Post by haflinger121 on Dec 2, 2011 0:07:50 GMT 1
I have recently acquired three programmes, all from Norwich 1957.
It’s funny how, just when you’re starting to think you know it all, something comes along to shatter your illusions! These certainly did.
In fact, they told me several interesting things and I just thought I’d run them by you all to see what other details or memories about this stuff might be stirred up.
The first item of interest crops up in the prog of 25/5/57, where the prog notes talk about a type of car referred to as a Norwich Super Midget. The entry list gives more detail about the cars – there were at least three of them. They are described as “Ford 10 Norwich Special” in two cases, so I’m guessing they had that engine at least and probably other Ford 10 components (chassis?) as well. A third car is described as “Ford Norwich Special with experimental V8 engine”.
The drivers were Bill Billman, Brian Prior (the V8) and Peter Atkins, although he was replaced by somebody just noted as ‘Hodgkins’ by whoever filled the prog in. The meeting also featured Skirrows but the two types were kept in separate races which was probably due to a disparity in performance. The first four lapper for the Super Midgets took 92.2 secs, while the first Skirrow race was won in 88.0. Not quite so ‘Super’ then….
The Super Midgets later managed an 87.0 but the Skirrows were down in the 86’s by then. Still, maybe not that much between them after all.
So, first revelation: that these cars existed all.
Next comes the really interesting prog, 20/7/57.
Now in this one, all attending cars raced together, Super Midgets against Skirrows and a pair of things called “500cc London Specials”. As these were driven by Percy “Hellcat” Brine and Wilbur Chandler, these can only be the Charles Batson cars I would say.
So: I never knew that the Super Midgets existed, and I certainly never knew that the Batson cars ever seriously raced at all, let alone had to face up to Skirrows! And obviously, I had no clue that all three types ever raced together.
All of this also begs the question, whatever happened to the Super Midgets and do any of them still exist?
It’s funny how, just when you’re starting to think you know it all, something comes along to shatter your illusions! These certainly did.
In fact, they told me several interesting things and I just thought I’d run them by you all to see what other details or memories about this stuff might be stirred up.
The first item of interest crops up in the prog of 25/5/57, where the prog notes talk about a type of car referred to as a Norwich Super Midget. The entry list gives more detail about the cars – there were at least three of them. They are described as “Ford 10 Norwich Special” in two cases, so I’m guessing they had that engine at least and probably other Ford 10 components (chassis?) as well. A third car is described as “Ford Norwich Special with experimental V8 engine”.
The drivers were Bill Billman, Brian Prior (the V8) and Peter Atkins, although he was replaced by somebody just noted as ‘Hodgkins’ by whoever filled the prog in. The meeting also featured Skirrows but the two types were kept in separate races which was probably due to a disparity in performance. The first four lapper for the Super Midgets took 92.2 secs, while the first Skirrow race was won in 88.0. Not quite so ‘Super’ then….
The Super Midgets later managed an 87.0 but the Skirrows were down in the 86’s by then. Still, maybe not that much between them after all.
So, first revelation: that these cars existed all.
Next comes the really interesting prog, 20/7/57.
Now in this one, all attending cars raced together, Super Midgets against Skirrows and a pair of things called “500cc London Specials”. As these were driven by Percy “Hellcat” Brine and Wilbur Chandler, these can only be the Charles Batson cars I would say.
So: I never knew that the Super Midgets existed, and I certainly never knew that the Batson cars ever seriously raced at all, let alone had to face up to Skirrows! And obviously, I had no clue that all three types ever raced together.
All of this also begs the question, whatever happened to the Super Midgets and do any of them still exist?