‘When Jaguar Bought Daimler’ is a new exhibition at the British Motor Museum, from the  Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT), telling the story of when Jaguar bought the Daimler Company from BSA in 1960.

Most people know very little about the early history of the Daimler Company in the UK, or when it became part of the Jaguar Group, and the 60^th anniversary of Jaguar’s purchase of the company from BSA provides the ideal opportunity to tell the story.

‘When Jaguar Bought Daimler’ will run from 10 October 2020 to the end of January 2021.  It starts by detailing Sir William Lyons’ requirement for additional factory space, which fortuitously coincided with BSA’s desire to divest themselves of the loss making Daimler Company.  It explains the background behind the deal that was struck between Sir William and Jack Sangster of BSA, without the knowledge of Jaguar’s own board of directors.  This is exemplified by the opening headline of the exhibition:

“While shaving on May 26th 1960 , Jaguar Engineering Director, William Heynes heard an announcement on the BBC radio news that Jaguar was to buy Daimler from BSA.  This came as a complete surprise to Heynes and the rest of the Jaguar Board.”

The exhibition covers 100 years from the Daimler Company’s beginnings in 1896, its history of Royal patronage, superb engineering, efforts supporting both World Wars and then Daimler’s ‘post Jaguar’ life.  A series of period advertisements provides an insight into  Daimler’s social history

The following Daimlers from the JDHT Collection are included in the exhibition:

• 1897 - Grafton Phaeton AD 1897 – the oldest surving Coventry built Daimler
• 1907 - TP 35 – a sister car to the Daimler that set fastest time of day at the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb
• 1911 - TA23 – owned by a serial inventor who was responsible for many of the innovations that made pneumatic tyres practical. (The car wears registration number DU 1 the first one issued by Coventry).
• 1950 - DE36 ‘Green Goddess’ – one of only 7 built – bought in New York by James Melton - ‘America’s Favorite Tenor’
• 1963 SP252 Prototype – Sir William Lyons’ proposal for re-styling the Daimler SP250 Sports Car
• 1964 Majestic Major Limousine – the standard limousine of the 1950s and 1960s – powered by the 4.5 litre version of the Edward Turner designed, Daimler V8 engine
• 1966 V8 Saloon – Daimler version of the Jaguar Mark II compact saloon
• 1992 DS420 Limousine – the very last DS420 limousine built – signed by the team who built it
• 1996 Corsica – built by Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations to commemorate Daimler’s centenary

The exhibition is included in the normal Museum admission.  Museum entry is £14.50 for adults, £12.50 for concessions, £9 for children (5-16 years) and under 5s are FREE.  There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return, at no extra cost.

To find out more information about this exhibition please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/when-jaguar-bought-daimler or call 01926 927823.

Motorsport continues to blaze a trail as one of the most popular sports in the world and few vocations are as entertaining and thrilling as bike racing.

With competitions and races taking place all over the world and in many forms, bike racing continues to be one of the most popular punts for sports fans and sportsbooks alike.

Key to the appeal of bike racing betting is the sheer excitement that comes with every race. With bikes racing at speeds of up to 200mph, the margins for error are so small and with the added element of danger associated with every race, it makes compelling viewing.

As a betting vocation however, biking is not always the easiest for punters to earn big money from so read on for a guide on how to profit from biking betting:

Use Trusted Bookmakers

The surge in sports betting popularity has led to more bookmakers than ever emerging within a congested marketplace.

Doing prior research on any bookmaker you choose to use is always recommended and opting to bet with a reputable sportsbook is key.

Adequate security measures should always be met and look out for companies that are registered with their relevant gambling commission.

Embrace Bike Betting Variety

Whilst the essence of every bike race is the same – first racer past the chequered flag is the winner, the formats within each race takes place is interchangeable.

Here are some of the best bike betting options available to punters:

Moto GP – Perhaps the most recognisable format of bike racing is Moto GP. With races taking place at circuits all over the world, Moto GP is a global brand that dates back to 1949. A traditional Moto GP season contains 20 races – with fiercely competitive races taking place on a weekly basis.

Bets can be placed on simple markets such as the race winner, all the way through to which driver will crash out first – adding to the market variety punters have when Moto GP betting.

Superbikes – The direct competitor to Moto GP is the Superbike World Championship, which is also competed all over the world on a weekly basis. Most Superbike races take place on road based circuits and it has been a staple of the motorsport calendar since its launch back in 1988.

Speedway – When it comes to thrills and spills, few bike disciplines are as engaging as speedway. With leagues taking place in the UK as well as Poland and Scandinavia, speedway pits racers against each other in a series of heats before a Grand Final in each event.

The unique scoring system and innovative way in which a speedway event is run makes it a godsend for punters as straight win all the way through to individual race accumulators can be bet on.

Enjoy the Uncertainty

As mentioned, few sports are as unpredictable and unaccountable as bike racing. With racers speeding around courses at incredible speeds and a variety of external factors such as weather and track conditions, anything can happen.

