October 2011 - Royal Automobile Club

The magazine of The Royal auTomobile Club | oCTobeR 2011 | issue 136 

Pell-Mell 

& Woodcote 

The magazine of the Royal Automobile Club | October 2011 | Issue 136 

Winning Formula 

We talk to the writer of ‘Senna’ 

Canvas of the Century 

Artists celebrate the Pall Mall centenary 

All Aboard 

A journey through the Orient 

Big River Man 

Front crawl down the Amazon

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‘The pall mall 

clubhouse will 

be liT up To 

show off The 

specTacular 

building’ 

from the chief executive 

& secretary 

As we enter the winter months, 

it is clear that a number of 

events have caught your 

attention. The events teams, 

now ably led by our new Head of 

Marketing and Events, Michael 

Bedingfield, are constantly striving to 

improve the quality and variety of 

events on offer. I hope that many of you 

will turn out on Sunday 6 November to 

admire and enjoy the unique London to 

Brighton Veteran Car Run. Last 

December the club was honoured with 

the FIA Heritage Cup in recognition of 

our outstanding promotion of the event, 

and this year for the first time members 

are encouraged to attend a Gala Dinner 

in Brighton on the Sunday evening. New 

for 2011 is the Regent Street Motor 

Show, which combines the traditional 

veteran concours with the Brighton to 

Club Introduction 

London Future Car Challenge that takes 

place for the second time on Saturday 5 

November. This occasion will produce a 

unique array of pioneering and exciting 

cars through the history of motoring. 

Not to be missed! 

As the year draws to an end, the Pall 

Mall clubhouse will be lit up to show off 

the spectacular building that our 

founders had the vision to design and 

build one hundred years ago. It is also 

fitting that we are putting finishing 

touches to our plans for the Business 

Centre attached to the Pall Mall 

clubhouse at such a historic time. 

Finally, a word of welcome to Josie 

Bruin in her new capacity as Assistant 

Secretary. Josie has been with the club 

for 32 years, and I am delighted she has 

agreed to take on this challenge. 

David Wilkinson 

October 2011 | Issue 136 | 5

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‘the yodelling 

tarzan 

actor was 

granted 

permission 

to train in 

the pool’ 

A cAsuAlty of time: the 

fencing team (pictured in 1924) 

trained in the fencing salon which 

now houses the gym. 

Welcome 

As the centenary year of the 

Pall Mall clubhouse draws 

to a close it’s refreshing to 

know that, whilst some 

things have changed over the 100 years 

the clubhouse has been standing, 

others have, reassuringly, stayed the 

same. In 2011 the swimming pool is 

one of the most revered in the country. 

It would seem it was held in similar 

regard in the early days of the 

clubhouse, so much so that in the 

1920s, the then World Champion 

swimmer (and sometime yodelling 

Tarzan actor) Johnny Weissmuller, 

was granted permission to train in the 

pool. At that time the Hasler brothers, 

Club Welcome 

who were members and regular users 

of the pool, were among the fastest 

over 100 yards in Great Britain; 

although according to one of the 

brothers, compared to Weissmuller, ‘I 

might as well have been treading water 

when swimming alongside him.’ 

Wranglings about the club dress code 

are another club constant. During the 

long hot summer of 1983, member Bob 

Jones campaigned in the letters page 

of Pell Mell & Woodcote: ‘Why not 

permit males to attire themselves in 

that marvelous apparel – the safari 

suit.’ Safari suits, yodelling Tarzan 

actors; things could have been 

exceedingly different. 


Club DireCtory 

For a complete A-Z of club contacts go to 

www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/contact-us 

the royal automobile Club 

The Chairman and Secretary 

01372 229628 

membership 01372 229 600 

aCCounts 01372 229 608 

pall mall 

89 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HS 

T: 020 7930 2345, F:020 7976 1086 

E: recpm@royalautomobileclub.co.uk 

General Manager, Christian Horvath 

020 7747 3237 

Banqueting 020 7747 3386 

Barber 020 7747 3365 

Bedroom Reservations 020 7930 2345 

Brooklands 020 7747 3380 

Events 020 7747 3441 

The Great Gallery 020 7747 3458 

Hall Porter 020 7747 3267 

Hanging Room 020 7747 3295 

Library 020 7747 3498 

Post Office 020 7737 3266 

Sports Reception 020 7747 3365 

St James’s Room 020 7747 3349 

WooDCote park 

Epsom, 

Surrey KT18 7EW 

T: 01372 276311, F: 01372 276117 

E: wpreservations@royalautomobileclub.co.uk 

General Manager, David Renton 

01372 229242 

Banqueting 01372 229214 

Bedroom Reservations 01372 229254 

Boston Room 01372 229204 

Cedars Sports 01372 229266 

Estates Office 01372 273091 

Events 01372 229284 

The Fountain 01372 229225 

Golf Pro Shop 01372 229248 

19th Hole 01372 229308 

pell mell & WooDCote magazine 

Editorial office 020 7747 3291 

E: pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk 

Editor Sarah Walmsley 

Designer Abdul Malique 

Production Manager Matt Reddings 

Editorial Consultant Matthew Line 

Pell Mell & Woodcote magazine is published 

on behalf of The Royal Automobile Club 

by Craft London, 

74 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5QA 

T: 020 7148 3456 

E: contact@craftlondon.co.uk 

Club Contributors 

Contributors 

Club members, journalists, enthusiasts and experts who have 

contributed to this issue. 

henry sanDs 

New member 

Henry, an 

enthusiastic, if not 

particularly 

accomplished golfer, has previously 

written for titles including The 

Spectator and Esquire. 

James loCk 

James has been a 

member since 2005 

and currently races 

as an elite triathlete. 

He has been both National and 

World Champion at amateur level. 

James trains around Surrey. 

henry 

hope-Frost 

Henry is a 

motorsport writer 

who contributes to 

many leading print and on-line 

publications including Autosport 

and BBC Top Gear Magazine. 

niCk garton 

Nick has enjoyed 20 

years as journalist, 

author, PR, rally 

team manager and 

racing championship manageroften 

simultaneously. Away from 

cars he enjoys old aeroplanes. 

kari 

lunDgren 

Member of the club 

for two years Kari is 

a financial reporter 

at Bloomberg News. Her wildest 

swim was across San Francisco bay 

from Alcatraz to the shore. 

gillian rhys 

Journalist Gillian 

Rhys has been a 

member for 17 

years. She recently 

stepped down as Deputy Editor of 

Waitrose magazine to move to Hong 

Kong with her husband. 

geoFFrey 

herDman 

A member since 

2007, Geoffrey is a 

retired company 

director. He has been involved with 

the Bristol Owners Club for 30 years 

and is currently president. 

JessiCa 

holmes 

Jessica divides her 

week between the 

club as its archivist 

and her studio in East London as a 

practicing painter. She studied at the 

Royal Academy Schools. 

thanks to….Siobhan Croll, Trevor Dunmore, Peter McCombie, Piers 

Brendon, Martin Payne and Philip Gomm. 


303 Goldhawk Road, London W12 8EU 

T: 020 8748 7824 E: jagshopuk@aol.com 

www.jagshop.co.uk

CONTENTs 

OCTOBER 2011 / I SSUE 136 

AROUND THE CLUB 

05 Letter from the CEO & Secretary 

Five things to look forward to 

12 Letters 

The Curse of Cowley 

15 Eye for Detail 

Win a case of wine in our competition 

16 The Club Pages 

News, food & sport from around the club 

30 Don’t Think about the Piranhas 

Tales from a swim down the Amazon 

38 Canvas of the Century 

‘Pete the Street’ paints Pall Mall 

42 The Grand Tour 

Take a turn around Pall Mall 

46 Pleasant Pheasant 

The story of club pheasant 

52 On Your Bike 

Cycling in Surrey with James Lock 

56 A Journey on the Orient Express 

Gillian Rhys climbs aboard 

CLUB MEMBERs 

25 Big Cheese 

Words from on business high 

34 Word from the Wise 

George Daniels, world’s greatest horologist, 

on business, youth, and driving racing cars 

74 Don’t You Look Lovely? 

Photographs from a season at the club 

MOTORiNg 

62 Motoring News 

Members on the Monza track 

26 Senna 

Henry Hope-Frost speaks to the writer of the 

film ‘Senna’, Manish Pandey 

64 The Bristol Diaries 

A round the world road trip 

68 Return of the Silver Ghost 

From London to Edinburgh in top gear 

73 Through the... 

The ghosts of motoring past and future 


your leTTers 

Send letters to: The Editor, Pell Mell & Woodcote, 89 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HS, 

or email pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk 

The Curse of Cowley 

As a new member of the club I fear 

I may have, once more, 

perpetrated a recurring motoringrelated 

misunderstanding in my 

life that has worked against me on 

many occasions but this time, I 

can only hope, has not influenced 

the Elections Committee unduly. 

To explain: at the beginning of 

each new school year the teacher 

would read out the register and 

make some quip about your name 

seemingly to get some kind of 

‘hook’ on it so that they could 

remember who you were. When 

the teacher reached me I was, on 

more than one occasion, greeted 

with ‘I suppose your father is 

called Maurice….’ to which I would 

reply ‘Why yes - do you know 

him?’ .After several trips to the 

corner of the classroom and a 

reputation for flippancy for this 

innocent reply I began to realise 

that I was missing something. The 

effect remained a mystery for a 

long time until one day, in the 

1960s, when I was thumbing 

through the plastic AirFix models 

in a local toyshop, the penny 

suddenly dropped. Maybe I 

should have bought the model 

Morris Cowley for my father 

Maurice Cowley and one for each 

of my offended teachers... 

Stewart Cowley 

12 | October 2011 | Issue 136 

The name Morris Cowley was 

indeed given to various cars 

produced by the Morris Motor 

Company between 1915 and 1958. 

I am sorry to hear it meant you 

spent your youth in the corner of 

rooms. As for your name swaying 

the Elections Committee, your 

guess is as good as mine. It could 

be the car related name, or there is 

the possibility that, rather than 

cars, one of them is obsessed with 

railway stations and they invited 

you to join because of the Morris 

Cowley railway station in 

Oxfordshire; a third option to 

consider is that you are a 

charming, clubbable gent who will 

be a pleasure to have as a member. 

The Editor 

Mission iMpossible 

I have had the privilege of being a 

member of the club since 1997, I 

am proud of my club and have 

recommended several new 

members who, as far as I know, 

are all very happy to have joined. 

This being said and 

unfortunately, living abroad, I am 

struggling to get a single room for 

my occasional stay (once a month 

on average) and this despite the 

increased number of rooms at 

Pall Mall. I understand that 

several members who live in the 

country are using the club as 

their downtown domicile during 

the week. Whilst I can 

understand the rationale for such 

an affordable solution in central 

London, I am becoming 

increasingly frustrated with the 

difficulty to book a room one 

month ahead of my trip. As a 

matter of fact, it appears that 

members who use the club as 

their downtown domicile can 

book multiple nights, weeks in 

advance, and cancel their 

booking with 24 hours notice. I 

am, in a certain way, financing 

these gentlemen’s way of life with 

a membership allowing me only 

rarely to have a room available in 

central London. There are 

probably several solutions, but I 

would recommend at least one: 

keep a few single rooms for which 

offshore members have priority. 

Nicolas Stepczynski 

Thank you for your letter and I am 

sorry you are experiencing 

problems when trying to reserve 

single rooms. Whilst the fifth floor 

development has increased the 

overall number of bedrooms, the 

number of single rooms has not 

increased. The same booking rules 

apply to all members. Rooms can 

be booked 90 days in advance of 

arrival and can be cancelled up to 

6.00pm on the day before arrival 

without penalty. 

Christian Horvath

What, No PelicaN? 

I and several fellow members 

who I have talked to have had 

considerable difficulty crossing 

Pall Mall in front of the club due 

to the fast moving traffic. 

Fortunately I can still move 

reasonably fast but I dread to 

think what it must be like for 

some of our older members. The 

traffic including many buses now 

charges down Pall Mall towards 

St James’s. Until Pall Mall was 

recently made into a two-way 

system we had a very convenient 

pedestrian crossing, which 

incidentally my late father 

( joined 1924) claimed to have 

instigated with the then Minister 

of Transport. This seems to have 

disappeared post the works. Has 

there been any consultation 

between the club and the City of 

Westminster roads department 

Club Letters 

regarding the reinstatement of 

the crossing? 

Robert Cosby 

DReSSeD FoR SUcceSS? 

I believe that this is the time of 

year when the House Committee 

reviews the dress code. Can I 

implore you to consider a 

relaxation? This could consist of 

one of the following or a 

combination of any of the ideas. 

a) A ‘smart casual’ policy after 

6.00pm each evening, b) 

Brooklands and the Cocktail Bar 

to be ‘smart casual’ at all times, c) 

A ‘smart casual’ policy on club 

nights - Tuesdays, d) A ‘smart 

casual’ policy in the business 

room and the library. I do not 

want to rehearse all the 

arguments in favour of a 

relaxation policy. Suffice to say I 

find it really strange that when we 

socialise in the evenings, we 

dress appropriately and normally 

dispense with our formal 

businesswear. Yet in our own 

club we still are expected to dress 

in what is often uncomfortable 

clothing. In dining and at 

business, the first thing most men 

do is remove our jacket and tie. 

So why can’t we do the same in 

our club? I am not suggesting a 

major overhaul, just a step by step 

approach, to relax our policy. 

Peter Hartley 


Buy Our Heroes 

a Drink 

A cool drink at the end of a hard day at the office is one thing, but quite another when 

you’ve spent six months on the frontline. And how much better must it taste when it’s been 

bought by a member of the public saying thanks for what you do? 

