From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Article from 'The Motor' magazine about motoring illusions and travel to Northern Ireland for road races.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 54\2\ Scan218 | |
| Date | 13th December 1927 | |
| December 13, 1927. 999 The Motor QUEER MOTORING ILLUSIONS.—Contd. different to drive, owing to the fitting of another type of carburetter. For example, one instrument may give the engine a smooth flow of power of the kind associated with a steam engine; the other may respond more sharply, more harshly, to the depression of the accelerator pedal, and will thus give the driver an impression that he is driving a faster and more lively car. Deceptive Brakes. In the same way, it is almost impossible to judge the quality of the brakes of a car except by the use of a brake-testing meter or by careful measurements. So often in carrying out The Motor road tests of new cars we have found that cars the brakes of which have appeared poor in the extreme can be pulled up in extremely short distances, while, on the other hand, brakes that took hold with such ferocity as almost to throw one through the windscreen gave mediocre results when checked with a tape-measure. Generally speaking, the smoother and safer the brakes the less impression of stopping power is given, while unpleasantly fierce brakes, which are applied very suddenly, are far more impressive to the average person, who is not particular about measuring the actual distances in which cars can be brought to rest from various speeds. Wide v. {VIENNA} Narrow Cars. It is a curious, not to say an unpleasant, experience very often for a man who habitually drives a large car to be taken for a fast run through traffic in a very small and lively vehicle. He simply cannot realize that whereas his own automobile may have an overall width of about 6 ft., the little runabout in which he is being driven is only some 3 ft. 8 ins. from wing to wing; consequently, his right foot will often be pressed instinctively hard on to an imaginary brake pedal when the experienced driver of the small car dives for a narrow gap through which the larger vehicle could never pass. With a very small car, too, there is always a greater factor of safety, in that it is not difficult to find some nook or cranny into which it may be driven in an emergency, whereas the driver of a large vehicle has always to make quite sure that he has a space big enough into which to retire should he, for instance, suddenly meet an oncoming vehicle when about to overtake a tram. It is because we have long realized how easily often experienced motorists can be deceived by the apparent performance of a car that The Motor has always given in its road tests of new cars accurate data obtained from actual measurement, instead of recording the impressions of the pressman testing the vehicle. [Illustration Caption] Brakes so harsh as almost to send the passenger through the windscreen often are proved to be relatively poor when the stopping distance of the car is measured. The Accessibility of Northern Ireland. How to See the Road Races When They are Held. Night Services to Belfast from Every Part of Britain. AS both the circuits in Northern Ireland which have been put forward as suitable for a Grand Prix race are in the neighbourhood of Belfast, it is worth pointing out that this town is easily reached from all parts of England, Scotland and Wales, it being possible for motorists in the north to reduce the sea journey (only 31 miles) to well under two hours, while even those who have to make the journey right across England from London can do so with the utmost comfort and minimum loss of time with a full night's sleep either on the train or on the boat. Sleeping on the Train. For example, taking first the regular train service from London, it is possible to leave Euston at 7.40 p.m. on a weekday, sleeping comfortably fast at 9.10 a.m. The Fleetwood Route. Then there is the route via Fleetwood. London can be left at 6.10 p.m., dinner may be enjoyed on the train, while the boat leaves Fleetwood at about 11 p.m. Passengers have a full night's sleep on board and arrive at Belfast about 6.30 a.m. The same boat may be reached from other centres by leaving Birmingham, for instance, at 5.50 p.m., Chester at 7.43 p.m., Crewe at 9.10 p.m., Leeds at 7.15 p.m. and Manchester at 9.5 p.m. Via Heysham. Yet another route, via Heysham, involves leaving London at 5 p.m., arriving at Heysham at 11.30 p.m. and Belfast at 8 a.m. In addition, there is the route from London via Liverpool, London being left at 5.55 p.m. and Belfast being reached at 7.30 a.m. The foregoing notes will show that it is perfectly possible, in the event of a big race taking place in Northern Ireland, to leave home after office hours one night and return after having seen the race, reaching home next morning. Thus visitors would only be away for one day. A Beautiful Country. The attractions of Northern Ireland from a touring point of view are very great, and it is expected that many visitors would want to prolong their stay in Ulster. It should be realized that it is very much cheaper to take a car over to Ireland than it is to take it to France or anywhere else on the Continent, and in a day's run in Northern Ireland it is possible to see such a variety of coast, lake and mountain scenery as would only be encountered in the... | ||