December 2018

It was sad to hear that after twenty-two years and seventy issues, Peter Hill decided to cease publication of the Retro Racing Club Newsletter. It is unfortunate for smaller clubs and associations that the cost of printing and posting a yearbook or newsletter can now represent a disproportionate percentage of a subscription. There is also the ever-present difficulty in finding contributors and material to publish twenty or more pages of material four times a year, especially after such a long period of publication so thanks to Peter for persevering long after others have given up the unequal struggle. We now receive via email quarterly newsletters from four organisations, which keeps the cost down dramatically, but to our shame, apart from a cursory once through, that is it, whereas the printed versions, which go back years, are referred to regularly. In fact, back issues of the RRC magazine, MEW, Model Boats, ME, Model Cars and Model Car News are frequently re-read, and there is seldom a case where something new is not discovered or a new piece of information is gleaned. Similarly, event reports, results and even items for sale become a vital source of information for research.

Historians talk of the ‘dark ages’ in British history, purely because so little was recorded. We have had similar periods in the world of tethered cars and boats, with little put into print for boats from the 60s to 1985 and for cars from the mid 50s until the FEMA booklets started in the 70s. Unfortunately a change in policy meant no more hydro reports in Model Boats and similarly, FEMA and DMMC stopped publishing their newsletters around the same time. That leaves another huge gap in the records. Yes, both Speedmodelcar and MPBA have race results, but they do not give any indication of what actually happened at any event or provide any photographic material. Unlike the banks, we do not blame the t’internet for the changes as the decline predates this by a long way, but we do recognise the ongoing implications. More importantly, the almost total change over to digital images could have an even more significant impact. Auctions always have boxes, cases and albums of photos and negatives and we have been lucky in having access to thousands of images of cars boats, engines and people dating back to the 1900s, but what will become of the digital versions? Commercial and government film and photo archives have spent years digitising all their material that is now available online, brilliant, but is there ever going to be the time, money or storage capacity to do the same with all the model related material about?

The final Pitbox of the year is the first of a series of finds, courtesy of Miles Patience, illustrating just what gems are still lurking out there and waiting to be discovered.

The last ever Retro Racing Club newsletter having now been published and whilst there will be no more of these, the Club will continue in exactly the same way with track days and plans service as normal, just subscription free. Peter Hill tells us that now he will have time to finish compiling the second volume of British Production Tethered Cars and Components. Volume one has 127 pages packed with information and well worth obtaining and a valuable reference source.

Well, Gildings sale results were more than interesting. Some real bargains, most of the run of the mill motors about the right price but well below what is being asked on ebay and a definite shift in the market. Small engines and miniature replicas were selling exceedingly well, whilst repros were making more than originals in the same sale. Not often one sees reproduction items appreciating in the short term?

Talking of repros, we have had several enquiries over the photo of the Bungay 600 posted on our Facebook page. Yes, on the face of it a very nice replica, as were other models from the same source, but beauty really is only ‘skin deep’. No bearings, crank running in the casting, con rod rough sawn from a piece of aluminium, no machining or bushes, and far too long so that the transfer ports were never uncovered so it could never run. Begs the question as to how many other replicas there are in display cases where the owners have never looked inside what they have bought?

Pulse jet exponent Dick Hart is publishing a series of photos and films passed to him by the family of the late Fred Carter. Knowing our interest in Fred’s work he has included a link to nearly thirty minutes of cine film posted on youtube. Search for britintexas48 Fred Carter Wonderfully evocative images of days gone by, including several of Ray Gibbs who also ran tethered hydros along with his successes as a speed flyer.

With just the Lucia Race to go Oliver had been back in the workshop and his latest 'Rambling's' bring us up to date with progress on a couple of his  projects that he has been keeping us up to date with over the last few months. Reading back through these reveals a huge amount of high quality and complex engineering emanating from his workshop, all photographed and described in detail with set-ups and tooling advice at every stage. Thank you Oliver for making all this material available.

