My first clue. The picture was taken after WW2. I don't believe Backwell was used after the war. http://website.lineone.net/~pete.stowe/pete_bristol.htm I am not sure about Burrington Combe as a hillclimb for cars but I can tell you the pictures was taken a fair few miles away.
Perhaps you should concentrate a little more on the driver and the car. Will another picyure help?
Getting close on the car Josh, just a little more. Frankly I don't think you will get the place the picture was taken unless you move around 100 miles east but not as far north as Curborough Simon.
I have to say the driver may be getting frustrated he isn't recognised!
Here is another clue. Our man is in this picture, along with Brian Lister and Don Moore of Lister Cars. We believe Archie Scott-Brown was at the function as well. Perhaps they discussed the dangers of motor racing compared to trialling.
Lets see what we know so far. The car is some sort of Ford Special. The pictures were taken in the East of the country and the driver knew some well known racing people. I have also hinted that our man may well be chuckling as he reads this.
Also the "hill climb" was a loose surfaced Ad Hoc event for local competitors. Looks a bit chalky doesn't it.
I had an Alexis BMC NTF car in the early seventies and in March 1972 competed in the NLECC Jackobean Trial, a BTRDA round. Stirling was also there with the Cannon and lady passenger. I think he did a full seasons events before deciding it was probably not for him.
Huge thank you to Robin Barlow for the pictures, information and the idea for the question.
Picture 1 - John Aley himself says "That's a picture that takes me back to the autumn of 1952 when the 50 CC organised a hill climb at Heydon in the Royston area. We called it a Colonial Hillclimb as it was on a gravel surfaced farm road. Not much of a course with an S bend soon after the start and then a straight climb to the finish. It was well supported though and I think you will find that some of the collection of pictures your sent me a short time ago were taken there.
I had earlier that summer been running an old and unreliable MG NA Magnette which I changed for this Ford Special that was state of the art for its type. It didn't have an 1172 engine but an eight with an overhead inlet valve conversion. I recall winning - easily - the 50 Club sporting trial that November and may have run it at the club's Bottisham Speed Trial at about that time.
Then with little notice the RAC changed the rules for trials cars making us have the engine much further forward and no seats over the axle with which this little car certainly couldn't comply so over the winter I rebuilt it with a standard Ford chassis after which I recall running it at the CUAC Bedwell Hey speed trial that as usual opened the season in early March. The Bedwell Hey track which the CUAC had used a year or two before was actually the roads around the former bomb dump at Witchford aerodrome - a scene of lots of unofficial motor sport at that time.
How I survived using that open car everyday on the road for nearly a year I don't know. It had no creature comforts at all and its lack of doors regularly brought the staff of my wife's office in Brooklands Avenue to the window to see her dismounting in her fashionably short, tight skirt"
Picture 2 - Robin Barlow tells me - "It was taken in 1952 and is labelled 'JRA Climbs Again'. I think it was taken probably at Bedwell Hey a farm track on the A10 Ely Road."
been perusing your Xmas quiz, couldn't answer any of your questions correctly, however it did remind me that I had the enclosed photo tucked away somewhere, which might be of interest to you, or some of the other contributors? Cant say when or where it was taken, but hopefully one day I might turn up at an event with such a stunning passenger!
Is it Brian Colman driving the Yeller Dutton at The Strid on the 2010 Ilkley Classic trial?
ReplyDeleteYou are nearly right John :-)
ReplyDeleteEvent- Bristol motor club Naish Hillclimb?
ReplyDeleteGetting a tiny bit warm Josh
ReplyDeleteDyram Park Hillclimb?
ReplyDeleteI don't think the first event was held at Dyram Park until 1960. This looks a while before that
ReplyDeleteBackwell Hill Climb?
ReplyDeleteor Burrington Combe Hill Climb?
ReplyDeleteMy first clue. The picture was taken after WW2. I don't believe Backwell was used after the war. http://website.lineone.net/~pete.stowe/pete_bristol.htm I am not sure about Burrington Combe as a hillclimb for cars but I can tell you the pictures was taken a fair few miles away.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should concentrate a little more on the driver and the car. Will another picyure help?
