W.O. Bentley in Experimental Number 1 at Brooklands
(oil on board work in progress)
Part of my painting demonstration on the Saturday. I will be continuing this piece at this Coming Saturdays Bentley Driver Club Concours D'Elegance
My home for the weekend the ERA Shed.
An improvised set up.
One of the current residents in the E.R.A. Shed
The Napier Railton (24 litre Napier Lion Areo Engine) :
Holder of the outer track record at Brooklands
143.44 mph (230.84 km/h)) set in 1935:
Bluebird Sunbeam (350HP)Originally built by built by the Sunbeam Car Company in 1922. It Was Later campained by Malcolm Campbell. More info on it's life and records can be found here:
This car was on loan from Beaulieu and was subject to some of my scribblings over the weekend. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.
Quick pen and ink Sketch
Watercolour study
As part of the celebrations they had three Napier Lion engines. Two were in cars the Napier Railton and the Napier Bentley. The other was on a trolley and had a propeller attached.
The real monster of the weekend was Chris Willaims' Packard Bentley a 42 litre aero engined black beast.
Pen and Ink Study
As well as the large areo engined cars there was lots of other exotic machinery to see. Including this Alpha Romeo Areo Spider. It was built in the 30s to run at over 200mph and was never completed. After a long spell in various barns in England it was restored in Europe (I'm currently trying to fond out more about its history). Unfortunately it only had a 6 cylinder engine installed, it was intended to have a 12 cylinder engine but Alpha Romeo never produced one. It still made a great noise though.
Originally designed to be a single seater it can now take 3 people with the driver in the middle. So McLaren weren't the first!
The front brakes are huge, you couldn't even see past them through the spokes!
There was a fantastic array of Veteran cars on display outside the front of the Club House.
1898 HenroidPen and Ink Study
The Henroid can run on either alcohol or petrol with very slight adjustment. This is the only known surviving example. Owned by Roy Fisher of Eastbourne, on the south coast of England, the 6 hp Henriod Duc, or “Madame Henriod” as he calls his pride and joy, is untouched, never having been restored, and is completely intact.
Large exposed flywheel can be seen lurking behind the engine.
Willy Wonka style oil resevoirs which drip directly onto various parts of the engine.
1897 British Built Daimler
Pen and Ink Study
The earliest surviving example a Coventry made Daimler.
The Morgan Three Wheeler Club were well represented on the day.
Special congratulations go out to Ian and Maria Parkinson for winning the Concours!
(photo by Trevor Seymour)
The Clive Lones MorganBaragwanath JTOR 996CC J.A.P. Engined Cycle Car
It Achieved 37 world records and in 1930 was the first Light Car to lap Brooklands outer Circuit at 100mph.
There were also some fantastic Austin Severn's out and about.
Chris Williams' Austin 7 special with a 3 Cylinder Light Aircraft Engine
Chris Williams' Austin 7 special with a 3 Cylinder Light Aircraft Engine
An unusual short bodied Austin 7
Special thanks to all at Brooklands who made me feel so welcome and made such an amazing event possible. I fully recommend this event to anyone and urge you to attend next year.
Don't forget if your not already I would also like to recommend that you become a Brooklands trust member and that you support this amazing living museum:
