was launched in 1936 to compete at Le Mans and other races. One such 135S was imported into the UK and registered DUV 870 by Tom Clarke for the 1936 RAC Tourist Trophy race, which it briefly led before retiring. The next owner was Prince Bira, who entered the Delahaye in the 1937 Brooklands 500 and finished seventh.

In late 1938, Rob Walker of the famous whisky dynasty was walking past a Park Lane showroom in London when he noticed the blue Delahaye for sale. The price was £400, but Walker’s annual allowance as an undergraduate at Cambridge University was only £360. Then the salesman mentioned something called hire purchase and the rest is history.

Rob intended to race the car at Brooklands in 1939, but first he needed to pass a test which involved driving five laps of the circuit, observed by two experienced Brooklands drivers. Unfortunately, Rob spun the car but his two observers, Charles Brackenbury and George Noble, had never moved from the Club Bar and signed his papers without question. Rob entered the car in several races that spring, but the car’s greatest Brooklands success was winning the title of ‘Fastest Road Racing car in Britain’, beating an Alfa Romeo and Talbot.

Another highlight for DUV 870 in 1939 was the Le Mans 24 Hours race. Similar 135 models had finished first and second the previous year, so prospects for Rob and team-mate Ian Connell were good. The experienced Brooklands stalwart started

the race, with Walker taking over around 8pm. This was when Rob usually took dinner, so he was dressed in an immaculate blue pin-striped suit, with goggles the only concession to racing. During the night, the car’s exhaust developed a fault and burned Connell’s feet. Having changed into a grey checked suit, Walker took over wearing a pair of rope-soled shoes which were soaked in water at each pit stop to help him complete the race.

With around two hours to go, the team manager called Rob into the pits. The team had been working through a crate of champagne and, with only half a bottle left, it was felt that a glass would refresh Walker to the finish and eighth place. Suitably elated, post-race Rob drove to Paris where he joined many of the British drivers, partying until the following morning.

DUV 870 spent most of the Second World War stored in the squash court at the Walker family home in Sutton Veny.

By now, Walker was married and had agreed he wouldn’t race. For the 1949 Le Mans, the car was driven by former Colditz inmate Tony Rolt, who went on to win Le Mans in 1953, and Guy Jason-Henry. Sadly, the car retired around midnight when running fifth. JasonHenry had entered into partnership with Walker over ownership of the car and competed in races as it suited him. One September afternoon, Walker received a phone call from a friend informing him that Jason-Henry had been arrested by customs at Newhaven trying to smuggle 3000 watches in a false fuel tank. ‘Just the sort of stupid stunt he would try to pull,’ replied Walker. The friend responded: ‘By the way, the false tank was fitted to your Delahaye.’ The car was impounded and it cost Walker £300 to have it released.

Rob Walker subsequently sold the car, after which its bodywork was changed. He repurchased it in 1970 for £3500, the third time he had bought the car. DUV 870 was returned to original specification and spent some time in the Haynes International Motor Museum. The false fuel tank ended up in the Smugglers Museum, Cornwall. Rob’s son Robbie was reminded of the car’s past when he was stopped by customs in Newhaven in the 1980s as he returned from a trip to Le Mans.

More recently, the Delahaye appeared in a promotional film for Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky. The Gentleman’s Wager II stars Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini and can be watched on YouTube. The Museum is grateful to Rob Walker’s son Robbie for the loan of the car.

Gareth Tarr

Rob Walker’s Delahaye starred in The Gentleman’s Wager II alongside Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini in 2015.

Robbie Walker takes the rejuvenated Delahaye for a drive at Brooklands, following in his father’s wheel tracks.

Notice of the Twelfth Brooklands Members AGM

The Annual General Meeting of Brooklands Members is being planned for 15 September, 2021. The format will be decided upon later, in order to comply with the Covid compliance guidelines that may be in effect at that time. This year, we are introducing electronic voting for the first time, and this will take place in advance of the AGM, full details to follow when arrangements are finalised.

If you are considering whether to stand for election to the Committee, please contact either our Chairman Neil Bailey, or Secretary Kevin Lee, for an informal chat about what is involved and to receive a Nomination Form.

Completed Nomination Forms for election to Committee must be returned to the Secretary no later than Friday 4 June, 2021.

