Page 1 Paradise & Gell has been located on Michael Street in Peel since 1974. Here you will find a wide range of furnishings to enhance any living space. Whether you are looking for something contemporary or a more traditional piece, then look no further than Paradise & Gell.

Page 2 Contents

Page 2 Secretary's Notes

Page 3 Chairman's Chat

Page 4 YBN “Turning Japanese"

Page 7 MGP Memories

Page 14 New Members

Page 15 Floggers Corner

Page 16 Trials Results

Page 20 Book Review - A stupid thing to do

and An Alpine thing to do

Page 22 Second Jurby Test Day

Page 23 A Moment in Time & Where is it now?

Page 24 "Go for it" - Noel Pope

Page 30 Rider Profile No. 25 - F. L. Frith

Page 31 & the DKW Lightweights

Editor: Harley Richards [email protected]

Cover Picture:- Details of the riders, machines and the year have been lost in the mists of time but where else could this be but the ? Photo by Amulree

Page 1 Secretary’s Notes

Hi Everyone,

A rather short Secretary’s Notes this time as I was delayed in the UK due to weather, and consequently everything has got behind.

The recent Jurby track day was held in good weather and was well attended. We obviously need to repeat it in 2015 as it has proved to be very popular with our members.

The TT Rally and the MGP Rally are well into the planning stage and will hopefully attract more entries than ever, although I understand that ferry crossings are now scarce at popular times for the MGP and even harder to get for TT and this may well affect our entry numbers. Watch out for the advert in Jan/Feb Old Bike Mart!! Additional support for the MGP Rally is a pop up Museum by the National Museum and Footman James, this will be featured at the Festival of Jurby.

To safeguard the Committee against litigation, the Festival of Jurby is set to become a limited liability company and will be called the “Motorcycle Festival of Jurby”. Also, the event has attracted a posse of racing Rotary Nortons, plus up to a hundred BSA Gold Stars will be celebrating their anniversary and many, many celebrities have pledged attendance already. Lots to look forward to.

Don’t forget the Hangover Run on December 28th, starting from Tynwald Inn at 12 noon. The finish will be finalised in the next few days and will be on our Section web site, or give me a ring closer to the time on 878242.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Tony

Printed by Peel Copy Centre Tel: +44 (0) 1624 843889

Page 2 Chairman’s chat Seasons greetings and a happy and prosperous new year to you all.

2014 proved to be a good year for motorcycling and our Section, with 2015 promising more interesting and enjoyable events for you all to enjoy.

In this issue of Vintage Mann you will find a copy of a survey which I would like you to complete as honestly as possible, it's anonymous and all individ- ual comments will be confidential. Hopefully it shouldn’t take to long to answer but we do feel this is an important step in making sure the Section delivers what you, its members, want going forwards. Please use the en- closed stamped, addressed envelope to return the survey.

The survey has been produced with grateful thanks to Alastair Alexander (Scottish VMCC rep), and Gary Corlett.

I would also like to thank all of our committee members for their commit- ment over the year and especially to Joann and Harley for the production of our excellent local magazine. A great deal of hard work is carried out seamlessly behind the scenes on your behalf. Richard

Did You Know?

It is difficult for some of us to think of a Gold Wing as a Vintage bike, but early versions have no trouble in complying with the 25 year rule. At almost 900 lb (408 kg) ‘fully-dressed’ and fuelled, the Aspencade version certainly had a presence when ridden two-up. Back in 1985 a tester wrote: “It takes a certain style and class to ride a Gold Wing Aspencade, and look as though it is yours by right. We didn’t have it. Our legs are too short”. David Wright

Page 3 Yellow Belly Notes Turning Japanese I answered the telephone a while ago and was asked “Are you going to the Stafford show in October?” This is not an unusual question but when I replied that I was only going for the Sunday, things became somewhat odd. The question was being posed by Gerry Daine, who went on to say that he would like a bike to display on the British Historic Racing stand in the “GP Paddock” at the show. Gerry, for those of you who don’t know him, is the Obergruppenfuhrer of all things racing in the Vintage club, and was asking me to provide a Japanese race bike! He said that he would pick it up on Friday and return it on Monday - and that it would be on display to demonstrate the Club’s commitment to the new class on the grid for 2015.

I said yes, and then later let it sink in. As a member of the VMCC for a number of years I have my own stereotypical view of the membership - elderly male riding a British single from the fifties, on a club run to a country pub, wearing a fluorescent Sam Browne belt and Derri boots. I know I’m in the wrong and I apologize immediately, but that is the picture I have in my mind. I certainly qualify for the elderly male part but have never been on a club run in my life. If I have this right, to participate in a club run, a bike must be a minimum of 25 years old. Well I have a bike that I use regularly on the road which qualifies. It is a 1987 350 c.c. power valve Yamaha. Pic 1 Your Lincolnshire correspondent nipping down to the shops.) However if I were to use it to turn up one Sunday morning to the square in Market Rasen, to join the boys of the Mid - Lincs section, I would be made welcome (by some) but feel that I would be rather missing the point.

Page 4 Pic 1

Anyway, once at the Classic Mechanics show at Stafford I headed to the Bonhams’ auc- tion and had a look at some MV Agusta race bikes, which turned out to be mainly bitzas. Outside in the “GP Paddock”, there was my ’72 Yamaha next to a Roger Moss Scott (Pic 2), proving that, in engi- neering terms at least, nothing is new under the sun. The bike that lays claim to be the quintessential “boy racer” of the 80’s was, in fact, done so much better in Shipley in the Pic 2 30’s. Ho hum!

Page 5 Gerry told me that the Yamaha had been well received and the club wanted the bike for the Newark show in January, but I will make sure to take my Greeves Oulton along as well, just in case.

Pat Sproston. Louth, Lincolnshire

P.S. How’s this for commitment? (Pic 3) This Enfield will be back on the grid next season.

Pic 3

Where is it NOW? Does anyone know the whereabouts of a BSA 500 that was bought by someone on the island around 1980? It came from Reading and its UK plate was RD 3952. The daughter of the gentleman who owned it has discovered some photographs which might be of interest to the current owner. All leads to Tony or myself please. Thanks. Harley

Page 6 MGP memories

I competed in the between 1974 and 1983, riding various British 4 – strokes, and, although I didn’t have any real success- es, I thoroughly enjoyed my years racing on the island before a young family meant it was time to hang up the leathers and call it a day (Pic 1)

Time moves on and this year I found my- self with an opportuni- ty to enter my late father’s Norton Inter- national (named “Boanerges” after TE Lawrence’s Brough) in the Vintage Parade. I took the entry with some trepidation – would I still remember the course? Would I be at one with my fa- ther’s bike – after all, Pic 1 it had spat me off once before?

Come the day of the Parade I found myself in Pit Lane warming the Norton up – the cacophony of noise from the other exhausts gave me goosebumps! Looking down towards was daunting though and memories of my racing days came flooding back – the dry mouth, the racing heart beat – and then the flag dropped and we were off!

On the move, my anxiety vanishes and is immediately replaced by the memory of me and my Dad waiting at St Ninian’s cross roads for the arrival of Bob McIntyre and in 1957 (Pic 2). leading Agusta - the sight and sounds so fresh it felt like yesterday.

Page 7 Pic 2 Heading down Bray Hill, I notice the rider in front move to the middle of road. The racing line comes back to me and I head for the right hand curb at the bottom of the hill, avoiding a very brave (and hopefully well paid!) photogra- pher. At least the stars only have a man hole cover to deal with!

Up towards Ago’s leap and it’s impossible to forget the iconic picture of the man himself up on his MV’s rear wheel at full race speed. (Pic 3) No such heroics with the Norton on a Parade lap however!

Although it is a Parade lap, the approach into Quarter Bridge is damp enough to warrant some caution and I use the gears and brakes to bring things under control. Despite the roads being greasy through Braddan and on to , I find I’m looking out for those braking markers of years gone by and remembering little bits of local interest along the course: the house where the BeeGees lived, a small shop on the right hand side of the track, and so on.

Looking into the far distance I can see other riders following Marshall No. 2 (I think it was Jim Hunter – a former MGP winner) and realise catching the pack would not be impossible. Deci- bels and speed rises as Boanerges’ voice bellows out of the Brooklands Pic 3 can. I sense the lap is only just starting.

Page 8 The old racing focus is becoming to come back to me as I head past the camp site and into Ballagarey. The memories are taking a different twist now as I remember great riders such as paying the ultimate price for racing on these roads. Although I am gaining on the pack through Crosby and , I take things easy into the right-hander at as the words “It’s OK, they’re open” from George Formby’s film, No Limits, joins my memories. Hardly a mile goes by without another image or memory pop- ping up: , where Milky Quayle’s televised big off made him famous overnight (Pic 4); Bridge, now flattened out but, in days gone by, machines would be air- borne through here (Pic 5); Pic 4 Black Dub, with the petrol station on the right hand side before the peel-off point. I’m brought back to reality as I catch up with a rider who doesn’t seem to know where the road goes and I have to pay close attention to where he’s going until I can get by.

Through Glen Helen I’m enjoy- ing the picturesque towering Pic 5 trees, rocks and river while re- membering my many early morning practice sessions, and then reality rears its ugly head once more as I run into waved flags at Sarah’s Cottage and catch site of marshalls wheeling a bike back down the hill. As always, I hope the rider is OK and it’s just a machine failure.

As I break out onto Cronk-y-voddy I’m taken by the contrasts that greet you around the circuit. Cronk-y-voddy itself is a fast, bumpy straight but, just away to the left, I recall the tiny church near Little London, sitting in

Page 9 beautiful scenery and surrounded by rolling green hills. I’m still chasing the hare, however, and press on through the glorious 13th which sees me up and out of seat, the Norton’s saddle handing out a real pounding: this is really living! Past experience tells me a slow approach into Kirkmichael is wise as the road narrows and, even at Parade speeds, it would be all too easy to get it wrong. Even so, the exhausts bouncing off the cottages create a lovely atmosphere – although how lovely it must have been for the residents in the first light of an early morning practice session is a question I will let others debate!

