Kicking Up The Spray
I will update my blog, as I go out and about, hopefully coming home with a few pics to share with you.
Brooklands Double 12
On the weekend of June 14 and 15th we headed down to Brooklands for the Double 12 event, which incorporated a Speed Trial, Driving Tests and a Concours. The weather could best be described as mixed, but on the whole was dry, which was good, particularly as we had a very severe thunderstorm in the early hours of Saturday morning.
We headed over to the Mercedes Benz World track when we arrived on the Saturday morning to have a stroll around the paddock for the Speed Trials, and as you can see, in the normal Brooklands tradition, the spectators could get up nice and close to inspect the machinery. The paddock still had a few largish puddles left by the overnight storm.
Racing boots getting an airing!
I did like the way the filler cap on the car mirrored the badge.
Out on the track the action began, and there really was some lovely old machinery being put through its paces.
Even the larger cars such as this Lagonda were being hustled through the course.
Absolutely stunning Alfa at Speed.
Even with two extra wheels at the back this potent MG still looked a handful.
Some of the entrants got a little out of shape and tried a bit of off-roading.
Not much sophistication, but I bet this is great fun to drive.
For those of you that want a bit more comfort, you can't beat a well upholstered seat to relax in, but don't be fooled, this is a very potent and quick machine.
From the lofty heights of the previous car to the rather lower ground hugging example we see here to illustrate the vast variety of machinery that took part.
This car had been Tangoed!
During the lunchbreak, we headed for a bit of shelter back at the Museum site to try and stay dry as this heavy shower appeared.
Of course the rain left some of the cars covered in lovely water droplets for us to photograph, that is until the owners got to work with their chamois leathers.
The Stunt Drive team then entertained us in front of the clubhouse, and showed us their fantastic car control as they slid their machines in all directions with inch perfect control.
They jumped into a normal Mini and demonstrated their parallel parking technique sliding it into a very tight space at speed as the next photos illustrate. The parking Mini is coming in at speed, sliding into the space virtually sideways on the right.
I began wincing at this point waiting for the bump.
But I needn't have worried as these boys can position a car at speed to the nearest half inch it seems. One of the most impressive demonstrations of car control I have every seen, to be honest.
The Concours element attracted some stunningly turned out machinery, as this immaculate Jaguar engine shows.
Whilst others went in for a more used, rustic, rusty look!
Super clean Super Snake! Made a lovely noise when started too!
One of the older cars on display showing its workmanlike engine.
A bonnet strap after the rain.
Lovely paintwork shows off the strap to good effect.
Believe it or not this is the bonnet of a DB7, a car that doesn't normally excite me too much but this one was a bit special.
Style galore with this lovely Bristol.
Buffed up Lea-Francis
A piece of Brooklands aviation heritage reflected in the mirror.
A car that really caught me eye was this pristine example of a Jensen-Ford. More of which can be seen in the next two photos.
Just to keep you on your toes try and work out this visual puzzle!
Just to prove the Jensen part of the car.
A coupe take a stroll along the historic banking.
Loved this small bear taking a ride on the bus.
If steam power is your thing then Whistling Billy was there, and as you can see by the blistered paint, does tend to get a bit hot.
The Driving Tests took place all over the Museum site on the Sunday, and this one was right in front of the Club House. As can be seen by the smoking back tyres, spirited driving was encouraged by an appreciative round of applause from the crowd.
If you want a low slung car then this is the one for you!
A stylish car driven by an equally stylish driver.
When Le Mans cars were pure of line.
Underneath this immaculate bonnet lurks a mighty 27ltr Merlin engine.
The Merlin powered Handlye Special proved a little cumbersome in the Driving Tests due to its size.
However when the Handlye Special was given the straight Test Hill to climb, it did so with tyre smoking gusto, as the rear tyres soon ran out of grip when the loud pedal was pressed.
Another great weekend at Brooklands, some fantastic cars, plenty of spirited driving and the opportunity to get up close to have a good look at the machinery made it an unforgettable couple of days. Many thanks to all the hard working marshalls and Brooklands staff who made it all possible. Can't wait for Double 12, 2015.
London Trip - Royal Albert Hall And Surrounding Area
On Sunday June 8th we ventured up to London, on what turned out to be a very hot day. We started off at Kensington High Street, and after refreshment at our favourite cafe in the area (Cafe Tarte which I can highly recommend) we headed off in the direction of the Royal Albert Hall and surrounding area.
Part of one of the Imperial College Buildings.
The entrance to Imperial College on Exhibition Road.
A reflective look along the front entrance.
Two very different styles of building next door to each other, one of which you might recognize from the previous photo.
A very impressive light found on the Royal College Of Music frontage, and because of the warmth of the day the windows were open, and the tuneful melodies could be heard by us out on the street.
The Royal Albert Hall really is a magnificent building, and well worth some time studying in detail.
An Albert reflected in another Albert.
The restoration may be a bit bright for some, but a bit of bling never hurt anyone!
Differing architectural styles in all directions.
The front of The Royal Garden Hotel looked impressive in a modern style too.
Boris bikes, in their soon to be changed livery.
