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42-458: Tony Rolt first considered the possibility of using Ferguson 4WD in circuit racing, and with Harry Ferguson keen to promote the 4WD transmission systems of Harry Ferguson Research, work began on the P99 in 1960. With a 50–50 torque distribution front to rear the car, Claude Hill's design was built to have an even weight distribution over both axles, which along with the position of the gearbox necessitated

84-589: A Triumph Dolomite , winning the Coronation Trophy, before acquiring the famous ERA Remus from his fellow Old Etonians, the Siamese princes, Chula Chakrabongse and Bira Birabongse . In a minor race at Brooklands , a bolt dropped from the ERA’s exhaust and flames began swirling around Rolt’s lap; he removed his gloves, stuffed one across the hole and won the race. For 1939, he acquired another ERA, immediately winning

126-492: A front-engined design despite Cooper 's and Lotus 's overwhelming recent success with mid-engined cars. Just as the project was nearing completion it was dealt something of a body blow by the governing body's decision to reduce the size of F1 engines by 40% for 1961 , making the extra weight of the AWD transmission a much bigger penalty. Nevertheless, the team persevered and fitted a standard 1.5-litre Climax 4-cylinder engine, mounted at

168-482: A slant to make room for the front driveshaft. In addition the driving position was moved slightly off-centre to accommodate the gearbox and rear driveshaft to the driver's left hand side. The car was first raced in the 1961 British Empire Trophy, where Rob Walker put Jack Fairman in the car, but the start was an inauspicious one as Fairman crashed on lap 2. In the British Grand Prix at Aintree , Fairman drove

210-462: A visor, but as a Ferrari was in its pit, the team waved him out again. When Rolt pitted again the next lap, his goggles were full of water . He hopped out of the car to fix on a visor and Hamilton jumped into the car and was away. Having made up a four-lap deficit, the Rolt/Hamilton D-Type finished less than four kilometres behind the victorious Ferrari. They also finished second for Jaguar in

252-549: A £3.8 million construction training centre which was part of the Basingstoke College of Technology group until 2024. In November 2019, Mill Chase Academy closed after 60 years, being replaced by Oakmoor School. The town has been an army base with a defunct railway station. Bordon Camp was first laid out in 1899 by the Highland Light Infantry , directed by Royal Engineers , and following interruption by

294-506: Is buffered by the rise of the wooded Woolmer Ranges. Bordon is twinned with Condé-sur-Vire in Normandy, France. Unlike its nearest towns, Petersfield , Farnham and Alton, Bordon has not been a market town, having developed as a military area. Many of the facilities are near the former A325, a toll road (turnpike) that connected Farnham to the A3 to its south and passed though Bordon and Whitehill;

336-598: Is home to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), providing trade training, both basic and supplementary, to its soldiers, supported by the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SEME) . The Longmoor Army Ranges , a forest firing range, is south of the town. Bordon railway station was linked to both the main railway network, and by light railway to the Longmoor Military Railway . In 2009,

378-738: The 10th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht) from advancing, and in doing so delaying their attack on Dunkirk . He was captured and taken prisoner of war at the end of the battle for Calais , just before the Dunkirk evacuation . For his actions, he was awarded the Military Cross : his exploits included helping a wounded comrade while firing his Bren gun at the advancing German troops. Rolt escaped seven times from German prisoner-of-war camps including Laufen ( Oflag VII-C ), Biberach ( Oflag V-B ), Posen ( Stalag XXI-D ), Warburg ( Oflag VI-B ) and Eichstätt ( Oflag VII-B ), before eventually being sent to

420-400: The 12 heures internationals – Voiture Sport Reims , but retired from the 1955 Les 24 Heures du Mans while running in second place. Rolt and his wife, Lois witnessed the disaster that year, which claimed more than 80 lives after Pierre Levegh 's Mercedes left the track and ploughed into spectators. Thereafter, he concentrated on his engineering. By the end of 1956, although still a member of

