Friends' Gallery Picture of the Month - April 2020

[Mike Costigan]

I had another picture lined up for this month, but then I found this one; was this someone's idea of an April Fool's joke? It shows J W Burnand in his Austin Seven at Southport in 1939. Although there is mention in The Autocar's report of two accidents, Mr Burnand does not appear to have been involved; perhaps he had too much understeer at the hairpin and was last seen heading for Blackpool?

   

Was this a serious racing project, or was he using the Southport Races as a shake-down session before the trials season began? I wonder what the VSCC scrutineers will have to say when this turns up at the Welsh Trial; at least there is no sign of LED lights in use.

[Ivor Hawkins]

At first glance I thought Tony Griffiths had been h@ving more fun with photoshop!

[Mike Costigan]

Ivor, don't encourage him 

[Dave Wortley]

Did he steer it with his feet?

[Malcolm Parker]

By sitting so far back he would be further away from the inevitable accident?

[Steve kay]

If Percy Ponde-Lyffe had been in the same event in the mighty machine the provenance and value of which has been challenged in this very forum, then the threat to Mr Burnand's safety might have being rammed from behind. Being acceptable for the Welsh Trial looks unlikely. However I think that if anyone who has the Burnand Special were to turn up at the Prestiegne Scout Hut for the Scatter, they would be made most welcome. In Southport form there was  no space for a navvy, so might I suggest further lengthening, with the navvy sat behind the driver in tandem, a la Bedelia.

[Renaud]

Pollock or b...ocks?

Edit:
Sorry I thought that it was a period fish...

[Duncan Grimmond]

C'est une poisson d'Avril je croix

[Alan]

John Burnand was a well known competitor at Southport. He drove at one time a Sunbeam special and also a Riley engined Austin Seven. I’m not altogether sure if that is it!

[Mike Costigan]

That's interesting, Alan; that might explain the overall design, as the Riley engine probably had to be located much further back in order to balance the chassis ... and that might also explain the oversize rear tyres.