Goodwood Revival 2015 – The Friday

I do need to have faith in SatNav – I had set my destination correctly, but I felt I had no need of the M25 to reach colleague Martin Evening’s home, so when it instructed me to come off the M1 and take to the M25, I spoke out loud that you must be wrong, so continued for a further junction feeling that I knew better – wrong! I ended up by simply doubling back and wasting several minutes taking its correct advice and joining it further round! I was late by precisely the number of minutes the extra unnecessary mileage took to right the wrong.

I made my apologies for the late arrival and we loaded Martin’s gear and set off. Both of us marvelled at scenes that we witnessed as the sun glowed through mist that lay in many of the valleys as we headed south towards Chichester and the Goodwood Revival Meeting and discussed how we must try to get out early at this special time of year as we both regretted how the pace of life and responsibilities had made this difficult to fulfil.

We made good time and headed into the track, in our haste failing to take accurate notice of where I had parked the car! Since we had rather special tickets that invited us to the Old Control Tower, I suggested this was a location we find early whilst there was time and fewer crowds. And it was really fortuitous as after checking in there, we headed for the first floor now decorated with Liberty prints and furniture and fittings depicting the Sixties, and almost the first person we met was Lord March whose guests we were lucky to be for the day. It was good to be given a chance to have a brief chat with so busy a man, but it did give us a chance to thank him and have a brief catch-up.

There were so few guests at this time that we were able to accept the hospitality of tea and coffee and explore the opportunities of shooting from the higher viewpoint and it was not long before both of us had enjoyed the offered drinks and had begun taking pictures.

I think Martin was fascinated by the costumes and the characters represented, because I was already fully aware that the cars themselves held little interest. He was certainly new to Goodwood’s atmosphere, and the level of noise was an issue. So during our day this would be reflected in the images we took. I am definitely more of a recorder, Martin’s experience with taking control of models for fashion and hairdressing would be more apparent. My background from years of being an Assistant Chief Pit Marshal for the BRSCC would also have a bearing. Viewing Martin’s FaceBook pages will therefore be like visiting two different shows! I hope mine still provide interest.

Later on the lawn by the track beneath the Old Control Tower, we chanced upon Neil Barstow and his wife, Janet, where conversation was far harder trying to compete against the thunderous raw of American muscle cars.

The picture that heads this piece is of Simon Diffey in the Bugatti Type 51 coming out of the Chicane, the car is owned by Richard Collier.