Mr Radley Drives to Vienna

A Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost crossing the Alps - 1913 & 2013

Early during summer 1913 a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost driven by James Radley was the 1st to finish the “K.u.K. Oesterreichische Alpenfahrt”, i.e. to arrive after the „Alpine Trials“ in Vienna. Radley thus added to the splendid success of the Rolls-Royce works team of three Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost motor cars – who achieved to become awarded with the most prestigious trophies. Radley’s Silver Ghost has survived the decades almost in its original form. When repeating the enormously demanding tour during re-enactments in 1993 and in 2013 the car finished again with not a single mishap. In the meantime a series of photos from the original 1913 tour had been unearthed. These inspired John Kennedy who for many years had this particular Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost in his custody, to check with almost scientific care which of the historic places shown on the photos still could be found and he arranged for photos to be taken there again a hundred years later. Such pictures are an impressive documentation from London through the Alpes to Vienna.

Based on newly found material and on vast research, too, by those who had been involved with the re-enactments of the ‘Alpine’ in previous years (although there is no appropriate recognition for such work in this book) the portfolio gives a brilliant overview of the whole competition which had set yardsticks during the infant period of automobilism. Rather than being but a hommage to the legendary Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost this fabulous comparison of “Old versus New” is a fine result of an immense dedication.

Hardcover, 270 x 280 mm, 152 pages, 108 mono- and colour-illustrations, published 2015.