Everyday stories from Afghanistan put the lives of our troops into sharp focus and remind 

us just how hard life is out there. The British Forces Foundation exists to help boost their 

morale, and we’re asking you to put a little in the kitty as a way of saying thanks. 

In association with a number of Pub Companies and Breweries we are sending a token, 

representing one free drink, to every one of the 23,000 troops on operations, away from 

family and loved ones. 

Show your 

support 

Text and buy one of 

our deserving heroes a 

welcome home drink. 

If they walked into 

your local – you would! 

MoD/Crown Copyright from 

www.defenceimages.mod.uk 

Text ‘HEROES’ to 70099 

Text messages cost £3 plus one message at your standard network rate 

From most users BFF will receive over £2.90 from each text donation with a minimum of £2.40 

received dependant on your network operator. **Donations from handsets registered in UK and 

Northern Ireland only. The British Forces Foundation Registered Charity No: 1075109.

photograph: Lucy pope 

win a case of wine 

Do you have an eye for detail? Then tell us what this 

is and exactly where it is in the club. 

Send your answer by email to pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or by post to Pell Mell & 

Woodcote, 89 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HS. The first correct entry to be pulled out of the hat will 

receive the prize. The deadline for entries is 1 December 2011. 

Club Competition 


the club pages 

Updates and information from around the club 

{ } 

going abroad 

this autuMn? 

See the full list 

of reciprocal clubs 

at www. 

royalautomobileclub. 

co.uk/Reciprocal- 

Clubs 


pall Mall centenary 

exhibition 

From November, the Hanging 

Room plays host to the Centenary 

Art Prize Exhibition, a collection 

of paintings and drawings of the 

Pall Mall clubhouse by members 

of the Federation of British 

Artists. The club teamed up with 

the Mall Galleries to organise the 

exhibition, which celebrates the 

architecture of the Pall Mall 

clubhouse in its centennial year. 

Works by acclaimed artist Peter 

Vincent will be on display along 

with ‘Pete the Street’ Peter Brown 

who you can read about on page 

38 of this issue of the magazine. A 

prize will be awarded for the 

winning artwork, which will be 

judged by the club’s very own 

Centenary Committee. 

See the exhibition at Pall Mall 

from 21 November until January 

2012. Works are available to 

purchase. A private view will be 

held on 21 November. To attend or 

for more information contact 

hangingroom@ 

royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Russell Sage in the 

newly refurbished 

Mall Room 

New BaNquetiNg Rooms 

at Pall mall 

Four banqueting rooms at Pall 

Mall have been refurbished by 

interior designer Russell Sage and 

are now complete. The striking 

rooms retain a club character; all 

part of Russell’s grand vision: ‘I’m 

suspicious of that generic, 

“international luxury” look you see 

a lot – history is important to me.’ 

To embrace the club’s heritage, 

Gainsborough Silks have been 

hung on the walls in two rooms. ‘I 

was aware that the walls of the club 

would have been hung with silk 

originally’, says Russell, creative 

director of the Gainsborough Silk 

Weaving Company, which counts 

Buckingham Palace among its 

clients. History is a recurring 

theme; a museum has been created 

in the Committee Room whilst the 

Segrave has an impressive cabinet 

to house the club’s collection of 

motoring trophies and 

memorabilia. Pop upstairs for a 

nosy next time you are in the club. 

To book one of the rooms contact 

banqueting on 020 7747 3386. 

‘the striking 

rooms 

retain a club 

character’ 

Club News 


You ReallY Must Read 

The Quarry by Johan Theorin says Librarian Trevor 

Dunmore. This murder mystery, the author’s third book in a 

planned quartet, is set on his beloved island of Öland. The 

previous books in the series were highly acclaimed, receiving 

the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association’s ‘Dagger’ 

award. If you like his currently more famous contemporary, 

Stieg Larsson, you’re surely going to enjoy this book: the 

quality of the original writing and the excellent translation 

with its heavily-weighted dialogue structure attract you to 

psychologically interesting characters, as well as more than 

a passing mystical reference to roaming elves and trolls too, 

an enriched part of Swedish folklore. 

The book club will discuss The Quarry on 7 November at 

Pall Mall. The Woodcote Park book club will meet on 10 

November to discuss Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively. 


did You Know? 

At Pall Mall’s opening banquet 

in 1911, one heavily intoxicated 

guest jumped in the swimming 

pool oblivious to the fact that it 

had yet to be filled with water. 

and the winneR is… 

John Rochman wins a case of 

club wine for identifying the 

stone carving in Pall Mall’s 

entrance in the July competition. 

See page 15 for Eye For Detail. 

in MeMoRiaM 

Thomas Crowley 1948-2010 

Betty Shaw 1929 - 2011 

Anthony White 1958-2011 

Maurice Cutner 1930 - 2011 

Michael Telford 1950 - 2011 

Christopher Woodbridge 

1939 - 2011 

Derrill Allatt 1954-2011 

Clifford Downing 1913 - 2011 

Felix Heilpem 1930 - 2011 

John Sunley 1936 - 2011 

Albert Conway 1920 - 2011 

Rodney Peacock 1919 - 2011 

John Whittaker 1924 - 2011 

Marjorie Williams 1939 - 2011 

James Chapman 1963 - 2011 

Ralph Dymond 1920 - 2011 

ChRistMas opening 

Woodcote remains open 

throughout Christmas and New 

Year. Pall Mall will close at 

4.00pm Christmas Eve, partly 

reopening at 10.00am on 27 

December (sports area, lounges 

10.00am - 6.00pm). It will then 

be closed on New Year’s Day, 

partly open 2 January and will 

fully reopen on 3 January.

Into the aRChIve 

Woodcote Park was destroyed 

by fire on the night of 1 August 

1934. Fortunately, the fire 

caused electric alarm bells to 

ring, which led to its discovery 

and a hasty evacuation. 

Workmen demolished the ruins, 

but the double-winged staircase 

at the front of the building was 

preserved. A catering marquee 

was erected and temporary 

wooden huts were built to house 

members until the new building 

was completed. Golfers were out 

in force, unperturbed by the 

fateful events. The clubhouse 

reopened in May 1936. 

FouR Men and a 

Challenge 

Members James Dubois, Martin 

Matthews, Martin Morris and 

John Bromley embarked on a 

48-hour challenge to do as many 

activities as possible in the 

clubhouses in September. ‘It 

never ceases to surprise me that 

members say: “I didn’t know 

about that” to all sorts of 

facilities available’, says James. 

They breakfasted at Woodcote, 

backgammoned at Pall Mall, had 

beauty treatments, snoozed in 

the club room, did pilates, wined, 

dined, and danced the night 

away - totalling some 50 

activities! The reason we did it?’ 

says James, ‘because we have 

two fabulous clubhouses so let’s 

use them to the hilt.’ Read more, 

including how many calories 

were consumed, in the members 

news section on the website. 


Renewal 2012 

The invitation to renew your club membership will be 

with you in November and the forms will indicate your 

membership fees plus any additional costs such as golf 

passes or lockers. Membership cards for 2012 will be sent 

on receipt of the form and payment of fees. Do check that 

your information is correct before returning the form, any 

contact details can be updated directly via the website, or 

if you have any queries please email members@ 

royalautomobileclub.co.uk or telephone 01372 229600. 


Kulm Hotel visits 

Woodcote pARK 

From 17 to 19 November 

you have the chance to 

sample a capun. Not au fait 

with capuns? They’re a 

traditional food from the 

Graubünden canton in 

Switzerland made of meat 

wrapped in leaf chard. 

They are a speciality of 

The Kulm Hotel whose 

chef Hans Nussbaumer 

will visit the Boston Room, 

cooking alongside head 

chef Howard Bisset. ‘The 

Kulm uses traditional local 

ingredients to create 

amazing flavours’, says 

Howard. To book 

telephone 01372 276311. 


pARty in tHe long bAR 

The Long Bar is available for 

parties on Saturday evenings. 

Telephone 020 7747 3386. 

neW cHinA 

Look out for the new china in 

Brooklands; created by ceramic 

designer William Edwards. 

club cHRistmAs 

Apologies for mentioning the ‘C’ 

word but the club is up to all 

sorts this Christmas. See Club 

Life for more information. 

tHe dining club 

If you like to learn whilst you eat 

then Woodcote Park’s newly 

launched dining club is for you. 

Tuck into a five-course feast 

while Head Chef Howard Bisset 

talks you through the menu and 

Sommelier Michael Fiducia 

explains the wines he has 

selected. Howard will even take 

you for a peep at the kitchens if 

you wish. Email diningclub@ 

royalautomobileclub.co.uk. 

club AcAdemy KitcHen 

On Saturday 29 October, 

months of planning and 

preparation will finally come to 

fruition for the group of 

members involved in the Club 

Academy Kitchen at Woodcote 

Park. Participant Martin 

Matthews said, ‘each group is 

responsible for one course; I’m 

preparing the starter. We’ve 

attended technique classes 

under the chef ’s watchful eye 

and visited Billingsgate Market 

at 4.00am to select the fish, 

which shows our dedication to 

the task ahead!’ 

To book, visit the events section of 

the website or email events@ 

royalautomobileclub.co.uk 

{ } 

ARRivedeRci 

After 27 years feeding 

and watering 

members as a Great 

Gallery waiter, Luigi 

Barisonzi is retiring. 

We wish him the best 

of luck for the future.

What to Eat noW 

Head chef at Woodcote Park, Howard Bisset shares this quick and easy 

recipe for a delicious autumnal onion tarte tatin. 

Serves 4 

2 White onions 

4 x 12cm Rounds of pure butter puff 

pastry (out of a packet is allowed) 

4 tbls Granulated sugar 

For the puree: 

300ml Milk 

½ onion 

Thyme 

1 Celeriac 

Salt and pepper 

1. Cut each onion in half width 

ways. Season with salt and pepper. 

Slowly bake in the oven for 30 

minutes at 150c (gas mark two). 

Once cooked and soft all the way 

through, remove and allow to cool 

slightly. Then remove the outer 

skin to reveal the cooked onion. 

2. Make each tatin one-by one. In 

an 8cm non-stick pan, place one 

tablespoon of sugar and heat until 

golden brown. Place the onion (flat 

side down) in the middle and cover 

with the pastry, tucking the edge 

under the onion. Bake in the oven 

for 18 minutes at 180ºc. 

Remove and turn upside down 

onto a plate, so the pan is on top, 

then remove the pan. Leave to rest 

for a few minutes. 

3. Peel and dice the celeriac and 

place in a pot with a knob of butter, 

thyme, onion and sweat down 

until transparent. Pour over the 

milk and leave to simmer until the 

celeriac is cooked and very soft. 

Season and blend until smooth. 

4. To serve, place a good amount of 

celeriac puree in the middle of the 

plate, sit the tatin on top and 

garnish. Try purple sprouting 

broccoli, spring onions, oyster 

mushrooms and pea cress. 

Club Food 

What to Drink noW 

As memories of summer fade, 

thoughts inevitably turn to 

autumnal dishes and wintry 

comfort eating. There’s an almost 

Pavlovian desire for red wines. 

Here is Master of Wine, Peter 

McCombie, with his suggestions. 

Chateau Les Ormes de Pez St 

Estèphe 2001 Cru Bourgeois 

The club offers some 

forward drinking clarets 

which represent great 

value. This one, from the 

Lynch Bages stable, is 

generous and fruity. 

Gigondas ‘Les Racines’ 

F et D Brunier 2007 

The French region 

Rhône offers value and 

good drinking. Southern 

Rhônes with a healthy dose of 

Grenache are richer than their 

northerly counterparts and 

villages like Gigondas offer a 

credible alternative to 

the expensive 

Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

Ten Minutes by 

Tractor ‘Wallis’ 

vineyard 2007 

Pinot Noir 

There’s plenty of red 

Burgundy to choose 

from including the 

‘forest floor’ styles such as Nuits 

St Georges and Gevrey- 

Chambertin. For a New World 

alternative, cooler parts of 

Australia have some exciting 

versions - try this gem by Tractor 

‘Wallis’ vineyard 2007 Pinot 

Noir from Mornington 

Peninsula in Victoria. 


Club Sports 

Centenary Gala 

The Swimming Committee’s 

second centenary event will 

be held on 8 November, 

featuring a gala and 

performance from the 

British Synchronised 

Swimming team. Formerly 

known as ‘water ballet’, 

athletes must perform 

acrobatics underwater whilst 

holding their breath, looking 

graceful and keeping in time 

to the music. We feel 

exhausted just thinking 

about it. Luckily, you only 

have to watch with a glass of 

champagne in hand. To 

attend, email swim@ 



SquaSh GoeS GolfinG 

This summer, 20 players 

decamped from the squash 

courts of Pall Mall to the golf 

course at Woodcote Park. 

Despite torrential rain, everyone 

‘really enjoyed themselves. Not 

just the golf but also the social 

camaraderie and the 

intermingling of the clubhouses’, 

said organiser John Morris. In a 

tightly contested match, Ross 

Bryan emerged victorious with 

32 points. Read more on the 

squash website. To ensure you 

don’t miss out in 2012, contact 

John at jemmorris@tiscali.co.uk. 

{ } 

Save the Date 

The Sub Aqua 

Christmas Dinner 

is on 14 December. 

Expect to hear tales 

of the recent trip to 

Sardinia & the 

wreck adoption 

project. 

Ski CirCuitS 

The ski season is nearly upon us 

once again. Make sure you’re 

ready to face the slopes with the 

aid of targeted exercise classes 

on offer at both clubhouses. 