It wouldn't be a day out with my camera if I didn't take a picture of an interesting car, so I was delighted to find this classic Volvo P1800 at the side of the Kensington Road, complete with a For Sale sign in the back window. Yours for £23500 if you are interested!
Once again another very enjoyable day out in our capital, as we found new places to wander round, and made us more determined to go back again soon to see some more sights.
Reitlinger & Guards Club, Maidenhead
I wandered down to one of my favourite parts of the River Thames this evening, Guards Club Park and Reitlinger Open Space here in Maidenhead. A quiet tucked away area, that is far removed from the usual busy riverside venues. I wanted to see how the wildlife were doing in the area, and whether there had been any new additions added recently.
Promising start when I found a Great Crested Grebe perched on her nest.
Then all the action began!
The swans soon came along to show off their young, which are looking very healthy.
There was even one ready and willing to pose.
The squirrel didn't want to be left out, and started hanging around while it ate its dinner.
It really was quite tame and didn't seem to mind having its portrait taken.
Looking a little more closely at the foliage, a Damselfly was basking in the sun.
Couldn't resist taking the leaf up close.
Not sure what bird the feather belonged to, but it looked picturesque floating by on the river.
It you haven't been down to this area of the river, then get down there and have a look. It is never crowded and is an ideal venue to sit and relax, but remember to keep a look out for the wildlife!
Somerset House And Surrounding London Area
As the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition was taking place at Somerset House, a venue I had never visited before, the trip was made 'up to town' to look at the exhibition and hopefully take some photos of the surrounding area. It just so happened to be the hottest day of the year so far, with unbroken clear blue skies.
Somerset House is a truly wonderful piece of classic architecture, and well worth a visit in its own right. The Sony exhibition was fabulous, with lots of great and inspiring photos, which made us want to go and take some of our own even more!
The ceiling of the entrance to Somerset House.
The central courtyard.
The fountains were very popular on such a hot day!
Architectural details were all around.
Looking at the arched windows, and their reflections, got me wondering what went on behind them.
With some windows open to let some fresh air in, it looked as if lunch was served!
After leaving Somerset House, we wandered down towards Fleet Street, passing the Royal Courts Of Justice on the way. This upper section of the building illustrates the level of craftsmanship that went into creating these magnificent buildings.
The old and not so old!
The area is a real mix of architectural styles.
There were a few bottles on display in these two windows.
Curves and square edges sit side by side. The Black building on the left is the Express building.
When you venture round the back of these buildings, things are not so ornate.
A bit of rubbish to be collected hidden around the back of a building.
All in all a great day out, and every time I venture up to London, I find so much of interest to look at, and realise how lucky I am to live so close to this great Capital City of ours.
VSCC Spring Start At Silverstone
Having not been to Silverstone for many years, and keen to see some of the new development work there, we headed to the VSCC Spring Start meeting on April 13th to have a look. The first surprise on arrival was the lack of people, as we pulled up in the sparsely populated Paddock Car Park, and within a few strides were ensconced in the Paddock, where spectators were free to wander around and see the cars up close being fettled and prepared for the day's racing. Being able to get access like this makes these grass root events so much more interesting, I feel. All a bit different at the Grand Prix held here later in the year I am sure!
A few large transporters and motorhomes on show, and I felt like Ted Kravitz walking down here!
Last minute checks, and please note that the mechanic has the obligatory cut finger!
A bit of attention needed at the front end, but nothing that a fistful of cable ties won't cure by the look of it!
Bonhams had a stand showing some of their star lots from their future sale, and if you have a spare 7 figure sum that you are not sure what to do with, how about bidding on this ex-Graham Hill Lotus?
Or how about this lovely old Bentley Continental R Type? Pure sophistication and class for the discerning driver, I am not sophisticated, have no class, and am certainly not very discerning, but I would still love one of these classics!
Just about the smartest looking Austin Healey I have ever seen.
Couldn't resist taking a photo of this stylish motorhome front light assembly.
You have to keep your wits about you as the cars move around the paddock.
Access to the garages was allowed, and found this car lurking, with the pit lane in the background.
A Frazer Nash displaying its rewards for winning its race on Saturday.
As you can see there was plenty of room in the stands, as we virtually had the place to ourselves. We settled on Copse Corner to see the racing action. One disappointment was that all round the track the fencing was around 10 feet high as you can see on the left hand side of this picture, and so made photography very difficult.
My brother demonstrating our solution to getting a clear shot of the cars, above the fencing. However, there were very limited places where this worked, and a very limited timescale of being able to hang on like this before your aching legs and feet cried enough. As you have probably gathered by now, smooth panning proved a little problematic!
The highlight of the meeting for many, was the large collection of ERA machines assembled.
The ERA's came in all different colours, and were individual in other ways too.
The infamous 'Remus' making an outing, and probably the most famous ERA of them all. Originally raced by Prince Bira, and proudly wearing the flag of Siam, it has been said that this is the most raced car ever.
The ERA E Type looked sublime, and is very reminiscent of some of the pre-war German racing cars.
Proving that the reputation of ERA's being tricky to drive at the limit is correct, this driver went for a quick spin, but thankfully no harm was done to either driver or car.
