September

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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.
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Contents
Page 2
Secretary's Notes
Page 3
Chairman's Chat
Page 4
YBN “Happy Birthday Cadwell Park”
Page 7
The Folly of Youth
Page 14
New Members
Page 15 Forthcoming Events
Page 17 Floggers Corner
Page 20 Book Review - Rebel Read - The Prince of Speed
Page 22 Trials Results
Page 24 Trials Pics
Page 26 What to do?
Page 30 Rider Profile No. 24 - Artie Bell
Page 31 Gold Star Girl - Beatrice Shilling
Editor: Harley Richards [email protected]
Cover Picture:- It isn’t just nitrous oxide and turbos for the Jurby postMGP drag races…….
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Secretary’s Notes
Hi Everyone,
I have been taking it very carefully recently, with no riding bikes, due to a
trapped sciatic nerve. If anyone out there has a quick cure, please let me know!!
The VMCC UK continues to tear itself apart with claims and counter claims but
so far, despite all the criticism of the Directors, no Section has come up with a
working alternative solution. Many are now calling for the resignation of the
Board, however, unless there are people prepared to take on the work at HQ,
surely we now have to give the Board a chance to put things right? The staff at
HQ must be completely demoralised and it will take strong leadership to
reassure them that their jobs are safe. Let us hope that the Isle of Man Section
never gets itself into this kind of mess!!
The MGP Rally and Festival of Jurby were both a great success, we are still
paying some outstanding bills but hopefully the Section made a reasonable
profit from the whole enterprise. I would like to thank all of those volunteers
who turned out to help, especially at Jurby where the hi-viz jackets were well in
evidence, as the Health and Safety brigade requested. We are already planning
for 2015, Jurby has been booked and your Section is in the process of registering
the names “Jurby Festival” and “Festival of Jurby”, as an insurance against
anyone else jumping onto the bandwagon.
We will once again be attending the Stafford Bike Show in October, representing the Festival of Motorsport, which includes the Classic TT, and also the
International VMCC MGP and TT Rallies. If last year was anything to go by,
demand for dates and information gets earlier and earlier, so a provisional
timetable of events has already been agreed.
Hopefully, we will be able to fit in another Jurby track day before October is
out. This proved to be a very popular fixture and, if it does go ahead, I hope you
will turn out in your droves to support the event. With our season of Road Runs
coming to an end, please don’t forget the Club nights and Trials events which
are still taking place. Gary Corlett has now produced a Facebook page for the
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Chairman’s chat
After the recent spell of good weather, it seems impossible that darker winter
nights will soon be upon us and winter club nights beckon. We are in urgent
need of speakers for the winter season so if you have any ideas please let me
know.
Tony has covered all the major news in his piece but I will add my thanks to
everyone who helped in any way with the rally and Jurby, it certainly helped to
share the load.
Last month's article on Pride and Clarke must have brought memories to all of
us who looked longingly through local dealer's windows at shiny new bikes, or
of standing in a queue waiting for that essential spare part. Let us all share your
memories of your riding experiences, it would be interesting to compare notes!
I'll keep it brief this time and don't forget the second Thursday of the month, it's
Knock Froy which means sausage and chips in good company.
Richard
VMCC Isle of Man Section, which is a very good place to see photos and details
of our events and also to post anything relevant to our Section.
Our Section is unique within the VMCC movement as we have one thing going
for us that no other Section has, the “TT” - known world wide as synonymous
with the Isle of Man. An idea that has been on my mind for some time is
“Friends of the VMCC Isle of Man”. Emerging counties such as India and China
etc. have plenty of wealthy bikers who might be prepared to pay to receive
Vintage Mann, a sew on badge, access to our web site, to follow us on Facebook, to get help in organising their trip via a leading IOM holiday company,
and to be welcomed into our friendly environment rather than going it alone.
If any member is interested in a meeting to work up the idea plus any other
benefits they can think of, please contact me, with the intention of then presenting “the way ahead” at one of our Club Nights at Knock Froy.
Anyway enough from me, let us start thinking and, of course, riding.
Tony
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Yellow Belly Notes
Happy Birthday Cadwell Park
“It is unlikely that a circuit will ever be built in such a stunning location
again.” These are words written by circuit manager Jon Rush in the
introduction to the programme produced for Cadwell’s 80th anniversary celebrations (Pic 1).
Pic 1
Set amongst the rolling hills of
the Lincolnshire Wolds on the
road between Louth and
Horncastle, Cadwell Park is a
narrow, winding, technical
track which, when ridden well,
is rewarding.
The list of Yellow Belly racers
who cut their teeth on the
circuit is an impressive one.
