....gave the best talk I have heard for years yesterday at the Trust.

Loads of info about his life with Bugattis, setting up type 35/37/51, anecdotes, pictures the whole nine yards.

The good news is that it will be released on video at some point and I think it will be a must have.

Ronald "steady" Barkers sum up of his friend Lord Raglan was superb and full of quips, my favourite two being (and these are from memory):

- how often do you get to hear the word of the Lord first hand on a Sunday?

- (He was suffering from a cold and is very old)....my nose is the only part of my body that runs nowadays.

The beer and food afterwards were great also. Wonderful company.

SB

NB: Something was mentioned about Egypt, but I was so enthralled, I cannot remember exactly what it was. Can anyone else remember if they were there? Did not want to ask him about it afterwards, as he might have thought I was a bit thick for not paying full attention - which I was, but am not blessed with total recall!

In the second issue of the now defunct Supercar Classics Steady Barker tested Lord Raglan's T51 and the late Mr. Dean's T59/50B special. Very enjoyable article to boot, and Steady's fondness for Lord Raglan was very evident. Glad to know both these remarkable gentleman are still fighting fit.

Apart from the T51 I believe Lord Raglan also own a T46. In which one did he arrive at the Trust?

Thanks for this Stuart, wish I could have been there.

Regards
Johan

The picture of LR holding a hammer in his workshop issued in that Supercar Classics piece was his first picture.

I hope no one will mind me stating the blindingly obvious, especially in view of the fact LR and a few other people referred to it yesterday, but a lot of well known Bugatti enthusiasts are getting quite old. Getting their thoughts recorded is a really good idea.

I certainly learnt loads re the cars, people and events. The reliability of the Type 35/37/51's came up a few times in the talk and afterwards. That surprised me. Tales of driving to Scotland and back and through London with no problems etc.

Forgot: LR was driven to the Trust I believe.

Stuart you speak a great truth, we owe it to future generations to record the thoughts and experiences of those Bugattists of advancing years. Luckily there is a perfectly good precedent : Veterans of the Second World War and survivors of the Holocaust are both part of an inspired project - every single one who wishes to do so are video recorded simply telling their story in as much detail as they wish.

I think this is the perfect project for the Trust, it doesn't matter whether they be journalists, owners, restorers or ye verily, even critics, but a video vault containing the combined wisdom and experience of a generation soon to be gone will be a glorious thing.

Stunning idea Stuart! I don't care what public opinion says, I think you can be remarkably bright at times. Yuk yuk.

Johan

.....blimey...pass the sick bag!

I would like to claim credit for the idea, but the Trust was already on the case!

SB

I do wish the Bugatti Trust will stop this irritating habit of impressing the bejesus out of me. I've spent a very long time building up a perfectly legitimate resentment of them and the B.O.C. and they will insist on buggering it up. Most inconsiderate.

Who has taken charge of the project? To whoever it is (please God let it not be Barrie Price) my deep and abiding respect and admiration. What next - a cure for the common cold and world peace?

Cheers
Johan.

I am really glad to hear that Steady Barker is still alive. I remember reading an issue of Supercar Classics when he celebrated his 70th birthday by wing walking on a Tiger Moth and that was years ago.

I loved his Car magazine days where on writing about a product launch, he would give two sentences on the car in question and the rest of the article would be about the food and drink.

Sadly, most of his colleques bar Steve Cropley are gone i.e. Bulgin, Setright and Llewellyn.