Great Auclum National Speed Hill Climb

Great Auclum National Speed Hill Climb was a motorcar course close to Burghfield Common in the English county of Berkshire.

It was based in the grounds of a large country house, formerly owned by a family connected to Huntley and Palmer – the famous biscuit manufacturers at nearby Reading, Berkshire. The hill climb was organised by the Hants and Berks Motor Club as a National Speed Hill Climb. This was part of the RAC British Hill Climb Championship, and at 440 yards (400 m) long it was the shortest of events in the Championship. The course travelled nearly as far downhill as it did up, with a finish almost level with the start. Motor Sport reported : "The ¼-mile course embraces two sharp corners, one banked, and a twisty section, so that a premium is set on initial acceleration and low-speed cornering."[1]

Early days

Prior to World War Two at least one event took place at Burghfield, as the event was then known. In 1939 Motor Sport listed a forthcoming event: 27 May 1939, Sporting O.D.C. Speed event, Burghfield,[2] which was cancelled.[3] An event took place in June organised by the Frazer-Nash and Frazer-Nash B.M.W. C.C. and Sporting O.D.C. "The postponed speed hill-climb up the private drive of Neil Gardner's (sic [4]) house at Burghfield Common happened on 24 June, complete with adjacent funfair and Lord Nuffield to present the prizes." P.W. Neale set fastest time of the day in 27.0 secs "winning the 2-litre class from Fane's B.M.W."[5]

Racing resumed in 1947 when: "Salvadori's monoposto Alfa-Romeo won its class in 25.2 sec., but couldn't be extended, and it was L.J.D. Bartlett's home-brewed Mercury Special which made f.t.d. in 23.5 sec." The following year Ken Wharton's Wharton Special "beautifully crisp and fearlessly handled, made f.t.d. in 23.34 sec., beating Stirling Moss (23.46 sec.), who drove absolutely superbly getting into third gear in his Cooper 500,..."

The end

The last event was held in 1974 and the site has now been re-developed for housing. However the course itself is still there as it was the rear drive to Great Auclum house, which has now been redeveloped. The track is in a poor state of repair and very overgrown.

Great Auclum Hill Climb past winners
Year Driver Vehicle Time Notes
1939 P.W. Neale A.C.N. Special 1,991 c.c. 27.0 sec 24 June.
1947 L.J.D. Bartlett Mercury Special 23.5 sec [6] 26 July.
1948 Ken Wharton Wharton-Special 23.34 sec [7] 25 July.
1949 Eric Brandon Cooper-J.A.P. 994 c.c. 22.20 sec [8] 14 Aug.
1950 A.J. Butterworth A.J.B. 23.50 sec [9] 23 July.
1951 D.N. Brake Cooper 996 c.c. 22.39 sec [10] 28 July.
1952 [11] Cancelled due to cattle "foot and mouth" disease.
1953 Stuart Lewis-Evans Cooper 1,100 c.c. s/c 21.47 sec R [12] 8 Aug.
1954 Michael Burn Frazer-Nash 24.54 sec [13] 7 Aug; Wet & dry.
1955 Tony Marsh Cooper 1,100 c.c. R [14] 6 Aug.
1956 Tony Marsh Cooper 1,100 c.c. 20.6 sec [15] 4 Aug.
1957 Tommy Sopwith Cooper-Climax 1,500 c.c. sports 21.76 sec [16]
1958 R.B. James Cooper-Norton 500 c.c. 22.19 sec [17]
1959 D. Boshier-Jones Cooper 1,100 c.c. 20.56 sec R [18] 8 Aug.
1960 D. Boshier-Jones Cooper 1,100 c.c. V-twin 20.49 sec R [19] 6 Aug.
1961 Peter Boshier-Jones Lola-Climax 21.57 sec [20] 12 Aug.
1962 Tico Martini Martini-Special Triumph 650 c.c. 20.14 sec R [21] 11 Aug.
1963 Peter Boshier-Jones Lotus 22-Climax 1.3-litre s/c 19.75 sec R [22] 10 Aug.
1964 Peter Boshier-Jones Lotus 22-Climax 1.3-litre s/c [23] 8 Aug.
1965 Peter Boshier-Jones Lotus 22-Climax 1.3-litre s/c 19.099 sec R [24] 7 Aug.
1966 Peter Meldrum Lotus-Allard 1,650 c.c. 22.14 sec [25] 6 Aug. Rain led to abandonment.
1967 Mike Hawley Brabham BT23B-Climax 2.0-litre 19.38 sec [26] 5 Aug.
1968
1969 Roy Lane Tech-Craft Buick 3.5-litre 18.58 sec [27] 2 Aug.
1970 David Good McLaren M10B [28] 1 Aug.
1971 Sir Nick Williamson Brabham F2 FVC 18.36 sec R [29] 31 July.
1972 Tony Griffiths
1973 Chris Cramer March-Hart BDA 2-litre 17.65 sec R [30]
1974