Two riders who are part of the
Cadwell story:
Malcom Wheeler (Pic 2). As a
lad he used to cycle to the races
and find his own “unofficial”
entrance to the circuit. Now the
editor of “Classic Racer”,
Malc achieved three TT
podiums and re-discovered his
Ducati racer on the island. He
was club steward for Louth and District MC and one of the original instructors at the first Cadwell Park Race School.
Derek Chatterton. Pictured on the cover of the programme and (Pic 3)
seated on my ‘macchi, Derek is synonymous with the term Yellow Belly
Racer. Starting on a 250cc Velocette and then moving on to a 250cc
Aermacchi, purchased from Bill Webster in Crewe, he rode with success on
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Pic 2
Pic 3
Page 5
several marques but it is with the Yamaha that he is best known. In 1971, at
the September International meeting, he won the main race from Ago’s MV
and John Cooper’s BSA. In 1975 he was second in the 250cc TT, fifth in the
350 and 19th in the Senior, having previously won the North West 200. The
“Chat Yam” was the bike to beat.
On Sunday 3rd August 2014, the crowds returned to the circuit in British
Superbike numbers and, just like the Jurby Festival Day, it was a huge
success. Auto 66 races and parades (of Champions) provided us all with a
memorable day.
Pat Sproston. Louth. Lincolnshire
Appendix: A short list of Yellow Belly racers, in no particular order: Freddie
Frith, Dickie Dale, Jackie Beeton and Les Nutt, Steve Machin, Rob Maltby,
Pete Boast, Roger Marshall, Rob McElnea, Neil Tuxworth, Steve Plater,
Gary Johnson, Guy Martin, and living on your island, John and Hilary
Musson. The new generation is represented by riders such as the Lowes
twins and, making his debut as a newcomer at this year's MGP, Craig Neve.
Page 6
The FOLLY of YOUTH
Allan Jermieson’s rather affectionate tale of working life with Pride &
Clarke in the ‘60s certainly stirred up distant memories for me. The
article coincided with delivery of my latest acquisition – a 1949 girder
fork Gilera Saturno and transported me straight back to 27th May 1966
when I bought my first Gilera from, you’ve guessed it , Pride and Clarke!
I had part exchanged my
250cc YDS2 Yamaha
(PIC:1) against a year old
125cc Gilera Six Days Special (PIC:2) and many of
you might think (as did my
Pic 1
closest biking friends at the
time) that I was mad to
trade in the fastest learner
legal bike of the day for
something much slower
and, it has to be said, rather
Pic 1
unfashionable. However,
for me it was a “no brainer”. Running the Yamaha as a 17 year old schoolboy (I won the bike in an MCN competition) on my paper round income of
Pic 2
Page 7
ten shillings a week was impossible. But, more importantly to me, two of
my mates had bought 125 Gileras and they were having so much fun on
these lightweights I simply wanted to share the pleasure. There was also a
competitive edge to it, we were all aspiring roadracers (don’t laugh – we
were in deadly earnest!) and it was therefore very important to test my
ability around the local lanes against equal machinery.
If I remember correctly, the UK’s Gilera importer was George Clarke who
ran his business from Brixton, only a mile or two from P&C in Stockwell
Road, and a new Gilera retailed at £149.19.11d. So to see a mint, very low
mileage, model advertised for £101.12s.8d seemed a bargain to my innocent
mind. However, my mind also had a problem in the terrible reputation of
Pride & Clarke! It was probably total nonsense, but horror stories abounded
such as gearboxes filled with sawdust and other such dastardly deeds! In
truth the deal could not have been more straightforward. A phone call
confirmed their interest in doing a deal: they offered me £110 for my
Yamaha and all I had to
do was take my bike to
their showroom and
ride away on the
world’s fastest production 125cc single (or so
Gilera claimed), with
the added bonus of a
few pounds in my pocket. (PIC 3) Gilera
claimed 72 mph – quite
a bit down on the contemporary Honda CB92
– but the best we ever
got was 65mph, although the Veglia instrument did, on one
occasion, show 120mph
going down Death Hill
from Brands Hatch
(Italian speedos…).
