Aston Martin V8 GT

This is a car that took part in the Allcomers Sports Racing and Sports Car race at the Autumn Historic Car Races at Oulton Park organised by the Aston Martin Owners Club in September 1993.

It's shown in the programme of the event as a 1973 Aston Martin V8 GT, entered in the race by David Ellis Plant Sales and driven by David Ellis of Wigan.

Here's a closer look at that V8 engine.

Austin 301

Here's another of the vehicles in the Pallot Museum in Jersey photographed in May 2013.

It's an Austin 301, a model that was produced between 1953 and 1957 and this TrucksPlanet.com site tells you a little bit about that model.

Friday's Ferrari

This photograph was taken at Silverstone at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting in July 1997.

It's a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza, serial number 0520M, originally owned by Louis Rosier and in 1997 owned by José Albequerque who drove it in the Shell Ferrari Historical Challenge race.

AC Greyhound

On 3rd March 2015 I showed a photograph of two cars on the AC Owners Club stand at the Northern Classic Car Show at Belle Vue Manchester in September 1986. Also visible was the rear end of another car, and that car is pictured below.

It's a 1961 AC Greyhound, and the brochure of the event said this about the car:

'AC's brief foray into the 4-seater GT market is represented by Graham Howell's 1961 Greyhound, notable for spending its first three years with the British Embassy in Switzerland. Now fitted with the 2.2 litre version of the Bristol engine, it was a class winner at the club's recent Annual Concours.'

This car was offered in an auction by H&H Classics in September 1998.

Jaguar XJR-12

There was a Group C/GTP Sports Car race at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2007 and here is one of the cars which took part in that race.

It's a 1990 Jaguar XJR-12, driven in the race by Justin Law and here seen in the pit garage. The programme of the event said this about the car:

'Well-known historic hotshot Justin Law will be racing the Jaguar XJR-12 this weekend. Part of the established father-and-son team running Don Law Racing, Justin has burned up the tracks in his inimitably flamboyant and hard-charging style all over the world as he has progressed from a Jaguar Mk2 to Group C. He has also driven a Lister Storm to 2nd at the Spa 24 Hours (2003). The XJR-12 he will be piloting this weekend ran at Le Mans in 1990 driven by Ferte/Jones/Perez-Sala, but did not finish. When it retired from the tracks in 1993 it spent a decade in the TWR museum before being revived.'

Tom Walkinshaw Racing entered four of the XJR-12 cars in the 1990 Le Mans race, two of them failed to finish but the other two finished in first and second places.

Here's Justin Law at the Old Hairpin during a practice session......

......and here he is later in the session at McLean's Corner.

Airbus A320

This aeroplane is passing over Hyde on its approach to Manchester Airport, about 3 minutes away.

It's an Air Malta Airbus A320-214, flight KM146 from Luqa. The registration number of the aircraft is 9H-AEK and the photograph was taken on 11th April 2015.

Porsche 718

On 15th October 2013 I showed a photograph of the two works Porsche 718s that finished in second and third positions in the BARC 200 race at Aintree in April 1960, and here's the car that won the race.

It's Rob Walker's Porsche 718 which was driven to victory in the race by Stirling Moss. This site about scalextric slot cars gives you some information about the car.

Léon Bollée

The Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run organised by the Lancashire Automobile Club in June 1991 started on the Exchange Station car park in Manchester and this is one of the cars that took part.

It's a 1910 Léon Bollée Landaulette and the programme of the event had this to say about it:

18.    1910 Léon Bollée Landaulette

          Reg: BM 1373   4 cylinder  28 hp

          (Kevin Bann, Fence, Burnley)

Built in France at Le Mans by Léon Bollée,

son of Amédée Bollée, pioneer of steam

driven vehicles in France, this model,

aimed at the American market, was

backed with finance by the Vanderbilts.

Cossetted passengers can communicate

with the exposed driver by means of a

speaking tube - forerunner of today's car-

phone.

Scarab F1

This is a car which took part in the HGPCA Pre '60 GP Car Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in August 1996.

It's a 1959 Scarab F1 and the programme of the event says this about the car:

'Mention should also be made of the F1 Scarab, appearing at the Festival for the first time. This was an ambitious project, the brainchild of Woolworth's heir Lance Reventlow in the wake of resounding national success with his Chevy-powered sportscars. The cars were beautifully built, but by the time they arrived in Europe in 1960, the Formula 1 world had changed, and a front-engined design could no longer be expected to compete.

