|
Post by tobyhalter on Dec 4, 2009 10:00:26 GMT 1
|
|
derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by derek on Dec 4, 2009 11:23:47 GMT 1
The stadium is obviously Wembley. As for the cars and drivers; I remember reading about this event in one of the several books written about the history of Frazer-Nash cars.
I'm afraid I can't remember which book, but apparently the owners of Wembley invited the company to bring along a couple of their works cars to test the viability of car racing at the track. Because Wembley was such a huge venture they would try anything to get the public in and earn a bob or two!
I doubt if the driver in the glasses was Walter Mackereth as he was working at Harry Skirrows garage up at Ambleside at the time. Harry and the gang didn't move south until about 36.
Derek Bridgett Newcastle-under-Lyme
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 5, 2009 0:54:50 GMT 1
Can't say for sure if it's '34, but it may be even earlier. I'll tell you why in a moment. But if anyone can identify those particular Frazer Nash cars, that may help to date it. I'm fairly certain it's Wembley before they installed the "roof" section that was there by the 1970's, and the guy in the glasses is H.J Aldington. He is of further interest to us for several reasons. Firstly, he took part in the Greenford meeting of 1928, along with Archie Frazer Nash. Aldington was clearly a lover of F-N cars, because he drove one at Greenford, and later acquired the company (AFN) after Frazer Nash himself lost control of it. Furthermore, Aldington was involved in a car demonstration at Wembley as early as October 1931. This apparently took place during (the second half?) a speedway match involving Wembley, Stamford Bridge and Lea Bridge, supposedly in front of a crowd of 60,000! If this information is correct, I'm assuming this was either a three team tournament or a double header of some kind. Obviously the Pathe News clip is not from this event, as the terraces are empty. But it could be from around that time, (was it, as Derek suggests, a trial to see if cars worked on the track at all perhaps?) making it even earlier than '34. In the absence of further details emerging, it may be that the date all hinges on exactly what models those cars are and the date by which they could/would have been in use. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by administrator on Dec 5, 2009 10:00:58 GMT 1
Here is a quote from the section UK MIDGET CAR HISTORY, CHAPTER THREE. It may throw light on the Pathe News clip and date the venture as 1931. It reads:
"At the old ‘traditional’ Wembley Stadium, then hosting the Wembley Lions speedway team, cars similar to those which had appeared at Greenford were given track time in October 1931.
"A crowd of 60,000 turned up at Wembley on October 1 - mainly to see the Lions in action against Stamford Bridge. Three cars went into action after the speedway match. The drivers were Mrs T H Wisdom and respected Brooklands drivers R G Nash an H J Aldington. They all carried passengers. Mrs Wisdom and Aldington in Frazer Nash’s clocked times of 24 seconds for a flying lap start.
"Nash then had trouble getting his car started and borrowed Mrs Wisdom’s car. His attempt ended in disaster. He went into a broadside and overturned the car. While Nash held on to the steering wheel, his pasenger F Berry was thrown out and suffered an arm injury."
|
|
|
Post by kiwikid34 on Dec 5, 2009 10:29:45 GMT 1
Can the non-driver in the Frazer Nash be the great man himself - Archie Frazer Nash? Newsreel most likely 1931 at the pre-race practice for the race in October.
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 5, 2009 17:18:15 GMT 1
Whoever that is riding shotgun, it isn't Frazer Nash. I'd guess a journalist or broadcaster. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 5, 2009 17:49:06 GMT 1
Of course, we don't know who was driving the other car... (Don't bother clicking to enlarge - the close up quality is dreadful, sorry) Attachments:
|
|
derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by derek on Dec 7, 2009 10:36:27 GMT 1
Found these two photos taken from a couple of the many books written about Frazer-Nash. Take a look at the web site www.austiharris.co.uk and enter Greenford in the search box and you should find a few photos from the 28 meeting. Derek Bridgett Newcastle-under-Lyme Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by tobyhalter on Dec 7, 2009 22:12:14 GMT 1
Maybe the Frazer Nash cars at Greenford are not recognised as midgets (perhaps because the name had not been coined at the time in 1928 or 1929?) but they look better than some of the cars that appear in photos of races at Crystal Palace and Belle Vue in 1934 and 1935 before the Gnat, Eltos and Skirrows came on the track scene.
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 7, 2009 23:57:52 GMT 1
If you go back and look at the Pathe News footage again and freeze the action at 0.29.44, you can clearly read the number plate on that car. Guess what - it's MV 158. However, the competition number on the side of the car is different. But I would say (a) that definitely dates this to 1931 and (b) that the still picture Derek's posted and the film are both from the same event. My guess: the film is a pre-meeting trial, possibly largely put on for Pathe News's benefit, whereas the still picture is from practice on the actual day of the event, when the car is either wearing its competition number for that meeting, or the number it bore at another event in between the 'trial' and race day.
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 8, 2009 0:20:07 GMT 1
|
|
|
Post by administrator on Dec 8, 2009 10:12:12 GMT 1
Re the latest link:: The photos of Amilcars - great racers. And the name of the colourful Vernon Balls is also mentioned. A great character of the 1920s and 1930s.
|
|
|
Post by dirtpilot on Dec 8, 2009 12:10:54 GMT 1
The record for 1 lap at Wembley was set by RGJ Nash on the 22/10/1931 in a time of 22.2 secs. this record still stood as of 31/5/1934. All cars that ran on the speedway in England were called "midgets" regardless, but it was not until late 1934/early 1935 that Jean Reville built the first real midgets,prior to this they were "light cars"
|
|
|
Post by haflinger121 on Dec 8, 2009 21:58:28 GMT 1
By 1937, the benefits of 4WD and a car purpose built for oval racing had enabled Harry Skirrow himself to lower the lap record at Wembley to 19.6 secs, 39.47 mph, recorded on June 17th '37. This record is given in the programme for the meeting of July 16th '38. Does anybody know what Skirrow was actually doing at Wembley in June of '37 - speedway second half appearance or something?
|
|
|
Post by dirtpilot on Dec 9, 2009 11:01:29 GMT 1
On 10/6/1937 Skirrow & MacKereth had a 25Pd challenge race after the bikes at Wembley,as Wembley was not in the Midget league i can only assume that on the 17th there was some demo or record attempt after the bikes. There is an undated mention of 3 cars appearing at the track after one of the regular meetings but the write-up stated that many of the fans had left & the cars were just a procession,this was in 1937 but i've no idea exactly when.
|
|