Reminder that regatta reports will be removed from the site at the end of the year, so please download them to preserve your moments of success and fame for posterity. On that note, an apology. Thanks to a bit of rogue formatting that arrived in a file, the old Tightlines page was all over the place and nothing we could do would recover it, so sadly, we have had to delete it. The airscrew 'renaissance' article is now included on a dedicated 'airscrew page' and there is a new 'Tightlines'.

November 2018

Earlier in the year, and almost since OTW was first published, we bemoaned the lack of accuracy in auction listings, either through ignorance, lack of research or just plain devious intent. Often we have to pass on bad tidings to buyers, yet surprisingly there is seldom negative feedback from the buyer when they have been sold a pup? Is this because they are unaware, not prepared to admit their lack of knowledge, too late when they find out, or just don’t care, even if they stand to lose a lot of money when the truth outs? There is also the alternative scenario we have become aware of where the hookey object is quickly passed on to another unsuspecting punter, often with the same description, before it is too late. Occasionally a vendor will be taken to task and it was gratifying to see one dealer who constantly ‘over eggs the pudding’ despite the errors being pointed out, has received a thoroughly derogatory feedback. Now, if you see a listing or lot, with photos and a description, surely you would satisfy yourself as to whether the item is what it claims to be, especially if considering investing a significant sum? Auction houses have pretty strict rules about descriptions and recompense if they fail in their duty, but on eBay it appears that the buyer does not have a particularly strong position, unless there have been gross omissions or inaccuracies in the descriptions that could not be verified beforehand.

Can, ‘no returns accepted’ apply if there has been deliberate deceit? Yes, Paypal and eBay have procedures in place, but it is a devil’s own job to prove your case and invoke these plus the fact that you would have to provide evidence to support your case, otherwise it is your word against theirs. If there has been a very deliberate omission from a description, such as an engine with no internals then that should be no difficulty, or if the photo and description is for an ED Racer and a Frog 3.49 turns up. We are often asked our opinion about items and provenance, sometimes we can be precise and unequivocal, but as we often say, ‘we know what we knows’, but that does not make us an authority, so at other times it can only be informed opinion or a best guess, which can make it very difficult for a disgruntled purchaser to prove any wrongdoing. 

A little bit of research before you press the bid button can pay handsomely. Of course, as one of our regular correspondents discovered, it can work the other way round when he found that the mundane car he thought he had bought was actually very rare and worth ten times what he paid. Does not happen too often though.

The Pitbox this month is a true ‘barn find’ and like all the best examples of these was still original, if somewhat battered, and that is an understatement.

Following publication of the article on Eaton Bray and D.A. Russell we were contacted by Richard Riding, whose father had a close involvement with Eaton Bray. Richard had put together a number of photographs and reminiscences of full sized aircraft activities at the 'Sports Drome' which we published in 2012. Last month Richard contacted us again with a selection of photos from the collection of the late George Cull who was also an integral part of the Eaton Bray operation at the time. Richard has kindly provided detailed annotation of these photographs along with two contemporary reports of flying displays in 1949. Thank you to Richard for putting all this together for us. 

Gildings annual engine sale is on the first Saturday of the month with viewing the previous day. A few rarities amongst the lots and some interesting estimates. Definitely 'come and buy' in many cases, but also a strange commercial twist in that replicas are being estimated at more than the originals. Will this be born out by the hammer prices? Answers next month or see the results online.

Difficult to put into words just what an unfortunate effect the weather has had on hydro events this year. After losing both two day meetings at Althorne the final meeting of the season also succumbed to the conditions. Ironic that just seventy miles north it was warm sunshine without a hint of a breeze. With the St Albans and International meetings being very badly affected by rain as well, we have lost more days and running this year than for well over a decade. Most unfortunate in a way as there has been a number of potential new recruits that have seen the more frustrating side of the sport and not had the chance to become involved. Not the only modelling discipline that has fallen foul of the conditions either by all counts, despite being the best summer for years.