Pic 3
Page 8
The bike was a little gem and
must have been one of the first
race replicas on the market –
clip-ons, a racing seat and alloy
rims were all standard and we
thrashed around the narrow
lanes surrounding Brands
Hatch, lapping our own TT
Course at what seemed like
crazy speeds. Of course, traffic
was much lighter in those days
but nevertheless we had some
really close shaves. We were
not really “motorcyclists” in
the broadest sense of the word,
we had no interest in joining a
club or touring, our only interPic 4
est was emulating the Brands
Hatch stars who constantly inspired and entertained us. All the bikes ran faultlessly, but it slowly dawned
on me that what we were doing was madness and bound to end in tears for
one, if not all, of us. (PIC 4)
I commenced full time employment in September 1966 and that, at least,
meant I had the finances (£450 per annum no less) to consider customising
the bike. Vic Camp, based in Walthamstow, North London, marketed a tasty
range of glassfibre ware for Ducati singles that I thought would really look
good on the Gilera. Consecutive pay days resulted in my acquiring a racing
tank, seat and front mudguard, all of which proved an easy fit. The finishing
touch was the ubiquitous Gold Star “silencer”. With hindsight, it was all a
total folly. When you look at the photos of the original bike it was lovely,
why would anyone want to change it? What a twerp! Having a bike that I
now considered at least looked like a racer, thoughts returned to Brands and
the possibility of using the Gilera on the track.
Wednesday afternoon practice at Brands cost the princely sum of ten shillings and anyone could have a go, you didn’t even require a full driving
licence. The sessions were split between cars and bikes and you might get
Page 9
lucky and share the track with one of your short circuit heroes such as Bill
Ivy, who was a regular at the circuit on Wednesdays. For little Bill, Brands
was really his home from home. I remember the paddock café and seeing
Bill, the centre of attraction, sitting on the end of the service counter chatting
to one and all. He really was my idol. Of course, I was too dumbstruck to say
anything, but I was there in my one piece leathers with my Cromwell lid
(complete with Lewis Leathers face mask – just like Bill’s) tucked under my
arm. Somehow I felt I belonged. Then Bill moved off to the bar and I was
too young to follow……
(PIC 5) A word or
two is perhaps in
order about that set
of leathers - I think
Lewis Leathers referred to it as their
“Racing Fifty Suit”
- its cheapness
meant it was unlined which, in
turn, led to nasty
friction burns when
you fell off, which
I duly did. The upshot of which was a
young City lad,
wearing a tight fitting maroon mohair
suit made to measure from Hepworths (19 inch
flares with a 13
Pic 5
inch centre pleat to
the jacket no less!),
trying to cope with
sweaty friction burns to his left hip. The only thing keeping the mohair and
the torn skin apart was a handkerchief smeared with smelly Savlon and
sellotaped to the body. Ah, the joys of racing!
Page 10
Pic 6
I was actually pretty relaxed about my first “proper” encounter with the
circuit. Excited - yes, concerned - no. By contrast, concern for my wellbeing
was certainly showing on the face of a fellow rider who came up to me and
offered all sorts of advice that naturally went in one ear and straight out the
other. My recollection is this kindly fellow was riding a big British twin and
you can imagine my amazement when I overtook him shortly afterwards –
on a Gilera only capable of 65mph! (PIC 6)
At the end of the session I had realised a dream, and truly believed this was
the start of something Very Big (this turned out to be quite true – and I went
on to race for 25 years, Brands being my favourite circuit, but we should not
confuse Very Big with Very Successful). Foolishly, I then started to imagine
how competitive I could make the Gilera as an out and out racer. I simply
couldn’t afford to buy a pukka race bike, but I had caught the racing bug
badly and so the Gilera was duly retired from road service, fitted with 18
inch rims and second hand racing tyres, and the engine was tuned – which
was to prove a big mistake!
The problems commenced almost immediately as I now needed to transport
the bike to Brands, even though I only lived a few miles away. Fortunately,
I had struck up a close friendship with Brian Campbell, a fellow worker at
Page 11
Pic 7
National Employers Mutual in London and who, unlike me, was very
capable mechanically and also equally enthusiastic about my racing ambitions. Brian had a very useful flat bed AJS combo which came in handy for
mid-week trips to Custom House to see West Ham Speedway and, ultimately, as our bike transporter to Brands. (PIC 7)
Money, or rather the lack of it, was always an issue. Like most 17 year olds
I wanted to do it all but found, in reality, I couldn’t do anything (properly).
I’m sure I wasn’t alone but it was extremely frustrating for a Grand Prix
champion in waiting.
Even with Brian’s guidance and sensible advice I made every conceivable
mistake in my pursuit of racing glory. Indeed, I could probably write a book
on What Not To Do If You Want To Be A Roadracer! Inevitably, the Gilera
went BANG in a very big way and, to add insult to injury, this was before I
even had the opportunity of actually racing it. I somehow ended up managing to do a part exchange for a 250cc Cotton Telstar that had a habit of
Page 12
Pic 8
running backwards. The Cotton was another disaster, and another story for
another time. (PIC 8)
Going back to Allan Jermieson’s article, he mentions Mr Clarke’s “..son or
grandson, a nattily suited public school type with a plummy accent..”. Well,
isn’t life full of surprises because, just before retiring, I was introduced to a
certain Charlie Clarke who, like myself, was a Lloyds Broker and who had
recently been taken on by a giant American broking house to produce
business. We amused ourselves discussing our interests and backgrounds
and I must have mentioned my biking activities as he piped up with the
statement: “My dad had the longest counter in the country”. It took a minute
or two for the penny to drop – his dad was the Clarke of Pride & Clarke! I
must confess, Charlie, a true gentleman, was somewhat shocked to hear that
many referred to his dad’s business as “Snide and Shark”. Looking back, I
should never have said a word, Charlie was a gentleman and a decent sort.
