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).
Magazine article from 'The Autocar' reporting on the T.T. motor race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\1\ Scan070 | |
| Date | 13th September 1935 | |
| 460 The Autocar September 13th, 1935. Dixon's Riley Wins the T.T. The fight in the 1½-litre class was not so close, for Dixon, Paul, and Von der Becke had established a considerable lead with their Rileys over the hosts of Aston Martins. It was noticed, however, that whereas all four "works" Astons were running strongly, one of the three "official" Rileys had dropped right back. Maclure had stopped at Newtownards with a punctured carburetter float, though he got going soon. This enhanced the Aston chances for the team prize, which they won in the previous year, for Dixon was not a member of the official Riley team, but was playing his usual lone hand. Early disasters befell the privately owned Astons, however. "Bira" came in with oil all over the bonnet of his beautiful blue car. The scavenge pump of the dry sump system was failing, while Maurice Falkner brought his Aston in also for an adjustment of the oil pressure. A Sportsman Applauded In addition to these private battles in the three well-supported classes, the lone entries were enjoying themselves immensely, particularly Powys-Lybbe with the old Alvis, travelling at a most remarkable pace and earning applause for splendid driving all round the course. At Newtownards Seaman, still leading the Magnettes, had a terrific skid, while D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Evans had to come in to repair a damaged front mudguard as a result of a skid. The order on distance from the start after eight laps was Dixon (Riley), Paul (Riley), Von der Becke (Riley), Brackenbury (Aston Martin), Seaman, (Magnette), Brian Lewis (Bugatti), Lord Howe (Bugatti). Lap records were falling. Dixon had got round at 77.81 m.p.h., and Lord Howe had increased his speed on one lap to 81.82 m.p.h. Dixon went up to 78.55 m.p.h., and Hindmarsh replied for the big cars with 82.37 m.p.h. on his Lagonda, only six seconds behind the late Sir Henry Birkin's long-standing record for the course with his Alfa-Romeo, 83.20 m.p.h. in 1932. Then Maclure, trying to make up lost time with his Riley, went faster even than Dixon, averaging first 78.68 and then 79.18 m.p.h. for a lap. At 12.30 p.m. the big cars, contrary to expectation, were making a strong challenge, and the order on handicap was:— m.p.h. 1. F.{Mr Friese} W. Dixon (Riley) 77.64 2. Hon. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Lewis (Bugatti) 81.26 3. Earl Howe (Bugatti) 81.21 4. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} S. Hindmarsh (Lagonda) 81.19 5. C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson (Lagonda) 81.18 6. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall (Bentley) 80.70 Immediately following the announcement of this order, the challenge of the Bugattis was intensified by another Class C record, this time from Brian Lewis at 82.51 m.p.h., one second faster than Hindmarsh's time and the fastest lap of the race. But the half-hour between 12.30 and 1 p.m. was to bring important changes. Lewis had been slightly ahead of Lord Howe and Hindmarsh, and was up to third on distance at nine laps, but at ten laps Hindmarsh came by in this position, closely followed by Lord Howe, who drew in to his pit. Then Lewis followed, and also stopped. The former began to change wheels and, apparently, adjust tyre pressures, while Lewis had clutch trouble. This had an important effect upon the leader positions on handicap, which may thus be studied again at one o'clock:— m.p.h. 1. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} S. Hindmarsh (Lagonda) ... 81.31 2. F.{Mr Friese} W. Dixon (Riley) ... 77.26 3. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall (Bentley) ... 81.28 4. C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson (Lagonda) ... 80.76 5. C. Paul (Riley) ... 77.07 6. L. P. Brackenbury (Aston Martin) 72.32 Meanwhile the Adlers were not doing too well, for Stanley Woods, the famous motor cyclist, retired with oil trouble, and Le Fanu hit the barrier at Dundonald, but proceeded. A more serious crash occurred at Newtownards Town Hall, when McFerran hit the sandbank, and the Bugatti jumped high in the air. The rear axle was damaged, and the car had to be withdrawn, but the driver escaped injury except for a few grazes. Another retirement was that of Maclure's Riley with oil trouble. Maclure came in to his pit, and after a quick word abandoned without delay. Dixon, temporarily dispossessed of the lead on handicap, proceeded undisturbed, and raised a terrific cloud of dust, passing the second Singer-Fiat group in front of the stands. The Singers and Fiats were still hard at it, but after eleven laps of the ding-dong struggle S. C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Davis decided that this private fight was getting too much of a good thing, and pulled out some more speed, establishing a lead over ffrench-Davis' Fiat at last. Austin Dobson's Fiat, however, had now another duel with Langley's Singer, and so the small cars fought it out. One of the deciding factors of the race now became evident, for shortly after one o'clock Hindmarsh had stopped at his pit, refuelled the big Lagonda with 22 gallons, and changed all four wheels, the stop taking 1m. 59s. Twenty minutes later Dodson brought the second Lagonda in for similar work, and lost 2m. 9s. The big red cars were obviously heavy on c 8 Image Captions: Top Image: The Singer-Fiat battle at Quarry Corner. N. Black (Singer) is just ahead of ffrench-Davis (Fiat), with S. C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Davis (Singer) just behind. Bottom Image: Von der Becke digs furiously to extricate his Riley from the sandbank at Newtownards. | ||