Oh dear, another dire forecast leading up to the final Retro track day of the year. As with Althorne the previous weekend a decision had to be made at some stage, and with torrential rain on the cards all day long for Eastern England, another blank was marked on the calendar, but what was it doing the other side of the Wash? Well, the forecast certainly got it right for that area, so yet another event that didn't happen. Since the middle of August, it has been downhill all the way and a lot of frustrated competitors with very little running during the last two months.

Sod's law ensured that the following weekend was perfect for running boats and cars, warm, sunny and windless. However no events were scheduled as it was Leamington on Saturday for the Midland Model Exhibition, followed by meetings for the Model Hydroplane Club and the tethered hydro section the following day.

Sometimes you just wonders? A Rytm twinshaft advertised as 'very rare' and a Cox Tee Dee with an asking price ten times what they normally go for.

October 2018

Crikey, another year of publishing OTW, and what a busy twelve months it’s been? That we have been able to continue to put out editions each month is through the continuing generosity of our web host and the vast amount of material that keeps arriving, either from those that contribute on a regular basis or the unique first off contacts, which can produce amazing information and leads. Thanks to you all.

Peter Hill, who has supported OTW from the very beginning, drilled into us the importance of being as accurate as possible with information we publish. In this respect, no matter whether it is a car, boat, engine, person or location, the most significant element is that of correct identity. This not only entails the manufacturer if it is commercial, but also establishing some sort of history or provenance, something we are often asked  by correspondents to supply or comment on. There is plenty of reference material for engines, boats conveniently have registration numbers and frequently names, but cars, oh dear. Usually the design, manufacturer or builder of a car is possible to work out, but unless there is a continuous history or some readily distinguishable features, then it becomes a struggle to nail them down any further. A club or national registration can help but even these were not in general use until relatively recently, so identifying a particular Arrow, Oliver, 1066, Moore etc with none of these is nigh on impossible, unless there are some features that can be correlated with past references. It was then something of a surprise to find that even modern competition cars did not have a unique identity until around thirty years ago, so race reports for something like forty years might include the competitor, the car and the engine, along with the speed. Not a lot of help when almost the entire entry comprises of Oliver/Oliver, Dooling/Dooling or in the modern idiom Kapu/Kapu or Denneler/Picco.

Eventually FEMA decided that each car would carry a registration number engraved into the chassis, along with a registration card giving details and proving that the car had been checked and the information correct. This, assuming someone takes the trouble to record the information, can provide an exact history of any tethered car since the mid 1980s, except that when the registration numbers started to be used, car and motor details were no longer included and more bewilderingly, the same number could be used on more than one car. Through trawling the records, we know that car number 001 is a Class 1 Kapusikov car and motor and was originally owned and run  by Ernst Huber from Switzerland,  now registered to Natalia Bach. 100 is a Peter Rischer 5cc car owned throughout its life by Anette Besang. By the Millennium, around 950 cars had been registered, 950 and 951 to the Sepp brothers. Number 1000 is a Piotti Class 4 car owned by Donato Magnoni. Currently, around 1850 cars have been registered and the list, as far as is recorded, is available at speedmodelcar.org, thanks to an amazing piece of database work by Christoph Rabenseifner. Not infallible though as several registrations have fallen through the net, including all the 220s, and guess what has turned up, yes, 222, so in this case, we were no further forward. Begs the question though that if there are approximately 300ish cars in current use, where are the other 1500 and all those that for whatever reason were not registered in the first place? Must be some awfully crowded shelves, sheds and garages across Europe?

Pitbox for this month just had to be car number 222. Since its rescue back in May, it has been possible, through a bit of delving, to establish the builder and previous owners.

Oliver Monk’s ‘A Bit of a saga’ continues the story from the beginning of 2015 to eventually breaking the British 2.5cc record at Hannover in August this year.

