Balls like spacehoppers, in black and white
This is what land speed records looked like in the 1930s
To Brooklands Museum, which is well worth a day of your time, for this amazing pic from its 'On This Day' page on Facebook. It's an awesome shot from 1937, of Eric Fernihough on his supercharged 996cc Brough Superior JAP, literally flying round the famous banking at Brooklands track.
One year later, according to Brooklands, Fernihough would set a new 1km motorcycle speed record, at Brooklands, of 143.39mph on the same Brough Superior. Sadly, he died in April 1938, in a bike crash in Hungary while breaking the outright speed record on two wheels.
We'd not feel safe at 14mph on one of these old boneshakers. But then we are modern softies, 'tis true…
More on Brooklands Museum and its motorcycling history here. It's a fab day out, packed with ace old cars, planes and bikes. Will easily kill a day this Easter holidays!