On the way towards I pick up another rider and we’re soon having a good dice through the flowing curves. At the bridge itself, I apply extreme caution as generations of scratchers have discovered that take off is always a distinct possibility, followed by coming a cropper on landing.

Exiting Ballaugh, I remember Gwen Crellin checking off the riders as they passed, tea and cakes ready in her front room for any competitor who broke down within walking distance of her house. The Helicopter Fund was to benefit enormously from her fund raising activities and she was eventually made a, very well deserved, Lady of Man. I finally catch up with the Marshall on the approach to Balacrye and see him chastising a rider who had crept past him. That is breaking the Golden Rule of a Parade lap: “Never overtake the Marshall”. The Marshall dropped his speed down to bunch us up again, before speeding off into the distance, leaving us to timidly get back on the throttle in our own time.

Left to our own devices once more, we’re soon battling neck and neck down through Sulby village – this is one hell of a way to enjoy a Saturday! Unfortunately, I forget to engage my brain through Sulby Bridge and com- pletely mess up the line around the right hander. I give it the gun on the exit, determined to regain my usual confident riding past the pub. I love this left hander, over camber and into a short down hill section. On the run towards Ramsay, I brace myself for the inevitable wiggles and shakes as another out of saddle experience awaits. I’m getting huge amounts of feed back via the stiff girder forks and the bike is keeping really steady, even over the bumps towards Glantramnan. However, there is so much energy needed to keep the Norton on the boil, and in control, that my mouth is dry within

Page 10 seconds. Just another ten miles or so until I can enjoy a cuppa and relive the lap with the other riders. Coming into Parliament Square, my brain is disengaged again and I mess up the line completely, heading over to the left hand gutter where, by coinci- dence, Ma and Pa, on the Norton, had enjoyed an ice cream in years gone by. However, memories of getting May Hill wrong in my racing days mean I find the right line across the bumps – with the exhaust grinding out and pitching me onto the left hand side of the road.

I get things back in line for the Pic 6 approach to the uphill section and reach the Hairpin in bottom gear. A little clutch slip is needed to make it around but it’s then back on the power towards the two right hand- ers that make up the Waterworks. It’s easy to get caught out here as the second exit tightens up on itself, that well known image of Sammy Miller going over the wall pops into my mind for moment (Pic 6).

By the time I reach the Gooseneck I’ve managed to tuck in behind the Marshall and we both head away up the Mountain. Predictably, we’re joined by faster bikes along the but Boanerges is doing all I could ask of it. It’s comfortably holding its own against the other machines and not missing a beat, I take a moment or two to just savour the glorious atmos- phere. I’m joined by a lightweight Ducati or Aermacchi on an open mega between the Mountain Box and the Veranda- if anyone knows who that rider was I’d love to get in touch (any suggestions to the Editor please).

There are more glorious views down the valley towards Laxey as I cross, cautiously, over the tram lines at the Bungalow, looking up to the heavens to say a big “Thank you Dad”. Rolling down the Mountain, famous sections fly by: Windy Corner, the 33rd Milestone, Keppel Gate, Kate’s Cottage, Creg ny Baa and then into Hillberry which, if I say so myself, I take very nicely! Which is more than can be said for Signpost Corner which I approach far too quickly and get completely wrong as a result. None of that matters, howev-

Page 11 er, as I pull in at the end of the lap and start the climb down from Cloud Nine. It was “only a Parade” but, for me, it was absolutely magical; the miles, smiles and memories combined to make it a run I will never forget. Thank You to the Isle of Man Section for making it all possible. (Pic 7).

Pic 7

John Daly Photos by John Daly and Amulree

Page 12 Page 13 A hearty welcome to these ten new members:-

K Lowney: 16 Ballachurry Close, Onchan, IM3 4BE R Taylor: 2 Sprucewood Rise, Foxdale, IM4 3JS C Miller: 8 Tynwald Road, Peel, IM5 1LA H Richardson: Pitcairn, , , IM2 3RQ R Elstrop: 5 Windsor Road, Ramsey, IM8 3EG J Joughin: 60 Victoria Road, Douglas, IM2 4HQ D Whalley: Signpost Cottage, Cronk Ny Mona, Onchan, IM3 3TD P Burden: 39 Barrule Road, Willaston, Douglas, IM2 6LN D Craine: The Carrick, Port Lewaigue, Ramsey, IM7 1AG W Dearing: Brottby, Peveril Road, Peel, IM5 1PJ

Page 14 Flogger’s Corner

1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B. 95% original, it appears to have been in dry storage since 1976 with just over 19,000 genuine miles on the clock. All the chrome is very good indeed, no dinks in the pipes which is ex- traordinary all things con- sidered. The bike runs well and is currently registered here on the Isle of Man.