As we are always alert to some of the more ironic twists in the market it makes it worth relating a cautionary tale of how not all cars appreciate, especially if you pay over the odds for them in the first place. A very original British, commercial car that was correct in every respect sold in 2004 for £2500, way beyond anyone's expectations. In 2012 it reappeared and was sold for £2,200, a loss of £300 plus costs.  In September it was offered on eBay for a 'buy it now' of just £1,100. Like the infamous 'Victoria flash steamer' it has lost someone a further £1,100 and £1,400 in total, hardly a shrewd investment? 

The hydroplane season is drawing to a close with the final meeting of the year at Kingsbury, somewhat dryer than the International event but still with a marked reluctance for engines to perform. Sadly, and for the second time this season, the two day meeting at Althorne had to be cancelled due to the appalling weather. Hard to believe but it was so windy up in Lincolnshire that cars were being blown off the track at the Retro Club meeting, so proceedings came to a premature end there as well.

Still windy, but the combined hydro and vintage day at Victoria Park managed to get several runs in, the vintage side seemingly becoming more popular every meeting. Mind you, Bryn Colman found the downside of putting a decent engine and prop into a semi scale shovel nose hydro.

September 2018

Alter egos, false names and pseudonyms are now the norm with eBay, emails, twitter and so on, but with it has come the blight of the ‘internet troll’, and the attendant unpleasantness. The use of pen names and ‘alternative identities’ is not a new concept and has been used for all sorts of purposes, usually to disguise the originator for some reason. Did prove a point of some sort when Robert Galbraith sold just a few copies of the Cormorant Strike novel, until it was discovered that it was Joanne Rowling behind the name, or that a painting by Jack Hoggan is worth relatively little compared with one by his alter ego Jack Vettriano. In the model world they have been rife for years with a single name being used by successive correspondents or multiple names by a single writer. As early as 1906, Victoria Club member William Blaney became 'Carpenter's Mate' in Model Engineer, followed by such luminaries as Spectator, Meridian, Artificer and Duplex, just some that spring to mind along with LBSC, probably the best-known He was certainly something of a contrary character and often a non-de-plume is used as a vehicle for random thoughts, gossip, unsubstantiated or otherwise, and even outright criticism of people, their designs, policies and rules. He was not beyond challenging anybody or anything if he disagreed. Model Cars had such a column under the name of Jerry Cann who had the ability to include more news each issue than in the main body of the magazine. He was not beyond a bit of criticism or gently poking fun at people and happenings, including himself at times. He did not always get it right, but there is a mine of material in his jottings.

More recently we have had R T Pole who used to make regular appearances in Model Boats who was not beyond taking an alternative view on proceedings at times or point out apparent absurdities. He used to live at Railway Cottage in the village of Souldrop, and such was his bona fide that he was accused of making up the address. In truth, entirely the wrong way round. Although still involved in the model world, he turned his attention to local and national politics, becoming the ‘Iconic RT Pole’. Like him, we believe that there is nothing wrong in challenging the status quo or questioning why certain things are done the way they are, either to better understand or even instigate change at times. An even more modern manifestation of this approach is the ‘Grumpy’ old man, git, woman etc, who bemoan what they see around them and what they perceive as the ridiculous state of life in general. Amongst some material we borrowed earlier this year we found the most wonderful character Till Eulenspeigel who originated in the 14^th century but reappeared in the FEMA bulletins commenting on various current topic, often in a less than complimentary tone.

In the late 1940s, there were a number of kits for hydroplanes available, both airscrew and waterscrew. Complete examples of any of these are rare enough, but a boxed kit is a unique find as far as we are aware. Pitbox is by courtesy of Miles Patience and features Frog’s Whippet.

As OTW does not do ‘big silver bird’, by choice rather than any other reason, our forays abroad have to be within reasonable driving distance, so when the schedule for the European Championships was announced from 2017, Hannover was a distinct possibility. Soon it became a reality, thanks to Stena Line, and we were back at a european championship again, fourteen years after our first venture, but this time as competitors. My goodness, it was hot though.

The highlight of the trip for the British contingent was Oliver Monk breaking the long standing British 2.5cc record. In a very detailed 'a Bit of a Saga' he charts the progress and frustrations on the road to this achievement, as well as describing some of the diversions along the way. So well has Oliver documented the six year venture that we are presenting it in two parts. Thanks to Oliver for sharing all this with us.

