Today’s featured car ERA R1B was the first of the second batch of ‘B’ spec ERA’s built between 1935 and 1938.

R1B was purchased by up and coming 22 year old Richard Seaman for the 1935 season. Richards successes included winning the Coppa Acerbo, Swiss Grand Prix and Czech Grand Prix races for 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui voiturettes.

ERA offered to do the race preparation for R1B, but when Richard found this unsatisfactory he returned to ex Alfa Romeo driver and mechanic Giulio Ramponi who had prepared Richards Swiss GP Voiturette winning MG in 1934.

Richard switched to a Delage with success in 1936 before becoming a hired Mercedes Benz driver for the remainder of his all to brief career in 1937.

R1B was sold to G.F. Manby-Colgrave who had Jazz musician “Buddy” Featherstonhaugh share the driving duties in 1936.

From 1937 to 1947 dance band leader and later TV personality Bill Cotton took over ownership of R1B.

R1B has always been fitted with a supercharged 1.5 litre motor and has been kept to B specification and appearance since the Marsh family took over ownership from 1964 to 1998.

Michael Gans is currently the owner of R1B seen top at a recent Silverstone Classic meeting and in the hands of Tim Cottam, son of A L Cottam who owned R1B from ’59 to ’64, at the BRM Day run on the streets of Bourne in 2012.

Thanks for joining me on this “Dick’s Voiturette ERA” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Maserati Monday. Don’t forget to come back now !