462-725: The Second Boer War , was occupied by the army from 1903. The first occupants of Quebec barracks were the Somersetshire Light Infantry , returning from South Africa in April, and the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment arrived at St. Lucia Barracks from South Africa in June. Bordon Camp was home to the Canadian Army during both of the world wars and the town is dotted with concrete slabs on which tanks and armoured cars were parked. Bordon

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504-676: The Wayback Machine Bordon Bordon is a town in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire , England. It lies in the interior of the royal Woolmer Forest , about 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Alton . The town forms a part of the civil parish of Whitehill which is one of two contiguous villages, the other being Lindford . The civil parish is on the A325 , and near the A3 road between London and Portsmouth , from which it

546-472: The 1980s, major automotive manufacturers finally saw advantages in all-wheel drive technology, and the company became a major technology partner of Ford , Chrysler , Audi , Fiat and General Motors . In 1994, the business was sold to Ricardo , who continued the development of "smart" transmissions using Rolt FFD and Ferguson experience. Rolt was immensely proud that the Audi sports cars that have dominated

588-703: The 200-mile British Empire Trophy race at Donington Park . He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst , and in 1939 received a commission in the Rifle Brigade . During the Second World War , Rolt was a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade and in 1940 was sent to France, where he was in charge of a reconnaissance platoon. He was soon in the thick of the fighting and helped defend Calais . The men defending Calais held for three days trying to stop

630-548: The 24 Heures du Mans and the American Le Mans Series endurance championships since 2000 used Ricardo transmissions. By the early 1960s Rolt and FF Developments had decided that it would build a 4WD racing car to demonstrate the value of four-wheel drive technology. Rolt helped to design, and also tested the Ferguson P99. Although Rolt was more than capable of driving the car fast enough for test purposes, Jack Fairman

672-577: The A325 now by-passes the built-up area. Local facilities include The Phoenix Theatre and Whitehill and Bordon Leisure Centre. Primary schools in Bordon include Bordon Infant School, Weyford Nursery, Woodlea School and Weyford Primary. Secondary education facilities include Oakmoor School on Budds Lane and Hollywater School, a Special Education establishment. Bordon was also home to the Future Skills Centre,

714-557: The Jaguar works team, Rolt retired from active racing to devote his full efforts to the Ferguson development programme. After the war, Rolt returned to form part of Rolt Dixon Research, with his mechanic, Freddie Dixon, to work on an idea that they had considered before the war: four-wheel drive. The company they formed also pioneered the viscous coupling . This eventually led to backing from tractor magnate Harry Ferguson and gave rise to

756-490: The US army liberated the castle, obviating the need for it. After the war Rolt resigned his commission with the rank of Major to develop advanced automotive technologies. After the war Rolt resumed racing with an Alfa Romeo Bimotore , in which he took a fine second place in the 1948 Zandvoort GP. Between 1949 and 1952, he began a close association with Freddie Dixon and Rob Walker , setting an engineering partnership with

798-441: The car again, but surrendered it to Stirling Moss after his Walker-entered Lotus 18 failed. The car was disqualified for outside assistance on lap 56. The car last major F1 race was its moment of motor racing immortality, as Moss drove the P99 to victory in a damp International Gold Cup at Oulton Park . In February 1963, the car, having been fitted with a 2.5-litre Climax engine, was driven by Innes Ireland and Graham Hill in

840-486: The development failed sustainability tests, and claimed that consultation was rigged. Other residents supported the scheme and consultation continued. During the coalition government of 2010-15 its likelihood waned. Funding was cut by half, government looked more critically and skeptically into certain aspects. The raft of project proposals continues and those awarded funding, such as free public-amenity internet, have been implemented. The Whitehill & Bordon Masterplan

882-757: The development of the Ferguson P99 four-wheel drive F1 car. Rolt subsequently built Indianapolis 500 track-racing 4WD cars for the American STP Corporation , and Ferguson transmissions appeared in the Lotus 56 , Novi-Ferguson and STP-Paxton Turbocar Indy Cars of 1964 to 1969. With the technical director Claude Hill and the project engineer Derek Gardner , Rolt was among the unsung backroom heroes of British racing development. When Ferguson Development closed, Rolt founded FF Developments in 1971, converting cars, vans and ambulances to four-wheel drive. During