If Hannover had a plethora of entries, the European Tethered Hydroplane Championships in Bulgaria the week before was worryingly thin on participants, just 10 entries in each of the waterscrew classes, and some of those did not exist, materialise or compete. It also reached a frustrating low in timed runs, just 20%, which does reflect the difficulties that we have been experiencing in this country.

August is a very busy month on all fronts, events coming thick and fast, so we are grateful to correspondents for keeping us up to date and passing on results. The Victoria Club is now incorporating vintage hydros on a regular basis at its regattas so it was good to see several examples from the past mixing with the more modern boats. Thanks to Norman Lara for sending us the report and photos from 'the Park'. Lovely to see Jim and Sue Free pondside after a very torrid time for Jim.

Well, what a thoroughly miserable bank holiday weekend that turned out to be? Unlike the MotoGP at Silverstone though, the St Albans Speed meeting and the MPBA International both carried on at Kingsbury. No danger of the track being waterlogged there, although just about everyone and everything else was.

Steve Betney has kindly pointed out that we have omitted to provide a permanent link to the 'Spares Counter' page, oops. Not the first time we have made this fundamental boob unfortunately. We have added it to the left-hand column on the front page and also added it to the resources page, belt and braces job.

A truly mammoth edition this month, so thank you to Oliver, John,  Miles, David, Steve, Norman and Angela and everyone who has provided material.

August 2018

Over a pint or three, a group of like-minded enthusiasts were having a moan about the impact on-line auctions have had on auctions in general and the collectors market in particular. Certainly, results from traditional auction houses would tend to suggest that prices realised are still significantly lower than might be achieved on eBay, with its international audience, particularly true with the Oliver auction. It is also very much easier to see what is on offer on eBay, rather than having to scour catalogues or use alerting services with their attendant costs. However, the rise of on-line bidding at auction houses has lead to a raft of grumbles about ‘not being able to get a bargain anymore’. No doubt, that means getting the item far cheaper than it should have been or that the purchaser was expecting to pay. We can give a prime example of this from the same auction house. Pre the days of on-line bidding, two complete tethered cars, one commercial and one home built, both with provenance, £230 for the two, including premium. A single example of the same commercial car now with on-line bidding, £980, and on eBay a similar car made £1200, far too much in our opinion for a mass produced, freely available, commercial, fun type car. Strangely though, the Electra 2A based car that was the subject of our first ever Pitbox sold at auction recently for a much more modest price, even if it was later on offer with a guide price of £10-£20,000, yes, that’s the right amount of noughts. That incidentally is the second tethered car the same company has put that value on, hopeful or what?

What does appear to have happened is that by attending in person one can examine any particular item closely and satisfy yourself as to its description and condition, whereas with a conventional auction that is also online there is often no more than a very brief description and one photograph on which to make a judgement and this has made a significant difference in prices realised. There is also the question of shipping that can add considerably to the cost. eBay and similar sites allow the opportunity for large numbers of photos of an item, often with a facility to zoom in, and in general shipping and postage costs are very much lower from private sellers than they are from the agents auction houses use. Of course, ‘auction fever’ can strike when bidding by paddle, on the phone or on-line, and we have seen examples of each of these that have beggared belief. On a personal level we prefer commission bids, then you either get it or you don’t, but at a price that you consider is realistic. It has to be said though, that the wider audience for on-line auctions can also see prices realigned in a distinctly downward direction, as the entire world can see what items do or don’t make and adjust their bidding accordingly. The plethora of commercial mite cars on offer has seen prices tumble quite dramatically, mirrored in the wider antique world with many items. In effect, auctions going on-line are bit like the ‘curates egg’. Closer to home though, a clock built by the company owned by Fred Lowne, the first person featured in our Flash Steam gallery was estimated at £70-£100. Worth a punt, given the connection, but not at the final hammer price of £3,200. Oh, the power of the internet?