£6950 ovno. Ade: 898155 or 478353

1979 (First registered) Silk 700S. 2 owners from new. 2,680 miles. Sabre model fit- ted with the “Comfort seat” option and AP brakes. Engine has had a recent full re-com- mission with new liners, rings etc and runs beautifully. Otherwise the bike is all orig- inal, unrestored and in full working order. Currently on a UK plate.

£15,000 Dave: 496461

Page 15 TRIALS RESULTS

West Baldwin Bridge 19th October 2014 West Baldwin Bridge offered tricky conditions for riders, however Shaun Huxley parted with only 5 marks to win the Vintage 'A' class, with Kevin Whiteway close behind on 6 and Steve Taylor taking the win in Vintage 'B'. Top runners in the Invitation classes this year have been the youngest rider in class 'A', Daniel Smith, and the oldest rider in class 'B', Andy Sykes. Both maintained their winning ways, while Juan Lace and Josh Blackburn headed Youth Invitation classes 'A' and 'B'.

VMCC Members 'A' route: 5. Gary Dudley (Yamaha) 40 1. Shaun Huxley (James) 5 marks lost 6. Andy Wilson (Fantic) 46 2. Kevin Whiteway (Triumph) 6 7. Paul Ansermoz (BSA) 58 3. Jim Davidson (Triumph) 11 4. Steve Lace (Triumph) 17 Invitation 'B' route: 5. Neil Kerruish (Yamaha) 19 1. Andy Sykes (Rigid Bantam) 2 6. Graham Thomas (Honda) 23 2. Curtis Kelly (Gas Gas) 15 7. Geoff Griffiths (Fantic) 49 3. Billy Booth (Beta) 26 8. Ashley Gardner (Honda) 52 4. Jonathan Watts (Scorpa) 45 5. Phil Pemberton (Gas Gas) 65 VMCC Members 'B' route: 1. Steve Taylor (Honda) 47 Youth Invitation 'A': 2. Jon Duncan (Yamaha) 64 1. Juan Lace (Beta) 1 3. Alastair Robertson (Montesa) 81 2. Sophie-May Hardie (Gas Gas) 5 3. Fraser Heginson (Beta) 15 Invitation 'A' route: 4. Ashley Gardner Jnr (BSA) 32 1. Daniel Smith (Triumph) 9 2. Sammy Ball (Fantic) 13 (27x0) Youth Invitation 'B': 3. Paul Smith (Fantic) 13 (26x0) 1. Josh Blackburn (Beta) 15 4. Mike Stevens (Gas Gas) 25 2. Toby Lace (Beta) 16

Page 16 Dhoon Quarry 16th November 2014 With the VMCC's club championship nearing its finale, Clerk of the Course Sean Seal set some testing sections to sort the front runners at Dhoon Quarry. In the premier Vintage 'A' class, best on the day was Phil Ward, closely followed by Steve Lace and Shaun Huxley, while Vintage 'B' saw a welcome appearance by Stuey Clague, who took the win from Mike Ellis. It was Sam Ansermoz first home in Invitation 'A', although Daniel Smith extended his championship lead with second place. Runaway leader in Invita- tion 'B', Andy Sykes, was pressed hard by Keith Thompson and Chris Palmer, but managed to stay ahead for yet another win. First time out on his new 125 Gas Gas, Dylan Groom had things his own way in Youth Invitation 'B'.

VMCC Members 'A' route 4. Paul Smith (Triumph) 18 1. Phil Ward (Bultaco) 10 marks lost 5. Sammy Ball (Fantic) 19 2. Steve Lace (Triumph) 11 6. Nigel Woods (Honda) 28 3. Shaun Huxley (James) 13 7. Mike Stevens (Gas Gas) 34 4. Jim Davidson (Triumph) 29 8. Andy Wilson (Fantic) 53 5. Graham Thomas (Honda) 42 9. Allan Lund (Fantic) 63 6. Neil Kerruish (Fantic) 45 7. Chas Watson (Honda) 51 Invitation 'B' route 8. Geoff Griffiths (Fantic) 62 1. Andy Sykes (Rigid Bantam) 11 2. Keith Thompson (Scorpa) 12 VMCC Members 'B' route 3. Chris Palmer (Beta) 13 1. Stuey Clague (Fantic) 12 4. Billy Booth (Beta) 15 2. Mike Ellis (Kawasaki) 38 5. Curtis Kelly (Gas Gas) 18 3. Richard Bairstow (Yamaha) 48 6. David Craine (Montesa 4RT) 25 4. Steve Taylor (Honda) 58 7. Paul Ansermoz (BSA) 27 5. Jon Duncan (Yamaha) 59 8. Mike Vinton (Sherco) 29 9. Ian James (SWM) 32 Invitation 'A' route 10. Jonathan Watts (Scorpa) 39 1. Sam Ansermoz (Montesa 4RT) 2 2. Daniel Smith (Fantic) 7 Youth Invitation 'B' 3. Nick Warburton (Montesa 4RT) 12 1. Dylan Groom (Gas Gas) 33 Page 17 WE PRINT