So, wherever you are Charlie, I hope you are well.
Rupert Murden
Page 13
A hearty welcome to these four new members:Adrian Critten – Seaview, Killane, Ballaugh, IM7 5BB
William Corlett – 63, Sileau Whallian Park, St. Johns, IM4 3JN
Gary Lark - 53 Port E Chee Avenue, Douglas, IM2 5ES
Kyrill Thummel - 9 Vernon Road, Ramsey, IM8 2EG
Page 14
October 9th
Club Night. Knock Froy, Santon. 8:00pm
Speaker TBA
October 19th
Trial. West Baldwin Bridge. 2pm
November 13th
Club Night. Knock Froy, Santon. 8:00pm
November 16th
Trial. Dhoon Quarry. 1.30pm
December 11th
Club Night. Knock Froy, Santon. 8:00 Bring & Buy
December 21st
Trial. Knock Froy Santon. Pie and cake. 1.30pm
December 28th
Road Run. 11.30 for 12 noon.
Christmas Hangover Run. St Johns
Page 15
Did You Know?
It was in the early 1970s that a road-test report on a 175cc WSK confirmed that
the top speed just about met the Polish manufacturer’s claim of 70 mph for its
little two-stroke. However, in the words of the tester: “It was not an easy figure
to obtain as the speedometer was only marked up to 60 mph”.
The deeds of the great Mike Hailwood make him a legend far beyond our
shores. Back in 1964 he was in Daytona for the USA Grand Prix. Just ninety
minutes before the start of the 500cc race, he took his number two MV Agusta
on track and rattled off 58 laps to take the World one-hour speed record at
144.82 mph. He then collected his number one bike and rode it to victory against
the world’s best.
In the late 1970s a road test on the MV Agusta Sport America told that “the note
from its silencers was offensively loud”. The tester had been stopped by the law
and feared the worst, only to be told by the motorcycle policeman: “keep
blipping it!”.
David Wright
Page 16
Flogger’s Corner
Modena Kriss 115cc 1999, electric start, semi automatic, 2,500 miles,
taxed to end August, never used in the wet and in excellent condition,
everything works. Ideal cheap commuter or fun bike - £495
Tel Hugh 880322 (leave number if no answer)
Honda Hornet 600. 1999. 28,750 miles. Blue. Excellent condition
throughout. Recent tyres, chain, sprockets and battery. New Hagon
shock. Braided hose on all hydraulic lines. Manx Taxed and Tested £1,200
Tel Harley 626752
Ducati Monster 900. 1995. Green. Two owners from new. 996 front
forks. 944cc engine conversion including lightened crank, Stage 2 cams
etc. Ohlins rear shock. High level Sil Moto pipes. Rear sets (stock foot
rests available). Carbon fibre mudguards, clutch cover and cam belt
covers. Recent belts and carb rebuild. Manx Taxed and Tested - £2,200
Tel Harley 626752
Page 17
WE PRINT
6x4 / 7x5 / 8x6
Peel Copy Centre
YOUR PHOTOS
Page 18
1 Atholl Place
Peel, IM5 1HE
Tel: 843889
[email protected]
Page 19
BOOK REVIEW
By Jonathan Hill
Phil Read MBE, winner of eight world championships between 1964
and 1977, is Britain’s most successful living motorcycle road racer.
Page 20
Announcing his entry into big-time racing after first winning the Senior Manx
Grand Prix in 1960, and with an Isle of Man Junior TT victory in 1961, he was the
last rider to win a TT on a British machine. In 1963, he took his first world title,
also the first for the Japanese Yamaha factory he rode for. Four more Yamahamounted titles followed, including one hard-fought as a privateer, plus two in a
row in 1973 and 1974 in the blue riband 500cc class with the mighty Italian MV
Agusta team. An eighth world championship came from Read’s courageous ride
to victory on wet roads in the 1977 Formula 1 TT race, on a heavy and poor
handling 810cc Honda.