The following year one Scarab F1 was fitted with a 3-litre engine for the short-lived Intercontinental Formula, and it is in this form that it appears this weekend, in the hands of owner Don Orosco.'

Friday's Ferrari

This is a car which competed in the 90 minute long Historic Motor Racing News Gentlemen Drivers GT and Sports Endurance Race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2005.

It's a 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB, serial number 1993GT, owned by Belgian Marc Devis. I've featured this car twice before, on 27th February 2015 at a 2004 Donington Park race, and on 20th December 2013 at a 2010 Silverstone race, by which time it had been painted light blue. Because of the length of the race at Oulton Park two drivers shared the driving in each car, but the programme of the event doesn't show who was the co-driver with Marc Devis.

Austin K3

This is one of the vehicles at Heaton Park, Manchester, at the Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally organised by the Greater Manchester Transport Society in September 1996.

It's a 1939 Austin K3 YB, entered in the rally by A N Lawton of Birch Vale, Stockport. It had a capacity of 3 tons and a 6-cylinder 3462cc petrol engine, and many K3s were used by the British Forces in WWII. I remember that they were a common sight on the streets in the late 1940s.

Lancia Aurelia

Here are a couple of photographs I took at the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting in August 2004 showing two cars which competed in the HSCC Historic Road Sports Championship Race.

Both Lancia Aurelia B20s, the one on the left is Chris Gawne's 1953 Series III model, and the one on the right is Tim Burrett's 1952 Series II model. I've featured Chris Gawne's car previously, in August 2014 with a photograph I took of it in a distressed condition at the auction associated with the Northern Classic Car Show in September 1985.

Here's Tim Burrett during the race at the Foulstons chicane leading the Jaguar XK120 of Dick Skipworth and the Ginetta G15 of Mark Wilson.

Porsche 962C

This is a car taking part in the race for Group C/GTP Cars at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2005.

It's a 1989 Kremer modified Porsche 962C, seen here at Redgate corner being driven by Simon Pullan.

Rover 14

This car was on display on the stand of the Rover Sports Register at the Northern Classic Car Show at G-Mex, Manchester, in August 1993.

It's a 1939 Rover 14 Drophead Coupé, a car that was produced from 1933 to 1940, and then again from 1945 to 1948. This 1939 model had a 6-cylinder 1901cc engine. The brochure of the event had this to say about the car:

1939 Rover 14 Drophead Coupé

This model was produced in small numbers by Salmons and Son, coachbuilders, in 1939 and 1940 using the Rover Sports Saloon as the basis.

This example was supplied from new to Northern Ireland. It returned to the UK in 1991 and has since been restored, having been off the road for several years. "Dizzy" as she is affectionately known, has just returned from her first continental trip to join in the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the Belgian Rover Club.

Airbus A321

I photographed this aeroplane on 29th April 2015 as it passed over Hyde on its way to land at Manchester Airport.

It's a Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-231, flight TK1995 from Istanbul. Turkish Airlines is a sponsor of the German Bundesliga football team Borussia Dortmund and this aircraft, registration number TC-JSJ, bears their livery.

Frazer Nash Targa Florio

This car took part in the Twelve Lap 1950s Sports Car Race at the Richard Seaman Memorial Trophies meeting at Oulton Park in June 1993.

It's a 1953 Frazer Nash Targa Florio, driven in this race by the owner Graham Burrows. The car has chassis number 421/200/185 and a Bristol engine and was delivered new in April 1953 to Douglas Reardon-Smith. It was originally painted green. The 1951 Targa Florio race at the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie in Sicily was won by Franco Cortese in a Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica, and thus the next Frazer Nash model was given the name 'Targa Florio'.

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph taken inside the marquee of the Ferrari Owners Club at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1994.

It's the Ferrari 312 B3 driven by Clay Regazzoni in the 1974 racing season, owned in 1994 by Lord Brocket. Its serial number is 014 1974.

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Engines

I took these photographs of two car engines in June 1986 at the Exchange Station car park in Manchester which was the start point of the Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car run organised by the Lancashire Automobile Club.

