Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I've mentioned before of my photographic archive collected over many years and from many sources whose identity is long forgotten.
This selection comes from photos who I do not know the copyright of, although one or two have the imprint "MotorCycling Copyright" and so I duly acknowledge this via Mortons Motorcycle Media, current owners of the former "The MotorCycle" and "MotorCycling".
All of the photographs have pencilled notations on the back, often with comprehensive results and lap times.
Left click on images to enlarge....
The first three pics feature the diminutive Spanish rider M.Simo, who entered 250 and 350 Terrot machines in the mid 1930s.
The one of Simo with riding number 9 from the 1937 IOM TT races is interesting....
"..Junior race 350 Terrot completed two laps and then spilled at Glentrammon corner, Ramsey. Unfit to start in the lightweight race..."
Rex Judd,later to become a well known London Motorcycle dealer is featured in the next snap... "..19th at 55.09mph, awarded the Nisbet Award for pluck and endurance, 4hrs 38 secs race time. rode in 6 races 1921-25 period, finished in the one illustrated..."
Below is Bob Foster, better known post WW2 for his Velocette exploits, but pictured here on a 1936 TT 250 New Imperial, with his wife beside him. Noted as having ridden in 17 TT races and won 2, finishing in 6.
Another strange penned notation notes that "the chap 3rd from the left is Jack Williams' ( of 7R AJS development fame) father."
From Czechoslovakia, GW Platchett is shown on a Senior TT Jawa at the 1932 IOM TT.
"Rode in 3 races, finishing in one. But not on the machine featured on which he completed 5 laps and then retired."
Pictured below is S.Jackson aboard a 246cc Montgomery-JAP which he rode in the 1928 IOM Junior TT and finished 8th.
"He rode in 8 races and finished in 6."
The final picture is SV Smith on a 250 OK Supreme in the 1938 IOM Lightweight TT during evening practice.
"..finished 15th in the race but disqualified ( lost exhaust pipe).."
Gert Boll, a keen Velocette man from Germany and a reader of my blog picked up the error of the year. I had 1928, when it was 1938, which I've now corrected.
Gert asked then whose Velo is in the foreground?
It seems to be a Mk.7 KTT and a search of the 1938 TT program and the entries reveals #38 is H.C.Lamacraft, entered by the London dealer L.J.Stevens Ltd....look at the front number and you can see the 3 and what appears to be an 8.