Mercedes Benz. Count Zborowski - 01 April 1903

[threespires]

It was on 01 April 1903 that Count Zborowski lost his life at La Turbie in his Mercedes.

Mercedes 60hp 1903 at the memorial to Count Zborowski died 01 April 1903

Edited by threespires on Monday 1st April 23:22

[Roy C]

Father and son both died driving Mercedes cars.

One of Lou Zborowski's other interests was miniature railways. Although he didn't live to see it built, one of his legacies was The Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, constructed by his friend and fellow racing driver, Captain J.E.P. "Jack" Howey.

[Fanelli]

Jack Howey, the co-founder of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway owned a C Type Jaguar which I remember seeing him drive along the coast road from New Romney towards Dymchurch when I was about 10 years old (early 50's).

He got fed up with people asking him to open the bonnet so he had a perspex one made to save himself the bother.

[threespires]

Roy C said:

Father and son both died driving Mercedes cars.

One of Lou Zborowski's other interests was miniature railways. Although he didn't live to see it built, one of his legacies was The Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, constructed by his friend Captain J.E.P. "Jack" Howey.

Thanks for that, from Wiki :-
Zborowski was a railway enthusiast and a 15 in (381 mm) gauge railway circuit, the Higham Railway, was built around his estate in Kent. This line was part of the inspiration behind the joint decision by Zborowski and his racing friend Captain J.E.P. Howey to construct a long-distance passenger-carrying railway line in the same gauge. Many locations were investigated, but this eventually led to the founding of the 14-mile (23 km) long Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, which remains a popular tourist attraction and means of local transport. Zborowski ordered a steam locomotive from Bassett-Lowke, which ran on the Higham Railway in 1924. The locomotive was purchased by the Fairbourne Railway in Wales following the Count's death and named "Count Louis" in his honour. The locomotive remained at the Fairbourne until 1988. Zborowski also ordered the first locomotives for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway from Davey Paxman & Co. of Essex. The order (and the project) was continued by Capt Howey alone, following the Count's death.

The children's book by Ian Fleming, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the subsequent musical film, were inspired by the romance of Zborowski's exploits. Fleming had watched Zborowski race at Brooklands as a school boy

[mark beavan]

For the sake of accuracy, Mercedes Benz wasn't formed until 1926. The car in which Zborowski died was a Mercedes Simplex manufactured by Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft in Cannstatt.

[threespires]

mark beavan said:

For the sake of accuracy, Mercedes Benz wasn't formed until 1926. The car in which Zborowski died was a Mercedes Simplex manufactured by Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft in Cannstatt.

Thanks Mark, I did wonder but was too lazy to look it up......