6x4 / 7x5 / 8x6 Peel Copy Centre 1 Atholl Place Peel, IM5 1HE YOUR PHOTOS Tel: 843889 [email protected]

Page 18 Page 19 BOOK REVIEWS By Jonathan Hill Never one to do things by halves, when 73-year-old Noel Whittall suffered a heart attack, he was flying at over 1,000 feet, piloting his own paraglider. After a long recovery period he was advised to keep active to im- prove his health – perhaps some light work in the pot- ting shed or maybe a trip down to the shops on a motability scooter?

That was not the sort of activ- ity Noel had in mind - he dug out his belt-driven 1918 Tri- umph 550cc Model H motor- cycle and embarked at short notice (with no back-up and very little planning) on the “End to End Run” – the jour- ney from his home in Leeds to John O’Groats, down to Lands End and back to Leeds.

Page 20 In all, Noel covered approximately 2,000 miles, with the Triumph im- pressively averaging over 100 mpg.

Noel’s Model H was one of 30,000 made for the War Office for use by despatch riders in WW1. Christened by the DRs as the “Trusty Tri- umph”, it had a 550cc side-valve engine with a three-speed gearbox, a rim rear brake and a stirrup brake at the front “of a pattern normally found on old-time vicar’s bicycles”. This is the story of Noel’s battle against the elements, the traffic and mechanical tribulations, but it is also a humorous story of his joy of meeting fellow travellers, locals and motorcycle enthusiasts, at being close to nature and having the time to philosophise about the state of the world.

Several years passed and after winning a prestigious award in the VM- CC’s Banbury Run, what other challenges were there for an old bloke on a near 100-year-old machine? What about a trip to Europe? What about a ride over real mountains? This second volume is the story of Whittall’s ride over the Route des Grandes Alpes, the spectacular tourist trail from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea, via the highest passes in France. Noel rode “H” (as the machine is referred to) in both directions – and threw in a lap of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit for a good measure. Noel’s powers of observation and recall of his epic journeys are astound- ing and his dry wit and command of the English language make for a highly recommended reads.

Author: Noel Whittall Distributor: York Publishing Services Ltd., 64 Hallfield Road, Layerthorpe, York YO31 7ZQ. Tel.: 01904 431213. E-mail: [email protected]

Both books soft back (laminated), 160mm x 215mm,

149 pages, 22 photographs; 157 pages, 44 photographs ISBN 978-1-908037-14-5 ISBN 978-1-908037-26-8 £10.00 £12.95

Page 21 SECOND JURBY TEST DAY

Much to everyone’s surprise, and relief, the sun shone for the Section’s second Jurby Test Day. The basic format was the same as before with groups going out for ten to fifteen minute sessions – the rela- tively small numbers of riders on track at any one time meant you were unlikely to be fighting for your line through the corners.

The afternoon sessions were run with riders tackling the course in a clockwise direction, which was an interesting varia- tion for those of us who had only ever ridden the circuit anti-clockwise before!

The Test Days really have been great opportunities for members to fettle machinery, and “see what they’ll do” with- out having to worry about other road users. Hopefully, more will be run next year and all members will be welcome.

More photos from the day, and TT/ MGP galleries, can be found at: [email protected] Static shots courtesy of Pete Jackson

Page 22 A Moment in Time

1922’s TT was to be a year of mixed fortune for . He is seen here receiving trackside first aid (in the form of a plaster and what looks like an unfiltered cigarette) after a spill. However, he went on to take his Sunbeam to a win in the Senior by a very healthy margin of 3 minutes and 53 seconds.

Page 23 Go For It! Noel Pope – Brooklands to Bonneville

July 4th 1939 was a day of uncertain weather at Brooklands race track. Periods of bright sunshine alternated with sharp showers and fitful gusts of wind. But in the competitors’ paddock the red-haired young man giving a final fettle to a much-modified Brough Superior was quite certain what he was going to do that day.

Noel ‘Bill’ Pope, successful racer and, in his day job, foreman in Comerfords motorcycle workshops, intended to set up the fastest lap-time for a solo motorbike in the 32-year history of the track. Pope had held the record almost 4 years earlier, but Eric Fernihough, ‘The Scalded Cat’, had broken it soon af- ter with a lap at 123.58mph. The record still stood, but Fernihough was gone, killed in Hungary two year’s earlier dur- ing a world speed record attempt. Pope was certain this would be his last chance to crack the Brook- lands record; war with Germany seemed just around the corner and, so convinced was he of its inevitability, he had already enlisted in the regular army and expected to be in khaki within the month.

