A SURVEY naming the road climbing over Holme Moss as one of the best drives in Britain has revived memories from the golden age of motoring.

Examiner reader Harry Littlewood, 87, of New Mill, recalls how the snaking moorland road was a popular venue for car hill climbing races in the 1920s.

Speed record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell was among those who competed in races along part of the eight-mile route.

Records show that Campbell was the winner of one class in the in August, 1920, when he completed a 1.25-mile section of the winding route in 1min 42.6secs driving a Talbot.

The Examiner reporter noted: "The test road was a stiff hill about a mile in length with a few difficult turns, which were lined with interested watchers."

Charlie Mitchell, a local businessman and player with Thurstonland Cricket Club, was among competitors the following June - completing the route in 1min 32secs driving the strangely named Hutton "Four Inch" and beating Campbell whose Peugeot broke down in the last event.

Campbell returned in July, 1922, to win behind the wheel of a Sunbeam five-litre with a time of 1min 22.4secs.

Mr Littlewood said: "I was too young to know much about the races - but I remember that Ferodo, which made brake pads, used to test out its products on the same route."

Ferodo had a factory at Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Derbyshire Peak District and found the Woodhead route ideal for testing the braking power of its products.

Said Mr Littlewood: "They used to have an open-top Bentley to test the brake linings," he said.

"It was often parked in Hollowgate, Holmfirth, while the driver was having his lunch of fish and chips."

Mr Littlewood said the testing road - now the A6024 - used to feature a sharp "devil's elbow" bend, which was later reduced for safety reasons.

A history of Thurstonland Cricket Club mentions Charlie Mitchell's feat of beating the great Malcolm Campbell.

It also reports how Mr Mitchell, who founded a local engineering firm, caused a stir when Jack Johnson, the world heavyweight boxing champion, had his car mended at Mitchell's garage.

The reason for the boxer's visit to the Holme Valley isn't explained.

The eight-mile Woodhead to Holmfirth route has been listed by Dunlop Tyres as a "challenging but rewarding drive" in the firm's Great British Road Awards.

* Sir Malcolm Campbell started racing at Brooklands in the early 1900s, driving among other vehicles a Darracq, which he christened Bluebird - a name he used for many other cars in his subsequent career.

* He served with the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War, rising to the rank of captain.

* He set several speed records at the Brooklands track in the 1920s - clocking 144mph on the Railway Straight in May, 1922.

* He became the first driver to exceed 150mph at Pendine Sands in July, 1925.

* Campbell took a land speed record at Utah in 1935 at 301.13mph and was awarded his knighthood.

* Campbell died in 1949 after a long illness and was succeeded by his son, Donald, who broke 400mph in his turbine-powered Bluebird.