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 Chairman's Chat Page 3 Secretary's Notes Page 5 Yellow Belly Notes - "The Eagle has Landed" Page 9 Bert Houlding: TT Pioneer Page 12 Manx Motorcycle Museums Page 16 Book Review - Excelsior - The Racing Years Page 17 New Members Page 18 Forthcoming Events Page 20 The 2011 Trials Season Page 24 Stanley Woods Page 28 Tommy Wood - Rider Profile No. 15 Page 29 Sons of Thunder - Pt3 - Allan Jermieson Page 34 Motorcycles - Part 4 - Bob Thomas Editor: Job Grimshaw Sub Editor: Harley Richards Cover Pic - Bob Thomas Racing the ABC at the VMCC Chalfont Hill Climb. In Bob's own words …. This is a rare works Sport/racing model. As far as is known only one other example exists. This one was raced successfully at Pendine by Luther Davies of Swansea (There is a rumour that it was also raced at Brooklands by well known ABC rider Stephen Bassett, but this is not confirmed). It differs from all other models of the ABC in having a special frame, this has stiffer and stronger suspension. The front spring is shorter, the rear springs have extra leaves, also the rear springs are secured by “U” bolts against the small bolts of the standards machines. It has shortened cylinders giving higher compression, a larger bore induction pipe, and a mechanical oil pump. It is believed the crankcase has been replaced at some time, but when acquired in 1959 it still had a lot of sand on it. This suggested it had been raced in its present form. The straight-through exhaust pipes are those fitted before I acquired it. It is quick and handles very nicely. It uses Castor based oil. Pic & words Courtesy The Milntown Trust Page 1 Chairman’s chat Dear Members, I start off this time on a sad note. As many of you will know Margaret Robinson and Irene Robinson passed away recently. We extend our sympathy to Dudley and Clive from everybody in the section and we have sent a donation to the Isle of Man Hospice on your behalf. With the winter weather still making its presence felt we are fortunate indeed to have the facilities of the Peveril Motorcycle club’s headquarters for our monthly meetings. Our thanks must also go to Geoff Brazendale, for attending our February meeting and informing us all of the workings of the LE Velocette, and of course Brian Cope for the loan of his immaculate MK11 model. Tony’s film night in Peel proved popular and it is likely to be part of our future calendar, great stuff! The programme for the rest of the year is also set, Tony East will keep you informed of any changes. On a different note, whilst going through the entry lists for last years events, it is noticeable that very few of you are giving your machine details. Triumph 500 is not really enough information, please help by spending a few extra seconds to state the make, year and model of your bike. The information is not divulged to anyone other than club officials. It gives you a chance to win a club award, and of course bring your membership card when you sign on, thank you. We have a number of challenges ahead including the question mark over the future of the MGP and its funding. Please fill in the on line survey and show support for this important event. I for one would be totally against its curtail- ment. Members of the committee will be in attendance at the Stafford Classic Bike Show to promote the Island, the MGP and of course our events. We are always open to suggestions for the future and Job needs articles for the magazine. Keep between the hedges Richard Page 2 Secretary’s Notes Hi Everyone, Time really flies by when you get to a certain age, seems like one magazine is put to bed and the next one is on its way. The start of the year has been reasonably good for the Club with a sell out Dinner at Mount Murray. For those unable to attend a presentation cheque was made, from the VMCC Isle of Man Section,to the Hyperbaric Chamber Charity for £3,250. This was followed by our highly successful first film night at the Peel Centenary Centre. Profits from that were £200 and this was given to the Joey Dunlop Foundation. So we can all give ourselves a pat on the back. With the impending Budget about to hit us all, one might be forgiven for fearing for the future of the MGP Festival. Comments in the newspapers and on the various forums place a serious focus on what appears to be, on the surface, a loss making event for the Government. If it was decided to scrap the MGP the Island would immediately lose the five and a half million pounds spent by visitors. Some hotels would close and the Steam Packet Company would be in an even more serious condition. The Government would lose the VAT revenue that the MGP produces, no VMCC Rally, no Festival of Jurby, no tourists. Clearly this scenario is out of the question, and I am sure that we will see the continuation of this great Festival albeit with possibly a change of name and changes to the Race Programme. The organisers should be aware that if the programme is shortened or the classes changed too much, perhaps the riders will not bother to come here as the add on cost to them in a declining UK economy is horrendous. On the brighter side huge savings must be available within our bloated Government, which has spent money like water during the years when the UK were being over generous with the VAT revenue. Accountants should not be allowed to make the ultimate decisions over events that affect us all. We need people with vision and courage to make the decisions affecting our Page 3 future. You may say “What has this to do with our Club?”. Our Club, The Manx Motor Cycle Club, the Two Day Trial and the One Day Trial are all working together to encourage footfall to our great Island. We need to increase visitors to the MGP festival by at least 11% this year, compared to last year. On the figures coming out of The Steam Packet we are well on the way to achieving this target. Enthusiasm, working with the Dept of Economic Development and singing the praises of the MGP Festival to anyone who will listen will help us to do this. Let’s save the MGP Festival!! Entries for the VMCC TT Rally are coming on nicely, and the MGP Rally, the Festival of Jurby and the VMCC Closed Roads Parade figures are all well up on last year. Please get your entries in early for these events as the closing dates may have to be brought forward due to high demand. Membership rose by five in December and a further six in January, and a warm welcome to all those new members. If you have not already done so, please email Steve Price <[email protected]> with your email addresses, so that he can put you on our contact list in the event of any last minute changes to Club events. We have heard that the historic road tax has increased by 10% this year to £11, while other road taxes have only gone up by 6%. Perhaps we should invite the Minister to a Club Night at Knock Froy to explain his reasons for this. A Federation of Historic Vehicles has been recently formed and Chris Proctor and I have attended the inaugural meeting. It is intended, amongst other things, to be a pressure group when presenting any issues we might have to the Government. There will be more to report on over the coming months. Don’t forget the special mini AGM on march 8th at Knock Froy. It will not take long, then we can get down to some serious sausage and chips from our gourmet chef Kevin. Till the next time “happy riding” Tony P.S. Look out in your next VMCC magazine from HQ, enclosed will be the new MGP Festival brochure. Looks impressive. Page 4 Yellow Belly Notes The Eagle Has Landed In Raymond Ainscoe’s latest publication ‘The Murrays Museum T.T. Ar- chive’, there are some evocative pictures of one of the most sensational motor cycles ever produced; the amazing Moto Guzzi V8 racer. That marque has been linked with the Isle of Man since 1926, with a roll call of riders from the British Isles, which reads like a ‘dream team. Add to that the names of the Italian riders and not forgetting the ‘colonial’ racers, and the factory by the lake in northern Italy has had a long and successful association with the T.T. In 1937 the dashing Omobono Tenni won the lightweight T.T. and the journalists at the time were excited by his brave style. One commentator said “ Tenni corners with mad abandon” That victory and the Isle of Man itself meant so much to him that his son was christened Titino. Pic 1. Part of your Lin- Pic. 1 colnshire correspondent’s col- lection of stylish Omobono Tenni T - shirts.