John Crossle, renowned motoring engineer from Co Down

The talented engineer leaves a motoring legacy behind in Holywood, Co Down, writes Martin McCarthy

John Crossle

John Locker Crossle, who, with his wife Rosemary, founded the Crossle Car Company in Holywood Co Down in 1957, and who provided top-class machinery for virtually all of Ireland's motor racing greats, has died aged 82. The firm he founded is the longest established race car company in Ireland and the UK, and one that has a special place in Ireland as a warm and friendly but world-beating firm who fostered love of motorsport over and above the politics of division rife in Ireland until recent years.

He was born in Scotland on October 3, 1931 but reared by his aunt and uncle in rural Co Tyrone, as his parents lived in Sudan. He came south to St. Columba's College, Rathfarnham and was motor cycle-mad during his later school years. John retuned to Northern Ireland to study agriculture and he became a successful farmer, and like many a farmer, spent his after hours tinkering in the outbuildings to improve his bikes and cars.

By the mid 1960s, Crossle was providing up and coming Irish stars such as John Watson, Brian Cullen and Ken Fildes with Formula 2 type cars - but Crossle's greatest success was in the 1600cc Formula Ford class. Crossle's very first Formula Ford car, the 16F was a beauty - but also quick enough to take Scottish ace Gerry Birrell to the European crown in 1969. John was joined by a talented professional engineer, Leslie Drysdale in 1973 and Colin Scott took over the thankless task of managing the accounts in a sport populated with characters!

By 1975, Crossle had a real world-beater on his hands with the 30F. Initially Eddie Jordan was the trail blazer but a leg-braking crash at Mallory Park finished his promising season. The following year Sandyford's David Kennedy took up the mantle and won the European and UK RAC Championships in his John Hynes-backed 30F car. In 1977 Nigel Mansell was on the road to F1 thanks to a string of wins in his Crossle - Ford 32F. Virtually all the Irish stars of the 1970s and 1980s including Derek Daly (25F) and Eddie Irvine (30F), Martin Donnelly (32F), Tommy Bryne (35F), Kenny Acheson (30F) honed their skills in finely engineered Crossle cars.

An article by Carlow journalist Brian Foley in a US magazine led to Crossle getting an agent for North America and hundreds of cars were subsequently sold in that market, especially to racing schools.

Crossle produced many beautiful cars - most notably the Sports car 9S. The firm has operated out of the same premises in Rory's Wood, Holywood, - a finely converted outbuilding adjacent to the family house, since the beginning. This charming venue always had a warm and welcoming ambiance as it was an extension of the Crossle home.

In later years racing champion and businessman Arnie Black ran the firm, until Paul McMorran took it over in 2012.

John was given an honourary doctorate by the University of Ulster and in 2003 he was awarded an MBE.

John Crossle was supported greatly by his wife Rosemary and both were present at a function in his honour the RIAC Archive, in Dawson Street in Dublin, hosted by Archivist Bob Montgomery, last year.

His legacy is recounted in detail in a new book by Alan Tyndell, to be launched next week in Belfast.

John, who died last Sunday, is survived by his wife Rosemary and sons Henry and Ivan and daughter Caroline.