Key: R = Course Record.

Course
Point Coordinates
(Links to map resources)		 OS Grid Ref Notes
Start 51.398724°N 1.051641°W / 51.398724; -1.051641 (Start)
Turn 1 51.397512°N 1.051694°W / 51.397512; -1.051694 (Turn 1)
Turn 2 51.396957°N 1.053046°W / 51.396957; -1.053046 (Turn 2)
Turn 3 51.396809°N 1.053389°W / 51.396809; -1.053389 (Turn 3)
Turn 4 51.396454°N 1.053518°W / 51.396454; -1.053518 (Turn 4)
Finish 1 440 yds 51.396401°N 1.053947°W / 51.396401; -1.053947 (Finish 1 440 yds)
Finish 2 500 yds 51.396388°N 1.054677°W / 51.396388; -1.054677 (Finish 2 500 yds)

See also

Footnotes
  1. Motor Sport, September 1949, Page 373.
  2. Motor Sport, February 1939, Page 50.
  3. The Autocar, 26 May 1939, Page 917.
  4. Neil W. Gardiner.
  5. Motor Sport, August 1939, Page 239. See also: The Autocar, 30 June 1939, Page 1128 (Photographs), Page 1132 (Report); Light Car, 30 June 1939. For a description of the winning A.C.N. Special see Motor Sport, April 1943, Pages 86–87, which refers to the "Burghfield Common Speed Trials." See also: John Bolster, Specials, Pages 29–30, G.T. Foulis & Co Ltd, Reprinted 1971.
  6. Motor Sport, August 1947, Page 233; Motor Sport, September 1947, Page 258.
  7. Motor Sport, August 1948, Page 260.
  8. Motor Sport, September 1949, Pages 373–374.
  9. Motor Sport, September 1950, Page 428.
  10. Motor Sport, September 1951, Page 433.
  11. Motor Sport, September 1953, Page 476.
  12. Motor Sport, September 1953, Page 476.
  13. The Autocar, 13 August 1954, Page 229.
  14. Motor Sport, September 1955, Page 520.
  15. The Motor Year Book 1957, Temple Press, Page 204.
  16. Motor, 31 July 1957, Page 902; Motor Sport, September 1957, Page 528.
  17. Motor Sport, September 1958, Page 594.
  18. Motor Sport, September 1959, Page 686.
  19. Motor, 10 August 1960, Page 45; Motor Sport, September 1960, Page 730.
  20. Motor Sport, September 1961, Page 736.
  21. Motor, 15 August 1962, Page 80; Motor Sport, September 1962, Page 680. For an article on the Martini Special see Motor, 12 September 1962.
  22. Motor Sport, September 1963, Pages 678, 680.
  23. Motor Sport, September 1964, Page 712.
  24. Motor Sport, September 1965, Page 745.
  25. Motor, 13 August 1966, Page 54.
  26. Motor, 19 August 1967, Page 52.
  27. Motoring News, 7 August 1969, Page 24.
  28. Motor, 15 August 1970, Page 45.
  29. Motor, 14 August 1971, Page 52.
  30. Autosport, 9 August 1973, Page 44.

51.39639°N 1.05415°W / 51.39639; -1.05415

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