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).
Newspaper clipping detailing the entrants, schedule, and conditions for the R.A.C. Tourist Trophy motor race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\6\ Scan096 | |
| Date | 1st September 1936 | |
| X262 Sept 1st / 36 T.T. FILE MOTOR RACING THE TOURIST TROPHY BY OUR MOTOR RACING CORRESPONDENT Practice for the Tourist Trophy Race organized by the Royal Automobile Club, to be run on September 5, will be begun to-morrow, when the 32 cars entered are expected to be on the course for their first public appearance. Practice will be allowed on Wednesday from 9.30 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. and on Thursday from 9.45 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. On Friday the cars will receive their official scrutiny by the Royal Automobile Club's officials in order to see that they conform to the regulations. Not that these are very many, but theoretically all the cars taking part in the event are semi-sports cars, and so have to have certain types of bodies, although the chassis themselves are the same as used in track racing. This year E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall is driving the new 4¼-litre Bentley. There are many rumours about this car, which is being thoroughly tuned up at the makers' works. Some people say that it has a new type of aluminium head, others that a copper head is to be fitted to the six cylinders in order to dissipate the heat quickly and so give increased power and, perhaps, higher compression. At any rate when the car begins practice its bonnet undoubtedly will be opened and the mystery will no longer exist, whether it differs from standard practice or not. INTERNATIONAL INTEREST The German B.M.W.s (Bayerische Motoren-werke) have been sent direct from Germany to Belfast, and will be of particular interest, as this is the first time that these cars have appeared on the Ards course. In fact this year the R.A.C. Tourist Trophy Race has great international interest, since of the 32 entries 14 are foreign makes and 18 are British. This is the highest proportion of foreign cars that has ever been entered for the event. This year the race is five laps of the course shorter, making the total distance 410 miles. The cars will start at noon on Saturday instead of 11 a.m. as usual, so that the race will be over soon after 5 p.m., for the convenience of spectators, particularly visitors from England. The R.A.C. has permitted women to drive in the race this time, so we find Miss J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Richmond as a co-driver of Mr. Monkhouse's Aston Martin, Mrs. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Eccles shares the driving with her husband on one of the Singer cars, and Mrs. K.{Mr Kilner} Petre has been nominated as one of the spare drivers, with H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Dobbs, for the Frazer Nash B.M.W. Mrs. T. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Wisdom and her husband will drive one of the small Fiat cars which represent Italy. The following is a complete list of entries:— A.{Mr Adams} W. Fox (three) 4,453 c.c. Lagonda E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall 4,250 c.c. Bentley M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Monneret and N. F.{Mr Friese} S. Falkner 3,557 c.c. Delahaye A.{Mr Adams} Selborne (five) 3,557 c.c. Delahaye C. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. Martin (three) 3,255 c.c. Bugatti H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Aldington (three Mrs. Phipps (Miss D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Evans)) 1,970 c.c. Frazer-Nash B.M.W. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hanson 1,950 c.c. Aston Martin V.{VIENNA} Riley (three) 1,496 c.c. Riley A.{Mr Adams} C. Dobson 1,496 c.c. Riley I. Prevoix 1,496 c.c. Riley F.{Mr Friese} W. Dixon 1,496 c.c. Riley J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} O.{Mr Oldham} Kenneth 1,495 c.c. Aston Martin C. Monkhouse 1,495 c.c. Aston Martin W. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Baird 1,088 c.c. Riley J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Chambers 1,088 c.c. Riley C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Dobson 995 c.c. Fiat F.{Mr Friese} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} french Davis 995 c.c. Fiat Major R.{Sir Henry Royce} T. Heyn 995 c.c. Fiat C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Masters 995 c.c. Fiat F.{Mr Friese} S. Barnes 972 c.c. Singer R.{Sir Henry Royce} Eccles 972 c.c. Singer EXCELLENT CONDITIONS The Frazer Nash B.M.W. will be driven by B. Bira (Prince Birabongse), A.{Mr Adams} F.{Mr Friese} P. Lane, and H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Aldington, while C. Paul, P. Maclure, A.{Mr Adams} W. K.{Mr Kilner} van der Becke, and N. Black are nominated to drive Riley cars. The Delahaye team entered by the works will be driven by the French drivers L. S. Schell, R.{Sir Henry Royce} Carriere, R.{Sir Henry Royce} Lebeque, and R.{Sir Henry Royce} Brunet, and G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Field, who is an old Tourist Trophy hand, having taken part in the 1929, 1931, and 1933 races. Mrs. A.{Mr Adams} C. Dobson has been nominated as the reserve driver for the Fiat team and V.{VIENNA} Gillow is the reserve driver for the Riley contingent. The 4¼-litre Lagonda cars will be driven by the Hon. B. Lewis, P. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Fairfield, and Lord Howe. Some doubt has been expressed about Fairfield's car being ready, but it is hoped that the three cars will start. Reports from the course state that the roads are in excellent condition and that one or two places which were inclined to promote a hazard in last year's race have been rounded off. This year it is expected that very high speeds will be made on the 13 2/3-mile circuit. As usual, the Tourist Trophy race is a handicapped one. The handicapper has based on the estimated speeds which the cars of the different classes can attain on this particular course. Thus the scratch cars, which are the 4¼-litre Bentley, the Lagondas, Bugatti, and Delahayes, are scheduled to average 81 m.p.h., and the smaller classes in proportion. It is generally reckoned that the cars are two miles an hour faster than they were last year, taking the cars in the various classes of 1,100 c.c., 1,500 c.c., 2,000 c.c., and over 3,000 c.c., which completed the course in last year's event. | ||