Barry Sheene

Barry Steven Frank Sheene (11 September 1950 – 10 March 2003) was a British professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing and was a two-time world champion, winning consecutive 500cc titles in 1976 and 1977.
Sheene's 1977 title remained as Britain's last solo motorcycle world championship until Danny Kent in 2015 in the Moto3 category.
After a racing career stretching from 1968 to 1984 he retired from competition and relocated to Australia, working as a motorsport commentator and property developer.
Early life.
Sheene was born off the Gray's Inn Road, Bloomsbury, London, the second child of parents Frank, who had been resident engineer at the Royal College of Surgeons, and was himself a former competitive rider who retired in 1956 and an experienced motorcycle mechanic. and Iris. He grew up in Queen Square, Holborn, London. Before entering road racing Sheene found work as a messenger and delivery driver.
Career.
Sheene began competitive motorcycle racing in 1968, winning his first races at Brands Hatch riding father Frank's 125cc and 250cc Bultacos. He improved to second behind Chas Mortimer in 1969 in the 125cc class on the Bultaco.
By 1970, Sheene had become the British 125cc champion at age 20, riding a former Suzuki factory racing team motorcycle that he purchased for £2,000. The 1967 Suzuki RT67 twin-cylinder motorcycle had previously been ridden by Suzuki Factory-backed rider, Stuart Graham in the 1968 Grands Prix and in selected 1969 events. In 1971, still riding the same Suzuki twin, he finished second in the 125cc World Championship, probably missing the title due to injuries sustained in a well-paid non-championship race at Hengelo (Netherlands) and during the Race Of the Year at Mallory Park (compression fractures of three vertebrae and five broken ribs). His first Grand Prix win coming on that bike at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, soon followed by a win on a 50cc Van Veen Kreidler at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix held at the Masaryk Circuit, where he finished over two and a half minutes ahead.
For the 1972 season, Sheene was signed by Yamaha to ride a factory-supported Yamaha YZ635 for the 250cc World Championship under the French Yamaha importer Sonauto's banner. There was no Yamaha factory team at the time, but Sheene was one of six riders receiving support from the factory. However, at the third round in Austria, after losing a sprint to the finish line to the Australian John Dodds for third place, he voiced his displeasure to team management about the performance of the bike. The next Grand Prix was the Grand Prix of Nations at Imola at the end of May, but Sheene crashed in practice and broke his collarbone, preventing him from taking part in the race, and in the Isle of Man TT as well (which was the fifth Grand Prix of 1972). Unfortunately for him, the next seven races of the world championship were all taking place in close succession in June and July and Barry would not be fit to take part in them.
After the Yugoslavian Grand Prix, Sheene's factory-supported Yamaha YZ635 was given to Jarno Saarinen, already a Yamaha factory rider in the 350cc class, who went on to win four races and the 250cc World Championship that year. Once back to fitness, Sheene would get factory-supported Yamahas back for British races over the summer (Silverstone, Scarborough, Mallory Park) and for the last Grand Prix of the season, at the Montjuïc circuit in Spain on 23 September, where he scored a third place in the 250cc class.
Sheene was signed by Suzuki during the off season 1972–1973 and won the newly formed Formula 750 European championship for them in 1973. As a works Suzuki rider Sheene had two contracts, with the World Championship events taking precedence over his Suzuki GB contract for home and international events, if any race dates clashed.
For 1974, Suzuki introduced the RG500 which Sheene rode to a second, third and a fourth scoring 30 points and finishing sixth in the World Championship. A spectacular crash at the Daytona 200 in the 1975 season threatened to end his career, breaking his left thigh, right arm, collarbone and two ribs, yet he recovered and was racing again seven weeks afterwards. Again riding the RG500 he scored an impressive first 500cc victory at the Dutch TT.
In the 1976 season, he won five 500cc Grands Prix, bringing him the World Championship. He took the Championship again in the 1977 season with six victories. For the 1977 season Sheene was partnered by Steve Parrish, who rode Sheene's 1976 Suzuki 500cc machine.
Sheene's battle with Kenny Roberts at the 1979 British Grand Prix at Silverstone has been cited as one of the greatest motorcycle Grand Prix races of the 1970s. After the 1979 season, he left the Heron-Suzuki factory team, believing that he was receiving inferior equipment to his teammates. He switched to a privateer on a Yamaha machine, but soon started receiving works equipment. In 1981, Roberts was the reigning World 500cc Champion for the third time in succession. Sheene, by now on a competitive Yamaha, was determined to take the championship from him. Sheene and Roberts battled all season and let Suzuki riders Marco Lucchinelli of Italy and American Randy Mamola beat them for the top two spots. Roberts finished third and Sheene fourth in the final World Championship standings. Sheene's win at the 1981 Swedish Grand Prix would be the last win for a British rider in the top category until Cal Crutchlow's debut win at the 2016 Czech Republic GP.
In a crash at Silverstone when riding his Yamaha, Sheene hit the unsighted machine of fallen Frenchman Patrick Igoa during practice for the 1982 British Grand Prix. His injured legs were saved by orthopaedic surgeon Mr Nigel John Cobb FRCS at the nearby Northampton General Hospital. This largely ended his potential as a title threat and he retired in 1984. He remains the only rider to win Grand Prix races in the 50 cc and 500 cc categories.
Sheene was known for being outspoken in his criticism of what he considered to be dangerous race tracks, most notably the Isle of Man TT course, which he considered too dangerous for world championship competition. He was a colourful, exuberant character who used his good looks, grin and London accent to good effect in self-promotion, and combined with an interest in business was one of the first riders to make a lot of money from endorsements. He is credited with boosting the appeal of motorcycle racing into the realm of the mass marketing media. He also tried his hand as a TV show host, including the ITV series "Just Amazing!", where he interviewed people who had, through accident or design, achieved feats of daring and survival (including the former RAF air gunner, Nicholas Alkemade, who survived a fall of 18,000 feet without a parachute from a blazing Avro Lancaster bomber over Germany in March 1944). Sheene and his wife Stephanie also starred in the low-budget film "Space Riders".
Personal life.
Finding fame and wealth through racing, Sheene had houses in Putney, in south-west London, and in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, and in 1977 he purchased a 700-year-old manor house in Charlwood, Surrey once owned by the actress Gladys Cooper. He was contracted by Faberge to promote their Brut aftershave lotion.
In 1975 while on crutches, Sheene met fashion-model-turned-glamour-model Stephanie McLean, who was "Penthouse" Pet of the Month for April 1970 and Pet of the Year in 1971, while they were working together on a photoshoot for Chrysler. She left her first husband for Sheene and after she had divorced, the couple married in 1984, having a son and a daughter.
Sheene enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, socialising with friends such as James Hunt, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, drinking and smoking heavily. He even had a hole drilled through the chin-bar on his full-face helmet allowing him to smoke right up to the start of a race.
Relocation to Australia.
The Sheene family moved to Australia in the late 1980s, in the hope that the warmer climate would help relieve some of the pain of Sheene's injury-induced arthritis, settling in a property near the Gold Coast. He combined a property development business with a role as a commentator on motor sport. He began on SBS TV then moved to the Nine Network with Darrell Eastlake, and finally followed the TV broadcast rights of the Grand Prix motorcycle series to Network Ten. Further to this, on Network Ten Sheene co-hosted the weekly motor sport television show "RPM" from 1997 to 2002 with journalists Bill Woods and Greg Rust and was involved in Ten's coverage of other motor sport including V8 Supercars for several years.
In the 1990s, Sheene appeared in a series of well-known and popular television advertisements for Shell, with Australian motor sport icon Dick Johnson.
In later years, Sheene became involved in historic motorcycle racing, often returning to England to race at Donington Park. Sheene competed in his last UK race at the Goodwood Revival in 2002. He was also chosen to run with the Queen's Baton in the run-up to the 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, England.
Death.
In July 2002, at the age of 51, Sheene was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus and stomach. Refusing conventional treatments involving chemotherapy, Sheene instead opted for a holistic approach involving a strict diet devised by Austrian healer Rudolf Breuss, intended to starve the cancer of nourishment.
He died peacefully surrounded by his family at a hospital on Queensland's Gold Coast in 2003, aged 52, having suffered from the condition for eight months.
Sheene and his wife Stephanie had two children, Sidonie and Freddie.
Honours and awards.
Following reconstruction of the Brands Hatch Circuit in England for safety concerns after requests by the FIM, the Dingle Dell section was changed for safety, and shortly after Sheene's death the new section was renamed Sheene's Corner in his honour. The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2001. For the 2003 season, V8 Supercars introduced a medal in honour of Sheene, the Barry Sheene Medal, for the 'best and fairest' driver of the season. A memorial ride from Bairnsdale to Phillip Island, Victoria is held by Australian motorcyclists annually, before the MotoGP held at the island.
He was the subject of "This Is Your Life" in 1978 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at a motor racing cycle exhibition in London's Victoria.
In popular culture.
A song titled "Mr. Sheene" that describes "Mr. Sheene's riding machine" was recorded by comedians Eric Idle and Rikki Fataar and released in 1978 as the B-side of the single "Ging Gang Goolie" under the names Dirk and Stig, their characters in Beatles-parody band The Rutles.
Sheene is also featured on a vase by ceramic artist Grayson Perry entitled "My Heroes" created in 1994.
Career statistics.
Motorcycle Grand Prix results.
The following is a list of results achieved by Sheene.
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results.
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.


