09-11-2024, 10:13 PM
4th April 2025 marks the centenary of the last of the Hereford Speed Trials, and therefore demands a celebration. The previous weekend saw an accident at the Kop hillclimb, and the agreement between the ACU and the RAC that all speed competition on public roads was now banned. Hereford’s Lord Mayor W.G. Britten, on receiving this news on the Tuesday of that week summoned the Chief Constables of the County and the City to a meeting with the Watch Committee. It was decided that whatever London might think, Hereford was going to proceed with the long planned and well organised event. So on Friday 4th April 2025, a centenary tour will visit the two venues for the speed trials in the city, and then venture out into the countryside to climb Dinmore and Fromes Hills. It might come as no surprise to learn that the journey home will include Stoke Lacy church to inspect a memorial in the churchyard and see some stained glass.
In 1925 FTD went to Riddoch on his Zenith with 24 secs, George Goodall’s Morgan making 24 4/10th secs. The only Austin recorded a time of 32 1/5th secs, driven by C.F. Townley. Of Townley, this writer can find no other mentions, certainly no photographs. Do any of the historians who might read this have any info that can be included in the historical booklet that will accompany the Centenary Tour?
Nicholson in reporting the 1924 Hereford Speed Trial on 31st May does not mention Dudley Beck, Canning Brown does not mention the event at all. At Angel Bank, a little further North close to Ludlow, Beck had come 2nd in class to Raymond Mays, who was for once driving a Seven. Subsequently in July, Beck won his class at Madresfield, then coming 2nd to Louis Kings at Shelsley. Many thanks to Austin Harris and his cabinet of historical gems for the image of Beck in MB 5088 at Shelsley, listed as a3457. For some reason my computer and the forum fail to cooperate with attaching this image, can a computer wizard manage this? Was this “Works Special” Beck’s own car or allocated to him for individual events?
For further information about the event; stevekaytwo@btinternet.com
In 1925 FTD went to Riddoch on his Zenith with 24 secs, George Goodall’s Morgan making 24 4/10th secs. The only Austin recorded a time of 32 1/5th secs, driven by C.F. Townley. Of Townley, this writer can find no other mentions, certainly no photographs. Do any of the historians who might read this have any info that can be included in the historical booklet that will accompany the Centenary Tour?
Nicholson in reporting the 1924 Hereford Speed Trial on 31st May does not mention Dudley Beck, Canning Brown does not mention the event at all. At Angel Bank, a little further North close to Ludlow, Beck had come 2nd in class to Raymond Mays, who was for once driving a Seven. Subsequently in July, Beck won his class at Madresfield, then coming 2nd to Louis Kings at Shelsley. Many thanks to Austin Harris and his cabinet of historical gems for the image of Beck in MB 5088 at Shelsley, listed as a3457. For some reason my computer and the forum fail to cooperate with attaching this image, can a computer wizard manage this? Was this “Works Special” Beck’s own car or allocated to him for individual events?
For further information about the event; stevekaytwo@btinternet.com