Please send letters to the Bulletin on any topic connected with Brooklands to the Alisdair Suttie on: brooklandsbulletineditor@gmail.com


letters


Gwenda records Dear Sir,


Having read the two articles about Gwenda Stewart in the last two Bulletins, I did some further research through my own library. Much of her success came from speed records, in particular in 1934 breaking the Class E (1500 to 2000cc) record in the Derby-Miller. In Great Motor Sport of the Thirties by John Dugdale, he lists all the records at the end of the decade and Gwenda Stewart’s still stood. Interestingly, at the end of 1939 the Class F (1100-1500cc) and Class G (750-1100cc) stood higher than Stewart’s record respectively at 164.0mph (Frank Lockhart in a Miller in 1927) and 187.6mph (Major Gardner in an MG in 1938). Autocar reporter Dugdale states that Gwenda Stewart’s car was ‘capable of even higher speeds but was limited by Montlhéry’s short 1.6-mile oval with its concrete surface in indifferent condition’, a contrast to Stewart’s comment that the French circuit was ‘very smooth’ when compared to Brooklands. Lockhart’s record was set at Muroc dry lake in California, USA while Gardner used the autobahn at Dessau where a 13.7km stretch was available, 5km of which were dead straight.


Readers might assume that the Derby cars used by Gwenda Stewart were British but


these were in fact built in Courbevoie, a suburb of Paris. Many manufacturers were based in that area, such as Talbot, Sénéchal, Aries and Amilcar, close to the modern La Défense which today is marked by the distinctive Grand Arche building. The Derby was manufactured between 1921 and 1936 and sold in Britain by Vernon Balls as Vernon-Derby. I believe Derby’s first appearance at Brooklands was at the JCC 200 Mile race on 13 October, 1923 where T Heaton lapped at over 70mph, eventually finishing 6th at 66.47mph.


Yours Gareth Tarr


Plaque location


Clerk of the Course’s office a little over a year after his death in May 1928. This illustration of it featured in the


Light Car magazine and it appears to be a bronze plaque surrounded by a marble or stone cartouche. In my ignorance, I don’t know if the Clerk of the Course office still exists but I have certainly never seen the plaque. If it has disappeared, it would be lovely to reinstate a replica in memory of this very popular and highly successful 1920s Brooklands driver.


Dear Editor,


Does anyone know what became of the memorial plaque to Parry Thomas? It was erected in the paddock on the wall of the


Driscoll finds Dear Sir,


Regarding the article on Gwenda Stewart in the Bulletin, I have on my garage shelf the original Weber carb float chamber and float from her Derby Maserati! It would be great to get it reunited with the car. Has anyone any idea where it is now? Also in the same garage is the ex-Brooklands and TT Zenith Chater-Lea which LP Driscoll owned. I read with interest the letter from Gwenda to Pat Driscoll submitted by Chris Driscoll and I wonder if he knows that his father’s bike still exists? It should be in your museum as it has not been seen by the general public for a great number of years.


Regards, Bob Thredder


Kind regards, Jeremy Wood


Dear Brooklands, Just to say that we really enjoyed your Summer Fete and I would like to pass on how much we enjoy the new Bulletin format. We have been Members for over a year, although my husband has been many times with his friend, and have taken friends and family on lots of occasions. Good value for money and thank you.


Best wishes Julie Ebison


Autogyro update please Dear Sir,


As a long-term contributor to Brooklands publications on Alvis matters, I send my congratulations on the splendid new Bulletin.


At the 1934 August Bank Holiday


meeting, referred to in the Gwenda Stewart article, an autogyro was demonstrated on the Finishing Straight. Can anyone add to this please?


Yours sincerely, KR Day


JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2020 | BROOKLANDS BULLETIN 11 Fantastic Fete


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52