Ginetta Cars

Ginetta Cars is a British specialist builder of racing and sports cars based in Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire.
History.
20th century.
Ginetta was founded in 1958 by four Walklett brothers (Bob, Ivor, Trevers and Douglas) in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Their first product, the Fairlight, was a glass-fibre body shell priced at £49 for fitting to a Ford chassis. The first car, not destined for production, which subsequently became known as the Ginetta G1, was based on a pre-war Wolseley Hornet six.
The four Walklett brothers each had their areas of expertise: Bob was the managing director, Douglas was the mechanical engineer and also handled the electrical work, Ivor was the designer and Trevers was the stylist, working closely with Ivor.
From their original base, the company moved to Witham, Essex, in 1962, and between 1972 and 1974 operated from larger premises in Ballingdon Street adjacent to the railway bridge Sudbury, Suffolk, before returning to Witham. In 1988, the Walklett brothers needed bigger premises and so moved the company to Scunthorpe where they could expand. On 7 November 1989, the Walkletts sold Ginetta to an international group of enthusiasts, based in Sheffield and run by managing director Martin Phaff. Ginetta was in a strong financial position at the time of its sale and the Walkletts went on to retire.
Under Phaff, the company went on to produce the Ginetta G20 and the Ginetta G33. It was during this period that the company hit troubled times.
21st century.
In late 2005, Ginetta was acquired by LNT Automotive, a company run by race car driver, engineer and businessman Lawrence Tomlinson. His aims were in line with the founders; to produce innovative, capable and great value sports cars.
In mid-2007, Ginetta moved to a factory near Leeds, with a target to sell 200 cars per year. Tomlinson himself penned the base specification for the Ginetta G50, which marked 50 years of Ginetta production and became a successful GT4 car.
In March 2010, Ginetta acquired the Somerset-based sports car manufacturer Farbio, and re-badged their car as the Ginetta F400. In March 2011, Ginetta launched the G55, which competed in the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup and was built to comply to the GT3 class regulations. In October 2011, Ginetta launched the G60, a two-door mid-engine sports car developed from the F400 and powered by a Ford-sourced 3.7 litre V6 engine.
Models.
Models produced by Ginetta include the following:
G2.
Ginetta's first car, the G2, was produced as a kit car for enthusiasts and consisted of a tubular frame chassis to take Ford components and aluminium body. About 100 were produced.
G3 and G4.
The G3 was introduced with a glass fibre body in 1959 to be followed by the G4 in 1961.
The G4 used the new Ford 105E engine and had a glass fibre GT-style body along with the suspension updated to coil springing at the front with a Ford live axle at the rear. Whereas the G2 and G3 had been designed for racing, the G4 was usable as an everyday car but still was very competitive in motorsport with numerous successes. In 1963, a coupé variant was introduced alongside the open-top variant and a BMC axle replaced the Ford unit at the rear. In road tests, the car attains a top speed of with a 1,500 cc engine. The series III version of 1966 added pop-up headlights. Production stopped in 1968 but was revived in 1981 with the Series IV which was wider and longer than the III. Over 500 units were made up to 1969 with a variety of Ford engines.
G4 Series IV.
The G4 was re-introduced in 1981 as the G4 Series IV, with a new chassis. It was produced through to 1984 with approximately 35 examples built. The Series IV was powered by a 1,599 cc Ford four-cylinder engine.
G10, G11 and G12.
Launched at the 1965 Racing car show, the Ginetta G10 was meant to be a more powerful racing car than its predecessors. Weighing around and fitted with a V8 engine from the Ford Mustang, it was well received by the enthusiasts. Ginetta works driver Chris Meek secured a win with a prototype at the car's debut at Brands Hatch, beating a Jaguar E-Type which was considered to be the most successful GT racing car. However Ginetta failed to make a homologated version of the G10 in order for it to keep competing and as a result, it was forced out of the competition with a total production of only three cars. Following the reception the G10 had generated, Ginetta produced the G11, a street legal version of the G10 with the same body but with the Ford V8 replaced by the MGB 1800 engine. However, slow deliveries of the engine curbed production of the car and therefore only a handful were made.
Unveiled in 1966, the G12 was an evolution of the G4 but had many new features that made it stand apart from its predecessors. The car had a new tubular steel space frame chassis, with the cockpit section mounted to it for extra strength, while removable body work allowed for easy repair. The front suspension consisted of Triumph-derived uprights and double wishbones (with camber adjustment courtesy of rose-joints on the upper items) and coil springs. While, at the rear, the usual arrangement of single upper transverse links with lower reversed wishbones (with rose-joints) and radius arms was present, along with coil springs. The car was fitted with anti-roll bars for increased safety, and the Triumph-sourced Girling disc brakes at the front and rear ensured increased stopping power. Power came from a 1.0 litre Cosworth SCA inline-four engine, though larger engines were fitted later such as an Aston Martin V8, but were less successful. The G12 dominated the competition in its class, outclassing Lotus Elan 26Rs and Coventry Climaxes, winning the 1,150 cc MN series. Outside track racing, the G12 also found success at hill climb events, before it was replaced by the G16. Approximately 28 were built.
G15.
In 1967 the G15, utilizing a rear-mounted 875 cc Sunbeam Imp engine, was launched. This two-seat coupé had a glass fibre body bolted to a tube chassis and used Imp rear and Triumph front suspension. Approximately 800 were produced from 1967 to 1974 and the car was fully type approved allowing for complete Ginetta cars to be sold for the first time. Eight G15s were produced with Volkswagen engines and called "Super S".
G21.
In 1970, the G15 was joined by the larger G21, which was initially available with either a 4-cylinder 1.75 litre sourced from the Rootes Group (Sunbeam) or a 3.0 litre Ford Essex V6 engine. The car largely used Rootes components. The 1.7 litre Sunbeam Rapier engine subsequently became the standard four-cylinder engine for the car. 80 cars in total were produced before production ceased in 1974 due to the oil crisis. The car was later morphed into an open top G23 and G24 coupé version but none of those variants went to production.
G19.
The G19 was a single seater Formula 3 racing car of which only one was produced.
GRS Tora.
Trevor Walklett owned a 1968 Hillman Hunter which had been put up due to rust. Inspired by the success of the Dutton Sierra estate kit car, Ginetta developed a Range Rover-inspired fibreglass station wagon body for installation onto the Hunter's underpinnings. Called the GRS Tora Mark I it was first shown in October 1982, going on sale the next year. Although it was a two-door estate, it used the front doors of a four-door Hunter. These are shorter than a normal two-door design, leading to limited rear seat access and somewhat awkward proportions. More troubling was that the Hunter's fuel tank and filler location meant that the rear gate opening was very high, limiting the cars utility. In October 1983, a GRS Tora Pickup was shown. In August 1984, the GRS Tora Mark II started deliveries. This version rectified the concerns with the rear opening, with a relocated fuel tank (and filler now mounted on the flank of the car) allowing for a full-height rear gate. Being more expensive than the simpler Mark I model the two were offered side by side. Sales of the GRS Tora helped Ginetta stay afloat in the 1980s, but by 1988 Tora production gradually came to a halt as the market was changing and donor cars were becoming rarer.
At the July 1989 Newark Kit Car Show, Ginetta showed a GRS Tora Mark III. Unlike previous models, this was a four-door estate (of a rather beefy appearance) on Ford Cortina saloon underpinnings. It used the doors as well as the taillights of a Mark IV Cortina four-door saloon, and had Cortina engines or the option of a Perkins diesel. Only two were built, and Ginetta went back to its main business of making sports cars. All in all, about 320 Toras of all variants were built.
G26, G28, G30 and G31.
Following reorganisation, the company moved to Scunthorpe and began making cars in kit form again in the 1980s starting with the G27 and followed by the G26, G28, G30 and G31, with all cars using Ford parts. The G26 was the first model to arrive, in 1984. The G26 and G31 both used flip-up headlamps; the G26 and G30 were fastback coupés while the G28 and G31 had a notchback profile.
The design used the Ford Cortina Mk3/Mk4 drivetrain and parts installed in a galvanized steel chassis of Ginetta's own construction. Originally, only four-cylinder engines could be fitted, but the G28's taller bonnetline made room for Ford's Cologne V6 engine. The bodywork was fibreglass, although the doors were the Ford Fiesta's steel units. The rear window on the fastback designs was also from the Fiesta, while the sportier notchbacks used the small window from the Sierra XR4i. 280 G26 were built. While the G31 was the last addition to the G26 line, it sold pretty well, with around 70 cars finished. Six G28 and fourteen G30 were finished, although since these cars were only available as kits it is unknown how many kits were actually sold. The total production of the G26 and its derivatives is about 370 cars.
The G29 code was assigned to a one-off competition car for the Thundersports racing series.
G27.
The G27, which was introduced in November 1985, was a two-seater sports car derived from the G4. It uses the front suspension from the Triumph Vitesse, a modified Jaguar independent rear suspension, and could be fitted with a wide range of engines up to the Rover V8. This design was then used for the G33's bodywork as well.
G32 and G33.
It was decided to re-enter the complete car business with the mid-engined G32 with a choice of 1.6 or 1.9 litre four-cylinder engine, available as a coupé or convertible and the G33 speedster which was equipped with a 3.9 litre Rover V8 capable of a top speed of and a acceleration time of 5 seconds. In 1990, the G32 coupé cost £13,700 (), the convertible £14,600 (), and the G33 £17,800 (). The G33 was a development of the G27, itself derived from the G4. Unlike the G27, the G33 was only available as a complete car. In terms of appearance, the windshield, with its body-coloured frame, was the main difference compared to the G27. Under the body, the G33 used the suspension parts from the rear-wheel drive Ford Sierra Cosworth, rather than the mixed setup from the G27.
G50.
After Ginetta was acquired by Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005, the company began work on the design of the Ginetta G50 - utilising a 3.5 litre V6 engine, generating a power output of - to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. In 2007, the car competed in its first race in the European GT4 Cup, in Nogaro France, finishing second.
Soon after this success, the car was officially launched at Autosport International in early 2008 alongside its sister car, the Ginetta G50 GT4. Together, they have become Ginetta's best selling cars, and have race wins that include the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race in 2012 with Optimum Motorsport.
G60.
In March 2010, Lawrence acquired the Somerset-based sports car manufacturer Farbio, and in doing so inherited the F400, which was subsequently redesigned, redeveloped and rebranded from the Farbio Marque, into the Ginetta G60; a two-door mid-engined sports car which shares the same 3.7-litre V6 engine as its G55 GT3 stablemate and is capable of in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of .
G40.
In 2010, Lawrence implemented a newer, safer car into the existing Ginetta Junior series and in doing so, replaced the old Ginetta G20 race car with a G40J.
Following the success of the G40J, Ginetta decided to introduce a Ginetta G40 Challenge car for the adult racers in its Challenge series. With the same engine as its sister car, the G40 Challenge car is capable of and competes against existing G20 models. Today, the car features heavily in the Total Quartz Ginetta GT5 Challenge.
Ginetta unveiled its second road car, the Ginetta G40R, in 2011. It was designed to mimic the Walklett brothers' original vision of 'a race car for the road'. Capable of in 5.8 seconds, the G40R shares a number of characteristics with its racing siblings.
G55.
2011 saw the introduction of the G55 Cup car to the Ginetta GT Supercup, which, until that point, had only featured the G50 Cup car. Offering a 3.7 litre V6 engine generating a maximum power output of , the car provided Ginetta with the basis for their Ginetta G55 GT3 car; a larger spec car which gives GT teams a 4.35 L V8 powerplant.
Akula.
On 5 March 2019, at the Geneva International Motor Show, Ginetta announced a new supercar called the Akula, Russian for "shark".
Motorsport.
Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup.
The Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup is a single-class race series which features both the Ginetta G50 and G55 sports cars; running in support of the British Touring Car Championship.
The championship began as the Ginetta G50 Cup in 2008, supporting the British Formula Three Championship and British GT Championship. In 2009, it moved to support the BTCC. In 2011, with the introduction of the Ginetta G55, the championship became the Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup.
The 2014 season will be the fourth running of the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, but it will be the first year in which the G50 GT4 and G55 GT4 cars are consolidated into one single class. In order to maintain fair competition, the two models will be equalised through a balance of performance test.
Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge.
The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge offers a unique, low-cost opportunity to race in a single-make racing championship, over seven race weekends supporting the British GT package. For 2014, the series will once again return to Spa for an international round alongside the Swedish Ginetta Challenge series.
A popular entry-level championship for many GT racers, the series boasts packed grids with close racing. All weekends are triple headers, providing 21 races throughout the season, with all races counting towards the final championship positions.
Prototype.
Ginetta supplies customer LMP3 cars for the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series as well as the IMSA Prototype Challenge.
In 2017, Ginetta developed a LMP1 class car the Ginetta G60-LT-P1. For the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship season Ginetta entered 2 G60-LT-P1 in the WEC series in conjunction with TRSM Racing Manor. At the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #5 car finished 5th in class, while the #6 car retired after 10 hours due to persistent electrical issues.


Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators

The Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators (sometimes abbreviated to "ITAI") is a road safety organisation.
History.
It was formed in 1988.
Structure.
It publishes the journal "IMPACT" three times a year, and the newsletter "CONTACT" every two months.
It is based near the Column Roundabout, on the A5064 "London Road" in Shrewsbury, near Shropshire Council's Shirehall and the Lord Hill's Column.
Function.
It regulates, in a voluntary way, the practice of traffic accident investigation.


Buckingham (automobile)

The Buckingham was an English automobile manufactured by the Buckingham Engineering Company in Coventry from 1914 until 1923. The company had made cars under the Chota name from 1912.
History.
The first cars were a 746 cc cyclecar and a 1492 cc V-twin-engined light car both previously sold as Chotas. The engines were to Buckingham's own design and were water-cooled.
Production was suspended during World War I and during the conflict Captain Buckingham, the company owner, gained fame as the inventor of the tracer bullet, which was used against airships.
In 1920 he returned to car production with a new model using an air-cooled version of the pre war V-twin engine but now with a capacity of 1096 cc, a two-speed gearbox and belt drive to the rear axle. A three-speed gearbox was fitted from 1922 with shaft drive and a rear axle incorporating a differential. Front suspension was by a transverse leaf spring and the rear by quarter elliptic leaf springs. The two-seat bodies were made by the coachbuilder Charlesworth.
A coupé version was called the "Palace".
From 1922 to 1923 manufacture of the car was undertaken by Alvis but it is estimated that they only made about 30 of the cars.


Marc Nordon Racing

Marc Nordon Racing (MNR Sportscars) is a kit car manufacturer specialising in bike (motor cycle) engined cars or BECs and in particular, Lotus Seven Replicas. They are based in Harrogate, England.
MNR was formed by former BTCC Driver Marc Nordon in 2000 as a racing car rental business for "pay to drive" racing drivers who preferred not to purchase and maintain their own vehicles. In 2003 they started making the Vortx RT, a Lotus Seven inspired car based on Ford Sierra components. This was followed by the multi donor RT+ and RT Super using Ford Sierra Rear and Ford Cortina front end components combined with an inboard Rising Rate suspension setup.
Since starting they have diversified away from solely Lotus Seven replicas, and added to the range the mid-engined Tytan and LMP cars.
MNR achieved Top Ten in kit car volume sales within their first 18 months of commencing kit car sales


Peter Graves (motorcyclist)

Peter Allan Graves (born 6 June 1966), is a British former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.
Early life.
Graves was born in Hampstead, London, UK. He attended Hampton School before starting a racing career which spanned the years from 1984 to 1999.
Career.
Racing series including the Grand Prix world championship in 1992 riding a Harris-Yamaha. He competed in the 1994 Endurance World Championship for team Phase One Endurance at Spa-Francorchamps, and for several years the British Superbike Championship. He was winner of a number of British Championship events.
Team Manager.
In the 1993 as well as racing a Ducati 888 in British Superbike he fielded a team in the Grand Prix for riders Simon Crafar and David Jefferies.
Leukaemia.
In July 1997 Graves was diagnosed with Leukaemia and sat out the remainder of the racing season while undergoing Chemotherapy at Cheltenham General Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital. In 1998 he returned to the British Superbike Championship and won the 'Privateers Cup' on his first race back at Brands Hatch.
Grand Prix career statistics.
Points system in 1992:


Coronet (automobile)

The Coronet was a three-wheeled microcar with a rear-mounted Excelsior two cylinder, two stroke engine.


DMW Motorcycles

DMW Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer. Based in Wolverhampton, DMW was founded in 1940. The company took over Ambassador Motorcycles in 1963 and continued production until they closed the company in 1965. Although DMW ceased motorcycle production in 1971, it was noted for trials and racing machines and many DMWs can still be seen at UK sporting events. DMW produced about 15,000 motorcycles and several other manufacturers used DMW forks and engines.
History.
Founded by Leslie "Smokey" Dawson who was granted British patents on rear swinging arm suspension, dual brakes and tele -matic front forks. As Dawson Motors Wolverhampton in 1940, DMW fabricated and fitted new swing arm kits to existing machines. Dawson's Telematic -forks, which were telescopic spring and pneumatic front forks that could be'retro-fitted' as a replacement to standard 'girder' forks. In 1943 Dawson added rear suspension options which he would fit in his Wolverhampton workshop. After the Second World War ended in 1945 Smokey Dawson began building D.M.W. grass track racing motorcycles machines with 350 cc and 500 cc JAP engines. Dawson went into partnership with former AJS and Vincent man Harold Nock to build light two-stroke motorcycles. Leslie Dawson was unsuccessful in raising venture capital and emigrated to Canada in 1948. Leslie died in Ellesmere Port on 6 January 1989.
Leslie was replaced by former BSA engineer Mike Riley, who won the 1948 Scottish Trial on a 200 cc DMW. Production moved to Harold Nock's premises in Sedgley and a 122 cc DMW with a Villiers engine was launched in 1950. These were entered in and won numerous competitions and DMW exhibited at the Earls Court Motor Cycle Show in 1952 with three road motorcycles and three racing bikes. Production then switched to a larger factory in nearby Sedgley, the base of Metal Profiles Ltd.
A range of relatively successful two-stroke models were produced throughout the 1960s, notably the DMW Dolomite. DMW production ended in 1971 and Harold Nock sold the company in 1975 to Graham Beddall and Ivan Dyke, who concentrated on engineering and selling parts, although they did build one-off competition motorcycles, and a DMW 250 cc won the Midland Centre Group Trials in 1976 and 1977. Beddall and Dyke retained ownership of the DMW name until 2001, when it was wound up.
The Sedgley factory remained in use until the mid 1990s, and stood derelict for several years before it was finally demolished in the summer of 2002 to make way for new private housing.


A roads in Zone 2 of the Great Britain numbering scheme

List of A roads in zone 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3 (roads beginning with 2).


A897 road

The A897 single track road is entirely within the Highland council area of Scotland. It runs generally north from the A9 at Helmsdale to the A836 near Halladale Bridge, east of Melvich. The road passes through or near Kildonan, Kinbrace and Forsinard, and has a junction with the B871 at Kinbrace. It also passes through Achiemore.
Helmsdale is on the east-facing North Sea coast of Britain. Melvich is about 40 miles (64 km) away, on the north-facing Atlantic coast. Apart from half a mile (1 km) or so within Helmsdale, the entire road is single track.
Between Helmsdale and Kinbrace the road is in Strath Ullie (known also as Strath of Kildonan). The River Ullie (known also as the River Helmsdale) reaches the sea at Helmsdale. Between Forsinard and Halladale Bridge the road is in Strath Halladale. The River Halladale reaches the sea near Melvich.
In 2016 the road was declared the quietest A road in Britain.


A386 road

The A386 is a primary route in Devon, England. It runs from Plymouth on the south coast to Appledore on the north coast.
The road starts in the centre of Plymouth, and forms Tavistock Road, the main route out of the city to the north. It crosses a section of Dartmoor to Yelverton and Tavistock. The A386 then heads northeast across the western fringe of Dartmoor past the village of Lydford to the A30 west of Okehampton. It passes to the west of Okehampton to reach Hatherleigh, where the road joins the valley of the River Torridge. It follows the valley to, Meeth, Merton, Great Torrington, Bideford and finally Appledore.
History.
The route is little changed from its original alignment in 1922. It originally ended at Bideford, and was extended north first to Northam and then to Appledore on the former route of the B3236. The route originally went through the town of Okehampton. In about 1971 it was realigned to its present route on the former route of the B3219. In the north of Plymouth the road was rebuilt in the 1970s to bypass the village of Crownhill.


Royal Enfield Interceptor 650

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is a parallel twin retro-styled motorcycle introduced by Royal Enfield (India) in 2018. It is the first modern twin cylinder motorcycle developed by the company.
In 2017, the company revealed a new motorcycle reviving the classic RE 1960s name "Interceptor". The model went on sale from 2019, has two versions: the "Interceptor", a conventionally-styled roadster, and the "Continental GT", a café racer. The bike will be marketed in India, Australasia, Europe and the United States. The bike is expected to become the biggest selling large-capacity twin in the world.
Design.
The bike was designed at Royal Enfield's Technology Centre at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire, England.
Both models, Interceptor and Continental GT, share the same engine, frame, suspension, wheels, brakes, exhausts and silencers. The engine is a wet-sump, 648 cc, air-cooled SOHC, 8v, parallel twin. Fuelling is via Bosch injection and engine management. The low 9.5:1 compression ratio will help the engine tolerate lower-octane fuel. The crankshaft has a 270° throw, with a gear-driven balance shaft ahead of the crank. The slipper clutch drives a six-speed gearbox and chain final drive. The cylinder head receives substantial oil-cooling and the bikes have a large oil cooler on the frame downtubes. Producing a modest 47bhp @ 7250 rpm, the engine is capable of future development: "Bike" magazine reported that "the crankshaft's substantial bearing area and the hefty alloy crankcases suggest that the engine could comfortably deliver more power. Compression, capacity and revs could be raised on future models".
The chassis is a tubular twin-downtube cradle frame. Forks are standard telescopics (without gaiters); and rear suspension is via twin shocks(5 step adjustable). The ABS brakes comprise single discs: 320mm (front) and 240mm (rear). Instruments are conventional twin-dial analogue items with digital fuel gauge and trip display.
Interceptor.
The Interceptor is a conventionally-styled roadster with dual seat, a rounded 13.7 litre saddle tank with a Royal Enfield classic badge and a Monza-style fuel cap. The braced handlebars and more forward-set footrests allow a sit-up-and-beg riding position, and a tubular grab-rail is fitted for the pillion passenger. The Interceptor is marketed as the INT650 in the United States where Honda has a trademark on the Interceptor name.
Continental GT.
The Continental GT café racer has either a standard dual-seat or an optional solo seat with a seat hump. The fuel tank is more angular than the roadster's. Clip-on handlebars and rear-set pegs allow a sportier riding position.
Reception.
The Interceptor was favourably reviewed by "Motorcycle News" which stated, "As an overall package, the Royal Enfield Interceptor is great. The engine is lively without being intimidating, the handling is fun without being patronising and the finish is good without breaking the bank". The bike's engine, brakes, and equipment were all praised, but the suspension was criticised as basic, being too soft and underdamped. The Australian website, MC-News also gave a favourable report.


Tom Hayward (motorcyclist)

Tom Hayward (born 30 September 1982) is a British Grand Prix motorcycle racer.


BSA Lightning

The BSA Lightning was a British BSA 650 cc-class motorcycle made in Birmingham between 1965 and 1972.
Development.
The BSA Lightning was designed as the all-round sports machine of the 1960s, planned largely for export to the US market to complement the touring Thunderbolt and the later development, the supersports Spitfire. Development of the engine aimed to make it more reliable, quieter and less prone to oil leaks, with top speed sacrificed to improve mid-range and rideability. Nevertheless, with twin carburettors the A65L could still reach . Improvements included an oil pressure warning light, but this had a tendency to malfunction, so riders learned to ignore it.
A close ratio gearbox combined with a high lift camshaft made for lively acceleration and performance at higher rpm than the standard A65. The bottom gear was a bit high, however, so riders had to learn to slip the clutch up to . Above 5000 rpm customers also complained about excessive vibration, with a tendency to weave above .
A useful feature was an 'emergency starting' key position for times when the battery was flat to connect the alternator current directly to the ignition coils.
From 1969 the Lightning was improved with balanced exhaust pipes, redesigned silencer-internals, widened crankcase-half mating faces and a twin leading shoe front brake. When road testing, "Motorcycle Sport" found the natural cruising speed to be , but was impossible to ride comfortably at more 5,500 rpm in the higher gears due to severe vibration, with 6,200 revs repeatedly breaking the headlamp bulb filament; accordingly no top speed runs were attempted.
In 1971, 201 750cc versions, designated the A70L, were also produced for American racing homologation purposes.
In 1972 the BSA Group were in financial difficulties and, in a last attempt to extend the brand life, a new frame was developed for the A65L. As well as raising the seat height to an impractical , it actually broke during testing at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) test track, marking the end of one of the most successful range of British twin cylinder motorcycles.
A70 Lightning.
To produce a 750cc machine for AMA Class C racing, BSA lengthened the stroke of Lightning's crankshaft by 11mm to give a displacement of 751cc. 202 A70 Lightning machines were produced to meet the minimum production requirements. All were exported to the US, most to the East Coast distributor in Baltimore.
In popular culture.
Thunderball BSA Lightning.
A fully faired gold-painted BSA Lightning fitted with missiles featured in the 1965 James Bond film "Thunderball", ridden by former road-race champion Bill Ivy as a stunt double, wearing a blonde wig to make him look like Bond girl Fiona Volpe, played by Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi. Volpe used the BSA to fire two rocket missiles and destroy Count Lippe's car, which was chasing Bond.
A working missile launching system was fitted to the motorcycle but the explosion which destroyed the car was actually detonated remotely by stunt coordinator Bob Simmons. The filming of the scene was recorded in a Ford Motor Company film "A Child's Guide to Blowing Up a Motor Car" that is on the Ultimate DVD edition of "Thunderball".
In September 1965, the actual bike was exhibited at a Brighton motorcycle show held at the Metropole Hotel exhibition centre.
Cinema film "if...".
A Lightning featured in the 1968 film "if..." starring Malcolm McDowell who, as the main character 'Mick' – purporting to be a potential buyer of a motorcycle – proceeded to start the bike and ride out of the dealer's showroom on a reckless 'joy ride'.
"Boon" TV series.
A Lightning was extensively used in the British TV series "Boon", shown from 1986. The bike (nicknamed 'White Lightning' by the protagonist Ken Boon, (played by Michael Elphick) contributed to the series' popularity for its 7-year run. Boon - who thought of himself as a modern-day Lone Ranger – would treat his Lightning as though it were his horse.


