Number 49
August 2021
NEWSLETTER OF THE BRIT ISH MOTORCYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST
P A G E
2
B M C T
N EW S
From the Chair
A
t long last we appear to be emerging from nearly 18 months of restrictions. Most - but not all - of our Affiliated Museums have re-opened, and some sense of normality is beginning to filter back into our lives. One event from last year that had to be postponed was the Official Opening of the two-storey extension to the Sammy Miller Museum. We were privileged to be invited to attend the ceremony - see report on page 3 - and witness the Duke of Richmond and Gordon cutting the ribbon with a pair of scissors that belonged to Sammy’s grandfather! We’re proud that the new building features a display area dedicated to the BMCT and featuring five of the bikes from our collection, with more set to join them soon. During lockdown the trustees have been busy behind the scenes bringing the BMCT into the 21st century by converting the Trust from a charity company to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Changes to the membership scheme will hopefully be minimal, but there may be temporary restrictions with online subscription payments while we iron out some wrinkles with PayPal, our online payment services provider. Please accept our apologies if you’ve been affected in any way, but normal service should have been resumed by the time you read this. Enjoy the rest of the summer and the freedom to go visiting museums again!
- Paul Barnes
Manx National Heritage Takes Delivery of a Piece of TT History
T
hanks to assistance from the BMCT, Manx National Heritage took delivery recently of this 350 cc AJS, a motorcycle with an extraordinary provenance. It is one of only a handful of motorcycles with confirmed history linking it to a pre-First World War TT race. The machine was discovered in Gloucestershire by MNH curator Matthew Richardson, following a tip-off from a contact. Full details of its history were provided by the owner, but Matthew contacted Denbighshire Archives who by good fortune still had all of their vehicle registration records. The machine had been registered in that area for road use, and crucially this confirmed the engine serial number. This together with photographic evidence proved the identification, and in 2019 it was acquired with the support of the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust. The motorcycle had originally belonged to racer Billy Jones, proprietor of the North Wales Motor Exchange. He was a privateer but enjoyed AJS factory support. Just before the 1914 Junior TT the AJS team supplied him with a saddle oil tank, which enabled the oil compartment in the petrol tank to be used for extra fuel. Billy finished fourth in the race, which AJS won and took four of the top six places. It was a resounding win, and in the days when just finishing a TT was considered an accomplishment, it effectively made the firm’s name – later that year they sold shares and became a public limited company. The scale of the achievement however was underlined by two further AJS items which appeared at auction, by coincidence, last year – one was a souvenir brochure for an AJS celebration dinner which featured Billy Jones as one of the triumphant 1914 team. The other was the archive of Eric Williams who came first, which included an evocative postcard photograph of him being carried shoulder high by the Stevens brothers who owned the company – it had been posted from Douglas back to the workforce at the factory in Wolverhampton, with heartfelt thanks for their support. Also included was a gold watch which AJS presented to Williams to
mark his success. We were able to acquire these items as well, and together with the motorcycle they tell a remarkable story. Matthew commented: “We had been looking for a pre-First World War TT machine for a number of years. Whilst the 1920s and 30s are well represented on the auction scene, the pioneer years are much less so. We could not find an example for our TT Centenary exhibition in 2007, and in the intervening 12 years to the best of our knowledge only one appeared on the market. However perseverance paid off and when this AJS finally surfaced I could not have wished for a better story with it. Manx National Heritage is tremendously grateful to the BMCT for their support in helping us to acquire the machine.” The motorcycle will be a key exhibit in the forthcoming TT and motorsport gallery at the Manx Museum in Douglas, Isle of Man, scheduled to open in 2022, where it will be displayed alongside a range of historic motorcycles and sidecars also with Isle of Man race history. Photo credit: Manx National Heritage
Front page photo by Andy Bufton. At the opening of the Sammy Miller Museum Extension in July, Ron Langston, one of Britain’s greatest motorcycling all-rounders, demonstrates the Works Ariel HT5 he rode to a Gold medal in the 1958 ISDT .
N U M B E R
4 9
P A G E
Sammy Miller Museum Extension Opening Press release from the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum: e had a terrific turn out for the grand opening of our new 10,000 sq ft extension to our complex on Thursday 22nd July in glorious New Milton sunshine. The complex was completed in March 2020 and opened to the public in July 2020, just two days before going back into lockdown and being forced to close our doors once more. The lower floor of the new complex has German, Italian, British and Japanese motorcycles and includes an area dedicated to
W
the BMCT. Upstairs are the 1930s and Belstaff collections, along with the Ralph Venables reading area and archive. The museum now holds 450 bikes, with all but four in working order. That’s no mean feat! The Duke of Richmond & Gordon officially opened our new complex (right) and we enjoyed an exciting day complete with demonstrations, including four International Six Days Trial bikes! Invited guests were able to meet three of the 1958 Ariel Works Riders, Ron Langston, Gordon Blakeway and of course, Sammy!