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924-495: The dignity to shun personal publicity, and the notion that he had done something heroic in trying to escape from Colditz never crossed his mind. He avoided Colditz reunions. He simply saw it as his duty to make escape attempts and was quick to emphasise that there was nothing light-hearted about those efforts, and would say ”Escaping was not a game. Nor was it fun. It was a duty" . He gained much satisfaction from shooting and skiing. Lois and his daughter, Nikki, predeceased him, but he

966-518: The former and racing Walker’s 1926 Delage and Delahaye . In 1950 and 1951, he shared a Nash-Healey , with Duncan Hamilton , on both occasions, finishing fourth and sixth at Le Mans. From 1952 to 1955, Rolt raced Walker’s dark-blue Connaughts in which he was tremendously successful in English national events, winning numerous Formula Two , Formula Libre and handicap races. Unfortunately, his business obliged him to restrict his racing. Also, in 1952 came

1008-413: The gearbox failed after four laps. In the 1953 race , once again he started from 10th, but a half shaft on his Connaught failed after 70 laps. In his final Grand Prix, he again shared a drive with Walker in 1955 . In what was to be the last F1 outing for both drivers: their Connaught started 14th and retired with transmission trouble after 18 laps. Stirling Moss asserts that Rolt would have been among

1050-479: The governing Labour administration nationally announced Bordon as one of its tentative Eco-towns in consultative, outline plans. This, dovetailed with the Town Council's 'Green Town Vision', would see the development of Whitehill-Bordon as a carbon-neutral town with sustainable housing and business facilities. The existing Green Town Vision aimed to ensure that all new development of the town would by beneficial to

1092-529: The local authority. Local residents objected to the plan's scale and features, citing the road-centric transport network, inevitable net loss of visual amenity, forest, few remaining cultivated fields, scale and diversity of habitats for the remnant Woolmer Forest. After the announcement of the Eco-town plan, a group of residents formed the Bordon Area Action Group, and opposed the scheme. They argued that

1134-412: The local environment, and the Eco-town would provide support and funding felt necessary to regenerate the few low standard homes and streets. The proposal initially earmarked 5000 new homes, along with supporting infrastructure, which would require extensive use of greenfield land and reallocation of ex-military land following discontinuance of local military bases. The scheme was generally supported by

1176-582: The maximum security prison, Oflag IV-C in Colditz Castle on 14 July 1943. In one attempt to escape, he got within yards of the Swiss border before being recaptured – which accounted for his transfer to the East German fortress. For his determined escape attempts, Rolt was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross. In early 1944, he was one of the masterminds behind the audacious glider escape plan , but in spring 1945,

1218-484: The most significant move of his racing career; he was invited to join the Jaguar team, ”I’d proved quite competitive at Dundrod where I actually lapped the C-Type faster than Stirling [Moss]. Then they asked me who I’d like as my co-driver and I said Duncan. They said "Duncan, you must be mad!” but he joined me in the team for 1952 and we always drove in long distance races together". . Their first Le Mans together for Jaguar

1260-456: The organisers to let them race, both drivers were already drunk in a local bar. England said: ”Of course I would never have let them race under the influence. I had enough trouble when they were sober!” The Rolt/Hamilton partnership continued in 1954, where they finished second to a works Scuderia Ferrari , in a Jaguar D-Type . This was despite an incident during a hail storm, Rolt realised that he could not see properly, so he pitted for

1302-623: The series of off-season races in New Zealand and Australia, including the 1963 Australian Grand Prix at Warwick Farm and the Lakeside International at Lakeside , placing sixth and second respectively. The P99's final competition action during this period came in the British Hillclimb championship in 1964, 1965, and 1966, with Peter Westbury winning the title in 1964. The car has competed in recent years in historic races. The P99