Kevin Lee, Hon Secretary M: 07816 519461

E: secretary@brooklandsmembers.co.uk

The life and times of LM10

If you treat yourself to just one book this year, Aston Martin & LM10 is a leading contender for your attention. There are many reasons for this, which we will come to, but prime among them is it’s written by Jonathan Wood. His depth of research, thoroughness and writing skill make this hefty hardback title one to savour long after the initial read.

Wood was commissioned by the owners of LM10, one of three Aston Martins prepared for the 1932 Le Mans 24 Hours race, and has completed the task with panache. The car’s present keepers, Miranda and Hugh Palmer, have allowed Wood the space to give a very full and enjoyable account of Aston Martin’s history from the beginning up to the point where LM10 was built and raced when new. There are various panels within chapters detailing the later trials and tribulations of Aston Martin through to the present, but this is predominantly a study of the life and times of LM10.

The second half of the book concentrates on LM10’s assorted owners and the car’s considerable racing career, including no fewer than three entries at Le Mans between 1932 and ’34. For some vehicles, that would be sufficient motorsport endeavour to secure their place in history, but LM10 has enjoyed a much longer, sustained record that makes this specific car worthy of a whole book to itself.

As well as the asides about Aston Martin’s history, Wood includes many others that adds a good deal of colour to LM10’s story. For instance, this racing car of the 1930s has a very distant link with the MG Metro 6R4 Group B rally car built in the 1980s. There is another tale about shooting down a Messerschmitt

Me 262. Both are inspired by previous owners of LM10 and give the reader a vivid feel for the sort of person attracted to this racing car. That includes its current owners and there is a chapter on the car’s restoration and continued use.

We must also mention the superb photography in Aston Martin & LM10. There are many period images showing the car at Le Mans, and also several others of Brooklands. Later pictures show the car as it became a notable entry in the burgeoning vintage racing scene after the Second World War, as well as the present day.

and also several others of Brooklands. Later pictures show the car

Aston Martin & LM10 stands as a fine book, marque history, and even a love letter from its current owners to a car that has stood the test of time and brought a great deal of pleasure to many. It makes the £75 price very good value for such a meticulously researched and produced book, and it is one you will come back to time after time. There is also a £295 leather-bound edition and both are available directly from: www. astonmartinlm10.com

Paul Lawson

Aston Martin & LM10 by Jonathan Wood is priced £75. Published by Hugh and Miranda Palmer: ISBN n/a

Castrol Classic Oils

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Cynghordy Llandovery Carmarthenshire, SA20 0NB Tel: 01550 750274

e-mail: info@cambrianway.com

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Explore some of the best roads and scenery in the

2

UK 2019 / 20 Club Tour Packages

If you are interested in selling your car or motorcycle and are looking for a prompt, hassle-free cash buyer! I am always very keen to add to my current stock, so please feel free to contact me for a no obligation discussion about your vehicle.

I am particularly interested in purchasing prestige, sports, classic, vintage, racing and competition cars and motorcycles, as well as any interesting or unusual models. Complete collections purchased and all conditions considered, from barn-finds to concours. I will travel any distance for the right vehicle/s and discretion is always assured. I am a cash buyer not an agent.

Looking for a venue for your club or friends in 2019 or 2020 contact us to discuss packages and dates. We already have 18 clubs booked in 2019 & 7 for 2020 Tours include dinner, bed & breakfast, drinks reception on 1st night, a welcome pack containing a memento of the weekend, rally plate, window sticker, Ordnance Survey Mid & South Wales road map, road books containing the route for each day & entry to a local attraction. Prices from £252.50 per person for 3 night tour.

2019 ALL MAKE TOUR DATES

Open to any Make & Age of Car

5th to 8th July – 11 cars booked, 2 rooms left 5th to 8th August – 4 cars booked, 7 rooms left

If you are looking for a specific vehicle then please also get in contact as I may have or could source what you are looking for?

Essential reading for De Dion Bouton

De Dion Bouton formed in 1882 as a partnership between Comte De Dion, Georges Bouton and Charles Trépardoux, the latter leaving in 1893. At first, the company concentrated on steam-driven vehicles before moving into motorised tricycles and quadricycles.