Focusing on building fitness and 

stamina, along with specific 

exercises to build muscle, 

improve balance and aid 

coordination, you’ll be looking 

like a pro in no time. Telephone, 

Pall Mall 020 7747 3365, 

Woodcote Park 01372 229 266. 

SquaSh Centenary 

The April Squash dinner 

celebrated 100 years of squash at 

Pall Mall. The finals, followed by 

a champagne reception and 

dinner in the Mountbatten, 

attracted over 200 guests, who 

each received John Hopkins’ 

wonderful book, A celebration of 

100 years of Squash at Pall Mall. 

It’s free to all members, ask at 

the Sports Reception.

centenary cricket 

The cricket committee marked 

the Pall Mall centenary with a 

match at Lord’s followed by 

dinner at the club with guest 

speaker Graham Thorpe 

(ex-England batsman). A 

Centenary Chairman’s XI 

battled The Autocrats in a game 

with seven England Test Players 

including two current England 

Ladies. The Autocrats ran out 

narrow winners in the last over 

thanks mainly to DeFreitas’ 

explosive batting. The club’s 

Malcolm Lea was named Man of 

the Match. To get involved in club 

cricket email cricket@ 


temPle SPa at 

Woodcote Park 

Temple Spa products are now in 

use across the treatment rooms 

at Woodcote Park, offering 

treatments such as the 

Champagne and Truffle Facial. 

Contact cedarsreception@ 

royalautomobileclub.co.uk, or 

telephone 01372 229266 

tai chi 

Tai chi directly translates to 

‘supreme ultimate’. This low 

impact exercise is great for mind 

and body. Pall Mall and 

Woodcote will be holding classes 

from October to December. 

Ensure you’re ready to tackle 

your Christmas shopping in a 

cloud of zen-like calm… 

Telephone 020 7747 3365 or 

email sportsrecept@ 


Perfect Putting 

Putting is without doubt 

the most important, yet 

most neglected, part of golf. 

Here, club golf professional 

Will Murray gives his tips 

for perfect putting. 

1 Keep eyes over the ball, 

with feet shoulder width 

apart and weight forward 

toward the toes. 

2 Push the backside out to 

counterbalance, and grip 

the putter with the lightest 

amount of pressure possible, 

rocking the shoulders back 

and through. 

3 The idea is to stroke, not 

hit, the ball with the putter. 

Although this sounds 

Club Sport 

obvious, it is actually where 

most people go wrong and a 

common reason for lack of 

distance control. 

4 Alignment is also an 

important factor. Most golf 

balls on the market have a 

line on the seam but, if not, 

with a steady hand use a 

black marker and follow the 

seam, drawing a thin line 

approximately one inch 

long on the ball. Use this 

mark to line your ball up 

with your chosen borrow, 

keeping the putter head 

perfectly inline with the ball 

when putting. 

Good luck! 


Mall Galleries are 

delighted to join the 

Pall Mall Clubhouse 

in its centenary 

celebrations 

We hope you enjoy the Centenary 

Art Prize exhibition in the Club’s 

Hanging Room. 

For a wider selection of works by 

the exhibiting artists and more, we 

invite you to visit Mall Galleries, 

the national focal point of 

contemporary fi gurative art and 

host to Britain’s most prestigious 

art societies. 

New English Art Club 

25 November to 4 December 2011 

Royal Institute of Oil Painters 

7 to 18 December 2011 

Open 10am to 5pm daily 

(closes 1pm on fi nal day) 

Free entry to the above exhibitions on 

presentation of your membership card 

Mall Galleries 

The Mall, London SW1 

Tel: 020 7930 6844 

info@mallgalleries.com 

www.mallgalleries.org.uk 

Image by Ken Howard OBE RA PPNEAC Hon. RBA RI ROI

words : sarah walmsley 

Big Cheese 

Marathon running philanthropist Trevor Pickett with words from on business high. 

Trevor Pickett owns Pickett, the 

luxury English leather goods 

company. After leaving school 

at 16 he was employed at a 

leather shop in the Burlington 

Arcade: ‘I sat on the shop floor 

while I waited for the interview, 

but when it got busy I started 

serving customers. I sold a 

crocodile wallet for £125.00 and 

got the job.’ Two years later he 

became manager, then in 1988 

Trevor bought the shop. He has 

since built Pickett into a 

thriving business. 

Who do you most admire in 

business? 

Caprice Holdings. Its consistency 

of service is amazing. When you 

go to one of their restaurants you 

feel like you have arrived home. 

What is your biggest unfulfilled 

ambition? 

I can shoot quite well, hit a golf 

ball quite straight, have run a few 

marathons and tried (very badly) 

to do point-to-point. So I suppose 

to become a better sportsman is 

an ambition yet to be fulfilled. 

What gives you greatest 

satisfaction? 

That everything in the shop 

(unless it’s obviously foreign like 

our kilim slippers) is handmade in 

England. We work with people 

from all over the country, I can 

walk around the shop and think 

‘That was made by Des, or Doug 

made that’. We put a lot of energy 

into what we make. I assume the 

things we have will last forever. 

What gives you cause for 

optimism? 

I am keen on the arts. I do like 

going to see new art or culture. 

Even if I don’t like it, it’s a valuable 

experience, as it allows me to 

stretch my mind and will help me 

understand something I see later 

that I do like. I find things that are 

new and creative optimistic. 

What single piece of advice 

would you give someone starting 

a career today? 

I am very lucky. I have loved what 

I have done so far. I would really 

push people to do something they 

really love. I think people put far 

too much emphasis on money. I 

have seen far too many people 

who strive only to earn money, 

then be miserable. I think if you 

really love what you do there is a 

freshness about you that brings 

things your way that money 

certainly doesn’t. 

What is the most important 

quality needed by a leader? 

Certainly as an employer you 

Club Business 

should be there for your people. 

When you have your down times 

they will stand by you. It has 

always worked for me. 

What is your most treasured 

place or thing to do in the club? 

It’s the swimming pool. I used to 

swim everyday. I promise to start 

again. I think it’s the most 

incredible place. 

What will you do in your next 

life? 

A philanthropic beach bum. I’d 

like to be free spirited, on a plane 

to Ibiza, serving Pina Coladas at 

the Jockey Club and then move on 

to the next exciting place. I kind of 

missed that gap year. I’d also like 

to do some good work. When I 

told my mother I was doing 

charity work for the Royal 

Academy, she said it didn’t count. I 

think probably I agree with her, so 

in my round the world trip I’d like 

to do something worthy at the 

same time. 

What is your London Secret? 

The John Soane Museum. If you 

go on certain Tuesday evenings 

you can take a tour by candlelight. 

It’s rather beautiful and quite a 

nice place to go to. 

What is your favourite shop? 

That’s so difficult. Definitely my 

own shop! (he laughs) I think 

there are less interesting shops 

now than there were. I think you 

should go to the City Lit website 

and shop for a course. Feed your 

mind. Shop for an evening class. 


Club Interview 

Senna 

Seven years in the making, ‘Senna’ is being touted as the best Formula 1 

documentary ever made. Henry Hope-Frost spoke to the film’s screenwriter 

Manish Pandey at a members screening held at Pall Mall in October. 

Sunday 1 May 1994 is a day forever 

etched in the memories of 

motorsport fans across the globe. 

That afternoon, millions of 

television viewers around the world 

watched the great Ayrton Senna crash to his 

death while leading the San Marino Grand 

Prix for Williams at Italian circuit Imola. 

And the accident, one of the most 

high-profile sporting tragedies that ever 

unfolded, would change Formula 1 forever. 

Senna’s status in the sport was such that, 

17 years after his death, he remains deified 

by most as the greatest racing driver who 

ever lived. His three Formula 1 world titles, 

41 grand prix victories and 65 pole 

positions ensure his name resonates off the 

pages of any record books, yet for those not 

closely associated with Formula 1, the 

statistics tell only half the story. 

Fortunately, the rest of that story can 

now be shared thanks to the release, earlier 

in the summer, of the award-winning, 

British-made documentary film about the 

life of the enigmatic Brazilian. ‘Senna’ was a 

seven-year labour of love for the three 

Englishmen behind it: Screenwriter – and 

Senna devotee – Manish Pandey, Producer 

James Gay-Rees and Director Asif 

Kapadia. The trio worked tirelessly and 

against the odds – many a Senna-based film 

26 October 2011 | Issue 136 

has failed to get off the ground, even with 

Hollywood input – to make it happen. The 

powerful documentary-style tone, with 

unique layers of creativity woven into its 

structure, have ensured the film is already 

being touted by those who know (respected 

film critics and race fans alike) as the best 

Formula 1 film ever made. 

How, then, did this low-budget 

masterpiece achieve such acclaim so 

quickly? Pandey, who spoke exclusively to 

Pell Mell &Woodcote Magazine, tells a 

fascinating story. ‘I was never in any doubt 

about the suitability of the film’s tragic hero,’ 

he admits immediately. ‘Senna’s life and 

death were so improbable – almost like acts 

of God. He was a brilliant caricature of all 

humanity – good and bad. 

‘The initial idea came from James 

[Gay-Rees]. He’d made a film with my wife 

some time before and, still armed with a 

three-film deal with Working Title, 

contacted me after she’d told him I was a 

huge Senna fan and could help. James’ 

father had actually worked with John 

Player Special during their time as a 

sponsor of Senna and Lotus in the 

mid-1980s, so he knew all about him.’ 

Despite no real knowledge of, or indeed 

passion for, Formula 1, James had read a 

haunting piece by Simon Barnes in The



Times on the 10th anniversary of Senna’s 

death. Convinced of the merits of making a 

film about Senna, he went cap in hand to 

Working Title. ‘James was receptive to a 

ten-page outline that I’d written,’ recalls 

Pandey. ‘It was based around three acts – 

the ‘arrival’ in Formula 1 at Monaco in 1984; 

the battles with McLaren team-mate Alain 

Prost and the politics of Formula 1; his final 

months with Williams – that I felt would 

build the tension to a suitable denouement.’ 

The first hitherto insurmountable hurdle 

faced by Pandey and Gay-Rees was getting 

the Senna family to approve their project. 

They had rejected every proposal since 

1995, so they were going to have to come up 

with something special. ‘James and I got a 

meeting with Celso Lemos, the Senna 

family’s business affairs guy, and Ayrton’s 

niece Bianca,’ says Pandey, ‘so we met up in 

London to sow the seeds. ‘They made us 

feel like they really liked what we suggested,’ 

he admits. ‘Celso hugged me afterwards and 

said simply: “I know you’re going to make it! 

We now need you to meet [Ayrton’s sister] 

Viviane…’” That first encounter with the 

woman who had ultimate say over what 

would happen took eight months to arrange. 

‘It was such a thrill to finally be able to 

meet Viviane,’ Pandey says, ‘although a 

cancelled flight meant it nearly didn’t 

happen! We got to Brazil a day late, but were 

able to show her a series of four-minute 

sections we had put together in a laptop 

powerpoint presentation.’ 

Fortunately for the intrepid film-makers, 

Viviane Senna was sufficiently moved by 

what they showed her to grant them tearful 

approval. ‘That was an incredible thing for 

us,’ recalls Pandey. ‘And, what’s more, she 

then emailed Bernie Ecclestone to ask him 

to help us with the Formula 1 archive 

footage to which he owns all the rights. 

Within a month of meeting Viviane, we 


were in Bernie’s office listening to him say: 

‘We’ll see what we can do…’. He was 

fantastic. With Ecclestone onside, a hunt for 

a director began. Oscar- and BAFTAwinning 

director Kevin MacDonald had 

initially been approached, although he 

declined, on the basis he was not passionate 

enough about the subject. He would, 

however, remain closely involved – to the 

eternal gratitude of the film-makers. 

The man finally chosen was Asif 

Kapadia, himself a BAFTA-winning 

director. Although, as Pandey reveals, it took 

well over a year to get Kapadia to meet the 

Senna family – a must given that they 

insisted on directorial approval at all times. 

It was a frustrating time for Pandey, who 

felt that the momentum was slowing. The 

cause was not helped by the fact that they 

had to re-pitch to the family. ‘Celso had left, 

and the new guy, Ricardo Garrasfa, didn’t 

like the idea at first,’ says Pandey. 

‘Fortunately, he was convinced once he had 

seen the pitch.’ With Kapadia on board, and 

Universal having given the green light to the 

funding of the Working Title project, work 

started on sourcing the archive material for 

the film. Based at Biggin Hill in Kent, 

Ecclestone’s Formula One Management 

operation controls just about everything to 

do with the world’s fastest and most 

glamorous sport, including the vast archive 

of footage amassed over umpteen years. 

Thanks to the ‘tireless efforts’ of Ian 

Holmes, over 5,000 hours of footage was 

sifted through. ‘We brought in a wonderful 

editor, Gregers Sall, to help sort it all out,’ 

says Pandey. ‘And, with Asif confident we 

could make the entire film using just archive 

material – and, crucially, no talking heads 

– we were full-steam-ahead in the early part 

of 2009. 

‘We then recruited Oscar-nominated 

film editor Chris King for a couple of 

words: HENrY HoPE FrosT. PHoTograPHs: gETTY

‘ViVianne hugged 

me saying: 

“you did it, you 

CaPtuRed his 

humanity and 

genius” 


months to help tighten up the making of the 

first cut. He brought a precision to the 

process – and cut out stuff that we didn’t 

even notice.’ Fast-forward to the spring of 

2010 and the Senna family was presented 

with the first cut of the film at the Cannes 

Festival. Pandey recalls it was a nerveracking 

but wonderfully emotional moment. 