Page 24 A group of Pope’s friends and some reporters were watching him at work when a tall, burly fellow in sunglasses quietly joined them. The newcomer watched Pope for a time, then whistled softly. ‘Old Pal,’ he remarked before strolling away, ‘You wouldn’t get me on that thing for all the tea in China.’

It might have seemed a typical non-motorcyclist’s daft remark, but Pope knew it for a genuine tribute, for the man in sunglasses was John Cobb, holder of the Brooklands lap record for cars, and himself about to attack George Easton’s current Land Speed Record of 357 mph. ‘I’m going for it.’ Pope announced. As he rolled out the supercharged Brough, the rain had stopped, but the unbanked sections of the great concrete saucer still gleamed with damp, and sharp gusts of wind were snapping at the clubhouse flag. Conditions remained far from perfect, but Pope had made his mind up and he roared off on the first of his two preliminary circuits. His friends and the reporters waited for him at the vantage point known as The Fork – a long blind right hand curve which led into the equally taxing left-hander of the sheer Home Banking.

On his third lap, the timing clocks now running, Pope put the Brough into The Fork at 118mph, banked over so fully the footrest struck sparks off the concrete – seconds later the opposite peg was grinding the track. The howling Brough disappeared from view behind Members’ Hill.

One of Pope’s friends recalled: “There was a terrible silence. No-one spoke a word. But as we wheeled round to focus on the spot, half a mile away, where Bill would reappear - if he reappeared - I saw sweat shining on every man’s face and I was aware of it trickling down my own.” The Brough hurtled into view. At the tail end of Home Banking, the track rose in a hump where a viaduct carried it over the River Wey; the Brough hit the brow and took off, a clear foot of daylight visible below its wheels before it struck the track again, snaking wildly, and flew down the Railway Straight, the fastest section on the circuit, at a speed of 160 mph. Then onto the Byfleet Banking, lower, less steep and therefore more treacherous than the Home section, Pope fighting the bike and centrifugal force within inches of the concrete lip – finally he hurtled again across The Fork, “slamming past, heeling over dizzily, first right, then left again ... we were far out of danger, but every one of us took an involuntary pace to the rear.”

Page 25 Pope had smashed the record – his epic lap had taken just 80 seconds, but when he halted the Brough ‘… he scarcely had the strength left to hold the bike upright … his breath came in panting gasps … his hands shook ... we had to help him from the saddle ...”

Pope had recorded an average of 124.51 mph, beating Fernihough’s 123.58 mph. No-one knew it then, least of all Bill Pope, but it was a record destined to stand for all time.

WW2 marked the end of Brooklands as it had been – after 1939 its glory days would pass into legend. But after the war was over, Bill Pope, now back at Comerfords as workshop manager, began thinking about another record attempt. The World Motorcycle Speed Record set by Ernst Henne in 1937, which Fernihough had lost his life trying to beat, still stood. Pope still owned his blown Brough, and he believed that it had the potential to break Henne’s record. However, he knew it would be a non-contender without the sort of fully streamlined shell the had used on his machines. The problem was, such a shell had to be scientifically designed and precision built, and that would cost a great deal of money. Pope didn’t have that kind of financial resources and, as usual, no help could be expected from the British government. For a long time Pope thought about the problem, lobbied personalities in the motorcycling world, and tried to find a backer. Finally, in 1950, his persistence and determination were rewarded. His boss, Mr E Comerford, and George Brough (with his unerring flair for publicity and love of a sporting challenge) pledged to back him.

Within a few months a streamlined shell (“the Brough Bullet”) had been designed and built. It completely enclosed bike and rider, mounting a single high stabilising fin and two stubby ‘wings’. It had been built in three sections for ease of transport, for Pope’s record attempt was to be made at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Both Brough and ‘Bullet’ were very carefully crated and packed, and later that year, the Comerford-Brough-Pope team set sail for America. Their HQ was to be the small town of Wendover, Utah, on the edge of the Salt Flats.

Page 26 Everything went well – until the team began assembling the bike and its streamliner. Somehow, inexplicably, the ‘Bullet’ had become severely warped in transit, despite all the care lavished on its packing. The three sections of the fairing were so twisted they could only be aligned by brute force or by re-fashioning them from scratch. The second option was not possible – there were no technical facilities of the sort needed in Wendover or anywhere near. In addition, the professional timekeepers of the AAA had already arrived in the town from great distances, and the cost of keeping them there for several days was more than the team’s limited funds could run to. Pope said simply: ‘We’ve no choice. We have to go for it.’

He got his way, and with much effort, the ‘Bullet’ was manhandled into shape. It looked all right to the naked eye, but how it would behave travelling at two-and-a-half miles per minute was another matter – but it was a chance that Pope, who was as brave as he was determined, was prepared to take.

There was another problem too. Shortly before, a local car club had used the Flats for amateur speed trials and cut the salt up very badly on each side of the record stretch, effectively narrowing the strip to about 60 feet across. This was adequate if everything went according to plan, but left Bill very little elbow room if the bike began to drift. Pope was well aware of the dangers, and faced them with his usual calm.

