Issue 47 2017 Page 2 Page 5 - Chairman’s (Final) Chat Page 6 - Rupert’s Year End Report Page 7 - Rider Profile No.32 - IK Arber Page 8 - Yellowbelly Notes - Alpha “Centuri” (in a galaxy near Dudley) Page 10 - Book Review - “Edward Turner - The man behind the motorcycles” Page 12 - Book Review - “You can’t wear out an Indian Scout” Page 14 - The First 100mph lap of the Mountain Course Page 19 - A Moment in Time Page 20 - New Members Page 22 - Another Fine Year of Sport - 2016 Trials Report Page 25 - 2017 Test Days Page 26 - VMCC Events Calendar 2017 Page 28 - Pride & Prejudice (not forgetting Perception) Page 30 - One Day in 1961 Page 32 - Club Awards 2016 Page 34 - A trip down memory lane - on two wheels Editor: Harley Richards [email protected] Cover Pictures:- Turn over to page 4 to read the full story of these machines. Page 3 The left hand photo on the cover is of my father, in! I located a chap in Norfolk who made me new Jimmy Gibson, aboard a 1925 Big Port AJS. This primary and rear chain cases, a rear stand and a had been purchased, in bits, from a chap called back luggage rack (all of which were missing) Bram Hennery who lived in Pulrose for the from old Francis Barnett patterns. The bike was princely sum of £10. The bike had obviously been finally finished and, with the help of Bob Watson Bram’s pride and joy and he assured us that he (alias Gromit), it now has a battery, full working had sprinted it on the Island. The photo shows lights (LED no less!) and an electric horn. It gets Jimmy’s first outing with the AJS on the VMCC used regularly on Section runs and I have to say it TT Rally in 1966. This was in the very early days has proved very reliable. of the IOM Section. Jimmy used the Ajay on VMCC runs up until 1975 and its final outing was Gromit and I also dragged the AJS out from the a closed road parade from Charles Murray’s mu- back of the garage in 2010 – needless to say it seum to the Grandstand. Shortly afterwards it was in a sorry state (as shown in the accompany- was banished to the back of the garage. ing photo). We had the wheels rebuilt, got it running in its 1975 state and then put it through The right hand photo is of myself, Ian Gibson, on the Manx test, just as it was. I used it in that my 1930 Francis Barnett 196cc twin port Super condition for several years on the odd Section Sport. Features of this machine are its auto-lube run until it finally gave up the ghost. I have recent- system (heady stuff for 1930), and the famous ly rebuilt the bike, finding many problems with “built like a bridge” frame (sometimes called the the engine and cursing my father (to put it mildly) frame that would fit in a golf bag because it is all as a result, but I also have to thank him for never straight tubes bolted together). I was on my first throwing anything away - there is definitely a VMCC TT Rally, this time 1967, and I was 16 at moral in there somewhere. Apart from a few that time (the rather stylish Tam O’Shanter hav- snagging points, it is finished, if you can ever say ing been purchased specifically for the event!). that about an old bike (the bottom photo on the cover showing the AJS and FB as they currently I used the Barnett in club outings up until 1971 are). I have taken it for a test run up the road and but, by then, it was run into the ground and was I will say it is not for the faint hearted! Now it’s also banished to the back of the garage. The poor just a question of keeping my eyes open for the old bike lay there until 2005 when I pulled it out next old bike that may still be at the back of the and started to re build it - what a sad state it was garage. Ian Gibson Page 4 Chairman’s (final) Chat May I start by wishing you all a (belated) very Looking to the future, we have a new updated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from web site about to appear with a separate section me, and all of your committee members. The dedicated to on line ticketing for the Festival, this times they are a-changing, at least for me, this hopefully will enable Gary`s gate staff to have an being my last missive as Chairman before I stand easier time and, NO, we will not forget the down at the AGM. members who are not computer users. Would you like us to organise some basic IT training? I thought that I might indulge myself by looking Nothing too complicated, even I can now just back at some of the highlights of this, and previ- about use an iPad! Please do give it some thought. ous years, not in any particular order. We have certainly grown as a Section, both in numbers and There are a significant number of challenges both scope. within our Section and the outside world, but there appears to be an acknowledgement that Having taken over the original Manx rally, which the VMCC IOM Section has a voice which is was traditionally run by the VMCC HQ, we have being heard, backed up by a group of individuals gone on to create a new event which covers the willing and able to carry proposals and not just whole of the Classic TT and MGP - with our running a talking shop. I am aware that we have a premier event at the Festival of Jurby. number of dissenters within our ranks who see our obsession with the Jurby Festival and the A series of UK rides initially to the Lake District running of events as not How Things Used To Be. has now become an established event currently However, please remember before you harp on based in Morecombe, with imaginative plans for that Jurby creates the funds which benefit ALL venturing further afield if there is sufficient inter- club members - I don’t recall any complaints est. about free tea and food at our Section runs, or the free Test Days, or Vintage Mann but I may be 2011 saw us organise the TT Mountain Challenge wrong? which was primarily for machines of an earlier era with a good number of overseas visitors enjoying I will be staying on the events committee if elect- the Island for the first time. ed and I will continue to play my part - what are you prepared to do? We need volunteers who The Section launched its own magazine (under will take an active role and guide the Section into the leadership of Job Grimshaw) and web site the future, no free rides, you will find things (organised and run by Steve Price), both of which challenging and no doubt infuriating but you will I believe were firsts in the VMCC. The increased find that the results are well worth it, numbers at the Festival year on year has exceed- ed our wildest dreams and the introduction of So that’s it, rant over, but please think on, every- our Test Days has proved very popular and in- thing that we do is for you! creased the Section’s numbers significantly. Of course, all of these activities could not have taken Best Wishes, Richard place without a vast amount of work and cooper- ation from your committee members, enthusias- tic members and friends for which I thank you very much! Page 5 Rupert’s Year End Report ‘tis the week before Christmas and, with the An evening with Colin Seeley – going for- Section’s financial year end looming large, this is wards, the committee would like to invite a a particularly busy period for your Treasurer, celebrity over every year for an evening chat books to be balanced, accounts to be prepared show that is open to the public to attend. The etc. etc. I suppose you would describe me as a costs will be subsidised by the Section – “profits” Luddite – I hate the thought of computerising the to charity. accounts – and steadfastly cling to the past, enter- ing everything by hand into the ledgers. Before You might ask why the Section doesn’t do more Liz May took on the job of auditing our accounts, (it can clearly afford to) but I feel the more the task was handled by Joan Sherry who was important question to ask is: “Where does the into her eighties and simply amazed at how igno- money come from?” The simple answer is – THE rant I was (am) of the computer’s benefits. Well, FESTIVAL OF JURBY. Yes, Section night raffles/ I don’t know about you but I find writing a letter, auctions and income from Club Trials all add to for example, with a fountain pen a much more the pot. However, there’s no getting away from rewarding experience and definitely quicker than the fact that everything we do is totally under- an email – no doubt about it! As for the accounts, pinned by our income from the Festival. That is I’m quite content doing what I’m doing. why the committee continue to plead for help in running the event, we are so utterly dependant As part of the expanded format of this issue of on outside forces, such as G4S, that at times it is Vintage Mann, Harley has asked me to shed some embarrassing.