‘After the birth of my son, it has to be the 

most emotional day of my life,’ he admits. 

‘We found a tiny cinema in Cannes to show 

it to Viviane and Bianca. It was very tough 

to watch – we were tired after months of 

work – but so rewarding. There were a lot of 

tears in that little cinema and Viviane 

hugged me afterwards, saying tearfully: 

“You did it. You captured his humanity and 

genius”.’ The final surreal moment for me 

came at the British premiere. Bernie told 

me he would come, which was such an 

honour. Nobody at Working Title or 

Universal believed me, but come he did. 

And outside on the street afterwards, a voice 

from behind me said: ‘Oi you, come here!’. It 

was Bernie and he hugged me. His only 

words were, ‘Thanks for doing it – you told 

it like it was!’” The captivating and emotive 

production that was a hit on the big screen 

in July and was shown at the club in 

October is a fitting tribute to Ayrton Senna 

and represents a poignant boost to the 

legacy of a charismatic champion. This 

writer sat open-mouthed in a packed 

auditorium on the opening night, transfixed 

still further by a man about whom he 

already knew a great deal. ‘Senna’ does that 

to you. Pandey’s next project, entitled 

‘Ferrari – La Scuderia’ centres on 1950s 

British racing heroes, Ferrari team-mates 

and great friends, Mike Hawthorn and Peter 

Collins. If it’s half as good as ‘Senna’ it will 

be utterly magnificent…. 

To hear about motoring film screenings email 

jemma.rapson@royalautobileclub.co.uk 



Best not to think


aBout the piranhas 

Kari Lundgren talks to long-distance swimmer Martin Strel on his swim down the Amazon 


32 October 2011 | Issue 136

Even great explorers have pipe dreams. For 

Martin Strel - a man who’s faced down 

piranhas in the Amazon, dodged dead bodies 

in the Yangtze and holds the world record for 

the globe’s longest unbroken swim - it’s climbing Mt. 

Everest. Since jumping into the Danube in 2000 to 

swim 3,004 kilometres in 58 days, his first world record, 

Strel has ploughed his way down 3,979 kilometres of the 

Mississippi, swum over 4,000 kilometres in the Yangtze 

and spent 66 days in the world’s longest river, the 

Amazon. Time in hospital? His son Borut has lostcount. 

The story goes - and all of Strel’s tales have a 

slightly mythic, Dr.-Livingstone-I-presume quality to 

them - that he began swimming around the age of six, as 

a way to escape an abusive father. At ten, he won his first 

swimming prize: a pack of beer when he beat three 

soldiers in a race across a pool in the river near his 

home. Swimming was sidelined when he went to music 

academy to study Flamenco guitar, only to crop up 

again in his mid-twenties when Yugoslavia’s longdistance 

swimming coach discovered him. Thirty-plus 

years later, I ask Strel if there is a nine-to-five feeling 

about swimming; does he still enjoy it after so many 

thousands of miles? ‘Swimming is great for the body; 

I’m working like an engine now,’ he says, his voice a 

deep, rich rumble of Slovenian-accented English.‘Yes, 

it’s my job, but it’s not hard to jump in the water, because 

what I’m doing is not so simple and I enjoy trying 

something new.’ 

Amazon, Danube, Yangtze; each feat hints at an 

athlete with a Michael Phelps physique, Arnold 

Schwarzenegger determination and Lance Armstrong 

ability to endure pain. And at 56, Strel is certainly fit, 

strong-willed and capable of handling stress. That said, 

he also has a bit of a paunch, cheerfully drinks up to two 

bottles of Slovenian red wine - Cvicek - during a day of 

swimming and admits that he’s never been quite the 

same since he dragged his near-broken body from the 

brackish, silty waters of the Amazon at Belém, Brazil. 

‘It’s been four years since I finished, but I’m still not 

clear,’ Strel says. ‘If you know every stroke can be your 

last... I’m very happy now, but there is still a pain. I wake 

up in the middle of the night sometimes and I’m still in 

the water.’ Given that he lost 19 kilos, was nibbled on by 

piranhas, risked Bull shark attacks or even worse finding 

a Candiru (a parasitic freshwater catfish) burrowing its 

way up his nose, mouth or penis, it’s not too surprising 

that the journey has stayed with him. The silver lining, 

he says, was the pink Amazon dolphins that kept him 


company much of the way. 

Strel’s 10-hour, 50-mile-a-day saga is the subject of 

the documentary Big River Man; both the film’s main 

character and clever direction by John Maringouin 

make it well worth watching. ‘To swim this many hours 

a day, you have to be very busy in your head,’ he says. 

‘You have to simply forget because you have so much 

pain; I have a lot of films in my head and I finish 

university on these swims.’ Far from being haunted or 

cracked however, Strel is down-to-earth and practical, 

his approach to planning painstaking and systematic. 

Wine aside, his swimming meals are Spartan - soup, 

rice, tea and the occasional piece of chocolate - and his 

training methodical. For the Amazon, where he was 

backed by a 25 person-strong team, he spent a year in a 

medical centre in Slovenia learning about tropical 

diseases. ‘Before you jump in the water, you have to be 

more of a scientist than swimmer,’ he says. ‘It looks very 

simple, but you have to find money and you have to find 

the right people. I spent years and years with my son 

planning everything.’ 

The father-son partnership remains strong, with 

Borut handling much of Strel’s PR. He also manages 

Strel Swimming Adventures, which organises swim 

holidays in Slovenia and Croatia, and is planning a U.S. 

location starting next year. And, like any expedition, 

Strel’s swims need funding, so he spends a lot of time 

giving interviews, lecturing and raising awareness about 

river-related environmental issues. In the Amazon it 

was deforestation, in the Yangtze pollution and he hopes 

his swim in the Colorado will draw attention to the 

region’s depleting water stocks. 

Now based in Arizona, his training includes a 5,600 

metre swim first thing in the morning, a day out of the 

sun and then another afternoon session when the 

temperature drops. In the evening, he can be found at 

the local casino – ‘I’m a very dangerous poker player’ 

- or strumming a guitar with the Mariachi band at 

Tuscon’s Guadalajara Grill. ‘I love Flamenco. I love 

country. Music is a big part of my life,’ he says. One can 

only imagine what the the Mariachi band think. 

And Everest? ‘I would like to go to the top of 

Everest,’ he says contemplatively, ‘but maybe I’m too 

young. I can climb Everest later.’ 

Martin Strel is speaking at the annual swimming dinner 

at Pall Mall on 17 November. To attend, see the events 

website or email events@royalautomobileclub.co.uk. For 

more information on Martin and Borut’s swimming 

holiday company visit www.strel-swimming.com 




‘I MANAGED 

TO OPEN THE 

BACK AND WAS 

INTRIGUED BY 

THE WORKINGS 

INSIDE. IT WAS 

LIKE SEEING THE 

CENTRE OF THE 

UNIVERSE’ 

A Word 

from 

The Wise 

If you told 85 year-old George Daniels he was the world’s 

greatest horologist he would, most likely, agree. Henry Sands 

pays homage to the watch world’s Almighty. 

shortly before meeting George 

daniels, i asked my friend Nick 

foulkes – regarded as one of the 

world’s leading authorities on 

high-end watches and author of several 

books on the subject – how he was 

regarded. he replied: ‘George is the 

watchmaker’s watchmaker. A hugely 

respected expert author and historian, was 

recently awarded with a CBe, and owns a 

tremendously impressive vintage Bentley 

(the Birkin single-seat Bentley 4.5 litre 

supercharged racer). Basically, he is 

regarded as God.’ 

right. As i darted through the rain, 

pouring down in an almost biblical manner 

over Pall mall, there seemed something 

quite apt about having breakfast with God. 

But by the time i sat down at the breakfast 

table, ten minutes early for our scheduled 

appointment, George had already finished 

his breakfast. ‘Let’s go to the drawing 

room. it’s quieter there’ he said, ignoring 

my hopeful looks towards the eggs 

benedict, or even his discarded toast. 

George is not one to hang about; after all, 

time is of the essence. George’s Bentley 

was on display in the rotunda when we 

met. Walking past it, i mentioned that i 

could not remember seeing so many 


admiring glances from members. ‘i have 

that effect’, he replied with a cheeky grin. 

Although George was over 40 when he 

made his first watch, his love affair with 

time started when he was a five-year-old 

child after finding a cheap wristwatch on 

the street. ‘i managed to open the back and 

was intrigued by the workings inside. it 

was like seeing the centre of the universe. i 

knew then that i wanted to spend the rest 

of my life working with watches.’ Apart 

from a period in the army, where he was 

posted to the middle east with the 2nd 

Battalion of the east Yorkshire regiment 

and where he learnt to swim in the suez 

Canal, his professional career has been 

devoted to time. ‘even during my time in 

the army i spent much of it repairing my 

fellow soldier’s watches,’ a hobby that 

proved lucrative enough for him not to 

have to draw any pay for two-and-a-half 

years. But George’s greatest 

accomplishment, and what he is best 

known for, is the creation of the co-axel 

escapement – a system whereby radial 

friction is used instead of sliding friction in 

the watch mechanism. To you and me, that 

means you get longer service intervals and 

greater accuracy over time. indeed, 

George takes so much care of his 


timepieces that each one takes over year to 

make. They sell for £142,000. 

Is he worried about advancements in 

electronic watches affecting the future of 

the traditional timepiece? ‘Of course there 

will be huge advancements made with 

electrical watches probably offering more 

weird gadgets and accessories, but while 

that all might be attractive to a younger 

generation, as they mature they develop 

taste, and hopefully appreciate the quality 

of high-end timepieces.’ 

Staring out of the drawing room 

window and into the rain, George then 

looked almost melancholic for the first 

time, as if the word ‘quality’ had flicked a 

switch in him. In lowered voice, almost 

oblivious to my presence, he stammered: 

‘But watchmakers, like many other 

craftsmen nowadays, are different from 

when I started. They have no interest in 

applying strict measures, they are only 

focused on profit and refuse to believe that 

it takes hours upon hours to truly master a 

skill. Unless people are prepared to really 

dedicate those hours, there will be no 

success or improvement any more. ’ before 

seemingly becoming aware of my 

existence again. 

‘Young people these days are just not 

prepared to put risk into enterprise. There 

is a reluctance to expose themselves, when 

actually, if you really put the effort in, 

success is simple,’ George said, leaning in 

and looking me deep in the eye. And it is 

not just in the world of horology in which 

George has had significant success. It is his 

second hobby that brings him together 

with the club, vintage car racing. After 

buying his first vintage car at the age of 21, 

he has since restored and owned eight 

other cars. Having won over 40 trophies 

for his racing efforts, the most recent of 

which coming last year aged 84, he has 

always gained more satisfaction from 

winning a car race than completing a 

watch. With his grin back on his face he 

reminiscently said: ‘There is no feeling 

quite like winning a big car race; the 


camaraderie - nothing beats it’. 

George has been a member of the club 

for over 30 years, and considers the 

environment a ‘bastion-of-civility’ set in a 

fast changing world: ‘Other than those 

wretched air conditioning systems that 

have been installed, I don’t think the club 

has changed at all since I first joined. I like 

that.’ To commemorate the 35th 

anniversary of his co-axial invention, 

George is, with his 40-year-old protégé 

Roger Smith and the help of seven 

craftsmen, hoping to complete eight new 

watches in 2011. Beyond that George does 

not envisage further developments to his 

style, nor any need for such: ‘I will be 

remembered as the man who 

revolutionised the wristwatch. My 

mechanism is still so far beyond the rest of 

the industry that there seems little need to 

try to improve it further now.’ With that, he 

pulls from his pocket an intriguing blue 

box holding what is by far the most 

impressive looking pocket watch I have 

ever seen. ‘You can’t beat that’, he beams. 

Does he have any regrets? Of course he 

doesn’t: ‘I have absolutely none 

whatsoever. In fact I think I have lived the 

perfect existence, and not many people 

would say that.’ No, I do not suppose they 

would. ‘Some people have said I am too 

self-centred, but I would not say I was 

arrogant. Egocentric perhaps, but I just 

know that if things are done my way, they 

are bound to succeed.’ 

Noticing the rain had stopped and the 

interview was drawing to a close, George 

looked around the room: ‘Now, where is 

my chap? We’re supposed to be going for a 

quick shopping trip to Jermyn Street 

before heading home to the Isle of Man.’ 

As I left George and headed back down 

Pall Mall, with my now broken umbrella 

from the earlier gale and a wet sock from a 

hole in the sole of my left shoe, I was 

BUrtoN 

certainly feeling altogether more mortal 

MartIN 

than I had done an hour earlier. But then I 

suppose that is okay if you compare 

yourself to God, I reassured myself. photographs:



38 | October 2011 | Issue 136

Club Art 

The canvas 

of the century 

Jessica Holmes talks to artist Pete ‘the Street’ Brown about 

painting, Pall Mall and his love for London. 


On your travels about the Pall Mall 

clubhouse this summer, you may 

have noticed that artists are busy 

at work around the building. A 

group from the Federation of British Artists, 

based at London’s Mall Galleries, have been 

capturing scenes of 89 Pall Mall in celebration 

of its centennial year, and these works will be 

shown in the Hanging Room in November. 

Painters such as Tom Coates, Ken Howard 

and Susan Ryder have been inspired by the 

plush Pall Mall interiors. 

While these artists have been getting to 

grips with the interior, for one of their number, 

the outside of the building has been of interest. 

