Horological Meandering

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The Flying Bremont Boys at the Festival of Speed!

Giles and Nick English (Founders of Bremont Watches).



The very rare Bremont Alt-1 Z US Test Pilot School Chronograph. Yup – you have to qualify from the school to be eligible to buy one watch! Name and pass date are sent to directly to Bremont, after which you can contact Bremont to purchase your watch!



The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the quintessential British events and institutions. It is an annual hill climb event (with the course a little over a mile in length) featuring motor racing vehicles (from all eras) that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House (West Sussex, England). In its current incarnation it was started in 1993 by the present Earl of March in order to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood estate. There had been motor racing at Goodwood before as the grounds actually contain the Goodwood Circuit (which had been a major racing circuit in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s). However, with the number of accidents increasing (including Stirling Moss and Bruce McLaren), and the unwillingness of the then Duke of Richmond to upgrade the circuit to accommodate the increased speed of cars, in 1966 official motor racing at Goodwood was stopped.

Goodwood House with the Audi Festival of Speed sculpture



Nourishment!



Shortly after taking over the estate in the early 90’s, Lord March wanted to bring back motor racing to Goodwood Circuit, but did not have the necessary permit to host a race there. Therefore he held instead hosted a timed hill climb event on his own grounds with a small selection of entrants made up of invited historic vehicles. This became the Festival of Speed. What started off as a fun hill climb for historic vehicles (raced partially in anger), with about 20000 spectators, is now a full blown 3 day event attended by hundreds of thousands of spectators where some race, and some go to be seen. Once again, the increased speed of some cars (most notably from Formula 1) has stopped some of them racing for the time. No surprise that a Formula 1 car holds the record up the one mile course in about 40 seconds! And from a standing start!

For the past two years, Bremont have been the official time keeper of the Festival of Speed. It is called the Festival of Speed with good reason; it is not only just about a timed hill climb any more; it’s a celebration of going fast!

Whether by plane (with an air display by the RAF Red Arrows):





By four wheels with cars of today (Lewis Hamilton in his ‘Grand Prix’ McLaren-Mercedes MP4/23 2008 Formula 1 World Championship car):



With cars of yesteryear (a 1908 National 40 Indianapolis) which won at the Indianapolis race in 1911, but came last in the Indy 500 that year because the driver (Arthur Greiner) ran over his mechanic!



By two wheels:



By three wheels (the two individuals pictured here really were ‘going for it’ and are probably certifiable):



Or even by one wheel (if you feel that way inclined – no pun intended):



You are at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to celebrate the machines and the ‘pilots’ of the machines ‘going fast’!

Andrew H This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2009-07-08 07:30:01 This message has been edited by MTF on 2009-07-09 19:11:43

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