Jan Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 Dear colleagues, I'm driving a TR3A on the other side of the Channel (and sometimes in the UK) and got interested in the Le Mans 1954 TR2 OKV 777 and its drivers Edgar Wadsworth and Bobby Dickson. I'm just curious how they came down from Carlisle and managed to get to Le Mans, finished that race succesfully and managed to get back. Is there anyone who knows more? I was informed that the current owner should be Geoff Stamper. Would appreciate to hear from you, Thanks and regards, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 In the 1950s, it was not at all unusual for participants in long distance races, such as Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and even the Targa Florio (Sicily), to drive to and from the event. In some cases, it would be the mechanics who drove the car to/from the circuit. If nothing else, it provided a good "shake-down" prior to the event itself. Whether they used the Dover or Calais ferry or the air ferry (I think it might have been from Lympne in those days), I couldn't say. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted December 17, 2007 Report Share Posted December 17, 2007 Hello Jan, and welcome. I believe Geoff is still the owner of OKV 777, here's a little taster: Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 (edited) k Edited December 18, 2007 by Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Thanks Ian, that's quick. I heard that too, drivers travelling many miles to participate. What I'm curious about is how they managed to do that. The trip to and from Le Mans alone must have been killing. not to mention the race itself. Have their experiences ever been recorded? Maybe the current owner knows more? Thanks, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Hello Jan, and welcome. I believe Geoff is still the owner of OKV 777, here's a little taster: Cheers Andrew Hello Andrew, Nice cars! Mine is red too! Having that OKV 777 picture does that mean that you know the owner? I like to get in touch with him. Maybe he knows more about the story of the 1954 participation in Le Mans. Regards, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Jan Best to contact the office to be put in contact with Geoff, the phone numbers are on on the Home Page on our websitre. Regards Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 [Hi Jan. Yes Geoff Stamper owns okv 777, indeed the picture of her with TS2 was taken in my garage this summer, when Geoff let me drive his car whilst Cumbria Group had TS2. Alec is quite correct in his general information, indeed the 1958 le Mans Peerless 706 EBH is also a Cumbria Group Car and the owner Ken Wilson, tells the full story, drivers, camping gear in the back etc. Back to OKV, Geoff is not a computer man, and he has also recently had major surgery, could I suggest perhaps that you leave this until the New Year, and either you talk direcetly to Geoff then or I will contact him, and e-mail you back. Regards, John, (Cumbria Group) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 Further to Alec's illuminating comments, it was recorded by Jenks (the late DSJ, a.k.a. Denis Jenkinson) that Stirling Moss, following his 1955 victory in the Mille Miglia, then drove straight back to Germany. The pills which Stirling had used were supplied by Fangio and had kept Stirling going for the ten hours of the race (won at almost 100 mph, a record which will never be broken) and left him so wide awake that he saw no point in resting! Jenks was, of course, the man who navigated Stirling through the 1000 miles using his home-made "toilet-roll" route map - Stirling not only knows that Jenks made the victory possible, he thinks Jenks the bravest man he knows for being prepared to sit in the Mercedes 300SLR and be driven at up to 170 mph on ordinary Italian roads, where they were passing the slower cars (which depart first) all the way. The first car started at 9 p.m., and the Mercedes of Moss/Jenks carried number 722, meaning that it started at 7:21 a.m. - 10 hours and 21 minutes later. I have 2 copies of the re-print of Jenks' article from "Motor Sport" describing the race from the navigator's seat - that was REAL motor-racing! Incidentally, that article was re-printed in the book "Jenks - A passion for Motor Sport" (Motor Racing Publications). Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 [Hi Jan. Yes Geoff Stamper owns okv 777, indeed the picture of her with TS2 was taken in my garage this summer, when Geoff let me drive his car whilst Cumbria Group had TS2. Alec is quite correct in his general information, indeed the 1958 le Mans Peerless 706 EBH is also a Cumbria Group Car and the owner Ken Wilson, tells the full story, drivers, camping gear in the back etc. Back to OKV, Geoff is not a computer man, and he has also recently had major surgery, could I suggest perhaps that you leave this until the New Year, and either you talk direcetly to Geoff then or I will contact him, and e-mail you back. Regards, John, (Cumbria Group) Hello John, I like your suggestion you being in between. There is no hurry so let's move this to January, when Geoff has recovered. You may also take this outside of this Forum with my email adress: janvdengel@live.nl. Have a good Christmas and happy New Year John. Regards and thanks, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 Jan Best to contact the office to be put in contact with Geoff, the phone numbers are on on the Home Page on our websitre. Regards Andrew Hello John, Thanks for your suggestion. Maybe you also saw John's offer also in this Forum to be the middleman. I will play it like that. Have a good Christmas and a happy New Year. Regards, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jan Posted December 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 Further to Alec's illuminating comments, it was recorded by Jenks (the late DSJ, a.k.a. Denis Jenkinson) that Stirling Moss, following his 1955 victory in the Mille Miglia, then drove straight back to Germany. The pills which Stirling had used were supplied by Fangio and had kept Stirling going for the ten hours of the race (won at almost 100 mph, a record which will never be broken) and left him so wide awake that he saw no point in resting!Jenks was, of course, the man who navigated Stirling through the 1000 miles using his home-made "toilet-roll" route map - Stirling not only knows that Jenks made the victory possible, he thinks Jenks the bravest man he knows for being prepared to sit in the Mercedes 300SLR and be driven at up to 170 mph on ordinary Italian roads, where they were passing the slower cars (which depart first) all the way. The first car started at 9 p.m., and the Mercedes of Moss/Jenks carried number 722, meaning that it started at 7:21 a.m. - 10 hours and 21 minutes later. I have 2 copies of the re-print of Jenks' article from "Motor Sport" describing the race from the navigator's seat - that was REAL motor-racing! Incidentally, that article was re-printed in the book "Jenks - A passion for Motor Sport" (Motor Racing Publications). Ian Cornish Yes, great story indeed Ian. I read the Dutch translation of Jenkinson's article I guess 2 years ago in a magazine called Autovisie. Exactly that story on Moss' (and Jenkinson of course) participation in the Mille Miglia stirred my interest in something similar on the private entry of OKV 777 in Le Mans 1954. Have a good Christmas and a happy New Year! Regards, Jan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
svenjauhe Posted December 21, 2007 Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 Hello, Here's a story about Tommy Wisdom taking a Standard to Monte Carlo (not for the Rally though) and using Silver City air ferry. -- Regards, Juha Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted December 21, 2007 Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 That's an impressive achievement in what is generally regarded as an unimpressive car - how many of us have ever driven (or even seen) an Ensign? I doubt it would be repeatable today - despite the references to 1958 being "an age when the motorist gets pushed around" and bad congestion in Paris and London, I bet he could never have imagined how much worse it would be half a century on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
unclepete Posted December 22, 2007 Report Share Posted December 22, 2007 Remember many moons ago travelling to and from France from Southend Airport in a Carvair, the last time with my Parents in a Mark 1 Cortina circa 1970 with the roof rack piled high with camping gear. The baggage handlers had to jump up and down on it to get it under the cockpit and my Dad was driving it on board off of the lift! I seem to remember it being a bit bigger than the Plane in your picture? I believe the Carvair was a converted DC4 but I am not sure. Happy days Unc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted December 22, 2007 Report Share Posted December 22, 2007 You'll note how smartly dressed was Tommy Wisdom - hat and very decent coat, probably hiding a suit! Yes, I have seen Ensigns, but then I am older than most of you fellows (and girls). I think the RAF had a very large number once upon a time. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted December 22, 2007 Report Share Posted December 22, 2007 Remember many moons ago travelling to and from France from Southend Airport in a Carvair, the last time with my Parents in a Mark 1 Cortina circa 1970 with the roof rack piled high with camping gear.The baggage handlers had to jump up and down on it to get it under the cockpit and my Dad was driving it on board off of the lift! I seem to remember it being a bit bigger than the Plane in your picture? I believe the Carvair was a converted DC4 but I am not sure. Happy days Unc Brian I believe the plane featured in the photo is a Silver City Bristol freighter. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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