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 article from 'The Times' reporting on the Tourist Trophy motor race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan093 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1934 guessed | |
| TIMES (3) Intense Excitement By now the vast crowd teeming all round the course was simply frantic with excitement. Men, women, and children were on tip toe with expectation as they pressed forward to see who would lead on the next lap. Hall closed again on Lewis until he was only half a length behind at Comber. At Dundonald the Bentley snatched the lead once more, only to lose it immediately. Meanwhile, on handicap, Dodson’s much smaller M.G. Magnette was actually leading the race. Brian Lewis was driving as he had never driven before, all out to beat the Bentley, while Dodson strove desperately to keep the two giants behind him. It was the most thrilling struggle ever seen in the Tourist Trophy race. For six desperate laps the duel continued. Brian Lewis seemed to be in the lead for good, then suddenly from Dundonald came the message that Hall’s Bentley was in front. The green car tore past the pits a few seconds later with Lewis 200 yards behind, gesticulating violently and unmistakably that he would have to come in for a change of wheels. That meant goodbye to victory. But when he came round on his next lap he did not stop, though the white danger strip showed now in his rear tyres. At 4.30 p.m., with only four laps to go, Dodson led, with Hall 15 seconds behind him. Dodson’s speed was 74.58 m.p.h. since the start of the race, and Hall’s was 78.35 m.p.h. A Great Effort Lewis was taking too great a risk, and the mechanic was sent out into the middle of the road holding up a great notice that he was to stop at once. While the pit assistants changed the front tyres, the driver tried to jack up the back wheels, but so exhausted was he by the strain of driving that he could not muster enough strength to work the jack. At last by a superhuman effort he lifted the car and the rear wheels were changed also, and then he tore off amidst the sympathetic applause of the spectators. By five o’clock the leader, Dodson, had only one lap of 13 2-3 miles to go, and in order to beat him Hall would have to make up 19 sec. in one lap. On this last lap conditions varied a great deal. At Newtownards the M.G. and the Bentley were separated by 42 sec.; at the Moat the gap had closed to 35 sec.; at Comber the cars were 31 sec. apart. At Ballystockart the difference was 26 sec.; at Dundonald it was 22 sec., and at last Dodson flashed over the line, just as Hall rounded the bend behind him, to cross the line just 17 sec. later. Owing to Brian Lewis’s wheel change he lost third place to Fotheringham, who drove his Aston Martin magnificently. The result of the race, and the official speeds were:— h.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} m.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} s. m.p.h. 1. C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson (M.G.) (1 lap and 9m. 26s.) 6 13 24 74.65 2. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall (Bentley) (1m. 45s.) 6 13 41 78.40 3. T. Fotheringham (Aston Martin) (1 lap and 7m. 10s.) 6 16 15 75.53 4. Hon. Brian Lewis (Lagonda) (1m. 45s.) 6 17 31 77.57 5. John S. Hindmarsh (Lagonda) (1m. 45s.) 6 18 29 78.38 6. L. P. Driscoll (Aston Martin) (1 lap and 7m. 10s.) 6 18 47 74.03 7. C. Penn Hughes (Aston Martin) (1 lap and 7m. 10s.) 6 20 5 73.78 8. John Cobb (Lagonda) (1m. 45s.) 6 32 23 74.58 9. A.{Mr Adams} W. K.{Mr Kilner} Von der Becke (Riley) (2 laps and 30s.) 6 33 27 70.22 10. T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Rose Richards (Talbot) (8m. 30s.) 6 34 56 73.76 TEAM PRIZE ASTON MARTIN TEAM (T. Fotheringham, L. P. Driscoll, and C. Penn Hughes). CLASS AWARDS CLASS C (3,000 to 5,000 c.c.).—E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall. CLASS D (2,000 to 3,000 c.c.).—T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Rose Richards. CLASS F (1,100 to 1,500 c.c.).—C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson. CLASS G (750 to 1,100 c.c.).—A.{Mr Adams} W. K.{Mr Kilner} Von der Becke. | ||