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1344-467: The top GP drivers, if he raced regularly. Rolt competed in every 24 Heures du Mans race from 1949 to 1955, famously winning the 1953 event in a Jaguar C-Type shared with Hamilton. Initially, the pairing were disqualified for practising in a Jaguar that had the same racing number as another on the circuit at the same time, but they were reinstated. Hamilton's account has become a motor racing legend: when Jaguar team manager Lofty England persuaded

1386-409: Was a British racing driver , soldier and engineer. A war hero, Rolt maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. The Ferguson 4WD project he was involved in paid off with spectacular results, and he was involved in other engineering projects. At his death, he was the longest surviving participant of the first ever World Championship Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950. He

1428-537: Was a disaster, which resulted in a head gasket failure and an early retirement. Rolt competed in three Formula One World Championship races, the British Grands Prix of 1950, 1953, & 1955, but all three outings ended in retirement. At the 1950 British Grand Prix , the first-ever round of the F1 World Championship, he started 10th on the grid in an ERA that had been qualified by Peter Walker , but

1470-488: Was a plausible link to the existing Alton Line at Bentley, Hampshire , with an estimated cost of £170m. Bordon and Whitehill are by-passed by the A325, which links them to the A3 (which passes through the parish) and to Farnham. The town is served by Stagecoach South bus routes to Aldershot , Liphook , Haslemere , Alton and Basingstoke . Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian . Television signals are received from either

1512-672: Was also the last front-engined car ever to win a F1 race. Despite a trip the Tasman Series and success in the hands Peter Westbury , when he won the British Hill Climb Championship in 1964, the car was not used much again. Subsequently the four-wheel-drive concept succeeded in the United States and in 1966 was built into the Jensen FF road car. Rolt was a very private man, but had great charm and presence. He also had

1554-484: Was called in to race it in the 1961 British Empire Trophy and 1961 RAC British Grand Prix at Aintree , proving without doubt the four-wheel drive allied to the Dunlop Maxaret braking system was substantially superior in the wet. The P99 was run under the banner of Rob Walker Racing and became the only 4WD car to win a Formula One race, when in the hands of Stirling Moss it won the 1961 Oulton Park Gold Cup . The car

1596-762: Was finalised in 2012. The nearest railway station is 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east in Liphook , which is on the Portsmouth Direct Line . The town had its own station on the Bordon Light Railway , which was closed in 1966. In 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies proposed reinstating a rail link with the town, and a feasibility study, concluded in February 2012, was undertaken. The outcome

1638-705: Was later the inspiration for the AWD Ferguson P104 Novi Indycar, which Bobby Unser drove in the Indy 500 in 1964 and 1965 . The car was damaged beyond immediate repair in the horrific crash in 1964, and was retired from regular competition in 1965 with engine problems. In a 1997 interview for Motor Sport magazine, Sir Stirling Moss nominated the P99 as his favourite of all the F1 cars he drove. ( key ) Tony Rolt Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt , MC & Bar , (16 October 1918 – 6 February 2008)

1680-534: Was one of the last prewar winners remaining too – he won the 1939 British Empire Trophy , aged just 20 in 1939 – this was after he started his career in 1935, as a 16-year-old, in a 3-wheeler Morgan in speed trials. He won the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans and participated in three Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. Rolt was born in Bordon , Hampshire , and brought up at St Asaph in Denbighshire , Wales . He

1722-500: Was survived by his other daughter Angela, and sons David and Stuart , the latter of whom raced Saloon cars in the 1970s and served as chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC). He was the last surviving driver from that inaugural World Championship Grand Prix held at Silverstone ; also the last pre-World War member of the prestigious BRDC, having been elected in 1936. ( key ) Archived 12 January 2007 at

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1764-554: Was the fourth child of Brigadier-General Stuart Rolt , and educated at Eton , where he got into trouble for keeping a car. He began competing while at Eton, in a Morgan three-wheeler in their trials before, in 1936, making his track début sharing a Triumph Gloria Vitesse with Jack Elliott in the Spa 24 Hours , where the pair finished 11th, fourth in class. He drove there because he had just lost his British driving licence for speeding along Denbigh High Street. Throughout 1937, he raced

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