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).
Report from 'The Motor' magazine on the R.A.C. Tourist Trophy race, detailing a crash, the starting order, and early race events.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan086 | |
| Date | 4th September 1934 | |
| September 4, 1934. 195 The Motor R.A.C. T.T. BY 17 SECONDS The most spectacular crash of the day: H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} B. Prestwich (Riley) disappearing over the hedge at Quarry Corner in the early stages of the race, fortunately without serious effects. Current reports were that his mechanic was not injured either—which were quite true, due to his being at his pit at the time! roads were cleared, the stands filled, Lord Abercorn and his suite arrived to take seats in the Royal box, and then, quite before anyone realized it and without any preliminary warning whatever, the first group—the M.G. Magnettes—suddenly and unostentatiously broke into life and shot off down the road, headed by W. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Everitt in the car Nuvolari should have been driving, followed by G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Eyston, leading his own team of three M.G. Magnettes. Thrills Start at Once Things continued to happen and A.{Mr Adams} P. Hamilton (M.G. Magnette) missed the sandbags at Newtownards by inches, H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Aldington (Frazer-Nash) missed the turn altogether and went up the escape road, Powys-Lybbe's exhaust pipe fell off his Alvis and Norman Black, out of luck to-day, heard an important noise in his engine and stopped for an enquiry at Comber—for a long, long time. ORDER at 11.30 a.m. 1. Hall (Bentley), 77.87 m.p.h. 2. Handler (M.G. Magnette), 73.51 m.p.h., 14 secs. behind on handicap. 3. Eyston (M.G. Magnette), 73.40 m.p.h., 15 secs. behind. 4. Dodson (M.G. Magnette), 73.35 m.p.h., 14 secs. behind. 5. Hon. Brian Lewis (Lagonda), 76.90 m.p.h., 16 secs. behind. 6. Hindmarsh (Lagonda), 76.78 m.p.h., 18 secs. behind. The Start, Group by Group Thereafter, group by group, according to handicap, the entire field joined in, with Powys-Lybbe’s Silver Eagle Alvis last, but by no means least, until the road was empty, just as the squalling squadron of M.G.s was storming through the twists and turns of Ballystockart on the downhill rush to Dundonald. On the very first lap E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall came very near to retiring not too gracefully from the race, when his Bentley flung itself into a gigantic slide at the Moate, but Hall pulled it straight again. On this very same lap Staniland brought the 1½-litre six-cylinder Riley into the pits for plugs, the first to stop. The Ford team was early in trouble, for less than half an hour after the start Sullivan was changing plugs at the pits. Two Frazer-Nashes dashed up to adjust brakes and rushed off again, PowysLybbe brought in his Alvis to mend the broken exhaust (borrowing parts from a sister car in the enclosure to do it) and then Hall (Bentley) set up a record lap at 79.31 m.p.h. while Lord Howe p11 | ||