Stephen Bond in his Silver, Lister Bristol Flat Iron, waiting for the start of qualifying for the RAC Woodcote Trophy for Pre '56 Sportscars
The first Lister racing car first appeared in the 1954 British Empire Trophy race at Oulton Park, driven Archie Scott Brown and powered by an underpowered MG 4 cylinder engine. The car was subsequently fitted with a Bristol 6 cylinder unit and Scott Brown went on to win the supporting race for the 1954 British Grand Prix and went onto be the dominant partnership throughout the season. A number of customer cars were built and supplemented the works cars at various races, throughout 1954 and 1955. The Lister-Bristol came into operation in mid-1954 causing something of a sensation when Archie Scott Brown won the class. The first Lister-Bristol was registered MVE 303, after Brian had visited the Cambridge motor vehicle licensing office once more “to see what they had got,” as he put it. In view of the fame this registration mark has acquired in historic motor racing circles it’s worth digressing into its origins. Dick Barton: “I’ve always said that it was Brian who said to me that when he registered the cars in Cambridge, he chose 303 because of the association with the rifle bullet. But he said the idea was mine, so there’s a bit of confusion there.” Nevertheless, both men agree that likening the speed of the car to a .303 bullet fired from a Lee Enfield service rifle (which both would have encountered during their time in the RAF) was highly appropriate.
Size: 5499px × 3557px
Location: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -angle, -quarter, 1991cc, 56, 1955, 2019, angle, archie, bond, bristol, brown, class, classic, driver, flat, front, helmet, iron, lister, national, paddock, pre, qualifying, rac, scott, silver, silverstone, sportscar, sportscars, stephen, trophy, view, w2, woodcote
