Rougham Airfield Wings and Wheels

Look at the photo, and beyond me and the car in front, is a Rolls-Royce Griffon Engine; a 37 litre V12 as fitted to the Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft. This stationary engine and propeller formed a twin display with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; a 27 litre V12 as fitted to the Spitfire. When both were running at full power the noise was tremendous and the ground shook with the power of 64 litres consuming 2 gallons of fuel every minute.

My fuel consumption isn’t quite that bad, but on the journey to Rougham Neil stopped at the local Shell garage for some of my favourite V-Power fuel. I noticed they were still flying banners for their new standard petrol, FuelSave, which was launched recently. Shell are claiming the equivalent of ‘up to’ an extra litre per tank (a 2% saving on their figures) due to using new detergents and a new ‘efficiency improver’ that shell claims ‘lubricates where normal engine oils can’t’. Shell will have terabytes of statistics to back up their claims and I’m sure there must be some improvement in fuel efficiency, but I‘m skeptical about the extent of their claims for 2 reasons.

Firstly, their claims for saving an extra 1 litre of fuel per tank are based on a minimum fill of 50 litres. Now, if you have a Shell Drivers’ Club card, you will know that the bonus vouchers you receive are based on a fill of 30 litres. The question is, why don’t they have a standard fill? The cynic would suggest they could only claim savings of an extra litre of fuel per tank if they stretched their definition of a tank by 60%.

Secondly, the new FuelSave campaign coincided with the start of the school summer holidays. Now, because I don’t drive with Neil every day, I asked his Citroen XM (only a 3.0 V6) who is happy on Shell’s standard fuel and therefore has been consuming FuelSave unleaded by default, whether his average fuel consumption had improved; and it had – by 1.5 miles per gallon (actually a 5% increase). Now, back to the school holiday connection; traffic is clearer, no jams and commute times have been cut by a third -  a recipe for decreasing fuel consumption if ever I heard one. The question is, how much of this is attributable to Fuelsave and how much to a sudden lack of traffic?

So, has this all been a cynical exercise by Shell’s marketing department? We’ll see what happens to the XM’s fuel consumption when the schools go back. I wonder when the FuelSave campaign is due to end …?

Classic Cars and Wheels

This was my first time at this show, held at Stonham Barns near Stowmarket, so I was unsure of what to expect. What I found was a well organised show with a wide variety of vehicles from all eras. I think the title of the show is a bit awkward – perhaps the organisers felt that just calling it a Classic Vehicle Show was a bit obvious?

Anyway, the award for question of the day went to the gentleman who asked whether it was true that you could only buy a Bristol if you were a member of the club! If he had known anything of the history of the relationship between the club and the manufacturer then I could have forgiven him for thinking the opposite was true.

King's Lynn & District Motor Club Rally

The 33rd Annual Vintage & Classic Rally organized by the King's Lynn & District Motor Club took place on Sunday 11th July 2010.

This is the first chance I’ve had to take part in this event, which has been highly recommended to me in the past. Not really a rally, but a gentle amble through the picturesque lanes of Norfolk in the company of some of the finest classic cars in East Anglia.

An early start at the Sandringham Visitor Centre and the opportunity to cool down after my 90 mile drive for me and to take on coffee and pastries for Neil. A high quality entry of 95 cars gradually assembled with Bristol represented by 5 different models – 401 (Warwick Banks), 405 (Brian Kidd), 407 (Nick Challacombe), 410 (Neil), 411 S4 (Martin Bennett).

Armed with a tulip map and aided by direction arrows and marshalls we then enjoyed a 55 mile run to the lunch halt at Fincham. Carvery’s were taken in the Timbers Hotel and picnics fortified by real ale were enjoyed in the grounds while admiring the cars.

After lunch, the run continued for another 20 miles to the finish at the National Trust's magnificent Oxburgh Hall. An interesting queuing system at the café did nothing to dissuade those eager to partake of afternoon tea (Neil) before prizes were awarded to the cars. An inexplicable error with the scoring meant that none of the Bristols picked up any trophies, but the winners were nevertheless well deserved (1925 Morris Cowley, 1934 MG Magnette, 1951 Jaguar Mk V, 1964 Jaguar E-type, 1968 Triumph TR5).