Bristol Siddeley

Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd (BSEL) was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of Blackburn Aircraft. Bristol Siddeley was purchased by Rolls-Royce Limited in 1966.
History.
Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited was formed by the 1 April 1959 merge of Bristol Aero-Engines and Armstrong Siddeley Motors. These were the aero engine manufacturing companies of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and the Hawker Siddeley Group. The share capital of Bristol Siddeley was held in equal proportions by these two parent organisations. At around the same time Bristol's aircraft manufacturing was being subsumed into the British Aircraft Corporation along with those of English Electric and Vickers-Armstrong.
Armstrong Siddeley Motors had been producing aero-engines and motor-cars since it had been formed in 1919 with the merger of Siddeley-Deasy and the Armstrong Whitworth Company. Bristol Aero-Engines had been formed in 1920 when the Bristol Aeroplane Company had taken over the assets of the Cosmos Engineering Company.
On 6 May 1958 Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited was formed as a pilot company to bring about an alliance between the Bristol and Coventry concerns, and a full merger took effect from the beginning of April 1959. The purpose of the new company was to combine the research, engineering and manufacturing resources of the two great component companies to meet the changing demands of the aviation industry.
The company was further strengthened in November 1961 when it acquired the full share capital of the de Havilland Engine Company Limited and Blackburn Engines Limited, both of which were formerly operating within the Hawker Siddeley Group. The aircraft side of Blackburn became part of Hawker Siddeley. Both of these companies had long histories in the aero-engine industry.
The de Havilland Engine Company Limited had the de Havilland Sprite which was a rocket engine with a military type test certificate. In 1954, the company had produced the axial turbojet Gyron of thrust, from which was descended the Gyron Junior series. The de Havilland Engine Company's portfolio included the (licensed) Gnome turboshaft.
The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company had entered the aero engine field in 1934 when the Cirrus-Hermes Engineering Company became part of the Blackburn and this became the Engine Division of Blackburn Aircraft and subsequently Blackburn Engines Limited. In 1952 an agreement was signed which enabled Blackburn Engines Limited to produce engines based on the Turbomeca range of small gas turbine engines. These were developed for use as airborne auxiliary power units for large aircraft and they were also used as a ground starter unit in the British services.
Bristol Siddeley was bought by Rolls-Royce Limited in 1966 for £63.6 million in order to prevent competition from a planned collaboration between BSEL, Pratt & Whitney and Snecma. Bristol Siddeley retained its own identity and marketing organization.
Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited is still a listed but dormant company within the Rolls Royce group.
Products.
The company was one of the largest of its kind in the world and offered a wider range of engines than any other manufacturer. Aero engines produced by the company included piston engines, turboprops, turboshafts, turbojets, turbofans, auxiliary power units, ramjets and liquid propellant rocket engines. Outside the aeronautical field its products were gas turbines for marine and industrial use, diesel engines, and automatic transmissions.
Aero engines.
The Patchway factory in South Gloucestershire produced military aeroplane engines including the Olympus two-spool turbojet (from which the engine for Concorde was developed), the Orpheus turbojet for the Folland Gnat light fighter/trainer aircraft, the Pegasus two shaft medium bypass ratio vectored thrust turbofan for the Hawker Siddeley P.1127/Kestrel/Harrier VSTOL ground attack aircraft, the Proteus turboprop for the Bristol Britannia airliner and the Viper turbojet for the Hawker Siddeley HS.125. Bristol Siddeley had under development another vectored thrust turbofan, the "plenum chamber burner" (similar to an afterburner) equipped BS100, which was intended for the supersonic Hawker Siddeley P.1154 VSTOL fighter, but the project was cancelled in 1965. The two shaft BS143 was proposed for the MRCA (later the Tornado), but the takeover by RR caused the adoption of the three shaft RB199 instead. Hypersonics were explored in a shock tube near the High Altitude Test Plant (HATP) at Bristol, in support of BS1012 hypersonic engine thinking. High supersonic ramjets for long range defensive missiles were tested in the HATP (Ref TJ102 and TJ151/2).
Diesel engines.
Bristol Siddeley also manufactured diesel engines under licence from the German company Maybach. These were for installation in British Rail Class 42 and Class 52 locomotives which were themselves based on licensed German designs but with as much British-built content as possible. The Maybach Diesel (MD) MD650, MD655 and MD870 series engines built by Bristol Siddeley were sophisticated in design, running at much higher speeds than normal diesels of their size and featured advanced construction such as a disc-webbed crankshaft that ran in large roller bearings, telescopic pipes to deliver cooling oil to the pistons and detachable piston crowns.
The MD engines produced by BSEL included 16 basic engines in the range, which covered powers from 380 to 3,000 horsepower, and includes 4- and 6-cylinder in-line units, and 8, 12 and 16 V units. Each of these were pressure-charged, with or without intercooling. They were used with hydraulic transmission systems, in the Type 4 locos (with two MD650 engines of 1,152 bhp each) hauled the express trains of the Western Region of British Railways - e.g. the Bristolian and the Cornish Riviera. Several hundred more orders were placed by British Rail.(Ref TJ102). MD series engines were widely used in base load, intermittent and standby electricity generating sets, and were transported by rail up to the nominal 1200 kW size for a complete generator set. They were also employed in oil rigs and pumping sets.(Ref TJ151/2).
Motor cars.
When the company was formed it also included the motor car companies Armstrong Siddeley Motors and Bristol Cars. It was soon decided to stop production of Armstrong Siddeley cars, as it was becoming uneconomic, with production of the only product, the Star Sapphire, ending in July 1960. In September 1960 Bristol Cars was sold.


A4230 road

The A4230 is a suburban main road in south Wales.
The A4230 is a single carriageway road for its whole length. It begins at the Peniel Green roundabout (junction with the M4 motorway and the A48) in the far east of Llansamlet. It travels east through the Lonlas area of Skewen before passing through central Skewen, after which it traverses the Neath Abbey area before connecting with the A474 at the Cwrt Herbert roundabout in Dyffryn Clydach. It then follows the same road as the A474 along Neath Abbey Road then though Cadoxton until it connects with the A465 just south of Aberdulais.


Grose

The Grose was an English automobile built between 1898 and 1901.
Mr. Joseph G. Grose began work as a leather currier in Ambush Street, St. James' End, Northampton. He took an interest in cycle racing and held several national records before becoming a cycle repairer and maker. In 1897 he invented the Grose patent gear case made of leather that covered the cycle's driving mechanism to protect ladies' skirts from catching in the chain. This sold in large numbers and was so successful that the Grose Gear Case Company Ltd. was formed in July 1897 to manufacture it. The case was later used to cover the drive chain of early motor cars.
He was sufficiently successful to be able in 1897 to run the first motor car in the town, a Coventry Motette. Following this he bought six Benz engines and fitted them to his own chassis and sold them as the Grose-Benz. In February 1900 the Company's name was changed to Grose Ltd and the gearcase business was sold and the factory in Pike Lane, Northampton was adapted to manufacture "Grose" Steel Studded Non-Skid Tyres, which Joseph Grose had invented for his newly built motor cars.
The business continued to expand moving into motorcycle sales and repairs, coachbuilding, commercial vehicle building and operating. A fleet of taxi-cabs was purchased in 1908 and operated from Pike Lane, the first motor taxi-cabs in Northampton. In 1912 Grose Ltd. registered a subsidiary company, Northampton Motor Omnibus Co. Ltd. operating local routes until
1928. Many of their buses had Grose-built bodies.
As well as producing some individual car bodies the company specialised in short production runs of standard designs. The first designs were for a two seat and dickey sports body and were first fitted to the Alvis 12/40 and 12/50 models.
In the 1930s Grose was listed as an approved coachbuilder by several major manufacturers including Rover with the Kingsley drophead coupe and Vauxhall. In 1935 the Riley Motor Company was added with two drophead designs called the Burcote and the Horton. The names were taken from Northamptonshire villages.
In the late 1920s Joseph Grose's children entered the business with Will Grose as Managing Director, Frank Grose as Sales
Director and Kate as Company Secretary. Joseph died in 1939 and his children continued to run the Company.
The company took a stand at the London Motor show for many years with their final appearance in 1936.
Car body making continued until 1939 and commercial bodies until 1959.
Grose continues in Northampton as car dealers, latterly Vauxhall agents, into the 21st century.


