The Brooklands Podcast

Alex Patterson talks about the clubhouse renovation and lift installation and MG South East celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the marque.

Duncan tells the story of the Beast and his ownership.

Originally conceived in 1911, the FIAT S76, better known as the Beast of Turin, is one of the most outrageous cars ever built. Its colossal inline-four engine displaced 28.4 litres and produced 300 hp at just 1000 rpm. The chassis featured a rigid axle suspension system with leaf springs. Brakes were only installed on the rear axle.

Only two were built, and Fiat sold the second Beast to a wealthy Russian Prince named Boris Soukhanov, who hired racing driver Pietro Bordino to drive it at Brooklands and attempt to break the land speed record. But when Bordino took it onto the track, it was so terrifying that he refused to go over 90 mph.

After many changes of ownership, the Beast was acquired by Duncan Pittaway in 2003, and a lengthy restoration process began. Duncan discovered that the original engine from the first S76 had survived and managed to acquire it. After several years of hard work that saw the double chain-drive gearbox, body, and many other components being rebuilt using the original Fiat drawings, the Beast of Turin was brought back to life.

After an early career in motorsports PR, representing several F1 drivers and the Jordan Grand Prix team, Louise Goodman broke the mould by entering the male-dominated and highly competitive world of motorsports commentary in the 1990s. Dubbed ‘the first woman of Formula One’ Louise made her name as part of ITV’s Grand Prix presentation team, working alongside F1 luminaries Murray Walker and Martin Brundle, becoming the female face of ITV’s then new ‘Grand Prix’ programme.

Best known today as ITV’s co-presenter of the British Touring Car Championship alongside Steve Rider, Louise has also fronted programmes from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Revival and the Le Mans 24 hours, amongst many others.

With her insider knowledge gained from a 30 year involvement in top level motorsport, Louise delivers a unique insight into the pit lane beyond the camera.

Louise is joined on stage by leading motorsport author, journalist and broadcaster Maurice Hamilton and host Harry Sherrard.

Featuring the opening of the Sir Barnes Wallis exhibition and conversation with Sir Barnes' surviving daughter Elizabeth Gaunt. Also the Award for Best Learning Programme "Learning without borders" from the Bourne Education Trust.

Tim takes a trip up in the new clubhouse lift and presents Philip Hogg and his aviation career with BOAC.

A tribute to Lady Susie Moss and those Ladies who have left their mark on Brooklands history.

Nigel Limb suffered multiple injuries in a motorcycle racing accident in 2015. His life-support was about to be turned off, but he miraculously began to recover and woke up from a coma. Nerves severed in the accident mean that he is partially blind and partially brain dead, but this has not prevented him from living life to the full. Notwithstanding his disabilities, in 2022 Nigel (a.k.a. blindblokeracing on social media) broke the British record for a partially sighted drag strip run, hitting speeds of 83 mph in 8.74 seconds on an Electric TT Zero bike. Nigel and his wife Julie have an incredible and inspiring story to tell about the aftermath of his life changing accident and his determination to show that people with sight loss can achieve amazing things.

Wing Commander Manjeet Ghatoara and Air Specialist 1(Technician) Catherine Ryan talk about todays RAF, reflecting on its past and looking into its future.

The author of the book Richard Jenkins talks about the history of the team.

Ken Tyrrell’s famous Formula 1 racing team will forever be associated with Jackie Stewart and the three World Championship titles they won together. But the Tyrrell story is far bigger than that, embracing nearly 40 action-packed years, from initial forays as an entrant in Formula Junior in 1960 to eventual demise in 1998. Along the way, the team with its larger-than-life proprietor was always universally respected in the world’s Formula 1 paddocks, often as the plucky underdog. In compiling this comprehensive history, the author has interviewed dozens of surviving team members — including most of the drivers and many mechanics — to gather their memories and present an energetic, touching, compelling and above all entertaining narrative. in the 50th anniversary year of Tyrrell’s last championship title, this book will be treasured by all racing enthusiasts.

Formed in 1940, the Special Operations Executive put Churchill’s instruction to “Set Europe ablaze” into action. The organization's F section sent more than 400 agents into France, 39 of whom were women. They were given months of arduous fitness, gun, explosives, endurance and code training before parachuting into occupied territory. The women were warned of the likelihood of arrest, torture and a brutal death before they volunteered. None demurred. Of the 29, 13 never returned, having been executed in Hitler's concentration camps.

Our speaker is Dr Kate Vigurs, a professional freelance historian and author of “Mission France. The true story of the women of SOE". In her presentation Kate will focus on the missions of the skilled and courageous women of SOE, tracing their journeys from recruitment, to training, to work undertaken in the field, to evasion from, or capture by, the Gestapo.