Born in Luton in 1939, Read recalls the excitement of being taken to Silverstone
for the first time on the back of his father’s Velocette MSS to watch the Hutchinson 100. A year later he was riding his own Velocette KSS and starting an
engineering apprenticeship. The racing bug had bitten hard however and, with the
support of his generous mother, a new 350cc BSA Gold Star was purchased,
which saw the start of his amazing racing career.
We read of his frustration riding the resurrected, but obsolete, Gilera fours for
Scuderia Duke; the fantastic 160mph 250cc Yamaha RD05As; the MV Agustas
and Benellis; the unwritten (and illegal) Yamaha team orders and the devious
Italian factories’ politics. With amazing candour he tells of his success – the big
houses, the private plane and the Rolls-Royce and the sorrow of his second wife
Madeleine’s tragic death and business failures.
He pulls no punches either when describing Geoff Duke (“arrogant”), Bill Ivy
(“egotistical”), Agostini (“insular”) and many others. In this revealing, and superbly illustrated autobiography, the Prince of Speed vividly recalls hectic track
battles against riders like Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Jim Redman, Bill
Ivy and Barry Sheene, all of whom he beat at various times. “Rebel Read”, who
was never far from controversy, also frankly describes life in the grand prix circus:
the glamour, the danger, the money, the politics and the sex. With top quality
design by Allan Wilson, this superb book is highly recommended.
Autobiography of eight times World Champion Phil Read MBE
Designed and published by Redline Books,
2 Carlton Terrace, Low Fell, Tyne & Wear NE9 6DE
www.redlinebooks.co.uk
Hardback, 225 x 285, 288 pages with over 180 photographs
ISBN 978-0-9555278-7-6
£39.95 (UK)
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TRIALS RESULTS
VMCC Trial - Carnagrie 17th August 2014
The fourth round of the 2014 Championship saw Steve Lace heading the Vintage
'A' class from the usual opposition of Sean Huxley and Phil Ward, although Graham
Thomas had a good ride to snatch third away from Phil. A returning Mike Ellis
dropped down a class to win Vintage 'B' from Ian Sleight. It was Colin Scarffe who
finished first in Invitation 'A' from an ever-improving Daniel Smith and, in a
closely-fought Invitation 'B', a three-way tie for the win was resolved in favour of
Andy Sykes, based on the greatest number of cleans. Ashley Gardner took Youth
Invitation 'A' and Josh Blackburn just edged out young Bobby Moyer to take Youth
Invitation 'B'.
10. Nigel Woods (Honda) 25
11. Ian Lees (Yamaha) 29
12. Mark Moyer (Honda) 39 (16x0)
13. Paul Fishlock (Honda) 39 (11x0)
14. Andy Wilson (Fantic) 45
15. Matthew Howland (Sherco) 53
VMCC Members 'A' route
1. Steve Lace (Triumph) 10 marks lost
2. Shaun Huxley (James) 11
3. Graham Thomas (Honda) 15
4. Phil Ward (Bultaco) 16
5. Jim Davidson (Triumph) 20
6. Neil Kerruish (Yamaha) 33
7. Geoff Griffiths (Fantic) 34
8. Brian Kinrade (Fantic) 40
9. Ashley Gardner (BSA) 58
VMCC Members 'B' route
1. Mike Ellis (Kawasaki) 17
2. Ian Sleight (Honda) 24
3. Jon Duncan (Yamaha) 32
Invitation 'A' route
1. Colin Scarffe (Triumph) 10
2. Daniel Smith (Montesa 4RT) 12
3. Aaron Peniata (Gas Gas) 15
4. Sammy Ball (Fantic) 16
5. Paul Smith (Montesa 4RT) 17 (27x0)
6. Mike Stevens (Gas Gas) 17 (23x0)
7. Gwilym Hooson-Owen (BSA) 22
8. Graham Christian (Yamaha) 23 (26x0)
9. Alan Lund (Fantic) 23 (22x0)
Invitation 'B' route
1. Andy Sykes (Rigid BSA) 4 (30x0)
2. Chris Palmer (Beta) 4 (28x0)
3. Keith Thompson (Scorpa) 4 (27x0)
4. Trevor Denning (Beta) 11
5. Phil Pemberton (Gas Gas) 16
6. Billy Booth (Aprilia) 19
7. Paul Doherty (Yamaha) 20
8. Martin Booth (Sherco) 21
9. Peter Peniata (Yamaha) 36
Youth Invitation 'A' route
1. Ashley Gardner (Honda) 29
2. Fraser Heginson (Beta) 45
Youth Invitation 'B' route
1. Josh Blackburn (Beta) 2
2. Bobby Moyer (Oset) 6
Page 22
VMCC Trial - Pooilvaaish 21st September 2014
Shaun Huxley's clean ride gave him the win over Steve Lace at a sunny Pooilvaaish and moved him level on points with Steve in the VMCC's 'A' Class championship. Other members of the Lace family were also to the fore in the Invitation
'A' class, where a clean ride by young Juan saw him just hold off his father Robbie
and championship leader Daniel Smith, to take the win. Andy Sykes' victory in
Invitation 'B' saw him strengthen his championship lead whilst, making a rare appearance, David Craine parted with just 3 marks to take second place.