Lister Motor Company

The Lister Motor Company Ltd. is a British sports car manufacturer founded by Brian Lister in 1954 in Cambridge, England, which became known for its involvement in motorsport. After buying the company in 1986, Laurence Pearce produced variants of the Jaguar XJS before producing a bespoke sports car, the Lister Storm. In 2013, Lister Cars was acquired by Lawrence Whittaker's company Warrantywise. Production of the original sports car restarted in 2014 and ten continuation Lister Jaguar Knobblys were built to celebrate Lister's 60th Anniversary. In 2016, the company announced the build and sale of the Lister Knobbly Stirling Moss. On 31 January 2018, the Lister LFT-666 (previously called the Lister Thunder) based on the Jaguar F-Type was announced.
History.
George Lister and sons.
Beginning in 1954, company manager and racing driver Brian Lister brought out the first in a series of sports cars from a Cambridge iron works. Inspired by Cooper, he used a tubular ladder chassis, de Dion rear axle and inboard drum brakes. Like others, he used a tuned MG engine and stock gearbox. It made its debut at the British Empire Trophy at Oulton Park in 1954, with former MG driver Archie Scott Brown at the wheel. Later, Lister swapped in a Moore-tuned Bristol two-litre engine and knockoff wire wheels in place of the MG's discs to improve performance. For the sports car race supporting the 1954 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Scott Brown won the two-litre class and placed fifth overall behind only works Aston Martins.
In 1955, a handful of Lister-Bristols were built with a new body built by an ex-Bristol employee with the aid of a wind tunnel. Despite its new fins and strakes, it was less successful than the original Lister-Bristol of 1954. Lister moved up to a six-cylinder motor from a Formula 2 Maserati A6GCS for their own car, while customers continued to receive the Bristol motor, sold for £3900. Lister also attempted single-seater racing with a multi-tube chassis powered by a Coventry-Climax motor and using an MG gearbox, but the car was a failure.
For 1957, Lister redesigned the car around a 3.4 litre Jaguar D-type XK inline-six, with an aerodynamic aluminium body. It was tested by racing journalist John Bolster, performing a 0–100 mph (0–160 km/h) run in 11.2 seconds. Driver Archie Scott Brown won the 1957 British Empire Trophy in the new Lister-Jaguar. Refined again in 1958, the Lister-Jaguar entered international competitions. Brown was killed that season when he crashed the Lister-Jaguar at Spa-Francorchamps. Lister also developed another single-seater car based on the Lister-Jaguar, for use in the unique Race of Two Worlds at Monza. Cars from this era are affectionately known as the "Lister Knobbly" cars, due to their curved bodywork.
For 1959, Lister hired aerodynamicist Frank Costin who produced entirely new bodywork built around a new Chevrolet Corvette power plant. However, the front-engine layout of the new Lister-Chevrolet was quickly eclipsed by the rear-engine layout of the new Cooper sports car. By the end of 1959 Lister withdrew from competition although production of sports cars continued for customers.
In 1963, Brian Lister was chosen by the Rootes Group to prepare the Sunbeam Tiger for the prototype category of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Ford V8-powered Tiger was still in the early stages of development while Lister was constructing the chassis at the Jensen factory. Lister upgraded the suspension and brakes, added an aerodynamic fastback hardtop with a more sloping windscreen and a Kamm tail. The Ford V8 engine was tuned by Carroll Shelby in order to allow it to produce instead of the in standard specification. The car was designed with a top speed of in mind, but were developed in a short time frame and suffered engine failures. Rootes later received a refund for the engines. The two cars and one prototype mule still exist. The failure of the cars and Rootes' bankruptcy led to the demise of Lister's tuning work as well.
Pearce ownership.
The Lister company returned in 1986 as Lister Cars Ltd. based in Leatherhead, Surrey, with engineer Laurence Pearce tuning approximately 90 Jaguar XJSs and improving their top speed to over , with an asking price of over £100,000. Success at this endeavour led the newly formed company to design a new sports car, the Lister Storm. Launched in 1993, it would use the largest V12 engine ever fitted to a production car at that time, a 7.0 L unit derived from the Jaguar XJR9. The Storm was later developed for motorsport in various guises, winning the FIA GT Championship in 2000. Lister later developed a bespoke Le Mans Prototype, the Storm LMP in 2003.
Whittaker ownership.
In 2012, Lawrence Whittaker and his father visited the Lister factory to source parts when restoring a Lister Knobbly, and the opportunity to purchase the Lister Motor Company arose. In 2013, ownership of George Lister Engineering Limited of Cambridge, original intellectual property rights, the plans and drawings for all original Lister cars, as well as the property rights of Pearce's Lister Cars were bought by father and son Andrew and Lawrence Whittaker, who also own car warranty company Warrantywise. The new company, along with its associated partners, was rebranded as the Lister Motor Company Ltd. Ten months later, the Lister Motor Company announced the build and sale of the Lister Knobbly to mark 60 years since the first Lister Racing Car was built.
Current Products.
60th Anniversary Lister Knobbly.
The new company started building of the original Lister designs in 2014. To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of The Lister Motor Company, the release of the Lister Knobbly was announced, described as the most successful racing car of the late 1950s. The Lister Knobbly was driven by some of the most notable racing car drivers of the 50s including: Archie Scott Brown, Stirling Moss, Ivor Beaub, Bruce Halford and Innes Ireland amongst many others.
Within a matter of weeks half of the 60th Anniversary Lister race cars were sold out. Soon after, the order book was completely full and Lister had orders for £5m.
Lister Knobbly Sir Stirling Moss Edition.
In June 2016, The Lister Motor Company announced the build and sale of the Lister Knobbly Stirling Moss at the Royal Automobile Club in London. The car is built to the exact specification of the 1958 model and is the only magnesium-bodied car in the world and only the second car in history endorsed by legendary racing driver Sir Stirling Moss. Brian Lister invited Sir Stirling Moss to drive for Lister on three separate occasions, at Goodwood in 1954, Silverstone in 1958 and at Sebring in 1959, and to celebrate these races, 10 special edition lightweight Lister Knobbly cars are being built and priced at £1 Million each. The company announced that the cars will be available for both road and race use and Sir Stirling Moss will personally be handing over each car.
Lister LFT-666.
In January 2018, Lister announced the LFT-666. The car, which is a modified Jaguar F-Type R has a modified variant of the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine as utilised in the Jaguar F-Type SVR, generating at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of achieved by dual modified supercharger pulleys, a modified intercooler, an improved air intake system and a different ECU. The Thunder is capable of accelerating from in 3.2 seconds and attaining a maximum speed of . The four-wheel drive layout and the 8-speed ZF automatic transmission with torque converter are retained from the F-Type while a Quicksilver titanium exhaust system saves of weight. The car has light weight 21-inch alloy wheels, acid green accents and brake callipers. The car has a Bridge of Weir Nappa leather interior that is available in 36 colour combinations, with the Lister logos stitched into the headrests and seat pattern to match the front grille. The car was unveiled at the Historic Motorsport International show, at London's ExCeL. The LFT-666 will be built in limited numbers, with only 99 cars to be produced in total having a base price of GB£141,155 while a carbon fibre bonnet adds GB£14,850 more to the base price. The owners will also receive access to the exclusive Lister driver's club.
The Lister Stealth.
In August 2020, the Lister Motor Company launched Britain's fastest SUV - the Lister Stealth. Based on the Jaguar F-Pace, the Stealth uses a Lister-modified version of the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine found in the factory F-Pace SVR, to achieve a power output of and of torque. The Stealth accelerates from in 3.6 seconds and a boasts a top speed of . The Stealth adds proof to its claim of being Britain's fastest SUV after beating the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin Vantage and McLaren 570GT in a drag race at the renowned testing ground, VMAX200.
Other modifications include: upgraded supercharger pulleys, custom intercoolers, performance air filtration, a stainless steel quad exhaust system with switchable valves, Lister-designed 23" Vossen forged wheels and a custom-made carbon fibre performance and styling body kit. The luxurious interior of the Stealth features Bridge of Weir Nappa Leather with a multitude of customisation options available, including up to 36 individual colour choices and 90 different stitching options to make each Stealth truly bespoke to its owner. As with every Lister model, exclusivity is guaranteed with a limited production run - only 100 earmarked for production worldwide with a base price of GB£109,950 and owners will receive access to the exclusive Lister Driver's Club.


A88 road

The A88 is a trunk road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs from Stenhousemuir to Larbert, a mere , making it Britain's shortest two-digit road. It connects the A9 with the A905.


Steelfab

Steelfab was a Cardiff, Wales-based engineering firm that built the "Steelfab Digger", a competitor to the HyMac and JCB excavators in the 1960s. The company also built the "Horndraulic" brand of front loaders for fitting to agricultural tractors.
Background.
Steelfab.
Steel Fabricators Limited was founded in Birmingham in 1935 to manufacture pressed and sheet metal work. During the 1939 to 1945 period the company was solely engaged on government contracts, and the factory occupied an area of , and there were some 50 employees. In 1946, to meet expansion plans, the company relocated to Pengam Road, Cardiff and won large contracts, including supplying the frames for the BISF house project and Rigid Form beams for the then Ministry of Works.
History.
In the early 1950s it was decided to go into the backhoe loader market, which resulted in the introduction of the "Scout" Digger, manufactured under license to the "Shawnee Manufacturing Company" of the USA. Many hundreds of "Scout" diggers were sold, but the unit did have its limitations and the "Shawnee Warrior" digger was designed to supersede the Scout. In 1952 a subsidiary company was formed in Australia and this Company had a modern plant on the Moorabbin Industrial Estate near Melbourne, Victoria. In 1954, a license was finalized with the "Shawnee Company, U.S.A.", to manufacture and market "Shawnee" industrial loaders and diggers and those products formed a major part of the Company's range. In 1958, a license agreement was made with "H.G. Poole Limited" to manufacture and market Shawnee Poole Rear Dump Haulers, which enjoyed considerable success throughout the world and were leaders in the articulated dumper field. In 1959, Steel Fabricators (Cardiff) Ltd., was taken over by the Adamant & Western Group and became a member of the Adwest Group.
Later that year Steelfab carried a market survey was carried out with a view to introducing a combination unit as opposed to the Shawnee Warrior type attachment digger. The Steelfab project started in 1960 and the Unit was designed to fall between the JCB 4 and Massey Ferguson backhoe loaders models. Several hundred 160/180 combinations units were built but the early models were built on the light weight Fordson Dexta skid unit which was not strong enough to carry the stresses produced by a backhoe loader and units started to fail. This proved futial in the success of the product and although the larger International Harvester B2275 skid was introduced as a replacement it was too late for its reputation.
A larger 170/180 model was launched in the late 1960s with a much stronger and more powerful Ford 5000 skid but sales were limited and only around 60 units were sold and production ceased circa 1972. The Horndraulic '800' digger was first produced during the latter part of 1965 and received considerable acceptance on the market and a larger 900 was later produced. This machine mounted on the rear of tractors. The 800 diggers used the tractor hydraulics to power the digger although a pump system powered by the tractor PTO was offered as an option.
The 900 digger incorporated a pump system run from the tractor PTO as part of its design. Steelfab also manufactured front end loaders for fitment to many different tractor marques and models under the brand name "Horndraulic" originally under license from the USA. For some time Steelfab manufactured front end loaders for Ford and Leyland tractor which were marketed under the Ford and Leyland brand names by their dealers. The designer of the 800 and 900 digger who had joined Steelfab from the HyMac company later went on to design a scissor design tipper trailer known as the Power X System and later left Steelfab and set up business building mini excavators known as Powerfab.
The Steelfab SF 122 loader was used to build the "Roadless 700" Tractor loader in 1968. This machine based on the Roadless Plougemaster 65 and 75 tractors. Six were supplied to Israel between 1969 and 1972. The original prototype is believed to be the only one in existence. These were unusual machines as they had a Brockhouse torque converter transmission but were based on a Ford tractor.
Competition.
At this time the market was very competitive with several firms offering alternatives to the JCB excavators. HyMac Limited later took over Whitlock Bros. of Great Yeldham in Essex Manufacturing The HyMac 370 backhoe loader range.


Roper-Corbet

The Roper-Corbet was an English automobile manufactured from 1911 until 1913 and sold by the London and Parisian Motor Co Ltd. Its maker is not known. A four-cylinder, 2412 cc 14/16 hp model was exhibited at the London motor show in 1911. It was advertised for £350 complete.
References.
David Burgess Wise, "The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles".


A roads in Zone 7 of the Great Britain numbering scheme

List of A roads in the zone 7 in Great Britain starting north of the Solway Firth/Eden Estuary, west of the A7 and south of the A8 (roads beginning with 7). Data from Openstreetmap.


