It starts with the fantastic news that early in February, Caterham Motorsport was awarded the ‘John Nicol’ trophy by the BRSCC (British Racing and Sports Car Club) for its contribution to motor racing over the years. Motorsport Manager Simon Lambert collected the trophy on the company’s behalf at an awards celebration in Stratford-upon-Avon. The name Caterham Motorsport now sits alongside former winners and motorsport royalty that include famous names such as Brawn GP, Lewis Hamilton, Damon Hill, Murray Walker, Jonny Herbert and many others.
So how does the Great Train Robbery fit into all of this? It revolves around a promising young racing driver by the name of Roy James. James was a silversmith, friend of Bernie Ecclestone and an F1 hopeful back in the early sixties. In his time he beat famous drivers like Mike Hailwood and Jackie Stewart, but chose to fund his motorsport career in a less than orthodox way – as a getaway driver. On the 8th August 1963 he was part of the gang that held up and robbed £2.6 million (around £40 million in today’s terms) in used notes from a Royal Mail train in the Buckinghamshire countryside; what came to be known as ‘The Great Train Robbery’.
Over time and along with the rest of the gang, James was eventually caught. Whilst serving time at her Majesty’s pleasure, James put his silversmith trade to good use (perhaps he should have been doing that earlier…) and made this trophy for the BRSCC, of which he was a member. Later, having spent 12 years inside, he attempted to pick up his motor-racing career but having not driven for such a long time, failed. Ecclestone decided to help his old friend by commissioning him to make a number of the F1 trophies in the mid-seventies.
We’re proud of the trophy and you can see it in the flesh for yourself in the customer waiting lounge at Caterham Dartford.
Simon Lambert and Jenny Grace for Caterham Motorsport receive the John Nicol trophy from the BRSCC, February 2012