Around the turn of the century, De Dion Bouton was the leading manufacturer with around a quarter of the French market. However, as the first decade of the new century developed, the likes of Renault, Peugeot and Delage became more prominent. One notable achievement of De Dion Bouton was the introduction of the world’s first V8 production car in 1909. During the First World War, the company mostly produced materials for the war effort, although some vehicles were produced for the military. Post-war vehicle production resumed but the glory days were past and De Dion Bouton’s fortunes declined, the last vehicles being produced in 1931.

De Dion Bouton – the Essential Library and Source Book 1888

– 1931 is written by Michael Edwards, a keen collector of De Dion-based publications. The book is described as a comprehensive bibliography of references for key events of the business and its vehicles. The chapters are essays on various topics such as the company history and the various model types, followed by several pages of reference materials. These reference pages account for about a third of the book’s 227 pages, which many readers might find distracting.

The right blend of T

The Ford Model T has a small but important racing history at Brooklands. There were two Model T-only races held at the track prior to the First World War and Henry Ford himself presented the winner with the cup at the August Bank Holiday meeting in 1912. All 10 Ford Model Ts entered had standard gear ratios, although the winning ‘Golden Ford’ owned by Arthur Edward George had a far from standard body, being finished in polished brass that resulted in its name.

All of this is recounted in Ford Model T – An Enthusiast’s Guide 1908 to 1927 written by Chas Parker with contributions from Chris Barker and Neil Tucket. This is the only mention of the Model T’s competition history at Brooklands, but the book does have a more British perspective than many publications devoted to this multi-million selling car.

The British outlook is understandable given the author and contributors are all based in the UK. It doesn’t stop Parker being every bit as thorough as we’d expect of a book from Porter Press. It also details the Model T’s inception and development, including a warts and all potted history of Henry Ford.

Alongside the historical chapter and sadly too brief motorsport section, there are chapters on how to drive a Model T and what it’s like to own one. Another segment looks at the almost limitless number of body styles applied to the Ford’s chassis. All are accompanied by excellent period and modern photography in a book with superb production values. At 160 pages, Ford Model T – An Enthusiast’s Guide 1908 to 1927 is not an exhaustive history of Ford’s most important car, yet it’s an affectionate study of the model. It leaves the reader more knowledgeable and keen to try one of these vintage machines that remain amazingly accessible, just like they were intended when new. At £30, this hardback book of 160 pages is good mix of content, great value and a solid introduction to the Ford Model T.

Alisdair Suttie

Despite this, the book is enjoyable and informative about one of the most important early car manufacturers. The high production standard justifies the £45 price with many fascinating photographs and illustrations. This is not a definitive history of the marque, which is not the author’s aim, but will provide as much information as most will want to know.

Gareth Tarr

De Dion Bouton – the Essential Library and Source Book 1888 – 1931 by Michael Edwards is priced £45. Published by Surrenden Press: ISBN 978-1-9160-0904-2

Ford Model T – An Enthusiast’s Guide 1908 to 1927 by Chas Parker is priced £30. Published by Porter Press International: ISBN 978-1-913089-22-1

AROUND THE COLLECTION

Brooklands Members

Members’ Administrator

Sarah Dover 01932 857381 ext 226 Mon-Fri members@brooklandsmuseum.com

Chairman

Neil Bailey 07970 206778 chairman@brooklandsmembers.co.uk

Secretary Kevin Lee 01932 562246 kevin@abbeywalls.com

Tours and Trips

Angela Hume 07884 184882 Angelahume@brooklandsmembers.co.uk

Outreach

David Norfolk 01372 373929 david@davidnorfolk.wanadoo.co.uk

Talks

Steve Clarke 07860 355525 steveclarke@brooklandsmembers.co.uk

BM.tv

Mark Jarman 07710 783536 nonesuche@gmail.com

Bulletin Editor

Alisdair Suttie 07768 372440 brooklandsbulletineditor@gmail.com

Contributors

Katherine Allen, Chris Bound, Steve Castle, Steve Clarke, Sarah Dover, Martin Gegg, Angela Hume, Anna Jackson, Mark Jarman, Andy Lambert, Andrew Lewis, Tim Morris, Gareth Tarr, Julian Temple, Mike Venables

Advertising, Design and Production:

Hine Marketing, Tel: 01452 730770

Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops

Norton Gloucestershire GL2 9LN

E-mail: nick@hinemarketing.co.uk

Address change and Bulletin distribution

queries 01932 857381 ext 226 members@brooklandsmuseum.co.uk

Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN 01932 857381 Fax: 01932 855465 www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Brooklands Museum

Chairman Sir Gerald Acher CBE LVO gerryacher@brooklandsmuseum.com

CEO Tamalie Newbery ext 243

Director of Collections, Interpretation and Heritage

Alex Patterson ext 247

Visitor Experience Manager

Jenny Pettit ext 302

Volunteer & HR Manager

Aimee Nelson ext 303

Learning Officer

Laura Barclay ext 257

Curatorial and Archive Enquiries

Andrew Lewis ext 246

Chief Operating Officer

Amanda Squires ext 255

Head of Track and Air Events

Steve Castle ext 244

Concorde Bookings ext 266

flyconcorde@brooklandsmuseum.com

Hospitality Sales Manager

Joanna Rodgers ext 251 hospitality@brooklandsmuseum.com

Marketing Director

Sam Hart ext 225

Email addresses are available on the Museum website www.brooklandsmuseum.com/about/ contact-us

How many of you used to while away the hours at home drawing or doodling in the margins at school? Or even during meetings at work? Did you draw cars, hoping you’d be the next F1 car designer, or planes and imagine creating the next Concorde? One person we know who drew picture after picture of transportation was Vickers’ Chief Designer, Rex Pierson. Famous for designing aircraft like the Wellington, Harrier, Vimy and Viking, as a child Pierson seemed to have been fascinated with boats, steam engines and the evolution of the railway. Sketches of wheel spokes, carriages and tracks are accompanied by detailed captions, such as ‘The express train approaching London’, even analysis of the colours used on different trains. Although it’s somewhat surprising there are no vehicles or aircraft in these drawings, even taking the relative novelty of these modes of transport at the time, it should come as no surprise such a great engineer was a prolific artist as a child.

Parking arrangements

At Brooklands Museum, we aim to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM. We encourage them to build things, be curious, explore our collection, and draw. Imagination and art are behind all great inventions. The ability to picture something, whether it exists or not, and realise it on paper so the world can see it is key to engineering, and a skill people should be encouraged to hold on to. It certainly seems to have helped out Pierson, who started as an apprentice at Vickers in 1908, becoming Chief Aircraft Designer only nine years later at the age of 26.

Please note that for all events marked ‘Parking in The Heights’, designated vehicles only can enter via the Campbell Gate, off Brookland’s Road. All other Members including Club level and visitors please park in The Heights or main public car park unless otherwise specified.

Parking arrnagements for other weekend events are:

Club level Members: entry via Campbell Gate and parking outside the Paddock. Period and classic vehicles only inside the Paddock by invitation. Please abide by staff directions.

All other Members and visitors: entry via main public entrance off Brooklands Drive.

This issue of the Brooklands Bulletin (incorporating The Spirit) is published on behalf of Brooklands Members, supporters of Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd, by Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Gloucestershire GL2 9LN. The statements and opinions expressed in the Bulletin are not necessarily those of the Brooklands Members’ Committee or Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd.

While every effort has been made by the Publishers to include correct information, they are unable to accept responsibility for errors or omissions. The Publishers, Brooklands Members and Brooklands Museum Trust Limited cannot accept responsibility in the event of misinformation or lack of source relating to images supplied by a third party by electronic or other means.

Charity number 296661. Please quote this if making donations or requesting them via a funeral director.

VETERAN. VINTAGE. CLASSIC. RESTORATION, ENGINEERING & SALES.

Fiennes Classics is born out of Fiennes Restoration and the same coachworks craftsmen and mechanical engineers continue to apply their specialist skills and expertise to vehicles from veteran to vintage to classics.

Whether working on marques such as Lagonda, early Ford, Talbot, Rolls-Royce or modern classics we can support owners with partial or full restorations, maintenance and servicing.

Fiennes Engineering is one of the few companies still using rare and traditional techniques such as white metalling and can reverse engineer, reclaim, restore or make new parts as well as carrying out reconditioning and general engineering on all engines.

If you should want to sell or buy then Fiennes Showroom is our car sales brokerage division and we would be pleased to act on your behalf with a competitive and personal service.