Road transport in Peterborough

The City of Peterborough in East Anglia has an extensive and well integrated road network, owing partly to its status as a new town. Since the 1960s, the city has seen considerable expansion and its various suburbs are linked by a system of parkways.
Despite its large-scale growth, Peterborough has the fastest peak and off-peak travel times for a city of its size in the United Kingdom, due to the construction of the parkways. The Local Transport Plan anticipates expenditure totalling around £180 million for the period up to 2010 on major road schemes to accommodate future development.
The A1/A1(M) broadly follows the path of the historic Great North Road from London, through Peterborough (Junction 17), continuing north a further 335 miles (539 km) to central Edinburgh.
Numbered Junctions.
Peterborough has so many roundabouts and grade separated junctions within its roads and parkway system that junctions are numbered using the same system as is used to number British motorway and major A road junctions to guide and help drivers. Peterborough is to date the only city within the United Kingdom to use the system in this way and has been using this system since the 1970s.
Parkways and major roads.
The parkways were constructed under guidelines from the Peterborough Development Corporation as a system of high speed roads to connect the new townships which housed London's post-war overspill population and were mostly built from the early 1970s to the late 1980s
The majority of Peterborough's parkways are dual carriageways, to accommodate the large quantity of local traffic within the city, and national and regional traffic bypassing it. However, due to their age, many of the parkways do not have hard-shoulders. Most of the parkways that bypass the city have graded roundabout junctions.
Wittering to Norman Cross.
The A1 is located just to the west of Peterborough. The road does not play a major part in Peterborough's road network itself although it is a major route. The road goes past RAF Wittering before meeting the A47 at Wansford on a grade separated junction. The A1 then moves south passing very close to the Nene Valley Railway line before reaching the city section of the A605 at another grade separated junction before reaching the A1139/A605 Oundle Section grade separated junction. This is also where the A1(M) starts and as a motorway the road quickly moves southward to reach the A15 at Norman Cross where the motorway moves out of the Peterborough area.
Glinton to New England (Werrington Parkway).
The Werrington Parkway runs from the south of Glinton, where the A15 forks into the Peterborough east bypass and main road into the city centre. The road is dual carriageway from Glinton to the centre of Peterborough. There are no grade separated junctions along its route but does contain a number of smaller roundabouts which give direct and easy access to Werrington and its industrial estates. The Parkway then becomes less and standard dual-carriageway to which speed limits are in place to pass through New England and its retail park along with a major supermarket just prior to reaching the junction with the A47 at a major junction. Because of the speed restrictions along the majority of its route traffic coming into Peterborough are now encouraged to use the Paston Parkway instead to access the city centre and in the past few years signposts have been changed to reflect this.
Glinton to Eye (Paston Parkway/A15 Spur Road).
The Paston Parkway bypasses the eastern edge of Peterborough, terminating at a roundabout with the A1139, where the city bypass becomes the Frank Perkins Parkway. The road starts at the southernmost roundabout of the Glinton and heads eastward as a single carriageway before coming to a roundabout for local traffic. The road then becomes a major dual carriageway, although it has only one grade separated junction (with the A47), with the other junctions being roundabouts. In 2008, Peterborough City Council funded the dualling of the northernmost stretch of the Paston Parkway between two roundabouts east of Gunthorpe. This has significantly reduced congestion, as the route is used as a commuter run between the city's Eastern Industry development in Fengate and settlements north of the city.
City Centre.
The A15 moves southward as a minor dual carriageway from its junction with the A47 with several more roundabouts lining its route. The road goes past some rail sidings that are rarely used and also goes past a retail shopping area on the site of the city's former Parcel Force depot. After passing the city's Toys R Us store the A15 reaches Queensgate Shopping Centre. The road passes the shopping centre between two of the centre's major Car Parks with a 1980s style footbridge crossing over the top. Two roundabouts are located at either end of the complex. The southern roundabout is a junction with the A1179 and gives access to the city's Bus Station (part of the shopping centre). The A15 then passes through the Westgate shopping area and the city's courts before reaching a roundabout where the dual carriageway part of the road ends.
City Centre to Norman Cross.
The A15 moves out of Peterborough heading southwards as a single carriageway road going past Peterborough United Football Ground. After some traffic light junctions the A15 goes under the A1139 before coming to a roundabout for a business estate. Then the A15 quickly comes to a second roundabout with the A1260 near to Serpentine Green. Then the A15 moves into open countryside before touching the outermost part of Yaxley where it meets the B1091. The A15 again moves into countryside before reaching the A1(M) at a major junction at Norman Cross.
Eye.
The A1139 starts as a single carriageway road at a minor roundabout with the A47 at Eye. After a second small roundabout the road passes through some housing before meeting the A15 on a major roundabout near Paston.
Frank Perkins Parkway.
The Frank Perkins Parkway is named after Frank Perkins, local founder of Perkins Engines and is the main Eastern Bypass for Peterborough. The parkway has access to the Perkins Engines site. The Parkway heads south as a major dual carriageway from a major roundabout with the A15 near Eye and quickly passes its first junction, which is restricted to southbound traffic and the Perkins Factory before reaching to Junction 5 which is a major inlet for city bound traffic. The road then passes over the River Nene and quickly reaches junction 4 where it meets the A605, which runs parallel to junction 3a and the new Stanground bypass out of Peterborough and the old A605, now the B1092. The Frank Perkins Parkway also becomes the Fletton Parkway here.
Fletton Parkway.
Fletton Parkway comprises the entire southern bypass of Peterborough and terminates westbound at the A1. The Fletton Parkway officially starts at junction 4 as a major dual carriageway before which it is named the Frank Perkins Parkway due to them being constructed at different times. The later construction of junction 3A, an access road for the Kingston Park distribution centres large IKEA depot and the new A605 Stanground Bypass, meant a major re-design of junction 4 and a new single carriageway road running parallel with the Fletton Parkway from junctions 3A to 4 providing the only link from junction 4 to the Fletton Parkway. This follows the closure to traffic of the original junction 4 on slip road and removal of the off slip road on safety grounds. At the same time the original on slip road to the Frank Perkins Parkway which actually joined the Fletton Parkway was closed and a new direct on slip road constructed to the north of junction 4. The dual carriageway quickly passes over the A15 before reaching the grade separated junction (3) with the A1260 which links up with the A15 and the A47. The on slip road then forms a third lane and it moves very quickly to junction two, which is a local access road to the Orton and Hampton townships, before reaching its final junction (1) with the Orton Parkway where it reverts to two lanes before the on slip road again forms a third lane. . The Fletton Parkway then meets the A1, the A1(M) and the A605 at Junction 17.
When first opened in 1976 the Fletton Parkway went from the A1 at Haddon to junction 3 where it joined Peterborough's western and northern bypass roads, the Nene Parkway, Soke Parkway and Paston Parkway. A single carriageway road, Phorpres Way, running parallel to the future course of the Fletton Parkway providing a link to the A15. Around 1979 when the eastern bypass, the Frank Perkins Parkway, was completed the Fletton Parkway was extended to junction 4 to join it and complete the ring road
Orton Parkway.
The Orton Parkway is a short minor dual carriageway, that is officially classed as the A1139, although it is not part of the main road itself. There is one small roundabout which provides local access to Orton Goldhay, Orton Southgate and Orton Brimbles. The road also helps to carry traffic to events at the nearby East of England Showground.
Longthorpe Parkway and Thorpe Road.
The A1179 is a short major road that is half dual carriageway and half single carriageway. It runs from the A1260 to the A15 near Queensgate shopping centre, passing over a metal arch bridge over the East Coast main line just before its eastern end.
Nene Parkway.
The A1260 is a major road that serves the western side of Peterborough. The road is dual-carriageway from its southern terminus with the A15 at Hampton to its northern terminus with the A47 at Longthorpe. The road is also known as the "Nene Parkway" and serves as major route from getting from the southern end of Peterborough to the Northern end without having to travel into the centre of the city via the A15. The road itself starts at Hampton at a small roundabout with the A15 where after it goes past Serpentine Green at another roundabout before it very quickly heads to a major junction where its meets the A1139 (Fletton Parkway). After that junction the road takes on the form of a major dual-carriageway with its own grade separated junctions where it meets the A605 on a restricted junction before passing over the River Nene before meeting the A1179 (Longthorpe Parkway) on another junction. After that junction the road quickly heads north before coming to a major junction with the A47 where the road ends on a large roundabout with the A47 passing over on top. In 2008, the city council undertook improvements to the roundabout at the southern terminus of the parkway, increasing the southbound and eastbound approaches to three approach lanes and adding a third lane northbound on the roundabout for traffic using a newly constructed running-lane between junctions 1 and 2, where there are now three lanes northbound. Traffic lights have also been installed. Traffic signals are also planned on the roundabout at the northern terminus of the parkway with the A47 Soke Parkway.
Thorney to Eye.
The A47 heads west to Peterborough from Wisbech. It bypasses Thorney along a minor dual carriageway. Eye is bypassed by a single carriageway where the A47 meets the A16 and then the A1139 at separate roundabouts. The A47 then becomes dual carriageway, passing a large rubbish tip to reach a major junction with the A15 at Paston.
Soke Parkway (Longthorpe to Wansford).
The Soke Parkway consists of the entire section of the A47 that runs through Peterborough. As a trunk route, the stretch of road is maintained by the Highways Agency, who have recently undertaken an update of road lighting on the route. This section of road is called the "Soke Parkway" (named after the Soke of Peterborough). When this was first built, in the mid-1970s, the A47 followed what is now the A1139 "Paston Parkway". Apart from a roundabout on the eastern edge of the city, the parkway is an unbroken major dual carriageway. The road passes over the A15 (Paston Parkway) as a roundabout and than heads westwards passing one grade separated junction with a local road. The road then meets the city section of the A15 on an unusual junction. It crosses the East Coast Main Line near to a Morrisons (former Safeway), and Boulevard and Brotherhood retail parks in New England. After passing the A15 the A47 quickly heads south-westwards, where after passing another grade separated junction for local traffic the road meets the A1260 at Longthorpe. The Nene Parkway terminates in the Peterborough Longthorpe Grade separated junction (GSJ) (which opened in December 1987) where it meets the A1260 Nene Parkway. There is a GSJ for Bretton and a Sainsbury's, and it passes the Bretton Woods Community School. The £1.2m Peterborough Westwood GSJ opened in January 1987. After passing this junction the A47 heads westward into open countryside where it bypasses Castor and Ailsworth before the road becomes a single carriageway before reaching the A1 at Wansford.
Stanground/Kingston Park.
The A605 comes into Peterborough from Whittlesey and comes into the city via the Stanground bypass. Once on the bypass the road heads towards the Kingston Park distribution center and then turns right at the roundabout and continues under the A1139 Fletton Parkway. From there it follows a short piece of single carriageway until it meets up with the Stanground roundabout junction with the A1139 and B1091. From there it continues towards the city and once again under the A1139 and finally meets with the A15 at the Peacock junction just short of the Peterborough United football ground.
City Section.
This section of the A605 is now completely isolated from the rest of the other sections of this road. The city section starts at the Town Bridge junction with the A15 near Peterborough United football ground. The road heads in a westward direction towards the A1 as single carriageway. The road meets the A1260 at a restricted junction near The Ortons with the road passing underneath. The road than passes into The Ortons, where it provides a lot of local traffic to those who live in those areas. The road passes a couple of roundabouts which allow for local access, and also Ferry Meadows before reaching an industrial estate and Business park, where it meets a spur of the A1139. The road than passes another small roundabout before reaching the A1.
To reach the Peterborough to Elton section of this road you must follow the A1139 spur until the junction with the main A1139 then take a right at the roundabout and follow the signs for the A1/A1(M)/A605 Northampton/Oundle
Peterborough to Elton.
The A605 leaves its junction with the A1(M)/A1/A1139 as a major single carriageway by widening to three lanes, before climbing up a hill close to the Peterborough (Morborne) FM & DAB radio transmitter is located. It then moves back to two lanes before moving on to Elton and out of Peterborough.