On the day of the record attempt, encased in his ‘Bullet’ with the sounds and smell of the roaring Brough, half-deafened despite helmet and earplugs, Bill opened the throttle and went for it. All went well until he reached around 150 mph. Then, inexorably, the Brough began heading off-course, towards the ruts and potholes at the track edge. Bill knew exactly what was happening – the force of the airstream on the now imperfect streamlining was taking the steering out of his hands. He fought against it for over a mile, leaning all his weight against the inside of the shell, but the force of the airflow was too strong. The Brough’s wheels left the narrow strip of safety and struck the ruts – in a second the bike was plunging hopelessly out of control. Bill

Page 27 groped desperately for the release catch that would free the streamlined canopy above him, but before he could reach it the ‘Bullet’ toppled on its side, the canopy was torn away and he was flung out through the opening. For yards he hurtled on his back along the salt – friction dragged the top and bottom halves of his leathers apart, exposing a tender part of his anatomy to the gritty, abrasive crystals at high speed. Just as he was wondering how much worse things could get, the Brough, which had been keeping pace alongside, suddenly somersaulted into the air and came down on top of him … and everything went black.

Bill Pope, incredibly tough and lucky, survived, though he spent a fair time lying on his front in hospital. It was the end of the dream however – the Comerford-Brough-Pope team had to return to England with ‘the bike broken but not the record’. It had been a brave and somehow, sadly, typically British attempt, dared by sporting-minded individuals with plenty of courage and skill but nothing in the way of official back-up or funding. Henne’s record stood until the following year when another German, Wilhelm Hertz, finally shattered it on a fully-streamlined NSU with a speed of 180.172 mph.

Allan Jermieson All acknowledgements to the photographers

Page 28 Page 29 F. L. Frith – Rider Profile No.25

Freddie Frith, one of the TT Stars of the Thirties and Forties, was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire on 30 May 1909.

On his first appearance at the Manx, when he was 21 years of age, he finished 3rd in the Junior on a . 1932 saw him finish 3rd in the Senior on a 350cc Norton and the fol- lowing year, again on a Norton, he was 2nd in the Junior. In 1935, his final year in the Manx Grand Prix, he won the Junior and was 2nd in the Senior – both on Nortons.

He then turned professional and rode Nortons in both Junior and Senior races from 1936 to 1939. In 1936 he won his first Junior TT, and was 3rd in the Senior. He was 2nd in the Junior and won the Senior in 1937, and took 3rd place in both classes in 1938.

Returning post-war, he won the 1948 Junior TT on a Velocette. 1949, his final year of racing, saw him at his best. He won the Junior TT on his 350 Velocette and went on to win the 350 classes at the Swiss, Dutch and Ulster races and, of course, the 350 World Championship – all on his trusty Velocette.

He was later awarded the OBE and was the first racing motor- cyclist to do so. died on 24 May 1988.

Dorothy Greenwood

Page 30 Stanley Woods and the DKW LIGHTWEIGHTS

My interest in DKW arose from a letter I received from Siegfried Wunsche in 1979, ahead of his visit to the Isle of Man for the "Millenium TT" as he particularly wanted to see race on the Moun- tain Circuit.

Siegfried was a former DKW fac- tory rider whose competitive years began as a young man be- fore the war, and ended in 1955. A very able competitor, his best years were undoubtedly lost due to the war and German riders be- ing subsequently barred from competing in post-war World Championship events until 1953.

As well as wanting to see Mike Hailwood race, Siegfried had been offered a ride in the "Millenium Lap of Honour." This was courtesy of Neil Kelly who had procured a 500cc CX Honda for Siegfried to ride. Perhaps not quite a factory `Deek`, but a gesture Siegfried forever appreciated and never forgot. All this was the genesis of a great friendship which lasted to the end of his days a little over fifteen years ago.

Siegfried was a humble man and a real gentleman and, despite our age difference, - he was born in 1916 - our mutual interest in bridged that gap with ease.

This was a fascinating friendship for me as I have always enjoyed the historical side of racing. His stories of the pressures of being a factory rider for a leading German team in the years leading up to the Hitler War provided a real eye opener for me. This sparked off some research into the story of DKW in the Isle of Man which I put together in the 1980`s. This, in turn, led to some greatly valued exchanges with Stanley Woods to discover what happened to him on his one and only TT ride on the "screaming German two-stroke."

Page 31 DKW made their first visit to the Island for the 1935 TT and field- ed a factory team of Kurt Mansfeld, Arthur Geiss and Walfried Winkler in the Light- weight Race, with Mansfeld also having a ride in the Senior. However, a practice crash on the Senior machine, in which Mansfeld suffered a hand injury and the machine was badly damaged, ruled out any Senior honours. Another Ger- man, Otto Steinbach, took over Mansfield’s Lightweight ride.

Regrettably, the initial factory effort was rather a damp squib with Geiss providing the only finish in 7th place at 64.27mph.

