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).
Two-page magazine spread from 'The Motor' detailing the R.A.C. T.T. Race, with an illustrated account and photographs of a major crash.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\1\ Scan060 | |
| Date | 10th September 1935 | |
| The Motor 232 September 10, 1935. THE R.A.C. T.T. RACE Continued Battle on Comber Straight: Bryan de Grineau's eye-witness impression of that magnificent first lap when the big cars thundered at full speed along the fastest straight on the Ards Circuit. Lord Howe (Bugatti) is seen taking the lead from Hindmarsh's 4½-litre Lagonda, with Hon. Brian Lewis (Bugatti) behind, fighting it out with Hall's Bentley and Dodson's Lagonda. On this stretch the cars approached 130 m.p.h. A Graphic Account of the Race BLUE sky, fleecy white clouds, a gentle cool breeze, fog curling up off the mountains in the distance; at the start crowds of people thronging the roadway between the long pit-line and the packed grandstand. People clustering round the cars to catch a last peep at the drivers and their machines before the police cleared the road. Above, flags and bunting; flags of Great Britain, France (for the Bugattis), the Irish Free State (for the Adlers—assembled those from German parts), Italy (for the Fiats) and Siam in honour of Prince Birabongse, driving his glittering blue and chrome Aston Martin as 'B. Bira.' All round the course huge and excited crowds. Rank upon rank of cars in meadows bordering the circuit. Police, doctors, first-aid squads, flag marshals. All on tip-toe. The great day . . . and fine weather. An Unimpressive Start Somehow, the start was unimpressive . . . just like last year. No warning over the loud-speakers. Precisely at 11 a.m. Mr. Ebblewhite dropped his flag, almost privately, to the M.G. Magnettes and with their characteristic harsh crackle, the same cars which ran (and supplied a winner) last year, shot off. c12 off—down the road towards Quarry Corner once again. Group by group, according to handicap, the cars went off. The second batch more spectacular—the 2-litre Marendaz, four Rileys (1½-litre 4-cylinders) and seven 1½-litre Astons. Lord Howe's own plugs were incorporated in this aluminium 'footing bottle' for refreshment on a long and gruelling race. The Tourist Trophy is the longest race of its type held in Europe. Chambers's Brooklands Riley Nine, two up, went alone, followed by Powys-Lybbe's not-brand-new Silver Eagle Alvis four-seater tourer and Davies Miller's blue Lagonda Rapier. Next went, in a bunch, the Lagondas, Bugattis and Hall's Bentley, the Lagondas leading wheel to wheel—last year's winner, Dodson on No. 2, Hindmarsh, Le Mans winner, on No. 1. Last, the 'Tiddlers' (the 1,000 c.c. class, for there were no 750 c.c. cars in the race)—three Fiats, three Adlers, and four sleek, green Singers as they ran at Le Mans. Thundering Through Bradshaw's Brae As the roar of exhausts died away up Glen Hill, the earlier groups were storming round the course well ahead, stringing out as they went. When the big cars thundered through the twists and turns down Bradshaw's Brae to Newtownards, the Magnettes were screaming between Ballystockart's serpentine hedges. When the small cars were taking the Brae and the big stuff was howling down Comber Straight, led by Lewis and Hall (Dodson smacked a bank and had a fright at the Moate), the Magnettes swirled round Dundonald Hairpin and raced up the slope back towards the start. With a roar the crowd came to its feet in the grandstand. ' Here they September 10, 1935. 233 The Motor THE R.A.C. T.T. RACE—Contd. AN AMAZING SEQUENCE OF CRASHES These remarkable photographs, part of a series exposed in successive fractions of a second with a Leitz Leica camera, were taken by a London spectator, Mr. Millard Buckley. They show the dramatic moment when the Singer driven by C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Davis left the road at Bradshaw's Brae, charged along the bank, somersaulted and turned over on its side on top of Norman Black's Singer which had previously left the road at the same spot. Yet a third car, driven by A.{Mr Adams} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Langley, had previously crashed close by.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} The cars were probably travelling at over 100 m.p.h. here and it is astounding that there were only minor personal casualties. Smashed steering failure was the cause of one crash. The upper photograph shows Davis's car in mid air and the driver falling out backwards; the lower photograph when they had come to a full stop. Note the spectators hurriedly rising. Bryan de Grineau was also an eye-witness. c15 | ||