A3203 road


2004 Ingoldmells bus crash

At around 17:00 BST on 11 April 2004, a double-decker bus was involved in a collision with a car and a number of pedestrians outside the Fantasy Island amusement park on Sea Lane in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire. The accident killed five pedestrians and injured six more.
The bus, a Volvo double-decker operated by Lincolnshire RoadCar, was operating a scheduled passenger service between Skegness and Chapel St Leonards when the driver, 50-year-old Stephen Topasna, lost control of the vehicle on Sea Lane in Ingoldmells. The bus veered onto the pavement, striking a number of pedestrians, before swerving back into the road coming to a stop after colliding with a BMW car just beyond a pelican crossing, where it had struck another group of pedestrians.
With five fatalities, the Ingoldmells bus crash was the worst accident involving a bus in the United Kingdom since the M40 minibus crash in 1993. The accident remained the deadliest bus accident in the United Kingdom during the 21st century until it was surpassed by the 2017 M1 motorway crash involving a minibus.
Accident.
The bus was being driven along Sea Lane in Ingoldmells, close to the Fantasy Island amusement park, at the time of the accident. Immediately prior to the accident, driver Stephen Topasna pulled the bus into a bus stop in a lay-by by the side of the road in order to pick up passengers. The accident occurred as Topasna accelerated the bus away from the lay-by; due to pedal confusion, Topasna unintentionally caused the bus to accelerate instead of brake after pulling back into the road, leading to a loss of control.
The bus continued to accelerate for 22 seconds after pulling away from the bus stop, reaching a top speed of 41 mph before losing control and mounting the pavement. Passengers on board reported hearing the driver shouting that the bus had no brakes. After losing control, the bus struck a number of pedestrians on the pavement, before veering back into the road. The bus then struck a BMW car in the road, before failing to stop in time for a pelican crossing, striking a group of pedestrians on the crossing before finally coming to a halt 176 metres after setting off.
The accident occurred on the busiest day of the year for the amusement park, and the area was busy with pedestrians. In total, the accident killed five pedestrians and injured six more, including two critically. Two people remained trapped underneath the bus for around half an hour after it came to a halt. Three people were pronounced dead immediately at the site of the accident; a fourth died several hours later, while a fifth pedestrian died the following day in hospital.
Aftermath.
The pedestrians who were killed in the accident were later named as 37-year-old Joanne Warren and her two sons, 5-year-old Jacob Warren and 4-month-old Leyton Warren, all from Leicester; and husband and wife 33-year-old Richard Rhodes and 30-year-old Paula Rhodes from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Inquests into the accident were opened on 19 April. Following the accident, the section of Sea Lane on which the accident took place was pedestrianised, following numerous protests and a petition signed by 5,000 people. However, the pedestrianisation of Sea Lane was later criticised for splitting Ingoldmells in half, causing further traffic problems, which resulted in Sea Lane being reopened to traffic again, but with safety measures in place, such as a 20mph zone, speed bumps, crash barriers and new pedestrian crossings.
A memorial stone to the victims of the accident was unveiled on 25 June 2004.
Charges against Lincolnshire RoadCar.
Bus company Lincolnshire RoadCar appeared in court in connection with the accident in February 2005, potentially facing a charge of operating a vehicle with defective brakes, which the company denied.
On 8 August, Lincolnshire RoadCar were found guilty of breaching safety provisions for allowing the driver to operate the vehicle type without proper training and for operating a vehicle with faulty brakes; they were fined £2,000 at Skegness Magistrates Court. The bus had been serviced two days prior to the accident, and an engineer spotted and rectified three faults with the braking system; however, they failed to rectify a fault with the brake slack adjuster. However, it was also confirmed that the faulty brakes had not caused the accident and would have had only a minor effect on the outcome of the accident.
Lincolnshire RoadCar initially planned to appeal the verdict. However, the appeal was dropped in October 2005.
Charges.
Topasna was later charged with five counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of driving without due care and attention. Topasna admitted the charges upon appearance at Lincoln Crown Court on 18 October 2005, stating that he had mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake in a case of pedal confusion. On 9 November, Topasna was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with the accident.


Morris Commercial Cars

Morris Commercial Cars Limited was a British manufacturer of commercial vehicles formed by William Morris, founder of Morris Motors Limited, to continue the business of E G Wrigley and Company which he purchased as of 1 January 1924.
The marque was re-launched in 2017 when a proposal for all-new electric J-Type was announced, which was unveiled in November 2019.
History.
Morris bought the assets of Soho, Birmingham axle manufacturer E.G. Wrigley and Company after it was placed in liquidation late in 1923. Up until that point a small number of commercial vehicle variants of Morris cars were built at the Morris plant at Cowley, but with the newly acquired plant in Foundry Lane, Soho, Birmingham serious production began.
In 1932 the business was moved a few miles across Birmingham to the former Wolseley factory in Adderley Park.
In 1936 Morris sold the company into his Morris Motors Limited. The use of the "Morris Commercial" brand name continued until 1968 when British Motor Holdings, by then the parent of Austin as well as Morris, merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation.
In wartime commercial vehicles in the Morris range were produced for military use – such as the Morris C8 field artillery tractor and Morris 15 cwt truck. Morris Commercial also built vehicles such as the Terrapin amphibious carrier
During the 1960s the light trucks and forward-control J4 light vans produced by Austin and Morris commercial were identical.
While production of the light vans remained concentrated on the Birmingham Adderley Park site, production of the F-series and W-series light trucks moved to Scotland with the opening in 1960 of the company's Bathgate plant. The Adderley Park plant was closed in 1971 and demolished shortly afterwards.
The light trucks in the 1960s included the FF, a forward-control design introduced in 1958, along with the WF which was a sibling vehicle with the driver placed behind the engine rather than on top of it. The updated version of the FF, the FJ, appeared in 1964; it featured a split-circuit braking system, a novelty in this class of vehicle. The FF remained in production and the two vehicles were offered side by side: in this class the BMC trucks were nevertheless out-competed in terms of domestic market sales volumes by Bedford and Ford (with their Thames). Austin/Morris commercial vehicles in the 1960s also included the Austin/Morris FG-series an unusual-looking urban delivery truck with driver doors set at an angle at the rear corners of the cab to permit access in confined spaces.
In 2017, Morris Commercial Ltd announced a proposal to resurrect the Morris Commercial brand. It proposes an all-new electric J-Type light commercial vehicle with a real world range of over 120 miles and a top speed of around 90mph.
Taxicabs.
A new brand of London taxicab was announced on 9 February 1929. Built in accordance with New Scotland Yard regulations the new Morris-Commercial International taxicab was up to date and convenient in detail. Safety glass was fitted throughout, upholstery was real hide, a passenger need only press a button and speak in an ordinary voice and a microphone would communicate it to the driver. The cab's overall dimensions were 13ft 6in, 5ft 8in and 7ft 2in high.
The 4-cylinder engine, single dry plate clutch and four-speed gearbox were a unit like that on the standard 30cwt Morris-Commercial vehicle. Four wheel brakes would have been better, reported "The Times" but the rear brakes supplied were efficient, the steel artillery wheels detachable. The average turning circle was 24ft 9in, wheel base and track measured 9ft and 4ft 8in respectively.
Carrying four passengers the taxicab had "plenty of speed" and four forward gears and was suitable for the country as well as London. The engine's four cylinders had a bore and stroke of 80 and 125 mm giving a displacement of and a tax rating of 15.87 h.p. The engine had side valves with tappets easily reached for adjustment, the generator and magneto being driven in tandem. The cooling water circulated naturally. Such parts as the carburettor were easily accessible. The speed lever worked in a visible gate with a stop for reverse. The three-quarter floating back axle was driven by overhead worm gear from an enclosed propellor shaft. The springs were semi-elliptical and beneath the frame, those in front were flat and splayed while those at the back were underhung. Shock absorbers were provided. The chassis weighed 18 cwt .
These vehicles were succeeded by Nuffield Oxford Taxis
External links.
https://www.morris-commercial.com/news-media/


Mulliner Park Ward

Mulliner Park Ward was a bespoke coachbuilder in Hythe Road, Willesden, London UK.
Mulliner now is the personal commissioning department for Bentley.
Mulliner Park Ward was a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce and made bespoke bodies in London for Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars. The coachbuilding business closed in 1991 but the Mulliner name is used for the personal commissioning department of the current Bentley manufacturer.
History.
Rolls-Royce Limited formed Mulliner Park Ward by the 1961 merger of two Rolls-Royce subsidiaries: Park Ward of Willesden, London, a Rolls-Royce subsidiary since 1939 and H. J. Mulliner & Co. of Chiswick, a Rolls-Royce subsidiary since 1959.