Someone we admire immensely for pursuing the art of ‘lateral thinking’ to the extreme in his engineering is Peter Rischer. We have featured some of his complex engines before, but the Pitbox this month is a most unusual tethered car that keeps appearing for sale on eBay, not from him we must add, but at a price that does seem to be frightening off prospective customers.

Sadly, the Grand Regatta scheduled for the first weekend of July fell victim to the weather. Sounds unlikely given what we have been experiencing throughout June, but with the exceedingly warm and dry spell has come the strong winds, which put the kybosh on the event.

In the mid 60s, before 'elf and safety' was invented, visitors to the ME Exhibition used to brave a heady atmosphere of steam and coal smoke from the live steam track inside the hall, spirit fumes from the smaller tracks and the overpowering pong of diesel fuel and ether from the railtrack. Most of the cars in use were of early 50s prototypes, but the little rear engined Coopers looked the business. The projects from Steve Betney's workshop are coming thick and fast, and this time it is a lovely little Cooper T60 railcar. Steve's productivity is putting the rest of us to shame, but nevertheless, thanks to him for another very detailed 'how to do it' article.

Once the weed was cleared at Kingsbury Water Park, the day produced successes and frustration in equal measure. Fastest runs ever at opposite ends of the size spectrum for two competitors and the fastest speed by an airscrew boat in this Country for many years, at last someone else has cracked the mystery of these machines.

A second sweltering regatta in succession and what looked to be a perfect day for racing at Althorne Lake. Well it was for three of the competitors who recorded new personal bests, but for most, utter frustration. The engine problems just seem to keep coming and the lack of rain is also having a worrying effect on the water levels in the lake.

Remarkably, the temperature gauge was hovering around the 30 mark for a third weekend in succession at the Old Warden aeromodelling event. Despite the car park being as full as ever, traders were commenting on the lack of sales, one well known engine dealer confiding that he had not sold a single engine all day. It was the engines that were not for sale that seemed to hold much of the interest, the Gnomes, Bentleys, my favourite the Anzani and a trio of lovely radials from Ron Hankins, including a double-row, fourteen cylinder. That is an awful lot of bits to make. They do make a lovely noise though.

Two European Championships at the end of this month, tethered hydros  at Pazardhik in Bulgaria and tethered cars in Hannover. We hope that all our competitors heading out have a successful time. It does appear that no other countries are likely to offer to host the hydro championships in the foreseeable future, which is sad. In that respect, the car contingent is luckier in that there are still a number of tracks around Europe, although unfortunately, a couple of them are under threat. With an entry list of over 200 cars the car meeting should be an amazing event?

We do check our Links pages on a fairly regular basis, but even in the last three months, at least three sites have vanished, one of them unfortunately relating to Henri Baigent, which was such a detailed account of his work and cars. If anyone can help us with the circumstances surrounding its disappearance then we would be very grateful.

Stop Press: A new, outright, tethered hydroplane record set in Bulgaria, and again by a tiny electric A1E. After several years of what might have been, Tony Dellazoppa from Switzerland is now the European A3 Champion, just tiny margins separating the top three though. Very thin on competitors and even thinner on completed runs than last year. Oh the mysteries of the tethered hydro? Hopefully, a more detailed report next month.

July 2018

What’s in a name? Well, when it comes to desirability or something for sale, a huge amount, as the right name can multiply the final price by untold amounts, even if the item may be worth no more in intrinsic terms than any other. In the model world certain manufacturers names and models carry considerable cache although often the manufacturer is the name and the product might be a standard, mass produced model from their company or factory. It is where the name indicates that the item is ‘out of the ordinary’ or has had attention that the standard product doesn’t that can create the interest, such as those magic letters TWA of which there are probably far more in existence than ever saw the hands of either T or W? Then there are the ‘tuners’, or those who undertake engine preparation that offers the customer something that the standard model does not. Almost impossible to track down when the first such person put their name to a model engine, but many are well know today, even if what they did to the motors might now be considered vandalism. Mention the name ‘Buskell’ and what the ED Racers will look like is well known and are often referred to as ‘Buskellised’ even if he had nothing to do with them. Another name that can divide opinion is George Copeman with the ‘Copeman Special’ Olivers, already a fine and carefully produced motor, so were his any better? There were ‘Eifflander Specials’ produced by PAW and then there were Specials by Gig Eifflander, not the same thing at all but carry the same name. Of course the one name held in most high regard in Britain, is that of Fred Carter who gained his reputation by extensively modifying existing motors to create record breaking and championship winning engines, which bear his name before that of the original manufacturer. There are not too many of these still in existence, but those that have survived and have provenance are highly prized.