Peter Brown, or ‘Pete the Street’ as he is 

known, is one of Britain’s foremost landscape 

and street artists. ‘When I heard about it [the 

exhibition] and was asked if I’d like to take 

part I jumped at it. I did the two commissions 

for the Mall Room which I thoroughly enjoyed 

and to show alongside all these great painters 

is always good,’ he says. ‘I knew I did not want 

to do an interior. I love working outdoors 

particularly at this time of year and I wanted 

to portray the grand facade.’ 


The Artist 

Born in Reading in 1967, Brown studied first 

at Bath in 1986 and then at Manchester 

Polytechnic from 1987-1990. He returned to 

Bath in 1993 where he still lives with his wife 

and five children. He works across several 

media including pastel, oil and charcoal and 

can be found painting in all kinds of weather. 

While Brown has painted many cities 

around the country, he has often painted 

London and loves it all. ‘The West End has 

amazing architecture, I love the city and the 

river but I really enjoy going out to the 

suburbs.’ Straight after the recent London 

riots, he travelled to Tottenham High Road to 

paint a burnt out building. ‘I love London’s 

spirit - there is a wonderful sense of 

community. I’ll never forget 30 days after the 

7/7 bombings, I was painting near Trafalgar 

Square when all the traffic stopped, engines 

off, and everyone stepped onto the roads for a 

two minute silence.’ As well as scenes of 

devastation, Brown is currently painting Old 

Bond Street and Harrods. He has also just 

painted Primrose Hill; ‘I love its fantastic 

views and bizarre behaviour from the 

fruitcakes who see it as a gym!’

images: peter brown words: jessica holmes 

The painting of Pall Mall He says that he has had a lovely reaction to the 

Brown explains that choosing the position 

from which to paint the clubhouse was easy; 

‘Pall Mall is looking fantastic with the two 

way traffic and new paving. It was a no brainer. 

I had a very quick scout round but settled on 

this view quickly with the club standing large 

and proud in this fabulous street.’ He chose to 

paint the building at dusk, when the setting 

sun catches the facade. Although most of the 

street is in shade, Brown wanted to capture 

the cool light of the end of the day within the 

shadows that bounce around the pavements 

and buildings. The painting took three sittings 

to complete; ‘The first sitting was dusk - low 

even light - but the second two were sunlit 

summer evenings just before dusk which was 

a treat. Working on the result of my first go - 

mainly tones of grey - I put in the sunlight on 

the buildings and glancing the street. 

Eventually as I worked up to 7.00pm the sky 

was by far the lightest and I put that down last 

of all in the second bash. The third sitting I 

concentrated on correcting detail, adding any 

missing bits and adjusting wobbles and errors.’ 

Working out on the street, Brown is privy 

to the hustle and bustle of life in the big city. 

painting from passers by. ‘A lady asked if I’d 

like a beer - when I told her I did not have time, 

she put the can of Stella back in her bag.’ 

Indeed, it is lucky for the club that the 

painting is still available to be shown in the 

Hanging Room. ‘One man who saw it while 

passing in a taxi tried to buy it then and there 

but I put him off as it was for the show.’ 

Centenary show, Hanging Room, Pall Mall, 

Private View Nov 21 6.30-8.30pm 

please email: hangingroom@ 


The Mall Galleries comprises eight leading art 

societies, the oldest of which dates back to 1823, 

including the Royal Society of Painters in Water 

Colours and the Royal Society of British 

Artists. Mall Galleries, The Mall (near 

Trafalgar Square), London, SW1 is open daily, 

10am – 5pm during exhibitions (unless 

otherwise stated), including Saturdays, 

Sundays and Bank Holidays. 

Peter Brown’s work can be purchased through 

his agent, Messum’s, 8 Cork Street, London, 

W1S 3LJ (Tel: +4420 7437 5545) 


The 

Grand 

TOur 

To celebrate the centenary year, 

the club has been conducting 

tours of Pall Mall, giving 

members the chance to learn 

about the clubhouse. The next 

tour is on 15 november but here 

is a preview, just in case you 

can’t wait... 


Pall Mall Centenary 


Pall Mall 

Stand outside the building 

opposite the clubhouse and gaze. 

Inspired by Ange Jacques 

Gabriel’s Hotel de Crillon in Paris 

(home to the Automobile Club de 

France), the 230ft Portland stone 

façade hides the building’s then 

revolutionary steel frame. Club 

architects Mewès and Davis had 

previously used a frame to build 

the Ritz on Piccadilly. The steel 

bars to be used in the clubhouse 

were too big to be carted by mule 

to the site and had to be reduced 

in size. 

look Up: The projecting portico 

with a pediment and carved 

centrepiece reads: ‘Science as the 

inspiration of the allied trades’. It 

depicts a sober classical tableau 

that hides an enthusiastic cherub 

making off on a motorbike! 

Although the new clubhouse had no 

street number, cab drivers knew 

where it was, and it was the London 

Cab Company that decided that 89 

was the number in Pall Mall for the 

western entrance. 

RotUnda 

Step inside the clubhouse (say 

hello to Ted the doorman) then 

wander to the rotunda and take a 

pew (one of the rather nice throne 

type chairs if there’s one free). 

Read on for a few interesting facts 

about your club. 

Know this: The club was founded 

in 1897 and currently has some 

17,000 members. The youngest full 

member is 19 years old and the 


oldest is 103. The club first 

inhabited 4 Whitehall Court then 

moved to 119 Piccadilly in 1902. By 

1908 the club had secured the site 

of the old War Office on Pall Mall 

and in 1909 Charles Mewès and 

Arthur Davis were secured to 

design a new clubhouse, assisted by 

Keynes Purchase architects. The 

post office is one of the few private 

post offices left in the country, 

including Buckingham Palace and 

the Houses of Parliament. 

CoCKtail BaR 

Amble over to the cocktail bar, 

perhaps order yourself a gin 

martini with an olive; it’s the most 

popular drink served. 

Know this: It hasn’t always been a 

bar; originally the room was a 

ladies’ drawing room that allowed 

female guests to be met safely and 

led directly into the Restaurant 

(now Brooklands) without having 

to meet strangers in the central 

atrium. 

BRooKlands 

Saunter to Brooklands. Originally 

known as ‘the Restaurant’, the 

room has panelling with Italianate 

landscapes after Hubert Robert 

believed to have come from a 

chateau in the Midi. The art deco 

style murals depicting Brooklands 

at the entrance were painted by 

Barnaby Gorton in 2004. 

Know this: The Restaurant first 

employed the chef to the late King 

Edward VII. After the Second 

World War the club struggled to 

get supplies: ‘We would prep pigeon 

and rook to make game pie’, says 

Norman Holmes who worked as a 

commis chef at the club in 1947. 

GReat GalleRy 

On to the Great Gallery which was 

originally used as a relaxed palm 

court for tea and the occasional 

ballroom or concert. 

Know this: The ceiling is by 

Boulanger and the murals painted 

on the West walls in 2006 are by 

Catherine Lovegrove. The painting 

that hangs on the east wall is Féte 

de Paysans by Theodore Gerard; it 

looks as though is has been there 

since the Gallery was built but in 

fact the painting was only 

purchased by the club in 1994. On 

20 February 1944 a Luftwaffe pot 

bomb hit the terrace over the Great 

Gallery causing a great deal of 

damage. The ensuing fire was 

quickly put out by staff. 

ClUB RooM 

At last a tea stop and a comfy 

chair. The club room, known as 

the smoking room until the 

smoking ban in 2007, is believed 

to be a replica of the early 

Georgian council chamber from 

the old War Office. Now the room 

is used as a lounge and has been 

the scene of fashion shows by 

designers Vivienne Westwood 

and Matthew Williamson. 

Know this: It is rumoured that 

Burgess and McLean plotted their 

defection to the Soviet Union in the 

club room in 1951. Burgess was a

illustrations: michael hill. words sarah walmsley 

member of the club, and his papers 

state that he ‘resigned’ in 1951, the 

year of his defection. 

Long Bar & BiLLiard room 

From the club room take the stairs 

down to the long bar; note the 

caricatures of long serving club 

staff on the way down. The long 

bar (and adjacent billiards room) 

were developed in 1924 when it 

was decided the club required 

more space. 

Know this: Radio DJ Chris Evans 

was taught to play snooker in the 

billiard room by Jimmy White. 

SquaSh CourtS 

Take the door from the long bar to 

the squash courts. There are four 

courts one of which is a doubles 

court. It’s the only doubles court 

in London. 

Know this: The club is home of 

squash in the UK. Squash Pro 

Greg Pearman’s oldest pupil is 87. 

Swimming pooL 

Isn’t it beautiful! The 26 metre 

Grade II listed Italian marble 

swimming pool required a major 

feat of engineering, in part 

because the foundations of the 

building were below the water 

table. For eight months, pumps 

removed some 200,000 gallons of 

water a day from the site. 

Know this: Member Winston 

Churchill particularly enjoyed the 

pool. He was seen to be cooling off 

there during the hot summer of 

1911. The Jubilee line passes only 

nine metres directly under the pool; 

when the line was installed in 1979 

Scuba divers were employed to 

measure any tremors the passing 

trains caused. 

turKiSh BathS 

Pootle over to the Pompeian 

turkish bath, part of the original 

building, it’s one of the last few 

remaining Edwardian turkish 

baths in the country. 

Know this: The evacuation of 

Dunkirk in May 1940 led to many 

soldiers who had been involved 

coming straight to Pall Mall. They 

had only the clothes on their backs, 

and slept in the turkish baths and 

the squash courts. 

LiBrary 

Take the stairs all the way up to 

the first floor; notice the painting 

Bugatti Moderne attributed to 

Sonia Delaunay on the way. Have 

a gander at the library. What an 

oasis! You can borrow books and 

have a quiet read. 

Know this: The library was 

originally a billiard room and now 

houses a unique record of motoring. 

St JameS’S room 

On to the St James’s room which 

was originally a card room and is 

now a business centre. 

Know this: Cubicles erected for 

officers to sleep in during the First 

World War were only removed in 

1920, much to the disappointment 

of some members who enjoyed them 

for a shake down. 

Pall Mall Centenary 

mountBatten room 

Admire the murals on your way 

round to the Mountbatten room. 

Mao Wen Biao painted a series of 

seven murals for the rotunda, 

which, joined together, create a 

total length of 138 feet and feature 

over 300 club members. Mao 

began work on them in May 1996 

and they were unveiled in 

December 1997. The 

Mountbatten room is the largest 

banqueting room in the club. It 

was originally used as the 

members’ dining room where: 

‘Members always addressed each 

other by surname’, says Meredyth 

Limberg, who first visited aged 

ten in 1932. 

FirSt FLoor roomS 

The first floor houses five rooms 

currently used for private and 

member events. Have a wander. 

There may be events on but if not 

you can poke your nose around 

the door and take a peek. 

Know this: Many of the 

banqueting rooms have recently 

been refurbished by designer 

Russell Sage. The Mall room was 

originally a library with the Small 

Mall room serving as a writing 

room. The Segrave room is named 

after motoring pioneer Henry 

Segrave and is home to much of the 

club’s motoring memorabilia and 

trophies. Henry Segrave held three 

land speed records and the water 

speed record. He was the first 

person to travel at over 200 mph in 

a land vehicle. 


Club Source 


Pleasant pheasant 

October signals the start of the pheasant season. Sarah Walmsley heads to 

Staffordshire to track down the source of the club’s most pleasant birds. 


When I took up 

scuba diving my 

father was frank in 

his advice: ‘Don’t 

drown Sarah.’ He said. So I suppose 

it was to be expected when, on 

informing him that I was off to 

follow a pheasant shoot, his words 

of wisdom were similarly candid: 

‘Don’t get shot Sarah’. It hadn’t 

occurred to me that I might be on 

the receiving end of a twelve bore; 

so on the morning of the shoot, I 

find myself, loitering by a table piled 

high with bacon sandwiches, 

wearing a pair of B&Q Wellingtons 

with mild trepidation. The bacon 

sandwich table is surrounded. Men 

in tweed are all munching away, 

warming up before they strike out 

for this shooting party at Consall 

Valley. The shoot, owned by 

member Martin Pointon, is in the 

wilds of Staffordshire where the mix 

of woodland and moors makes for 

perfect pheasant country. Pheasants 

from the Consall Valley Shoot will 

be on tables in the club from now 

until January. 

The ShooTing ParTy 

I meet club member Chris Hogg, 

bacon sandwich in hand. Chris has 

been kind enough to let me come 

along and be the Butch Cassidy to 

his Sundance Kid for the day. At 

least I hope his shooting skills 

compare to the Sundance Kid – I 

am after all attempting to avoid 

getting shot. Chris has already 

drawn his peg, the position in the 

line of eight guns on the first drive, 

this position then moves along two 

pegs each drive. In shooting there’s 


a reassuring ‘does what it says on 

the tin’ quality to the language. Not 

only a weapon, a gun is one of the 

people doing the shooting. A loader 

is someone who loads the gun. A 

drive describes the way in which the 

birds are driven towards the guns. A 

picker up is someone, usually with a 

Springer Spaniel or two, who 

collects the birds once they have 

been shot. ‘Once we are on the peg 

we are live.’ says Chris, as we line up 

with the other guns in a clearing in 

the woods. There is a silence, made 

more acute by the ear defenders I 

have been given. Then, through the 

trees, I can hear the clattering and 

calling of the beaters, a pack of stick 

and flag wielding folk who advance 

through the wood in a line flushing 

out the pheasants towards the guns. 