All I'd written down for this was that it was a 1924 Rolls Royce 20 Tourer, but I didn't identify the specific vehicle. There was, however, only one such car listed in the programme of the event so it looks as if it is the car then belonging to a John McGlynn of Blackpool, and the programme said this about the car:

48     1924 Rolls Royce 20 Tourer,

          Reg: CA 7243 6 cylinder 20 hp 3142cc

          (John McGlynn, Blackpool)

Completely original Barker-bodied, barrel-sided,

dual-cowl tourer, in regular use in Blackpool,

completing about 6,000 miles a year. Featured

in the film Grand National Nights (1953).

For this one I'd just written that it was a 1929 Bentley 6½ litre, and again there was only one such car shown in the programme:

138     1929 Bentley 6.5 litre,

           Reg: UP 2224 6 cylinder 37.2 hp

           6500cc

           (William Loughran, Walmer Bridge,

           Preston)

This car is a previous winner of the prestigious

Kensington Gardens Concours, and also a

previous winner on this Run. It has been

owned and maintained by Mr Loughran and

his wife for the past six years.

There's some information about this car on www.vintagebentleys.org.

Lotus Mk X

This photograph was taken at Doningon Park in September 2004 at the SeeRed meeting.

It's a 1955 Lotus Mark X - a car which was basically a Mark VIII, but which used the larger Bristol engine instead of the Ford, MG, or Coventry Climax engines mostly used by the Mark VIII. This particular car was driven in the 1950's Sports Car Race at Donington by Kenneth White and is one which was previously owned by Cliff Davis.

Surtees in a Surtees

These photographs were taken at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 2000 when the circuit celebrated 50 years of Formula One at Silverstone. The first World Championship Grand Prix took place at Silverstone in May 1950. The Coys meeting included demonstration runs by various drivers and this is one of them.

This is John Surtees leaving the pit lane to take part in one of the demonstrations driving a 1971 Surtees TS9B. This car also took part in the F.O.R.C.E. Pre 1972 Classic Grand Prix Car Race at this meeting driven by the owner John Bladon.

Austin Healey 3000

On 15 April 2015 I showed a photograph of a 1959 Austin Healey 3000 taken at Oulton Park at a Jaguar Drivers' Club meeting in April 1987. Here's another photograph of the same car taken just three weeks later, again at Oulton Park.

It's at the HSCC Spring Historic Race Meeting in May 1987 and it was again driven by Denis Welch, seen here at Lodge Corner in the HSCC Pre '60 Historic Sports Car Championship race.

Citroen V23

This is a vehicle pictured at Heaton Park, Manchester, in September 1995 at the Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally organised by the Greater Manchester Transport Society.

It's a 1937 Citroen V23, and the programme of the event says this about it:

F7          Citroen V23, 1937

              Entered by     B. Longden for Sylvan Brick Ltd,

                              Trafford Park

           Found in Brittany in 1991, Renovated and fitted with fairground organ.

Cathay Pacific

In December 2014 Cathay Pacific began a service operating four times a week between Hong Kong and Manchester. Here are photographs of the Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong passing over Hyde on the morning of 25th April 2015, just three minutes away from landing at Manchester Airport.

It's Cathay Pacific flight CX357

The aeroplane is a Boeing 777-367(ER)

Its registration number is B-KQR

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph of a Ferrari in the pit garage at Donington Park at the SeeRed meeting promoted by the Vintage Sports Car Club in September 2006.

It's a 1960 Ferrari Dino 246 F1 car, serial number 0788F (previously numbered 0007) which was owned at that time by Tony Smith and took part in the VSCC Flockhart Trophy race at this meeting. The car on the left is another of Tony Smith's cars, a 1934 Alfa Romeo Tipo B (P3), serial number 50007, which was campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari when it was the acting racing team of Alfa Romeo. At this meeting the Alfa Romeo competed in the VSCC Historic Seaman Trophy race.