This phenomenon is hardly ever seen in the world of tethered hydroplanes, but tethered cars are a different matter. Looking back through the records shows any number of engines identifiable by only a name, although they have commercial components as the basis, and then there are those where the manufacturer is recognised, such as the many MOPS motors in use from the late 70s, OPS motors modified by Adi Malik. We know who built the AFA or Kapu, but what was a Dino or the basis for a Novak? Currently, Peter Halman has the same status with the ‘Halman Specials’ that started life as modified Irvine 15Rs many years ago but have now morphed into carefully crafted, hi-tec and exceedingly fast motors bearing the logo HS15R. The only other person that we know of in Britain still actively preparing motors for others is Taff Bolen, who has breathed on many team race and speed motors over the years and is still the go to name for high quality engine work.

Footnote: A Rothwell R250 lasted a matter of minutes before it was snapped up off the BAMOPRO website early in June at a not insignificant price either.

Our Pitbox this month is more of a Gallery as it pays tribute to Fred Carter with some of the motors that he has been responsible for, including his first ever built for speed flying.

A perfect day for running boats at Althorne Lake at the beginning of June, even, in most cases, if the aforesaid boats did not respond to the conditions and cooperate.

A commercial conundrum, and not for the first time. A vendor puts a tethered car up for auction with a completely spurious description. Several people contact the vendor pointing this out, and provide the correct description, manufacturer, country of origin etc. The considered response was to inform said helpful correspondents that they were wrong and that the original description was correct, even though this at variance with the name stamped on various parts and the lettering on the tyres. How far does one go in a case like this if the vendor will not take heed of the correct information? Happened twice this month alone, and yes, someone has been bitten on each occasion.

Oliver Monk is proof positive that enthusiasts seldom restrict themselves to a single discipline, whether it be boats, cars, engines, planes or steam, as his past Ramblings have illustrated. The latest edition brings us up to date with one of his most fearsome projects so far and progress on a fascinating retro/modern build.

Back in the days when anything other than a Ford, Austin etc were just pipe dreams, there were always cars that we would drool over and one in particular was the Facel Vega, it looked so stylish. Not the first subject you would think of for a tethered car, yet Steve Betney has managed to produce a delightful model of this car, which he has kindly described for us. He is really on fire at present with the number projects that he is turning out, and there are more in the pipeline we believe? Thanks to Steve for putting these articles together for us.

Still on the 'retro theme', Club members enjoyed a 'grand day' at the June track meet, with a garden party atmosphere and some sparkling runs recorded, including a number of cars with best ever performances.

Empty Spaces:  John Ellis passed away on June 3, 2018 and the tether car racing community lost one of its most influential and respected members. John’s father, Joe Ellis, was a respected tether car builder and racer, and John inherited his father’s love for the cars and the competition. Growing up in that environment, John maintained a healthy respect for the history of tether car racing and especially for the fellows who contributed to the hobby before him. John was a fierce competitor, whether on the track or in his heroic battle with the dreaded disease which ultimately took his life. Never one to compromise, John’s 10 cc Eagle engines and the open wheel tether cars which he designed and built were well engineered, beautifully executed, and fast…really fast! John will be sorely missed, but his legacy is preserved in the form of the engines and cars which he designed and built as they continue to compete on race tracks across the country.                                                Thanks to John Lorenz for providing this appreciation.