They were certainly up for learning however as, for 1936, the team of Geiss and Steinbach were massively bolstered by the signature of Stanley Woods - you couldn’t get any higher ambition than that!

Up for learning – yes, up for listening – perhaps less so as Stanley’s article (below) reveals their poor wisdom in forking out for the top man, with massive Isle of Man experience, and then failing to heed his advice. It still happens!!

Starting at number 30, Woods was straight away into a commanding lead, smashing the lap record with a “tour” at 76.20 mph (compare that to Geiss’ time from the previous year). I don’t want to spoil his story, however, save to say it was ultimately not to be his day with the win being taken by Bob Foster on a New Imperial (the last British 250 win until the 1980s).

Runner up was Henry Tyrell-Smith on an Exelsior Manxman, with a conso- lation 3rd place for DKW and Geiss who grabbed the final podium position.

Page 32 I hope everyone enjoys a race around the Island with the great Stanley Woods:

“It was reported in the motorcycling and general press that “The Mountain” burnt up my screaming DKW. Not true! My trouble was ultimately down to an oiled plug! It happened thus.

Before the TT, I had ridden the DKW in the Solitude Race at Stuttgart. So far as I was concerned it was a waste of time, for, although the other works entries ran faultlessly, my machine suffered from persistent misfiring.

Later on we went to the Nurburgring where the machine ran perfectly. I was warned however that I must not exceed 4,400rpm. If I did, one of the nine (?) reed valves between the supercharging piston and the crankcase would break.

I was supposed to be able to feel when the engine was at peak for no revolution counter was fitted. This was more than somewhat difficult for me as, during the last season, virtually all my riding had been on Moto Guzzis. On both 250 and 500cc machines, their normal peak revs were 7,700 rpm and it did not seem to do any damage if this figure was exceeded.

Revolution counters were also fitted to my 1936 . The 350 ran to 7,000 and the 500 to 6,000. The 500 would simply not exceed this figure while on the 350 the valves floated above this figure - simple!

I begged Dr. Prussing to fit a rev counter, or even a speedometer, to the DKW but he would not do so.

However, by race day, I was fairly confident that I could judge the right moment to change up, except on the Mountain Mile on Snaefell. On this stretch the engine reached peak revs in third gear so slowly that the only way to avoid trouble was to change into top gear early and let her slog.

I started the race quite confident that I would win if I had no trouble. At Sulby, my first signalling station, I got the signal “First by 7 seconds”. This was not as big a lead as I had expected so I went a little faster for the rest of the lap—but not by any means extending myself or the bike. At the end of the lap, my first lap position at Sulby was confirmed. However, I had to wait

Page 33 until Sulby on lap two to learn how the little bit extra had affected the position. Sulby signalled all well “First by 24 seconds”. So, having found the correct speed to give me a comfort- able lead, I maintained it. At the end of the second lap I had established a lead of one minute and eighteen seconds and by Sulby on lap three I had extended it to one minute thirty sec- onds. Then the trouble started!

On the Mountain Mile I oiled a plug. I had not been driving hard enough to keep her warm on the long climb in third gear. I did a quick plug change but by the end of the lap I had dropped back to second place, twenty five seconds behind Foster on his New Imperial. Both Foster and I stopped for petrol at the end of the third lap, so the pit stop loss of time could be ignored, more or less, a few seconds either way would hardly affect the result!

Off again on the fourth lap but now pushing myself that little bit nearer the limit on the bends and corners, and knowing that I would have to risk getting nearer the engine’s danger zone in third on the Mountain Mile. Back at Sulby I had a five second lead and, by the end of the lap, led Foster by twenty seven seconds. However, a second pit stop, although only a short fifteen seconds, was enough to drop me back to second place again, five seconds behind Foster at Sulby. Nothing to worry about I thought, I could still win by a minute unless I had more trouble - and that is what happened.

Singing along in third towards the end of the Mountain Mile she went flat - just off tune. By the end of the lap I was down to second place once more, thirty five seconds in arrears. On the last lap, the trouble became progressive- ly worse and at Sulby I was more than five minutes down and, just before the top of the Mountain, she ran out of fuel.

Page 34 On the previous lap (sixth) on the Mountain Mile I must have exceeded the permitted 4,400 rpm and broken one or more of the reed valves - reducing the crankcase pressure and increasing the petrol consumption by blowing it out through the carburettor.

She was a lovely machine to ride and handled to perfection but I found the rigid frame and fairly small section tyres very tiring, although I did not become aware of the fatigue until after the race.

As bad weather had postponed the race from Wednesday until Thursday, and I had another little job to do on my Velocette before the Senior weigh in on Friday, I did not have the time for a full “post mortem”. However, they got the message and, for 1937, their race bikes were fitted with rev counters and spring frames.”

Adrian Earnshaw and Stanley Woods Photos by Amulree

Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 300+ VEHICLES ALWAYS ON SHOW AT BETTRIDGE’S Mines Road, Higher Foxdale opposite Foxdale School

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