Every racer will feel that they can win a specific race if things go their way and in competitions such as speedway and superbikes, with the mechanical make up on every bike being the same – most races are an even playing field.

Picking a long odds winner within the bike betting sphere is far more commonplace than when betting on car racing for example – so accept that things may not go your way every time and seek out value in every bet you place.

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31st Oct & 1st Nov 2020

Due to COVID we are unable to hold the event at Chessington School, but in order to bring you at least one rocking event this year we are going to hold it at Ardingly South of England Showground, RH17 6TH.

To keep the contact at the reception to a minimum there will no £1 off voucher issued for this fair, nor will there be a show guide. £10 cash on door as usual. We will also have a poppy box for any loose change you’d like to add as they have less collection points this year.

We will obviously adhere to the COVID guidelines but will bring you the best event we can in this crazy time.

A separate blog re covid precautions at the event can be found on our website here.

Indoor shopping. The dancing will be open air but undercover and Greggi G will be with us as usual. 

Sat he is joined by the TR5’s and Dawn Gracie.

Sun is Greggi and Rusti Steel.

Best dressed competition on Saturday at 11.30am. 

For updates please follow this blog and our FB page.

The address is: North Gate, Ardingly, South of England Showground, Selsfield Road, Hayward’s Heath, RH17 6TH.

Free parking as usual and classic cars on display along with many of your favourite stalls 

(although there are some that cannot attend due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control)

N.B Saturday the dancing will go on until 8pm with Big Paul DJ.

Information supplied

One would think there are absolutely no similarities between biking and gaming, but in actuality, both are much more common than what is apparent.

Interestingly, bikers can learn a great deal from gaming. Naturally, there’s a clear difference between the two acts; if you are a biking enthusiast, you will find yourself out on the road being all adventurous, but if you are a gamer, you are likely to be glued in front of a screen as you strive towards victory.

However, when it comes to biking, you are prone to injuries and what not, but for gamers, their injuries are limited to their characters on screen. However, there are a few similarities between the two of them, and there are quite a few things that both gamers and bikers can learn from each other.

Both Require Metal Stimulation and Alertness

When you all are decked up in your biking gear and are ready to begin your ride, it’s not just physical energy that you require, but also a great deal of mental stimulation. You have to focus on the road, keep your eyes open, and your mind alert.

Similarly, when gaming online, your mind needs to be on the top of its game. Whether you are playing shooting and battles games, or say online gambling, mental stimulation is very important.

Experience Is Key

You know how when you are new to something, a hobby, for instance, and you need to take it slow so that you get the hang of it? The same applies to both biking and gaming. Inexperienced bikers and gamers often strive to do more and achieve beyond their experience, and while some do get lucky, others end up taking a fall. Take online gambling, for instance. It needs you to give it some time and learn all the tips and tricks before you become a pro at it. There’s a way with online gaming to get the hang of it.

When it comes to biking, you need to start slow, take a learner’s course, learn all the basics, and then you will be able to ride properly on the roads.

Breaks Are Absolutely Important

Biking and gaming both are the kind of activities that require your utmost attention and focus. However, it is a natural human tendency to feel a shift in focus after some time, which is why breaks are very important in both these activities.

Given the competitive streak that both of them have in common, you are likely to find gamers stuck to their phone or computer screens for hours, and similarly, bikers often go on long road trips either for leisure or to win a biking marathon.

In both cases, breaks are an absolute must in order to relieve yourself from mental and physical fatigue.

Weather forecasts of freezing air to sweep over the UK by the end of October could prove to be bad news for those local roads that have not be well-maintained believes the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).

Weather forecasters WXCHARTS are predicting that Artic air from a north-westerly direction will sweep over the UK and see temperatures drop to freezing lows of 0C by the end of this month. Meanwhile, the Met Office has also predicted that north-western parts of the UK could see snow falling by the end October.

This is bad news for those highway authorities who have failed to properly maintain their road networks and for the motorists who use them as the freezing temperatures could result in more potholes.

Potholes are caused by water or snow freezing in cracks in the road surface. The expansion of ice results in damage and breaking up of the road surface which is made worse by repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The late start to the preventative maintenance season in some authorities due to Covid-19 led to smaller programmes being completed this year, with many unable to carry out all their planned, preventative maintenance. This is likely to lead to more expensive reactive patching over the winter.

“Cold icy weather has a detrimental impact upon roads resulting in more potholes where planned proactive maintenance has not been carried out, particularly where budget has meant smaller programmes than required by carriageway asset lifecycles over a number of years ” warned Paul Boss RSTA chief executive.

Boss called upon the government and local authorities to work together and invest the necessary funding to carry out planned programmes of road maintenance rather than expensive reactive pothole repair: “Patch-and-mend defies economic logic”, said Boss. “It costs only £3 to £5 per m2 to surface dress and maintain a road but costs on average over £50 per m2 to repair potholes. The expensive, emergency patch and mend repair of potholes is not a sensible use of highway budgets unlike the implementation of planned programmes of maintenance.”