The Bruce Wells Collection - Hume Weir

[Steve Holmes]

I've been really looking forward to posting this next batch of photos from the incredible Bruce Wells collection, simply because these are all from the charismatic little Hume Weir circuit near Albury. This neat little track has a downhill start/finish straight that leads to a right hand kink, followed by a tight right hand hairpin. Later in the lap, the track runs alongside itself in either direction, passing through a dug-out in a hill over which is a overpass. You can see this section in the opening photo above.

John Goss once described the first part of the lap in the 1976 book Evan Greens World Of Motorsport, heading through through the first kink and into the tight right hand hairpin as this: "The start at Hume Weir is slightly downhill. At the end of the straight there's a kink to the right and then downhill again into an absolute hairpin amongst trees. I can remember seeing drivers go out of my vision to the left and next lap around, they've been parked way out in the trees and I've wondered how they've got among so many trees without knocking their car to pieces. Remarkable parking".

This Hume Weir section shows action from both 1962, and 1964, kicking off first with 1962, at a meeting from December that year.

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking things off, I'm working on a combination of Bruce's photo names, and my own research, so if anyone can just in here and add more detail, please feel free to do so. The first shot is simply titled Morgan-Vanguard. The Allard Cadillac in the second shot I believe to be the J Skipper car. Can anyone help with this? The third shot is of the Holden powered Faux Pas of B Stilo. The fourth photo featuring the MG is of Ken Salmon, and last up is the Valliant of Ern Abbott, which I believe is the same car Abbott steered to 2nd place in the 1963 ATCC, behind Bob Janes Jag.

[Steve Holmes]

There are just eight shots from the 1962 event. Here are the last three. First up is Don Algie in the Falcon. Don was quite a keen Studebaker driver at this time also, tackling the Armstrong 500 on a couple of occasions in Studebakers. Next up is the opening shot showing, I believe, the FX Holdens of Bill Jane, and Norm Beechey, sweeping beneath the overpass. On the left side of the photo you can see where the track heads in the opposite direction. Last up is Bob Janes Jaguar.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, I'm scratching my head a bit here. This is from a September 1964 event. I can't seem to find any info on these vehicles and drivers. Any help would be appreciated. Ellis, where are you?

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

I'm trying to figure out who is driving the Lotus Cortina in the first two shots in this post. I'd guess its Bob Janes Cortina, but Bob himself is pictured elsewhere at this meeting driving his Jag. Any clues?

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

OK, final two shots from this chapter. The very last of these once again showing off the dramatic landscape of the Hume Weir circuit. Note the spectators perched on the edge of the cliff on either side of the track, with little preventing them from plummeting down onto the track. Very cool.

Next up, we're off to Bathurst!

[Rod Grimwood]

May be Jane in Both cars, helmet is dark colour in both and head angle similar. May be in different races.

[Rod Grimwood]

Post #5 picture 4 has twin rear wings as in other thread Molina Monza, same car ?

[Rod Grimwood]

should pay more attention, the Molina Monza has higher rear wings and longer bonnet area. Pays to look twice.

[Steve Holmes]

Post #5 picture 4 has twin rear wings as in other thread Molina Monza, same car ?

Thanks Rod, it looks a bit like a modified Lotus 11, and possibly repowered, judging by the carbs sticking through the hood.

[Steve Holmes]

May be Jane in Both cars, helmet is dark colour in both and head angle similar. May be in different races.

Yeah you might be right. I think the Cortina was intended as the replacement for the Jag, and he raced it in the later part of 1964 and early '65 before his first Mustang arrived. But he did sometimes loan his cars out too.

[Rod Grimwood]

Wish he would loan one to me, maybe the Camaro now.

[bry3500]

[Steve Holmes]

Ellis, our resident Humpy Holden anorak, has ID'd the #43 FX Holden pictured in a couple of shots above as being that of Norm Gown. Thanks Ellis!

[Ellis]

A few more for you Steve...
#9 / 15J JA Peebles
#5 / 72 B Shore
#4 / 43 Norm Gown
#5 / 56 Barry Murphy
#8 / 12 M Cock
#4 / 59 Bruce McPhee (Mini)

#7 / 10 Cortina. This may be G Russell tho it certainly looks like the Jane car

Info courtesy of parkey at Wodonga

[Steve Holmes]

Fantastic! Thanks Ellis for that. Yes the Cortina does look like the Jane car. He did replace the Jag with a Cortina. Perhaps this is one of its early outings? I think the Cortina was later fitted with side stripes along the bottom too, but early on I think it only had the stripes running down the centre.

[thunder427]

Fantastic! Thanks Ellis for that. Yes the Cortina does look like the Jane car. He did replace the Jag with a Cortina. Perhaps this is one of its early outings? I think the Cortina was later fitted with side stripes along the bottom too, but early on I think it only had the stripes running down the centre.

....Spoke to BJ the other day with reference to Hume Weir circuit,and if he did double 'Duties' in the Jag and the 'Lotus Cortina.....the basic answer was, 'Yes'!!!.....the discussion went something like this Quote;" Bob, did you drive the Jag and the 'little' Lotus Cortina at the Weir on the same day those years ago"???..... Quote; "whats with you Bloody 'Kiwi's, you always put Bloody 'Wee' in front of everything, must be the Pommy influence in your lot"!!!....I explained that we had our own identity and more correctly we should be recognized for whom we really are....'South Pacific Pom's!!!!!!......Bob also explained that he at that time owned 1/2 of the Hume Weir complex......also they used the track time to set up the Cortina as in those days you couldn't easily 'Hire' a track for development time.....basically the motivation behind the purchase of Calder Park Raceway in 1970...by the way Calder Park turns the big 'Five-o' next year ......watch for the ' party update!!!!.....regards thunder427/MJ