A 65 mile trip home rounded off a very enjoyable day. Many thanks to the King's Lynn & District Motor Club, and the principal organisers Ivan and Adrian Cunnington, for putting on such an excellent event.

Cressing Temple

Yesterday I went to a vintage fayre held by the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity at Cressing Temple in Essex. Helen Rollason cancer support centres provide complementary therapies, counselling and support groups for cancer patients, their friends, families and carers. Helen Rollason was a much-loved BBC Sport presenter who fought her battle with colon cancer in the public eye.

Cressing Temple takes its unusual name from the medieval monks of the Knights Templar who founded the two vast wooden barns in the 13^th Century and which form the centrepiece of this delightful rural estate. Acquired by Essex County Council in 1987 to safeguard the future of the barns, buildings and garden, it is now part of their Country Parks portfolio. I hope that in the midst of the current financial crisis the Council are not tempted to sell these unique buildings off.

A previous (alleged) attempt to sell off the barns by the former leader of Essex County Council failed. Lord Hanningfield, aka bachelor pig farmer Paul White, won’t be able to try that again as it now looks likely that he will be spending time away from his pigs at Her Majesty’s pleasure after being investigated for falsely claiming expenses. His attempt to hide behind a 300-year-old law exempting MPs and Lords from prosecution over proceedings in parliament failed and did nothing to enhance his reputation and overturn the Essex stereotype of dodgy barrow-boys on the make.

Cressing Temple also hosts a highly successful biannual event in its own right and I will be back there next year for that. At a previous show I was honoured to represent the Sixties in a special grouping of cars celebrating motor cars of the last century. I think they have something equally special planned for next year but to be honest it will be enough just to be allowed to park in such magnificent surroundings.


And what of Lord Hanningfield when he's paid his debt to society? Well, he could always go back to farming pigs. What about the smell I hear you ask? Well, the pigs will just have to get used to it!

Flat Pack Fenders?

Layer Marney Tower on 30 May 2010 and I’m the only Bristol here but there are plenty of interested people speaking to Neil. As well as general car talk it's always nice to hear stories about Bristol Cars the company, and a former owner of a 403 told Neil a real gem today.

Having had the misfortune to be involved in an accident, he called Bristol Cars in search for a new front wing and spoke to Tony Crook who said he had them in stock and would send one out.

When the delivery arrived it consisted of a single flat sheet of metal - surely some mistake? When the surprised owner of the pristine sheet made enquiries, an equally surprised Tony Crook said there had been no mistake. All that was required was to form it into the correct shape – “they are all hand made you know”!

With a great deal of ingenuity a pattern was taken from a straight car and a carpenter enlisted to make a buck. The panel was beaten and the shape of a wing duly emerged which was then fitted to the damaged car. 

If you still have your original bucks and the skills required to wrap metal around them, as Bristol do, why expect your customers to try and emulate the factory’s craftsmanship and risk substandard repairs to the cars that bear your name?

Hopefully attitudes at the factory have changed and anyone ordering a wing for a 403 today would receive something that held more than a passing resemblance to something you would actually find on a car.

Wings & Wheels

Last weekend I went to Henham, near Southwold in Suffolk to Wings & Wheels 2010. Lots of interesting cars (although there were no other Bristols) and some spectacular flying. For much of the day a succession of light aircraft used the airfield, but the highlight of the day were the Breitling Wingwalkers - the world's only aerobatic formation wingwalking team.


They performed a breathtaking sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres and handstands whilst strapped to the top wings of Boeing Stearman biplanes. These manoeuvres included, loops, rolls, stall turns and even inverted flight! During all of this, the wingwalkers experience speeds of up to 150 mph and 'G' forces of up to 4G!

Oh I don't like to be beside the Seaside ...

Sunday was the 40th anniversary of the Ipswich to Felixstowe run. However true to form for an English Bank Holiday Weekend the weather was atrocious. Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the park in Ipswich while we waited to set off, and although the drive to Felixstowe wasn't too bad, once at Felixstowe the rain started again and the wind whipped up the sea. 2 other Bristols accompanied me (another 410 and a 411 S4) but we didn't stay long. Neil didn't even get his ice-cream.