In the Youth Invitation classes, Sophie Hardie lost just 2 marks to win Class 'A',
while Dylan Groom was victorious in Class 'B', where championship leader Josh
Blackburn was forced to share a ride on grandfather Peter Blackburn's Tiger Cub,
after mechanical trouble with his Beta.
VMCC Members 'A' route
1. Shaun Huxley (James) 0 marks lost
2. Steve Lace (Triumph) 1
(furthest clean)
3. Jim Davidson (Triumph) 1
4. Phil Ward (Bultaco) 4
5. Graham Thomas (Honda) 14
6. Ashley Gardner Jnr (BSA) 16
7. Geoff Griffiths (Honda) 28
8. Ashley Gardner (BSA) 46
Invitation 'B' route
1. Andy Sykes (Rigid BSA) 1
2. David Craine (M-Honda) 3
3. Paul Ansermoz (BSA) 10
4. Curtis Kelly (Gas Gas) 17
5. Billy Booth (Beta) 19
6. Ian James (SWM) 31
VMCC Members 'B' route
1. Peter Blackburn (Triumph) 10
2. Jon Duncan (Yamaha) 16
3. Ali Robertson (Montesa) 28
Youth Invitation 'B'
1. Dylan Groom (Beta) 9
2. Josh Blackburn (Triumph) 23
3. Matt Cairns (Beta) 54
Youth Invitation 'A'
Sophie Hardie (Gas Gas) 2
Invitation 'A' route
1. Juan Lace (Beta) 0
2. Daniel Smith (Sherco) 1,
(furthest clean)
3. Robbie Lace (Sherco) 1
4. Sammy Ball (Fantic) 3
5. Ian Lees (Yamaha) 5
6. Paul Smith (Fantic) 6
7. Andrew Wilson (Fantic) 17
8. Neil Kerruish (Yamaha) 18 (24 cleans)
9. Alan Lund (Fantic) 18 (23 cleans)
10. Nigel Woods (Honda) 19
Page 23
TRIALS PICS
Page 24
Printed by Peel Copy Centre
Tel: +44 (0) 1624 843889
Page 25
What to do?
I was chatting to Mark Wilsmore when he was over for the MGP (Mark,
as I’m sure you all know, is the chap who brought the Ace Café in
London back to life, as he says – “Someone had to do it”) and talking
about his own personal motorcycles. He has an impressive collection of
machines which he uses as often as he can, “work permitting”.
To the confusion of some onlookers he had brought a very sad looking Royal
Enfield 700 Constellation with him to display at the Ace Café stand. However, this is a bike with a history, gaining notoriety as the machine splashed
across the front cover of
the Daily Mirror in February 1961, under the
banner headline “Suicide Club”, complete
with a ton-up boy
crouched down across
the tank. This was pretty
much the bad press motorcyclists could expect
in the early days of
rockers and café racers.
Many years later, Mark
was running a burger
van in the car park of
the old Ace Café and a
chap who was about to
be served passed Mark a
copy of the Daily Mirror, telling Mark that he
was the rider on the
bike. Apparently, he
had sold the bike but
Page 26
kept a copy of the paper. He left Mark the paper, together with his name and
address, but, while the paper was to become a display in the newly refurbished Ace Café, the name and address were unfortunately lost.
The story was not to end there however, as Mark was later approached by
another chap who, having seen the paper on display at the Ace, told Mark he
was now the owner of the infamous Enfield. The chap’s name was Rodger,
and Mark was immediately interested in buying the bike as not only did it
have a direct link to the Ace but it would be a nice piece of history from the
Ace’s early days.
Rodger declined, saying that his plan was to restore the bike when he had the
time. They came to an agreement that, if Rodger ever did decide to sell the
bike, Mark would have first refusal.
15 years came and went, the Ace was now well and truly established as a
Mecca for all things two, and four, wheeled and Rodger still dropped by the
Ace from time to time but no progress had been made with the bike. Over
the years, Mark had become good friends with Rodger and his wife and,
being older than Mark, they would tell him tales of biking daring do “back
in the day”. Sadly, Rodger died in 2012.