The birds are upon us, flapping 

through the air, shots ring out from 

pegs further down the line. As a bird 

flies in our direction Chris raises his 

gun, he tracks the bird’s line of flight 

and fires two shots into the air. I 

cheer silently as the pheasant makes 

his escape. There’s a flurry of 

activity to reload the gun once each 

of the barrels is spent. A second bird 

flies overhead. This one isn’t so 

lucky. I cheer for Chris silently: this 

pheasant business creates rather 

divided loyalties. A third bird comes 

our way, this time much lower in the 

sky, a veritable sitting duck of a 

pheasant, but Chris doesn’t even 

pull the trigger. ‘Its important not to 

take low birds’ he says, ‘there’s no 

sport in it’. 

The guns shoot and reload. The 

pheasant fly into range: some are 

shot and plummet to the earth with 

a dull thud; others live to flap 

another day. After around 40 

minutes a whistle signals the end of 

the drive and whilst the picker ups 

finish collecting the birds, the guns 

congregate for a congratulatory 

snifter of alcohol, all pleased with 

the spoils of the first drive. With 

relief I accept a soupçon of Baileys 

in my coffee, Chris appears to know 

what he is doing and I have, for the 

moment, evaded death. 

Fair game 

The ringmaster of all this beating, 

shooting and picking up is Ray 

Edge, gamekeeper at Consall Valley. 

Even though the season starts on 1 

October, Ray works year round to 

make the shoots happen. Young 

pheasants, known as poults, are 

reared in pens dotted around the 

woods for two to three weeks. They 

are weaned on wheat before being 

released into the wild at the end of 

July. The pheasants are then kept in 

the boundaries of the shoot by a 

process know as dogging in. ‘I go out 

with the dogs at first light and walk 

the perimeter of the shoot’, says 

Ray. ‘We do it three times a day 

from July to September, I must walk 

around 20 miles a day’. With the 

season underway Ray organises 

each shoot day, as well passing the 

birds on to game dealers. 

Club PheaSanT 

Pheasant from Consall Valley is 

bought up by butcher to the club 

Finclass. Not only is Chris Hogg my 

Sundance Kid, he runs Finclass 

with his father Gordon, who is also a 

member of the club. ‘Most game

. photographs: JaKE EastMaN 

birds are best after hanging’ says 

Chris, ‘pheasant tends to be tougher 

than other poultry as the animals 

were wild so moved around a lot 

more.’ The birds are hung for two to 

three days - the longer the hanging 

period the stronger the flavour, 

‘some of the clubs used to hang the 

birds for a long time, sometimes ten 

days - the meat is very high then, its 

an acquired taste.’ Once tender and 

tasty the pheasant is ready for the 

club table. 

Sundance Kid 

Top shot at Consall Valley, Roy 

Flood, gives his top gun tips. 

n Fit and balance of gun (the gun 

must shoot where you are looking) 

n Gun Cartridge combination is 

important, this does not mean that 

you have to buy an expensive gun, 

but it must pattern well at 70 yards. 

n Always check your gun on a 

pattern plate (it will give you more 

confidence to take on high birds) 

n Never buy a gun without trying it 

on a pattern plate. 

n Feet and balance must be right 

(feet should face the target area). 

n Learn to focus on the target. 

n Understand your lead time - it’s 

not just the time it takes for the 

shot to reach the target, it’s the 

time it takes for the message to 

travel from your head to the trigger. 

This varies by person and distance. 

You should learn and understand 

your lead time. 

n Move the gun with the bird, keep 

on it applying your lead time. 

By keeping on the bird you 

establish its speed and line (never 

let the bird overtake the gun.) 





How To Make RoasT 

PHeasanT 

By Head Chef at Woodcote Park 

Howard Bisset 

2 Whole pheasant 

1 Savoy cabbage 

200g Chicken livers (halved) 

3 Round shallots 

1 Clove garlic 

6 Medium parsnips 

2 Tablespoons honey 

100g Butter 

Pinch of paprika 

1kg Red Desiree potatoes 

1 litre Chicken stock 

1 Slice white bread 

1 Egg yolk 

50ml Double cream 

Salt and pepper 

Red wine 

1. Remove the outside leaves of the 

cabbage and discard. Take the next 

four leaves and set aside. Cut the 

remaining cabbage in to four and 

very finely slice one of the quarters 

and keep for later. 

2. Take the four large leaves. Cut 

out each stalk but leave leaf whole. 

Blanch in boiling salted water; 

refresh in iced water, drain and dry 

on kitchen roll. Finely dice shallots, 

crush garlic and sweat off together 

in a pan with a little butter. 

Meanwhile lightly whisk egg yolk 

and cream, and soak the bread in it. 

When the shallots are cooked, add 

finely sliced cabbage and sauté in 

butter for two minutes. In a 

separate hot frying pan, add the 

chicken livers and fry for two 

minutes, then add to the sautéed 

cabbage and leave to cool. When 

cool add the soaked bread and bind 

together to form a farce. Divide the 

farce into four and place in the 

middle of a cabbage leaf. Place in a 

cloth and twist and squeeze each to 

form a tight ball. Set in the fridge for 

two hours. When ready to serve, 

heat a pan with a little butter, add 

the cabbage balls and colour slightly 

Add a ladle of chicken stock, bring 

to the boil and then place in the 

oven for 10 minutes. 

3. Peel and cut potatoes and wash 

under cold water to remove starch 

and any dirt. Place on stove, cover 

with chicken stock to a depth of one 

inch. Add butter and seasoning and 

bring to the boil. Turn down heat 

and simmer until 90% of the stock 

has evaporated. Whilst hot place the 

potatoes in a food processor and 

blend until smooth, check seasoning 

and set aside somewhere warm. 

4. Remove the wishbone and claws 

from the pheasant. With a 

blowtorch singe off any feathers 

that remain. Remove the legs from 

the crown and keep for a later dish. 

To a hot frying pan add a little 

vegetable oil, season the crown 

inside and out with salt and pepper. 

Carefully place the crowns in the 


frying pan, turning over to achieve a 

even golden colour. place in a pre 

heated oven on 200ºc for 10-12 

minutes. Remove from the oven and 

add 50g of butter to the pan. Baste 

over the crown and then place 

somewhere warm to rest. 

5. After 10 minutes remove crown 

from pan and place on a clean 

baking tray. Skim the oil/butter 

from the pan. Return to the heat add 

one chopped shallot. Cook until 

coloured and then quickly deglaze 

with a glass of quality red wine. 

Reduce by half. Add the chicken 

stock and again reduce by half. Pass 

the liquid through a fine sieve and 

keep aside for serving. To remove 

the breast from the crown run a very 

sharp knife down the back bone and 

follow underneath of the breast, 

keeping the knife on the bone so as 

not to leave any meat on the bone. 

6. Peel the parsnips, blanche in 

boiling salted water and refresh in 

ice water, cut into quarters 

lengthways. In a frying pan heat a 

little vegetable oil and a knob of 

butter. Add parsnips and colour to 

golden. Place in the oven for five 

minutes. Serve with the pheasant. 



Visit Woodcote 

On Your Bike 

‘Surrey offers some of the best cycling opportunities in the South East’, 

says professional triathlete James Lock. Here is his pick of Surrey routes. 

I Want to RIde My BIcycle 

Whether it is fast and furious or gentle and 

relaxing, cycling is becoming increasingly 

popular. And rightly so, cycling helps to 

tone all your leg muscles and keep your 

body fit, without putting too much strain on 

the bones or joints. It clears your head, 

de-stresses your mind and allows you to 

think things through rather than make rash 

decisions. Most importantly of all, cycling 

gets you out into the fresh air and away from 

a computer screen, which is something we 

all seem to struggle with these days. 

touR de SuRRey 

With the huge increase in mass 

participation sport over the last few years 

and the Olympic road cycle event coming 

out as far as Box Hill in 2012, Surrey is now 

on the cycling map. With great routes and 

scenery, Surrey offers some of the best 

cycling opportunities in the South East - 

minimal amounts of traffic, the road 

surfaces are not too bad and, best of all, you 

normally don’t have to put your foot down 

once you have started. The routes outlined 

could be tackled at your leisure or as part of 

a training regime. I have graded them 

according to their intensity. There are two 

options for road cyclists (intended for 

cyclists with road bikes who feel confident 

cycling alongside passing traffic) and also 

two options for cycling off road. Each route 

starts and ends at Woodcote Park. 


Be PRePaRed 

When preparing for cycling it is always 

recommended to: 

n Wear the correct clothing including 

helmet and gloves. 

n Take plenty of water and a snack. 

n Take a puncture repair and tool kit. 

n Ensure you wear high visibility clothing 

and always use safety lights in darker 

conditions. 

n Take a mobile phone and let family or 

friends know where you are going. 

n Make sure your bicycle is in optimum 

working condition, especially the brakes, 

gears and tyres. 


Route One: Box Hill. 

The route starts and 

finishes at Woodcote. 

Route one: 

Box Hill. One lap is 15 miles and between 

one and two hours of cycling. 

n This route is one of the most famous in 

the South East and is where the Olympics 

Road Race is centred. It is quite a technical 

and undulating course with a steep incline 

whilst climbing Box Hill, so it would be 

recommended for people who are confident 

on a bike and have a good solid fitness level. 

n Exit at the main gates of Woodcote Park 

and turn left, follow this road (Headley 

Road) up the hill towards Epsom Downs. At 

the T junction turn right and then left and 

continue on Headley Road. Follow this 

undulating road for approximately two 

miles and then turn right into Leech Lane. 

This road is quite steep downhill with blind

‘GET A DRINK 

AT THE CAFE 

AT THE TOP 

AND ENJOY THE 

PANORAMIC 

VIEWS WHILST 

YOU CATCH 

YOUR BREATH’ 

bends so proceed with caution. As the road 

starts to open up and approximately 100m 

before the roads starts to go uphill again, 

take a tight turning right into Lodge Bottom 

Road and follow straight for two and a half 

miles. You then take a left and first left again 

into Zig Zag Road which is the start of Box 

Hill. Continue all of the way to the top and 

then continue to follow the road straight 

down the other side. It is well worth getting 

a drink at the Café at the top and enjoying 

the panoramic views whilst you catch your 

breath! Once you get to a T junction at the 

bottom turn left and this road will take you 

back the same way through Headley to 

Woodcote Park. 

Route two: 

Surrey Hills. 35 miles and between two 

to four hours of cycling. 

n This route takes you into the Surrey Hills; 

classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural 

Beauty. It is a long ride to and from 

Woodcote Park, an alternative is to drive 

and park in towns such as Dorking or 

Effingham and explore from there. There 

are some challenging hills to climb. 

n From Woodcote head towards Ashtead 

High Street and continue to Leatherhead. 

Pass Leatherhead Leisure Centre on your 

left and then take a right at the approaching 

roundabout sign-posted to Fetcham. Then 

take a gentle left at the next roundabout 

onto Lower Road. Follow straight until you 

get to the T-junction in Effingham. Take a 

left here and then straight over the A246 

crossroads into Beech Avenue. This is the 

start of the Surrey Hills! 

n Follow this road upwards until you reach 

a crossroads. Go straight over and continue 

forward until you reach the A25. Take 

special care on the sharp left bend on the 

descent. Turn right on the A25 and follow 

for around 1km before going left into Felday 

Road. Continue through the pretty village of 

Holmbury St Mary and after four miles take 

a left on Tanhurst Lane. Continue up Leith 

Hill and then follow Abinger Road towards 

Visit Woodcote 

Coldharbour. There are some stunning 

views around here. Pick up Coldharbour 

Lane and this will take you back into 

Dorking where you can follow the A24 cycle 

paths back to Mickleham where you can 

ascend Box Hill and return to the club in the 

same way as route one. 

off Road: 

These routes are more suited towards 

leisure cyclists who prefer to cycle away 

from traffic and on a mountain bike or 

similar. Both routes are quite easy to 

explore and there are nice views and spots 

to sit down and have a picnic or read a book. 

Route one: 

Epsom and Ashtead Common 

n Leave the main gates of Woodcote Park 

and turn right towards Epsom. After 500m 

turn left into ‘The Loop’ and then left onto 

Woodcote Side. Follow this to the A24 

T-junction. Turn left here then take the first 

right into Wells Road taking care when 

crossing the road. At the bottom of this 

road, before it bends around to the left, you 

can enter Epsom Common on the right 

hand side. From here you can follow the 

bridle tracks all around Epsom and Ashtead 

Common which are generally quite flat. 

One route would be to continue north until 

you reach the Church and then follow the 

Christ Church Road west until you head 

south again, passing a pond on your left 

before looping back around. 

Route two: 

Epsom Downs 

n The alternative option would be to cycle 

around Epsom Downs. If the caddy master 

gives you permission you can cycle straight 

up through the centre of the golf course 

which leads you to a gate at the top which 

opens up onto Epsom Downs. From here 

you can explore the trails both within and 

outside the wooded areas. 

Follow James: James gives regular updates 

of his races on his blog visit, 

www.RaceZone3.com 


Club Travel 

56 | October 2011| Issue 136 

A Journey on the 

Orient Express 

The club has reciprocals in Singapore and Bangkok. Luckily there’s a 

luxury train between the two cities. Gillian Rhys climbs aboard.


The Eastern and 

Oriental Express 

Crossing Tha 

Chompu Bridge, 

Thailand 


above: Crossing the 

Kanchanburi Bridge 

below left: En route 

to Butterworth 

below right: Dusk in the 

Malaysian countryside 


‘had i known 

it was going 

to be a race 

i would 

have chosen 

a younger 

cyclist’

Cocktail hour can be a 

precarious business on 

board the Eastern & 

Oriental Express. There’s a 

risk of losing great splashes of your G&T 

overboard with every sway of the train. 