Speedway: Grand Prix Qualifying Round (3 July 1976) at Belle Vue Stadium

Peter Collins (Belle Vue Aces) before the start of Heat 1

Heat 1: Peter Collins (Belle Vue Aces)

Heat 3: Dave Morton (Hackney Hawks)

Heat 4: Scott Autrey (Exeter Falcons) in white and Doug Wyer (Sheffield Tigers) in blue

Heat 5: Reide Eider (Leicester Lions) in white and Keith White (Hackney Hawks) in blue

Start of Heat 6: Doug Wyer (Sheffield Tigers) in red, Dave Morton (Hackney Hawks) in blue, Russ Hodgson (Belle Vue Aces) in white and Christer Sjosten (Poole Pirates) in yellow/black

Geoff Pusey (Belle Vue Aces)

Alan Wilkinson (Belle Vue Aces) before the start of Heat 7

Heat 7: Chris Morton (Belle Vue Aces) in white and Steve Gresham (Newport Wasps) in yellow/black

Finn Thomsen (Wolverhampton Wolves) before the start of Heat 9

The final placings were:

          1st        Peter Collins (Belle Vue Aces)       14 points

          2nd       Scott Autrey (Exeter Falcons)        13 points

          3rd=      Dave Morton (Hackney Hawks)     12 points

          3rd=      Doug Wyer (Sheffield Tigers)         12 points

McLaren F1 prototype XP4

I photographed this car in the paddock at Silverstone at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting in July 1993.

It's one of five McLaren F1 experimental vehicles and apparently you can recognise it as XP4 because the indicators are different to those of the other four cars, and also (though you can't see it here) there are only two rear lights instead of four. XP4 was used as a test bed for the gearbox.

Bugatti Type 44

This photograph was taken on the Exchange Station car park in June 1990 at the start of the Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run organised by the Lancashire Automobile Club.

It's a Bugatti Type 44, chassis number 441131, and the programme of the event had this to say about the car:

128     1929 Bugatti Type 44

            8 cylinder 24 hp

            (David Tonge, Heaton Grange)

One of Ettore Bugatti's more civilised designs,

according to Mr Tonge. It was certainly

immensely smooth, sleek and powerful for its

day.

I've shown two other photographs of Type 44 Bugattis previously, chassis number 44667 (MT 1338) and, oddly enough, chassis number 114431 again, but this time with the registration number 6037 DH.

Juan Manuel Fangio

This is another of the old black-and-white Kodak Brownie 127 photographs, this time taken at the Friday practice for the British Grand Prix at Aintree in July 1957. You can see in the background the old grandstands of the Aintree Racecourse which lay alongside the finishing straight and which have now, I understand, been demolished and replaced.

This is the then World Champion and soon-to be Champion again, Juan Manuel Fangio in the paddock on his way to join the Maserati team and prepare for the day's practice in his 250F. He didn't have much luck in the race though - running low down in the order until he retired halfway through the race with engine problems.

The photograph shows how easy it was in those days to approach the drivers who would happily pose for photographs and sign autographs.

ERA R4A

Today's photograph was taken at Oulton Park in July 1987 at the Richard Seaman Memorial Trophies Meeting. The programme of the event had this to say about these trophies:

The Richard Seaman Trophies

These were kindly presented to the Vintage Sports Car Club by George Monkhouse Esq, as a memorial to his friend that great British driver, R.J.B.Seaman. There are two Trophies and two races, one for pre-1931 Vintage Racing Cars, and the other for Historic Racing Cars made before 1940. In addition to the scratch races for the trophies each race will include a handicap.

The Historic Trophy race always includes a sprinkling of ERA cars; nine took part on this occasion, and this is one of them.

This is a 1935 ERA, R4A, at that time owned by Sir John Venables-Llewelyn, and was fitted with a 2 litre supercharged engine. The ERA Club has detailed records of all the ERA cars and this is a list of the owners of R4A since it was built:

R4A

P G Fairfield 1935 to 1937
N G Wilson 1937 to 1942
R Parnell 1942 to 1945
F R Gerard 1945 to 1955
J MacPhee 1955 to 1956
J de Villiers 1956 to 1957
J Shield 1957 to 1960
J de Villiers 1960 to 1961
B Sargeant 1961 to 1963
F P Brewer 1963 to 1966
Sir John Venables-Llewelyn 1966 to 1996
P A Mann & J Wildbolz 1996 to 1998
J Wildbolz 1998 to 2008
J-R Grellet 2008 to 2012
N J Topliss 2012 to date

There are also details of all the ERA cars on this site.

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