Page 27
Mark was sad to lose Rodger but, shortly after his funeral, Rodger’s wife
said that he had always wanted Mark to have the Enfield when he died. The
bike had become something of a running joke for Mark and Rodger and,
while Rodger’s wife was adamant that Mark should have the bike, Mark was
equally determined that he should pay a fair price for it – which had been the
original agreement.
Mark eventually went to Rodger’s home to look at the Enfield and, to his
surprise, he found a great line up of old British bikes in the back garden –
some uncovered and some in a shed. According to Rodger’s wife, when a
bike broke down it would be left in the garden and Rodger would just go and
get something else that was a runner (“British of course”), that is until it
broke down and so on it went.
To make sure that he paid a price for the Enfield that would not embarrass
him, or be unfair to Rodger’s widow, he contacted Hitchcocks (the Enfield
specialists) for guidance. A figure was agreed and Mark finally acquired the
Enfield!
However, two years on, a
new problem has reared its
ugly head: what to do with
it? Should it be left untouched, should it be restored
to
factory
specification, should it be
restored to February 1961
specification or should it
be brought back to life
with the minimum renovation? It is a hard decision,
and one that Mark hasn’t
yet made. What would
you do readers?
John Dalton
Photos: John Dalton
Page 28
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Artie Bell – Rider Profile No.24
Artie Bell, the tall handsome Irishman,
was born in Belfast on 6th September 1914.
He first competed in the Isle of Man TT in
1947, when he finished second in the Senior TT, behind H.L. Daniell.
The following year, riding for the Norton
Works Team, he won the Senior and was
third in the Junior. 1949 saw him take third
again in the Junior.
In 1950, he finished second in the
Senior, behind Geoff Duke, with
Johnny Lockett third. The same
year he beat Geoff Duke to win the
Junior with HL Daniell coming
home third.
Unfortunately, due to injuries,
1950 was to be his last TT.
He scored one World Championship
Grand Prix victory, the 1950 Isle of
Man Junior SS, on board a 350 Norton.
Artie Bell died on 5th August 1972.
Dorothy Greenwood
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A life of science and speed
Beatrice Shilling was born at Waterlooville, Hants in 1909, daughter of
a family butcher. At age 14, in those days the legal minimum for
motorbike riding, she bought her first motorcycle with money she had
saved up. She almost immediately took the engine apart and reassembled it ‘properly’. Clearly Beatrice, known as ‘Tilly’, was no
ordinary girl of her day.
Three years later, in 1926, Tilly left school and became an apprentice
electrical engineer. The electrical engineering company she went to work for
was run by Margaret Partridge, herself a remarkable woman who was
involved with the Women Engineers’ Society (“WES”). At that time county
councils nationwide were inviting tenders for the installation of local electricity supplies and Partridge’s company had been awarded several contracts
in Devon. Tilly spent three years there installing domestic and industrial
generators and wiring systems - she showed such talent for the work that
Margaret Partridge encouraged her to study for a degree in electrical engineering at Victoria University, Manchester. The WES, at the instigation of
her employer, helped Tilly work up her applied maths to entrance standard
and gave her an interest free loan for her tuition. After completing her
honours degree in Electrical Engineering in 1932 Tilly stayed on for a
further year to take an MS in Mechanical Engineering.
She was still riding motorbikes and, through the university motorcycle club,
she took up racing in a serious way. Soon she had a 490cc M30 Norton which
she tuned herself - racing this machine at Brooklands she not only beat
several notable professional riders, including Noel Pope, but in August 1934
became only the second woman to qualify for the coveted Brooklands Gold
Star for a lap in excess of 100mph. Her lap speed of 106mph remains the
fastest Brooklands time for a woman rider.
There has been much recent conjecture about how Tilly got her Norton to go
so well. Photographs show an outwardly standard-looking engine, possibly
as early as 1932, still fitted with coil valve springs instead of hairpins. Some
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have speculated that Tilly rebuilt her engine using crankcases made from
Electron mag-based alloy; it also seems to have an extra-long inlet tract.
However she had fettled it, Tilly wasn’t telling.
After completing her second degree Tilly worked as a research assistant for
Prof. G.F. Mucklow at Manchester University. Prof. Mucklow was studying
the effects of supercharging on single cylinder engines, something Tilly
would make use of later when for a time she raced her Norton fitted with a
supercharger at Brooklands. She would continue to race the Norton right up
until war closed Brooklands forever as a track in 1939. She then converted
her bike to road legal spec. and used it as her principal means of transport for
the next 14 years.