But standing on the open sided 

observation deck at sunset, passing by 

the verdant scenery of South East Asia, 

is worth any effort incurred. And of 

course being a passenger on a luxury 

train is really no effort at all. 

Our journey had begun in 

Singapore where we spent the night at 

Raffles, a white wedding cake of 

colonial architecture encasing dark 

wood, ceiling fans and antique furniture 

within. Singapore Slings (the hotel’s 

own creation) on the veranda followed 

by a curry buffet of northern Indian 

specialities in the stunning Tiffin Room 

took us back to a more gracious era. 

Perfect before boarding the E&O for a 

three-day journey through Malaysia 

and into Thailand. 

Now, 24 hours later, we are deep 

into the Malaysian countryside. And 

with darkness swallowing up the last of 

the view, it’s time to dress for dinner. 

The E&O is owned by the famous 

Orient-Express company and as such 

features exquisite marquetry and 

fabrics. Unlike the Venice Simplon train 

that runs through Europe, the carriages 

are not Art Deco originals. But what 

they lack in authenticity they make up 

for in modern comforts – ensuite 

bathrooms and a reading room (home 

to a resident reflexologist and a fortune 

teller). There’s also the bonus of some 

pit stops along the way. 

The first takes place just before 

dinner when we pull in to Kuala 

Lumpur station. It’s fun to walk up and 


down the platform in our finery, but the 

best bit is to come. As we leave the 

station, tucking into our first course of 

goose liver with pumpkin and coconut 

veloute, we spot the Petronas Towers 

sparkling in the darkness. In the bar car 

after dinner the gregarious pianist, 

Peter, keeps playing until the last guest 

goes to bed. On this occasion, not us - 

we are out stayed by a young couple 

from the UK. When we return to our 

State cabin it has been transformed into 

a bedroom, the sofa and lounge chair 

magically turned into twin beds. 

‘Did you sleep well?’ enquires our 

steward, Sarawut, as he brings us 

breakfast in our cabin the next 

morning. When we sheepishly reply in 

the negative he is not that surprised. 

‘Some people don’t on the first night. It’s 

like sleeping through an earthquake.’ At 

8.35am we pull into Butterworth 

station. All the passengers set off on the 

first of our excursions to the island of 

Penang. Georgetown, the capital, has 

UNESCO heritage status on account of 

its abundance of historical buildings. 

We are all now settled into trishaws and 

are pedalled around the ancient streets. 

Had I known it was an unofficial race I 

might have chosen a younger cyclist 

– the task of propelling both me and my 

husband seems a little much for ours. 

But the leisurely pace means we get a 

good view of the beautiful buildings 

from old merchants’ houses to Chinese 

temples filled with red lanterns or 

bright pink firecrackers. We pass 

through Little India, China Town and 

the Street of Harmony (so called 

because it’s home to a church, a temple 

and a mosque) and make a promise to 

return for a longer stay. 

Back on board it’s time for lunch. 


From his tiny galley kitchen chef Yannis 

Martineau has prepared a tom yam 

vichyssoise with quail followed by pan 

roasted seabass with Sichuan style 

vegetables. Yannis’ dishes are a perfect 

blend of East meets West. He combines 

local ingredients and techniques with 

his French fine dining background. At 

Penang, he took the opportunity to 

stock up on spices which we will try 

tonight in a delicious beef medallion 

curry. We gain an hour today, as we 

cross the border into Thailand. The 

scenery changes noticeably. Palm trees 

give way to paddy fields, small temples 

can be glimpsed through tree tops and 

in the distance we spot a huge golden 

statue of the Buddha. From the 

observation deck we get a fascinating 

glimpse of of local life. We pass through 

rural stations where food stalls are set 

up along the platform. A couple of 

Buddhist monks in their distinctive 

orange robes chat on a bench. Children 

riding bicycles try to keep up with the 

train. Everywhere, people stare or smile 

and wave – the train has an uplifting 

effect on everyone who sees it. 

To celebrate our crossing into 

Thailand, a traditional Thai dancer is 

performing in the bar car this evening. 

There’s the usual merriment as she 

entices guests up to join her. The trip is 

a convivial one: there’s something about 

a train journey that draws people 

together. Our fellow passengers range 

from other couples to families with 

young children and several singles. 

There are honeymooners, Ruby 

wedding celebrators and at least one 

blossoming romance. 

Our last day on board and the train 

manager announces that the train is 

running slightly late - we are all secretly 


pleased to have some extra time. 

When we pull into a stop right next 

to the River Kwai bridge we cause quite 

a stir. We leave a group of intrigued 

tourists to their photography and 

embark on a gentle raft journey along 

the Kwai, floating under the notorious 

bridge as a local historian tells its story. 

Our tour continues to the Thailand 

Burma Railway Centre, a small but well 

run museum and the adjacent cemetery 

for Prisoners of War – a soothingly 

pretty spot. Everyone seems moved by 

this visit; it is undoubtedly one of the 

best experiences of the trip. We 

re-board the train at Kanchanaburi 

station for the last leg of the journey. As 

we draw closer to Bangkok the temples 

become bigger and more numerous. On 

the outskirts of the city, hard-hatted 

construction workers wave at the train 

with the same enthusiasm as the school 

children in the countryside. Soon we 

draw alongside canals – the city’s 

famous khlongs - and know we about to 

reach Hua Lamphong station. The 

bustling station is a shock after the 

cosseting of our train trip but we are 

soon back to the comfort we have grown 

accustomed to when we check into the 

Mandarin Oriental. We are staying in 

the Author’s Wing, the original part of 

the hotel named after the likes of 

Somerset Maughan and Noel Coward 

who stayed here. It’s as fitting an end to 

our trip as Raffles was to the beginning. 

On our last evening in Bangkok we 

catch the wooden shuttle boat over the 

Chao Phraya river to the hotel’s Sala 

Rim Naam restaurant. In the opulent 

setting of a Thai pavilion we feast on 

fried snow fish and roasted duck with 

tamarind and warm flour dumplings. 

Tomorrow we will be leaving Thailand 

Crossing the 

Kanchanburi 

Bridge, Thailand

‘a couple of 

Buddist monks 

chat on a 

Bench. children 

riding Bicycles 

try to keep up 

with the train’ 


but alas the journey involves airports 

and planes not intriguing stations and 

beautiful trains. Now there’s a thought, 

how about Orient Express coming up 

with a train from Bangkok to London….. 

For more details on trips aboard the 

Eastern & Oriental see www.orientexpress.com 

Address book 

The club has reciprocal arrangements 

with The Tanglin Club, Singapore and 

The British Club and The Royal 

Bangkok Sports Club in Bangkok. 

Raffles Hotel www.raffles.com 

Mandarin Oriental 

www.mandarinoriental.com/Bangkok 

Nahm, Metropolitan Hotel 

www.metropolitan.bangkok.como.bz 

Member Colm McCarthy, who lives 

in Singapore, gives his local 

recommendations. 

Oso Ristorante, consistently good 

Western food with a lively atmosphere. 

www.oso.sg 

Long Beach Seafood, superb fresh fish 

popular with local familes and expats. 

www.longbeachseafood.com.sg 

The Lantern Bar, great rooftop bar that 

looks across the bay, perfect at sunset. 

www.fullertonbayhotel.com 

Members Chris Burkett and John 

Davidson, who live in Bangkok, with 

their local tips. 

Gai&Joels, is relatively new and is 

already in Thailand’s Best Restaurant 

list. www.gaiandjoel.com 

Thanying, serves Royal Thai food, 

highly recommended, www.thanying.com 

Jim Thompson’s House, is a museum 

and a chance to look at an old Thai 

House. www.jimthompsonhouse.com 

Visit the club website for more tips, 

www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk 


Motoring news 

The latest in club motoring 

Jaguar XK140 eXplored. Bernard Viart; 

roger payne By Trevor Dunmore 

The publisher descibes this book, not unjustifiably, as: ‘a new 

concept in motoring books’. Why is it so special? Well, the whole 

concept is wonderfully bonkers! Those of us more attuned to 

ploughing the furrow of generalities are constantly amazed at the 

dedication of the practitioners of specialisms. And what finer 

example of the latter can there be than Viart’s painstaking study 

in graphite of this iconic mid-1950s coupe. To produce such a 

work of art required many ‘Jaguar friends’, including worldrenowned 

XK140 expert Roger Payne, followed by the 

dismantling and photographing of all those friends’ cars. 

Preparation completed, professional art teacher Viart was then 

at last in a position to draw the plates, taking a whopping 7500 

man-hours to do so. Was it worth it? Well, it’s a great model to 

have chosen. Apart from its resplendent lines (developed from the 

even purer XK120), the XK140 is powered by one of the great 

designs in automobile history: the XK engine - which was 

incorporated into all Jaguar models for more than three decades. 

Come, see, believe. 


goodwood reViVal 

Period costumes were dusted off 

for the Goodwood Revival 

weekend in September, where, 

Chairman of the Motoring 

Committee, Ben Cussons 

(pictured below) raced in the 

Freddie March Memorial 

Trophy. ‘Goodwood was, and 

still is, a very fast track.’ says 

Ben. ‘It’s a track you have to treat 

with respect. There are a few 

shunts every year’. After 

changing positions four times in 

the race, Ben finished fifth out of 

a field of 23 cars. A costume 

change for the legendary 

Goodwood Ball followed, this 

year the theme was Barbarella 

and Space. ‘Yours truly went as 

part of the Star Trek crew’, says 

Ben. ‘It is an amazing weekend, 

both on and off track, there is so 

much to see. Competitors and 

spectators really enter into the 

spirit of the event.’

Foundation update 

by PhiliP Gomm 

So which do you support? 4+2+2 

as in Ireland and France? 3+2+2 

as in Japan? Or 3+1+1 as we have 

here? We are of course talking 

about the frequency of the MOT 

test which currently sees cars in 

the UK evaluated three years 

after being first registered and 

annually after that. This 

timescale has been around for 

decades but ministers are 

thinking of relaxing it, making 

checks more infrequent and 

bring the UK in line with the rest 

of Europe. The case for change is 

based on the supposed better 

reliability of modern cars and a 

desire to ease the administrative 

and financial burden on 

motorists. The counter 

argument is that MOTs focus 

drivers’ minds on safety and a 

yearly assessment at least 

encourages car owners to 

consider the roadworthiness of 

their vehicles. There is also 

evidence to suggest a slight 

increase in accident rates if cars 

were scrutinised less often. Not 

to mention a likely increase in 

unemployment amongst the 

50,000 MOT Testers and the 

20,000 Testing Stations with 

the associated costs. At the time 

of writing we wait with bated 

breath to see which way the 

Government jumps. The RAC 

Foundation is an independent 

motoring research charity which 

carries out authoratative 

research.For more information 

visit www.racfoundation.org 


111-year-old electric car at the lBVcr 

A rare 1900 Lohner–Porsche, the world’s first electric front 

wheel drive hybrid car, will be in action at November’s London to 

Brighton Veteran Car Run. The 111- year old car, conceived and 

built by Ferdinand Porsche whilst working for Vienna 

coachbuilder Jacob Lohner, makes a distinctive sound as the 

engine runs at constant revs regardless of the car’s speed. You can 

view the car at the Regent Street Motor Show on 5 November and 

listen out for those revs on 6 November when the veteran cars 

make the journey from Hyde Park in London to Madeira Drive in 

Brighton. For more information visit www.veterancarrun.com. 

red Bull Simulator 

Members spent the afternoon 

being Formula 1 drivers in 

September (well sort of). Tony 

Jeans was one of the lucky four 

who were thrown around in the 

Red Bull Formula 1 simulator, 

used by Sebastian Vettel and 

Mark Webber for training. 

‘Every Formula 1 fan wonders 

what it’s like to drive a racing car; 

I watched the Monza grand prix 

with fresh eyes, says Tony. ‘It was 

the experience of a lifetime; one I 

shall never forget.’ 

Get inVolVed 

The Regent Street Motor Show 

is on Saturday 5 November. 300 

cars from the 19th, 20th and 21st 

centuries will be on display. The 

London to Brighton Veteran Car 

Run is on the Sunday 6 

November. A gala dinner is being 

held, at the Metropole Hotel in 

Brighton, after the Run (contact 

Karen Cunningham on 01327 

856024 to attend). McLaren’s 

Martin Whitmarsh will speak at 

the 2012 Motoring Dinner; for 

tickets contact the events team. 


The 

Bristol 

Diaries 

Precipitous roads, failed border crossings 

and police encounters: all par for the course 

on an impromptu round the world road trip. 

Club member Geoffrey Herdman tells all... 

Having hung up our respective quill and 

abacus on 30 June 2010, my wife Hilary 

and I had the dilemma of either holding 

heated discussions about who made the 

early morning tea, or driving round the world. Thus it 

was that just under three weeks later we found ourselves 

heading North from Key West, the most Southerly point 

of the mainland USA in 10DPG. 

The idea was to make a horseshoe round North 

America, driving up the East coast to Halifax, crossing 

Canada, and heading South down the West coast. This 

to be followed by a couple of months in South America, 

and two or three months in Australia, before shipping 

the car to Jordan for the journey home. 

10DPG is a 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead, number 29 

out of 42. Being nominally a four seater, albeit a 

draughty one for the rear passengers, we can carry a 

prodigious amount of luggage, which includes eight 


‘300,000 brits 

come to 

mexico every 

year. we only 

send about 80 

back in boxes.’ 

