Classic cars take to the road for 1914 fuel trial

The Layer Marney Cup was first held on June 10, 1914, just two months before the outbreak of the First World War.

Fred Byford won the car event, running from Southend to Layer Marney Tower, near Colchester, with an average of 42.26 miles per gallon in his Unic car.

A century later, his granddaughter Judith Carr came across a blackened silver trophy while clearing out her mum’s house in Rayleigh.

The pair contacted Sheila Charrington, owner of Layer Marney Tower, to try to find out more.

After looking into the history of the race, Mrs Charrington decided to revive it.

Seven months of hard work paid off, as more than 50 competitors turned out in cars ranging from a 1913 Unic – the same model which Mr Byford drove in 1914 – through to supercars like the 1985 Ferrari 308 and 1995 MGR.

The trial kicked off at the Gulf petrol station, in Southchurch Road, Southend.

MILLIE Marks, 18, is a learner driver but drive in alongside mum Leonie, 50, from Great Totham in a 1926 Austin 7 Chummy which she received for her birthday in March.

Prior to that, she had been learning to drive in a Vauxhall Corsa, but said she much prefers driving the classic car.

She said: “I’ve been learning to drive for about a year and a half and I much prefer driving the Chummy to the Corsa – it’s nice to drive in the open air in something really small and bumbling.”

A passion for classic cars runs in the family, with dad Rupert also driving a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 in the trial, and Millie’s grandfather first kicking off the craze with his Type 57 Bugatti in 1969.

CHRIS Tabor, 44, of Shopland Road, Rochford, pictured with Adam Jones, arrived at the event in style in his silver 1924 Rolls- Royce Ghost, which was bought by his father and has been in his family 30 years.

He said: “I’ve been driving this since I was about 20, but at first the insurance company wouldn’t insure me because it was too much of a risk and they worried about the value of the car.

“I don’t know what my dad paid for, it but it must have been a lot because it was in the Eighties and the value of cars was quite high at that time.

“He’s also taking part today, in his 1965 Bentley."

KEITH Hall, 78, of Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay, drove a1930 MG M-Type, which he has had for nine months after “downsizing” from a1933 MG J-Type when he moved house.

He said: “This was restored three years ago and the only original parts now arethe chassis and the axles.

“It has aRexine artificial leather coating which was used quite alot in the Thirties, Ithink for cheapness morethan anything, with the later models being finished in metal.”

STEVE Bardwell, 54, from Latchingdon drove a 1913 Unic – the same model car FC Byford drove when he won the original Layer Marney Cup in 1914.

He said: “It’s been in the family since 1972 when my father bought it.

“I’ve no idea what one of these would be worth today because these classic motors are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them.

“It’s a real privilege to be able to drive this car today knowing the original was won by one just like it.”

CRAIG Sudron, 30, from Braintree, drove a 1976 Mk1 Ford Fiesta with Rebecca Harrington which, as a calibration engineer for the car manufacturer, he was able to drive out of the heritage workshop.

He said: “This is from the Ford heritage collection, which is a workshop full of more than 100 classic Fords kept in usable and good condition, so I often bring them to prize events like this.

“I drive a lot of cars in my job, new cars and prototypes, but this is definitely a bit different.

“The gear box is all over the place but it works.”