In 1934/35 the Royal Aircraft Establishment (“RAE”) recruited Tilly as a
Scientific Officer, firstly employing her as a technical writer and later as an
experimental engineer and Senior Technical Officer. It was at the RAE in
1938 that she met George Naylor, a brilliant mathematician (and keen
motorcyclist) newly recruited to the RAE. George and Tilly were kindred
spirits, when he asked her to marry him, her legendary reply was that she
would not - until he had
acquired his own
Brooklands Star. This
George duly did that
same year.
After WW2 broke out
George became a
bomber pilot with 625
Squadron RAF and
was later awarded the
DFC. Tilly continued
to work at RAE and it
was here in 1940/41
that she made a vital
contribution to the war
effort.
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It had been found during the air battles over France and England in 1940 that
the Merlin - engined Spitfires and Hurricanes in service with front-line
fighter squadrons had a serious problem in dog-fights. The Merlins were at
that time fitted with SU carbs - when the nose of the aircraft was suddenly
dropped to dive in pursuit of an enemy, negative gravity forced fuel to the
top of the float chamber rather than into the engine. If the dive and negative
G continued, fuel would collect in the top of the chamber and force the float
to the chamber floor. This would open the needle valve to the max, flooding
the carb with fuel and drowning the supercharger with an over-rich mix.
“Miss Shilling's Orifice”
German pilots, who had fuel-injected engines, could exploit this by diving
steeply away at full throttle - RAF pilots had to try to counter the fault by a
half-roll so their aircraft would only be subject to positive gravity as they
tried to follow. The time taken for this often let the enemy aircraft escape.
For this problem Tilly devised a simple but ingenious (some said elegant)
solution. Officially named the RAE Restrictor, it was a metal disc with a hole
in the centre which was fitted to the SU carb. The restrictor orifice was made
to accommodate just the amount of fuel needed for max engine power, the
power setting most often used in dog-fights. There were two versions, one
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designed for 12 psi manifold pressure and the other for the 15 psi boosted
engines. The modification did not allow inverted flight for any length of time
- it was a stop-gap measure, but literally a life-saver.
Once the design was perfected, Tilly led her small team tirelessly on a tour
of front-line RAF stations to install the device. Pilots were delighted with
this solution and nick-named it, perhaps inevitably “Miss Shilling’s Orifice”.
It continued in service until the 1943 introduction of the Bendix (and later
RR) pressure carburettor.
After the war ended, Tilly remained with RAE, working on a wide range of
projects over the years - among them engine accessories, problems of heat
transfer, ramjets and the Blue Streak IRBM. She also found time to design
a bobsleigh for the RAF team. In 1948 she was awarded an OBE. She
continued to work at RAE until her retirement aged 60 in 1969, the same
year she was awarded an honorary D.Sc from Surrey University.
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It’s fair to say that Tilly did not, despite her genius, attain the top position
with RAE that she undoubtedly deserved. Set against her was basic male
prejudice around women engineers; add to that the fact that she was outspoken on gender discrimination with regard to pay and conditions, did not
suffer fools gladly, was contemptuous of bureaucracy and impatient with
hierarchy and it is easy to see that she would not fit comfortably within civil
service management. Her favoured work dress of old corduroys, pockets
bulging with pens and instruments, must also have upset the stuffily conservative. Her silent penetrating stare was known to bring wafflers and ‘those
who talk of what they know not’ to a faltering halt in mid-sentence. For all
that she was popular with her own small team and looked after them well.
When Tilly and George decided they were too long in the tooth to race
motorcycles they turned to cars. In the early 1960s they became customers
of Elva Cars, the marque founded by Frank G. Nichols in 1955. They raced
several models with considerable success and not a few spectacular ‘incidents’. The pair remained ‘hands-on’ engineers and tuned and re-designed
their racers in a well-equipped home workshop. Roger Dunbar, fellow Elva
enthusiast and racer, tells of visiting them for the first time and being taken
aback to be greeted by “an older lady in overalls with a machine shop in her
front lounge and all sorts of goodies in her large garage”. These included the
Courier prototype Coupe, which the couple used to tow their Elva Formula
Junior to races, before an “incident” in competition resulted in the latter
being re-built as a Mk 6 Sports Racer. Also tucked away and revealed to the
astonished Dunbar were a Mk 6 Rytune engine, an ex-works Brabham T6
and a “lovely little Ginetta” which Tilly had re-designed and re-built because
she “disliked the shape of the fuel tank and general build quality”.
After their health made car racing no longer practical, Tilly and George took
up target shooting!
Tilly died in 1990 of spinal cancer. She subsequently polled the highest
number of votes to be elected a "Hampshire's People's Hero" of her native
county for a commemorative travelling exhibition.
Allan Jermieson - Hawick
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300+ VEHICLES ALWAYS ON
SHOW AT BETTRIDGE’S
Mines Road, Higher Foxdale
opposite Foxdale School
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