The opening meeting of the Bolton and District Society of Model Engineers was held at the Leverhulme park track yesterday afternoon. In spite of the rain there was a record number of entries sixty in the model racing car competition. Societies from all over the North of England had entered, and though no one expected records to be broken, some of the speeds were remarkably high.
     Mr F.G. Buck of the Meteor Club of Stoke, who holds records for both 10cc cars and 2.5cc cars, won both the 10cc classes. In the open class his speed of 111mph was only 4mph below his own record speed. He won the British class with his car Topsy at 102.2mph.
     The Chairman of the Bolton Society won the 5cc open class with a speed of 68.15mph and another Meteor man, T.R. Parker, won the 2.5cc class with a speed of 48.9mph.
     There were originally two women competitors, but both had to scratch before the race.
     While the serious racing was going on, children spent their time examining the ten model railway engines, which had been taken to the meeting. These gave rides during the afternoon on the Societies own track.

Trials of miniature racing cars at Leverhulme Park, yesterday, attracted over 200 people to the racetrack of Bolton and District Society of Model Engineers.
     Heads wagged from side to side as the spectators watched the tiny cars flash round the course almost as fast as their full size counterparts. The fastest speed recorded was 91.6mph came from a ‘peg top’ shaped car of American design, owned by Mr A Wraith of Altrincham Model Power and Car Club. It is so designed that when travelling at speed it balances on only one wheel.
     The cars run on a mixture of ether, castor oil and paraffin.
Footnote: Visitors to the track were warned not to refer to the cars as ‘toys’ or even ‘models’. An Evening News reporter was told to refer to them as ‘miniatures’.

SPEEDS OF OVER
100 M.P.H

    Nearly 1,500 people-at least two-thirds of whom were from outside the town, attended the Ossett and District Miniature Car Club’s inaugural races on Sunday afternoon. The concrete track, built for £200 on the former Army parade ground at Westfield Mill, was considered so ideal for the sport that the Northern Area finals for the national miniature car trophy competition are to be staged there on July 24^th.
     During the three hour’s racing, one or two of the midget cars achieved speeds of over 100mph, approaching established records for their class. The cars, many of which were made by their owners from scrap metal, weighed only a few pound each, but so good was their workmanship and design that they could emulate in performance and endurance (not to mention noise!) the full size racing cars, of which most of them were exact replicas. The speed and roar of the model, the smell of diesel oil, and the craning necks and excitement amongst the six deep ring of spectators, made the description “miniature Brooklands” a fitting one.

Electrical Timing

    The Ossett Club’s meticulous organisation of the event shoed at least they are whole hearted in their chosen sport. The track, as has often been stated, is considered to be in the top class, if not the best in Britain, and received high praise from the competitors, who came from clubs at Derby, Sunderland, Bolton, Harrogate and Beverley. The timing was done electrically by Mr L G Brough, of the Tyneside Society. Two contacts on the central pylon, to which the cars running round the circular track were tethered, operated a mechanism which ticked off the laps as they were completed, and also recorded on a stop watch, to which it was connected, the total time taken for the 1/4mile. The time was then “translated” into speed from a special chart.
     The danger of a car coming off the track at high speed and causing injuries to the surrounding spectators was nullified by the strength of the cables and the existence of a firm chain link fence between steel posts all round the ring. A further space was wired off for the use of competitors. The heaviest class of car (10cc) exerted a maximum tension of 7cwt, on the cables, which were made to stand 15cwt. The smooth surface of the track ruled out any possibility of a car jumping the fence.

Temperamental

    The competitors prepare their models in a special “pit” and came on to the track singly, each being allowed three minutes in which to fasten his car to the cable and get it started. The cars with gears had their engines rotated by the use of an electrically operated wheel (part of the starting mechanism of an old Austin 7); the others had to be pushed around the track by their owners, using a pole, until the engine started up. As some of the latter appeared to be as temperamental as film stars. They afforded their owners a generous amount of exercise!

When a car began to run round the track, the owner watched and listened until the note of the engine told him it had attained its maximum speed, upon which he raised his hand, and the timing device was put into operation. At the end of six laps (1/4 mile), the owner held a cloth near the edge of the track, which caught a lever protruding from the side of the model as it whizzed past and cut off the fuel supply, so bringing it gradually to a stop.

102 Miles Per Hour

    The cars were run in three classes, the heaviest and fastest being the 10cc. Mr I. Moore of Derby, who attained the fastest speed of the day (102.3mph) with a home made model powered by a American Dooling engine, was the holder of the British Open record speed of 107mph in this class. He brought to Ossett the car with which he achieved this record, but was unable to get it started, so had to use another.
     The track was officially opened by Mr Eric Langton, the Odsal speedway rider, who took part in the motorcycle races held on Kingsway, Osseett when it was opened about 25 years ago. He was introduced by Mr L.S. Taylor of Leeds who gave a running commentary on the event over a loudspeaker.

Father and Son Win Prizes

    There were four competitors in the 2.5cc class, in which the highest speed recorded was 38.85mph by Mr Cooper of Nottingham with an Oliver Special, the same type of car which achieved the British record of 55.5mph. Unfortunately, Mr Cooper and Mr J Yates, of the Ossett Club, made only one run each, and failed to get going in the allotted time for their second, so did not qualify for a prize. Each competitor had to complete the ¼ mile twice, the average speed in both qualifying for the award. Mr D Nicholson of Beverly with an ED Frazer Nash won the first prize with 36.81 average, and his fourteen year old son, F.G. Nicholson came second with 36.74mph.
     The only competitor in the 5cc class was a 65 year old retired engineer, Mr J A McKie of Harrogate who also failed to make his second run, and was awarded a consolation prize. The speed of his home made model on the first run was 30.82mph unofficial record for this type is 32mph.

10cc Races

    Eight competitors entered the pits for the 10cc races, but only six cars actually ran. The home made model of R E Elliott of Derby, started, but fizzled out owing to its plugs having oiled up, and, when the engine belched smoke, its owner took it back to the pits. Mr Burton of Harrogate, also failed to start, his clutch having seized.

    First prize went to Mr Moore, of Derby, with an average speed of 98.91mph. On his first run he clocked 102.3mph in 8.8 seconds, and on the second 96.75mph in 9.4 seconds. Second was Mr D W Parkin, of Derby, with 97.84mph, his speed on his second run being exactly 100mph. He was using an American machine called a Pacemaker Hornet. Nome of the other contestants came within 20mph of these top speeds. At the end of the racing, Mr Parkin made an unofficial attempt on the British record, but again only succeeded in clocking 100mph.
     The final event was a “nomination” race over seven laps, in which each competitor estimated his speed in advance, the prize being awarded to the one who’s guess was the most accurate. The winner was Mr J W Riding, of Bolton with a speed of 60.41 (estimated 57) P G Nicholson came close, with 33.06 (30).

Too Dry For High Speeds

    Mr K Shaw (Chairman of the Ossett Club) told an “Observer” reporter that, to achieve a speed of 102.3mph so near to the record, was a credit to the Ossett Club. Speeds would undoubtedly have been greater had the atmosphere not been so dry; and element of dampness greatly assists small engines.
     No charge was made for admission, the only fees payable being small ones for chairs and programmes. Mr Shaw says that a better supply of chairs will be available for the next meeting.
     Mr L Fozzard carried out the secretarial duties, and Mr T Land those of Treasurer. Mr H Pickersgill was starting marshal, and Messrs W Crosland and E Liversedge timekeepers.