We aren't doing very well! Lets start with the car. The front axle gives a clue.
ReplyDeleteThe track in the first photo - Is it Curborough?
ReplyDeleteFord Special of some sort?
ReplyDeleteLulsgate airfield Bristol?
Getting close on the car Josh, just a little more. Frankly I don't think you will get the place the picture was taken unless you move around 100 miles east but not as far north as Curborough Simon.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the driver may be getting frustrated he isn't recognised!
Stirling Moss?
ReplyDeleteNot sure Sterling ever drove a trials car. Although he did a lot our man didn't get to that level in the sport.
ReplyDeleteWell ... the helmet and goggles looked right.
ReplyDeleteSterling trialed Cannons. ive got some photos of mike cannon and sterling in the workshop with sterling sat in a cannon chassis.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know that Josh, but I know it isn't Sterling
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHere is another clue. Our man is in this picture, along with Brian Lister and Don Moore of Lister Cars. We believe Archie Scott-Brown was at the function as well. Perhaps they discussed the dangers of motor racing compared to trialling.
Lets see what we know so far. The car is some sort of Ford Special. The pictures were taken in the East of the country and the driver knew some well known racing people. I have also hinted that our man may well be chuckling as he reads this.
ReplyDeleteAlso the "hill climb" was a loose surfaced Ad Hoc event for local competitors. Looks a bit chalky doesn't it.
John alley?
ReplyDeleteWell done Josh. Yes it's John
ReplyDeleteWell done Josh. Yes it's John
ReplyDeleteI had an Alexis BMC NTF car in the early seventies and in March 1972 competed in the NLECC Jackobean Trial, a BTRDA round.
ReplyDeleteStirling was also there with the Cannon and lady passenger.
I think he did a full seasons events before deciding it was probably not for him.
Huge thank you to Robin Barlow for the pictures, information and the idea for the question.
ReplyDeletePicture 1 - John Aley himself says "That's a picture that takes me back to the autumn of 1952 when the 50 CC organised a hill climb at Heydon in the Royston area. We called it a Colonial Hillclimb as it was on a gravel surfaced farm road. Not much of a course with an S bend soon after the start and then a straight climb to the finish. It was well supported though and I think you will find that some of the collection of pictures your sent me a short time ago were taken there.
I had earlier that summer been running an old and unreliable MG NA Magnette which I changed for this Ford Special that was state of the art for its type. It didn't have an 1172 engine but an eight with an overhead inlet valve conversion. I recall winning - easily - the 50 Club sporting trial that November and may have run it at the club's Bottisham Speed Trial at about that time.
Then with little notice the RAC changed the rules for trials cars making us have the engine much further forward and no seats over the axle with which this little car certainly couldn't comply so over the winter I rebuilt it with a standard Ford chassis after which I recall running it at the CUAC Bedwell Hey speed trial that as usual opened the season in early March. The Bedwell Hey track which the CUAC had used a year or two before was actually the roads around the former bomb dump at Witchford aerodrome - a scene of lots of unofficial motor sport at that time.
How I survived using that open car everyday on the road for nearly a year I don't know. It had no creature comforts at all and its lack of doors regularly brought the staff of my wife's office in Brooklands Avenue to the window to see her dismounting in her fashionably short, tight skirt"
Picture 2 - Robin Barlow tells me - "It was taken in 1952 and is labelled 'JRA Climbs Again'. I think it was taken probably at Bedwell Hey a farm track on the A10 Ely Road."
From Jon Way
ReplyDeleteHi Michael,
been perusing your Xmas quiz, couldn't answer any of your questions correctly, however it did remind me that I had the enclosed photo tucked away somewhere, which might be of interest to you, or some of the other contributors?
Cant say when or where it was taken, but hopefully one day I might turn up at an event with such a stunning passenger!
Regards,
Jon Way, Taunton, Somerset.