Club Adventure 


suitcases, various spares, toolbox, car washing kit, 

complete with bucket, not to mention a computer and 

printer. The whole lot must weigh at least the same as 

the two passengers. 

We were never too clear on how we were going to 

get from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires, but always had it 

in mind to drive to Panama. All the way round both the 

States and Canada, when asked our plans we were told 

unanimously on no account to think about driving in 

Mexico, as with drug wars we would have the car stolen 

and probably be killed. There were, it has to be said, 

some fairly bad stories circulating at the time. 

More or less at the 11th hour we contacted the 

British Embassy in Mexico, who said ‘300,000 Brits 

come to Mexico every year and we only send about 80 

back in boxes. Come, but don’t drive at night, leave your 

car in a locked garage at each hotel, and be careful.’ Oh 

yes, and the same day, my horse won. We took this as a 

good omen and on 12 November crossed over into Baja 

California, and had a wonderful time in Mexico, as we 

did in all of Central America. 

Needless to say, at most hotels there were no locked 

garages and, due to the inadequacy of road signs, we 

frequently drove by night. The tonneau fits fairly tightly 

over the rear seat luggage, but from the bulges it is 

obvious to all that there are suitcases under it. Yet here 


we are, over a year later, with nothing having been taken 

thus far. The suggestion was that had we been in a 

Toyota Hilux the story might have been different. After 

all, a very traceable car such as ours would be a poor 

choice to take into the mountains and use to ferry drugs 

and arms. 

Border crossings in Central America are not for the 

faint hearted. Despite there being six countries we 

managed nine crossings, as we were rejected the first 

time we attempted to get into El Salvador - right hand 

drive cars are not permitted. You can in fact drive round 

El Salvador via Honduras, but next day when entering 

Honduras, local knowledge told us this involved 

climbing on dreadful roads to over 10,000 feet and it 

was a very long way round. So, having taken three hours 

crossing the frontier into Honduras, 45 minutes later 

with our hearts in our mouths we were back trying to 

get into El Salvador by another frontier – fortunately 

this time successfully. 

In Mexico, at a grubby shed in Tijuana, we bought 

some third party insurance and were gobsmacked when 

a few days later we received an e-mail from AIG with a 

copy of our policy. But for Guatemala, El Salvador and 

Honduras, insurance was impossible, and it was with a 

huge sigh of relief that we met an insurance salesman at 

the Nicaraguan frontier. Central America was perhaps 

photographs: gEoFFrEY hErDMaN, aNothoNY spooNEr Map: MichaEl hill

the most exciting part of the trip. There are absolutely 

no sign posts or GPS coverage. The first night in 

Guatemala, having taken three hours to cross the 

frontier, we climbed for an hour in first gear on 

precipitous, narrow roads. Long after dark we gave up 

trying to reach Lake Atitlan and stayed in a roadside 

hotel. This was at 8,000 feet, bitterly cold and we were 

clearly the first ‘guests’ in a very long time. But 

Guatemala is incredibly beautiful and the next two 

nights we stayed in luxury in Antigua Guatemala. 

On 18 December we crossed the last frontier from 

Costa Rica into Panama, where ten days later we 

shipped the car to Buenos Aires. Christmas lunch was 

taken in an excellent open air restaurant at the 

Miraflores lock watching cruise liners negotiating the 

Panama Canal. Then, on 5 February, we set out from 

Buenos Aires heading North, almost to the Bolivian 

border, and then South to Esquel and the Old 

Patagonian Express. Right hand drive cars are also not 

allowed in Chile but in over a month there, only one 

policeman mentioned this. When crossing into Chile no 

inspection of the car had been made and the entry 

permit made no reference to the configuration. 

Fortunately it satisfied the local constabulary. We have 

lost count of how many times we were stopped by the 

police in Spanish America. Our record was five times in 

three hours, driving through Honduras. Perhaps luckily, 

we were only relieved of cash once, in Nicaragua, for 

speeding in a village. Having forked out US$60, way 

over the odds according to the locals, we were then 

asked for a tip. As I had my passport back by then, my 

Spanish gave up on me! 

On 8 April we departed Santiago en route to 

Adelaide. Our rather well travelled car had to go via the 

Panama Canal, arriving nine weeks later. As I write 

(early August), we are in Townsville in Northern 

Queensland, where we have been attending a sublime 

chamber music festival. Later this month we will ship 

the car from Brisbane, but to Turkey rather than 

Jordan, in view of developments in Syria, and gently 

make our way home, arriving hopefully at the end of 

November. Our wrinkly gap year will have turned into 

nearly 18 months. Our daughter thought we would kill 

each other after three, but here we are, still loving it. The 

car has thus far covered 27,000 miles. Until we reached 

Santiago (22,500 miles), having driven on some awful 

roads, many miles of no tarmac, climbing to 10,000 feet 

on several occasions, and being generally abused by the 

wretched driver, we had spent just $125 on repairs. The 

evidence speaks for itself - it has to be said that the 

Bristol 405 Drophead is the ideal touring car. 

10DPG will be on display in the rotunda from 2 January. 


Return of the 

Silver Ghost 

In 1911 a Rolls-Royce Silver 

Ghost travelled from London to 

Edinburgh and back in top 

gear. 100 years later member 

Nick Naismith recreated the 

run, here is his story. 


Club Q&A 


Club member Nick Naismith saw 

two years of hard work come 

together when, in the early hours 

of Sunday 11 September, 16 

Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts 

assembled on Pall Mall. The cars 

had gathered to recreate an 

historic endurance challenge from 

the pioneer days of motoring. 

A hundred years earlier, Silver 

Ghost chassis 1701 set off from 

London with four passengers and 

their luggage to drive from 

London to Edinburgh and back 

– a total of 799 miles – using 

nothing but top gear throughout. 

This epic adventure was an 

attempt to prove to the rival 

Napier marque that Rolls-Royce 

truly did build the best car in the 

world and, as a result, the trial’s 

performance and fuel 

consumption was monitored by 

the R AC. Recreating the original 

run on its 100th anniversary, 

chassis 1701 took pride of place at 

the head of the 15 Ghosts. Nick 

explains what happened next. 


What prompted you to recreate 

the Silver Ghost’s epic reliability 

run? How did it come together? 

It was just such an important 

centenary to mark, Rolls-Royce 

really came of age through this 

achievement. You have to 

remember that, at the time, 

relatively few people really trusted 

the motor car as a reliable 

alternative to horse-drawn travel. 

Driving from London to 

Edinburgh and back comfortably, 

reliably and with acceptable fuel 

consumption really challenged the 

idea that cars were simply a 

novelty or fad and gave Rolls- 

Royce an opportunity to showcase 

the Silver Ghost. 

Were there times when 

attempting to recreate the trial 

seemed a hard task to complete? 

The event was organised for the 

20-Ghost Club, the oldest 

Rolls-Royce club in the world. 

Everyone involved in putting the 

event together shared a common 

intrigue – how did they achieve 

such a feat? And how could we 

hope to repeat it? We managed to 

draw 15 Silver Ghosts together. 

Many came from overseas – the 

original car, 1701, travelled across 

from Spain and we had other cars 

arriving from Switzerland, 

Portugal and Hong Kong. It was a 

step into the unknown for 

everyone, but I don’t think anyone 

would have missed it for the world. 

The 1911 run was a landmark for 

Rolls-Royce. What were the 

final results that 1701 recorded 

originally and how did your 

performance compare? 

The 1911 result showed 24.4mpg 

was achieved at an average of 19.8 

mph – remembering that the 

speed limit at the time was 

20mph! For our run 1701 recorded 

13.6 mpg but at a much higher 

average speed – which is either a 

case of exercising greater caution 

in 2011 or some poetic licence 

being made in 1911! 

photographs: coUrtEsY oF roLLs-roYcE. words NIcK garttoN

Were any subtle modifications 

made to 1701 for her 1911 run – 

‘tricks of the trade’ to get the 

most from her? And were any 

special modifications needed to 

the fleet of Silver Ghosts in order 

to make the trip this time? 

In order to prove that the results 

were above board in 1911, chassis 

1701 was taken straight to 

Brooklands where she lapped at 

76mph to show that she was not 

‘under-geared’. In terms of 

modifications to our cars, all that 

we did was have brass seals fitted 

to the transmission by Rolls- 

Royce specialists P & A Wood, 

this blocked off all the gears 

except top and reverse. 

Were there any great difficulties 

for you on the drive? 

All the cars performed amazingly 

well. I think the actual drive itself 

was more straightforward than we 

thought it might be. The main 

thing was to look out ahead and 

anticipate when you needed to 

slow, feathering the clutch as you 

approached traffic lights to try 

and keep from coming to a 

complete halt. Out of the 15 cars, 

seven made it all the way from 

London to Edinburgh in top gear, 

which really is quite something. 

How much different was your 

route to that taken in 1911? 

We left the club on Pall Mall and 

made for the original Great North 

Road – now the A1000 – before 

picking up the A1 after Welwyn 

Garden City. From then on we 

would come off the A1 whenever it 

had bypassed towns on the 

original route, and motored on 

until we reached Holyrood House. 

Returning from Edinburgh we 

took a slightly different tack, 

ending the event at Goodwood in 

just in time to join in with the 

Revival activities. 

How do you fuel a 100 year-old 

car for such a journey? 

They ran on standard pump fuel 

Club Q&A 

– unleaded – without any 

problems at all. You have to 

remember that the quality of fuel 

available 100 years ago was 

universally terrible. Fortunately 

the Silver Ghost has a low-revving 

engine with only a 3:5:1 

compression ratio, so she will run 

happily on unleaded. 

What have been the most 

enjoyable moments of recreating 

this landmark event? 

It was quite surreal to be setting 

out on this adventure in central 

London, so early on the Sunday, 

that the Saturday night revellers 

were still making their way home 

through the streets. I imagine that 

falling out of a nightclub to be 

confronted by a 100 year-old 

Rolls-Royce doesn’t happen too 

often. Having the original car with 

us, 100 years after she made 

history was tremendously exciting 

and the reception we received at 

Goodwood really crowned the 

entire event for all concerned. 


photograph: club archive Source: Dft reporteD roaD caSualtieS 2009 

Through The 

windscreen 

Don’t interrupt my driving – I’m on the phone! 

Observes Martin Payne 

Britain’s roads are becoming ever more crowded. 

Greater vigilance is needed when ever we get behind 

the wheel. So why is it that the use of hand held 

mobile telephones is on the increase when in 2003 it 

was made illegal? Recent surveys have concluded 

that, not only has the use of hand held phones has 

increased (by 27% for car and 18% van and lorry 

drivers) but their use for talking or texting distracts 

the driver from his main task, causing 15 fatalities on 

our roads . Overall their use has increased to a level 

greater than before legislation was introduced. 

Many motor cars are now fitted with hands free 

telephone equipment. Perhaps it should be 

compulsory for all lorries and vans to be similarly 

equipped? Maybe, as a result, there would be fewer 

fatalities on our roads? What would happen if the 

police matched tachograph details with hand held 

mobile telephone records? There could be a 

significant increase in prosecutions and driving 

licence endorsements. The most important asset for 

a Road Haulage Company is his licence. If that is 

withdrawn as a result of illegal mobile phone usage, 

the company would be unable to operate. 

Club Motoring 

Through The 

rear view mirror 

Piers Brendon delves into the club’s history 

The opening of the ‘Parliament of Motoring’ in Pall 

Mall, whose centenary we celebrate this year, took 

place at a time when the car was being temporarily 

eclipsed by the horse. This was because of the most 

spectacular event London witnessed in 1911, namely 

the coronation of King George V. 

The automobile was largely kept at bay, though 

Lord Kitchener, who commanded the troops on 

parade, was seen driving a limousine with a broken 

hood. But the procession essentially featured 

cavalry, carriages and coaches. In this stately 

peripatetic pageant, pride of place was taken by the 

noble quadruped. 

The clubhouse itself was the scene of various 

dazzling events associated with the Coronation, 

notably a June reception for the Dominions’ prime 

ministers and other colonial representatives. When 

shown the new swimming pool, some of them 

apparently thought it was a genuine Roman bath 

‘discovered by enterprising antiquaries of the RAC 

and redecorated’. 

But when a strong wind blew the inevitable equine 

detritus over the top hats, frock coats and full-dress 

uniforms of visiting dignitaries, the advantages of 

mechanical transport became evident. It may seem 

ironical now, but then motorists rejoiced that 

civilisation had provided them with vehicles that 

were free of pollution. 


Club People 

POOL WITH A VIEW: Models from the Pink Floyd cover shoot poolside CHESS IN THE SUN: Members play against the Calpe Club in Gibraltar 

CENTENARY CRICKET: Members play in the 

centenary match at Lord’s in July 

FOUNTAIN OF FOOD: Woodcote’s new BBQ 

in action over the summer 


In the 

PIcture 

Photographs from a 

season at the club 

We want to see what you’ve 

been up to. Perhaps you 

have just climbed a 

mountain for charity, met 

the Queen, had a baby, spent 

the week feeling smug on a 

sun lounger, returned from 

a far-flung adventure, or had 

a lovely time at the club. 

Send in your photographs to 

pellmell@ 


Selected photographs will be 

published in the magazine. 

CENTENARY ART: Artist Susan Ryder at 

work in the Great Gallery 

CENTENARY SQUASH: Andrew Nicholson 

and James Sandwith at the Finals Night 

LADY IN RED: Post backgammon match dinner at the New York Athletic Club GOLF GREATS: Peter Heath, Peter Bedford, Derek Richardson, Rusell Buxton

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October 2011 - Royal Automobile Club

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