A Tribute to Lionel Martin
Discussion
On 25th October, the AMOC are celebrating the first outing of Lionel Martin's Aston Martin engine.
It was Sunday 25th October 1914, when Lionel Martin took the ‘hybrid’ (as the prototype later became known) down to Brighton, accompanied by some other pioneer motorists on an end of season run, organised by the magazine ‘The Light Car and Cyclecar’. After lunch, somebody suggested that an attempt should be made on the Cindertrack Hill (which at that time was occasionally used for official hill climbs).
We thought we would replicate the run, but will have several starting points, (London, Manchester, Cornwall, Eton, Oxford and Cambridge) all linked to times in Lionel Martin's life.
At Cindertrack Hill, we are planning to photograph any Aston with the same background as Lionel was pictured with, precisely 100 years before.
In the evening, there is a dinner in the Royal Banqueting Suite of the Royal Pavilion.
Entry for the Drive, Cindertrack Hill and Dinner in the Royal Pavilion is £125.
To find out more details, see photos of the original occasion and the beauty of the Royal Pavilion, please click here: [url] http://www.amoc.org/content/view/1919/933/ [\url]
Anne
It was Sunday 25th October 1914, when Lionel Martin took the ‘hybrid’ (as the prototype later became known) down to Brighton, accompanied by some other pioneer motorists on an end of season run, organised by the magazine ‘The Light Car and Cyclecar’. After lunch, somebody suggested that an attempt should be made on the Cindertrack Hill (which at that time was occasionally used for official hill climbs).
We thought we would replicate the run, but will have several starting points, (London, Manchester, Cornwall, Eton, Oxford and Cambridge) all linked to times in Lionel Martin's life.
At Cindertrack Hill, we are planning to photograph any Aston with the same background as Lionel was pictured with, precisely 100 years before.
In the evening, there is a dinner in the Royal Banqueting Suite of the Royal Pavilion.
Entry for the Drive, Cindertrack Hill and Dinner in the Royal Pavilion is £125.
To find out more details, see photos of the original occasion and the beauty of the Royal Pavilion, please click here: [url] http://www.amoc.org/content/view/1919/933/ [\url]
Anne
Edited by annereed on Tuesday 29th April 21:44
Dewi
Response from David Wright:
The 1914 drive has been mentioned in several books and journals ............ but a full report appeared in October 1914 in The Light Car and Cyclecar after the drive down to Brighton, along with the pictures. It wasn’t actually the first time that the engine was taken out, it was the first time and only known time that the Hybrid was photographed before it simply disappeared, so in effect the first known photograph of an Aston......... albeit the prototype........ but along with Lionel himself in the driving seat.
The Hybrid was the name by which the prototype A-M later became known by. Lionel constructed it in 1914 using an older (2nd hand!!) Isotta Fraschini chassis, and a brand new bespoke 1389cc engine that he had got Coventry-Simplex to build especially for him. He took the Hybrid out on quite a few occasions, testing the A-M engine and other mechanical components, whilst the first (to be road registered) A-M was being constructed. It was that very same engine that was then transferred in 1915 to Coal Scuttle, along with possibly some other mechanical components, but definitely not the chassis or body.
I would suggest that the build date for Coal Scuttle should probably read 1914-1915, as I don’t believe it was completed until it was road registered on the 16th March 1915.
Anne
Response from David Wright:
The 1914 drive has been mentioned in several books and journals ............ but a full report appeared in October 1914 in The Light Car and Cyclecar after the drive down to Brighton, along with the pictures. It wasn’t actually the first time that the engine was taken out, it was the first time and only known time that the Hybrid was photographed before it simply disappeared, so in effect the first known photograph of an Aston......... albeit the prototype........ but along with Lionel himself in the driving seat.
The Hybrid was the name by which the prototype A-M later became known by. Lionel constructed it in 1914 using an older (2nd hand!!) Isotta Fraschini chassis, and a brand new bespoke 1389cc engine that he had got Coventry-Simplex to build especially for him. He took the Hybrid out on quite a few occasions, testing the A-M engine and other mechanical components, whilst the first (to be road registered) A-M was being constructed. It was that very same engine that was then transferred in 1915 to Coal Scuttle, along with possibly some other mechanical components, but definitely not the chassis or body.
I would suggest that the build date for Coal Scuttle should probably read 1914-1915, as I don’t believe it was completed until it was road registered on the 16th March 1915.
Anne
Hello
Work is underway on the Pre-War section of the Aston Martin Register, which aims to have information on all Aston Martins. The Registrar, Tim Cottingham, (registrar@amht.org.uk) may well be interested in the information you have.
If you are near Donington Circuit on 7th June, you are welcome to come and see many of these Pre-War cars racing in the St John Horsfall race. Some will also be competing at our Oulton Park meeting this Saturday (10th May) but the Horsfall race is the one we get most attending.
It is a great opportunity to get close to the cars and talk to the drivers, who themselves know a lot of the history around these cars.
Anne
Work is underway on the Pre-War section of the Aston Martin Register, which aims to have information on all Aston Martins. The Registrar, Tim Cottingham, (registrar@amht.org.uk) may well be interested in the information you have.
If you are near Donington Circuit on 7th June, you are welcome to come and see many of these Pre-War cars racing in the St John Horsfall race. Some will also be competing at our Oulton Park meeting this Saturday (10th May) but the Horsfall race is the one we get most attending.
It is a great opportunity to get close to the cars and talk to the drivers, who themselves know a lot of the history around these cars.
Anne
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