Bugatti Trust Newsletter 34
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Founded by Hugh G. Conway, C.B.E. in 1987 For the advancement of education through the study of works of Ettore Bugatti Contacts: Richard Day Curator Julie Bridcutt Secretary David Morys Photographer Offi ce Hours: Monday – Friday 10.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. Address: The Bugatti Trust, Prescott Hill, Gotherington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 9RD, UK Tel. +44(0)1242 677201 Fax +44(0)1242 674191 E-mail: [email protected] www.bugatti-trust.co.uk Trustees H. R. G. Conway (Chairman), Angela Hucke, B. B. D. Kain, J. G. Marks, A. B. Price, Lord Raglan, G. S. St. John, A. C. Trevelyan, Sir John Venables-Llewelyn A group of guests at the offi cial opening of the Bugatti Trust 20 years ago. From the left they are: Lord Raglan; Michel Bugatti; O A ‘Bunny’ Phillips (founder member); Louis Quetelart (Vice President, Club Bugatti France); E Stafford East (founder member); Dr Joao Lacerda; John Marks and L Roy Taylor (founder member) 1 The Bugatti Trust – Spring 2010 Chairman’s Report January. He is so well known that we need hardly mention his achievements It is now twenty years since the Bugatti ranging from the Moulton bicycle, Trust was offi cially opened and as a the fi rst radical change in design for result it may be appropriate to refl ect 60 years, to revolutionary rubber on what it has achieved in that time. and hydrolastic suspension systems First of all we must acknowledge the fi tted to 8 million cars. Dr. Moulton’s generosity of our benefactors who made professional life has been devoted to the the annex extension in 2003 possible research and development of innovative and transformed the exhibition space designs and he has become an icon for to make it more welcoming to visitors. budding engineers. He has recently Access to photographs, drawings and published his autobiography. documents is much improved and as a result we believe that we are now At the time of writing, a talk by Paul established as the main source of Kenny, the author of the biography of research material worldwide. Amherst Villiers, is due to take place at the Trust. Bugatti enthusiasts will know The provision of facilities as a study Villiers for his early career modifying centre and for the promotion of good Brescias and supercharging a Vauxhall engineering design has remained a for Raymond Mays. His later career principal objective throughout. We which included designing Malcolm were extremely grateful therefore to Campbell’s land speed record breaker, Dr. Alex Moulton for his fascinating the fi rst ‘bluebird’, in 1927 was another talk to members after the AGM on 24th landmark of note. Coventry University’s annual Bugatti lecture series has continued and this year the talk was by Richard Parry-Jones who was Vice President responsible for global product development of the Ford Motor Company until his retirement two years ago. A number of Trust members attended a thoroughly enjoyable and well attended talk in the University’s lecture theatre. Bath University’s 2008 formula Student car hangs in the stairwell of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The Bugatti Trust – Spring 2010 2 Our plans for 2010 include providing in an eye catching and unusual display at support to the Bath University Formula its headquarters in Westminster. Student team for the third year. This year’s team has much to live up to as The dynamic part of the competition the University has been one of the top takes place on the Silverstone circuit teams for each of the past two years. over the week-end of 16th-18th July and Formula Student is about building future is open to spectators free of charge. All engineering talent by designing and teams would welcome your support. producing a single-seater racing car, not just in design and manufacture, but I have left to the end to offer my few in many of the management, marketing words on the passing of Fitzroy Raglan. and people skills so vital in the modern He contributed in so many ways with world, across all sectors of employment. Bugattis going back to the early 1950s. It is run by the Institution of Mechanical We were honoured that he allowed his Engineers and attracts over a hundred talk to the Trust to be fi lmed just one entries from all corners of the globe. year ago. As a Trustee his advice was To promote the event to Institution always welcomed and his wise words Members it now has the 2008 Bath entry will be much missed. The Lord Raglan He had many interests apart from Bugatti including music – founding the Raglan 8 November 1927 – Players – he likened the genius of Mozart 24 January 2010 to that of Bugatti. He spent much time aided by his faithful staff in maintaining Barrie Price and improving his estate; one could perhaps describe the beautiful Cefntilla as an arboretum. He used to say, ‘I must FitzRoy Raglan died on the 24 January leave the house and grounds in better 2010 after suffering failing health for shape than when I inherited.’ In this the last twelve months; he was aged 82 aim he certainly succeeded. His interest years. He was born the Hon. FitzRoy in architecture led to his chairmanship John Somerset and succeeded to the title of the Georgian Bath Society. FitzRoy as fi fth Baron Raglan in 1964. served as chairman of Cwmbran new Town Council from its inception in FitzRoy joined the Bugatti Owners’ 1949, for a period of ten years: he was Club in February 1952 and soon bought also active in the House of Lords until and campaigned a Type 37A, which he his retirement. He was chairman of the owned for many years until he acquired charity Parity – which worked for equal the Type 51 which he retained for life rights for men and women. together with a Type 46 coupé. He was Chairman of the Bugatti Owners’ Club A great character, occasionally given for eleven years and was active as a to eccentricities, which only made his Director of the Bugatti Trust from 1989 friendship more appealing: I cannot until the end. recall a dull moment in his company. 3 The Bugatti Trust – Spring 2010 Stuart Tresilian’s racing which was for sale at £450 and he tested it. He made it known that he disliked Bugatti engine rebuilt by the hard suspension and described the the Rolls-Royce Schneider general running as “impossible”. He Trophy Air Race engine concluded in a letter to Royce that it was so far removed from any Rolls- design team Royce product that he doubted whether the company could gain any useful Hugh Conway information, adding, “We are certain that there is no car in the world with A search of the fi les held by the Bugatti the speed range, fl exibility, silence and Trust has produced some interesting comfort equal to the Phantom sports correspondence by Rolls-Royce on car”. There the matter was left. Bugatti cars. An internal memo dated April 1928 from Henry Royce to Ernest However, when Stuart Tresilian joined Hives was headed “Steering” and read as Rolls-Royce in 1929 as a 25 year-old follows: engineer reporting to A.J. Rowledge, the famous chief designer of the aero “The car which (after the Hispano) engine department a further opportunity might be interesting from a road holding presented itself. With his fi rst year’s point of view, and for other reasons, is bonus Tresilian purchased a 1928 the straight eight Bugatti. unblown 2-litre Bugatti Type 35 for £325. I see several of these 1927 models for sale secondhand at about £400. We He used his Bugatti for everyday should not drop much in buying and transport. On one occasion whilst selling one. I was thinking of getting travelling between London and Derby one myself just to study, but perhaps I the engine developed a serious rattle and am too big, and certainly I am too old; it he found the fi lter plastered with steel might appear rather crazy. fl akes – a big end had failed. In those days a standard repair would cost around I say this because these cars, above £250 and this he decided was beyond his all others are used on these rough and means. varying roads with much confi dence that they will not get out of control, and it By good fortune his chief, Rowledge, might settle some of the questions about expressed a desire to see the design which there are different opinions, but in and construction of such a famous and all probability what suits them would not novel engine and persuaded Hives to suit us, but it would be as well to fi nd undertake the repair, a thing never before their characteristics.” attempted in England. The job was given to the same team in the Experimental The company’s Paris agent was Department which had built the world- immediately instructed to look for a beating Schneider Cup engines. second-hand one in good condition. Royce obviously had a soft spot for His engine had standard bronze one- Bugatti, having previously owned an piece cages with Hyatt-type spiral 8-valve before WW1, whereas Hives hollow rollers. It was decided to make clearly did not. Hives soon found one new cages in steel, cyanide hardened. The Bugatti Trust – Spring 2010 4 At the end of all this, the experimental shop superintendent said to Tresilian: “How much should we charge, would eight quid do?” Amazed, he mumbled, “That’s not much”.