Throwback Thursday: 1949 Silverstone International
This should have been a Throwback Thursday a few weeks ago, but it’s too good to miss…
Back in the 1940s, we ran coach trips to major events. 30 or more club members hopping in and spending the day watching the racing. Maybe we could take a leaf from our own book and do them again? Here’s how our trip to Silverstone went, as reported in 1949…
INTERNATIONAL TROPHY MEETING SILVERSTONE
Saturday, 20th August, 1949
Due to the first event starting at 11 a.m. it was unfortunately necessary for the 32 members and friends who went by coach to be at the appointed picking-up places from 6 a.m. onwards. We eventually left the outskirts of Bristol at 6.35 a.m. stopping at Chipping Sodbury for our last passengers. We pressed on through Cirencester and Burford to Chipping Norton where we stopped for a quarter of an hour for coffee, etc. By that time it was 10 a.m., and everyone was in the coach waiting to leave, but the driver could not be found. He eventually turned up, and we soon found ourselves joining the long queues of traffic on the outskirts of Silverstone.
The coach was parked by approximately 10.30 a.m., and everyone collected their respective seats, stools. stands, steps, planks. etc.. and went off to join the thousands already lining the track. As most members will know, this meeting, run by the B.R.D.C. and the Daily Express, generally considered to be the finest motor racing event which has taken place in this country for many years, and it is most disappointing to have to record that, according to information given, the B.B.C. and the national press (apart from the Daily Express) did not give it the publicity it deserved.
At the end of the afternoon we all rejoined the coach within approximately a quarter of an hour of the race being over, but had to wait some little time before a way was found round the rear of the hundreds of coaches in front of us.
Arriving at the “Shaven Crown.” Shipton-under-Wychwood. at 7.30 p.m., we found. that the manager. Mr. Hall. had produced a really excellent meal. A number of other Club members joined us, including John Buncombe who, as you know, finished third in the 1300c.c. class of the Production Car event, which everyone considers a very stout effort.
Due to the rather warm evening a large number of the coach contingent disappeared after the meal, leaving the bar practically empty except for the few stalwart types who felt like pressing on! We eventually left the “Shaven Crown” at 11 p.m.. arriving home 1.15 on Sunday morning, thus ending our third and some consider most successful coach trip to Silverstone.
#throwbackthursday