Allen Millyard demonstrated his fearsome home made 5.0 litre v-twin
Stuart Graham tries the AJS E90 Porcupine, as ridden by his father Les Graham to 500 cc World Championship glory in 1949
3
P A G E
4
B M C T
N EW S
How ‘Slippery Sam’ led to a Triumph X75 Hurricane exhibit at GTM cheque and buying one of the last Triumph Trident T160s – a dream come true!” Despite this success in the world of production racing, all was not well at BSA Triumph. In order to boost the showroom appeal of their triples above their sister company’s Tridents, BSA sent one of their Rockets over to American fairing creator Craig Vetter to customise. He went beyond the original brief with a sweeping fibreglass combined fuel tank/seat and extended front forks giving it the ‘Easy Rider’ look which, with its stunning paint job and outlandish triple exhaust gave it the ‘sex appeal’ missing from the standard BSA range. However, with BSA in real trouble by then the X75 Hurricane, as it was named, was badged as a Triumph anyway, and by the time it was ready to go on sale the BSA marque was finished. In the end there were only 1172 Triumph X75 Hurricanes built using up BSA engines (with the 12 degree forward sloping cylinders) before the factory doors closed, hence the rarity of one of Britain’s most exciting motorcycles of the 1970s. Mike continues his story “Even at that time, if I could have found a Hurricane, I’d have bought one, but I was very pleased to get one of the last 750cc Trident T160s and went on to enjoy it for 10 years and 100k miles. At that time Slippery Sam was already a motorcycle legend and as a nod to its style I fitted the same ‘Ray Gun’ exhausts to my own machine – very cool! In a twist of fate my old bike has now been converted into a ‘Slippery Sam’ replica by its current owner (only its third) and won a northern motorcycle show in its new guise.
G
rampian Transport Museum curator Mike Ward (above) has always been a motorcycle enthusiast. He happily recounts how, as an 18year old student, he was proud of his 350cc Triumph 3TA ‘Café Racer’, complete with clip-on handlebars (right). “My time at Art College in the early Seventies coincided with BSA/ Triumph’s racing success, with their 750cc triple production bikes, the BSA Rocket 3 and the Triumph Trident, sweeping all before them. The most famous Trident, ‘Slippery Sam’, won five consecutive production 750cc class TT races at the Isle of Man between 1971-75. “That was the golden era of the Triumph Triple” Mike adds “just ahead of the Japanese multi-cylinder tsunami which swept the British motorcycle industry aside. Every “With all of this history and 2021 being my last season at GTM before young enthusiast coveted one and as soon as I graduated and found Mandy and I retire, I was determined to have a Hurricane in this year’s employment, in 1976, I remember rushing out with my first pay exhibition. I am extremely grateful to the BMCT for getting the word out for us through the BMCT Newsletter. The Triumph Owners Motor Cycle Club stepped in and Scottish based member David Currie, from Irvine, has kindly loaned us his immaculate example for the season. It joins the rest of our motorcycles, including the dedicated BMCT display (containing an even rarer Triumph Bandit) which are all available to every BMCT member with free entry. Our COVID safety standards require advanced ticket booking but this is easily achieved via our website www.gtm.org.uk . The museum is currently open daily until the end of August, but check in advance before your visit.”
Mike has been curator of GTM for the 37 years since it opened, with Mandy (seen left, back in the day, with Mike’s T160) taking care of all the office management. 2021 will be their last season before wellearned retirement to enjoy their role as recent grandparents. Mike would be delighted to meet fellow motorcycle enthusiasts when you visit, just let him know when you plan to be there.
P A G E
5
B M C T
N E W S
Brooklands Museum Marks 100 Years Since 100mph Record Set
O
n 28 April 2021 at Brooklands Museum, members of the Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Team commemorated the centenary of the first motorcycle to reach 100mph on British soil, and the first motorcycle to reach 100mph at Brooklands Motor Circuit in Surrey. The team assembled on the Railway Straight of the original track, which is now part of Mercedes-Benz World, together with two contemporary bikes representing the Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles that took part in the duel to be the first to 100mph. Brooklands is home to many world-firsts, including the world’s first motor-racing circuit, three World Land Speed Records, and the first two British Grands Prix.
Davidson after reaching 100 mph in 1921. Photo courtesy Peter Allen
Above - John Warr Managing Director of Warr’s Harley-Davidson recreates a run on the Railway Straight riding his “Silent Gray Fellow” (Photo: Brooklands Bulletin)
British record-breaker Claude Temple (Harley-Davidson). In 1926 Temple rode an OEC-Temple-Anzani to a World Record speed of 121.41 mph. Photo: Brooklands Museum
On the spot where the record was set. L-R: Perry Barwick, Ian Dabney, Andrew Howe-Davies, John Warr, Mark Fielder, Gareth Pemberton and Martin Gegg. (Photo: Brooklands Bulletin) Brooklands Motorcycle Team volunteer Martin Gegg had the idea of commemorating the event whilst he was researching the event for an article in the Brooklands Members’ magazine. Martin said: “I was on the edge of my seat reading the various accounts of this epic battle for the title and was determined to commemorate these brave motorcycle pioneers. We managed to get a 1917 Indian Powerplus 1000cc (owned by Andrew Howe-Davies) and a 1914 Harley-Davidson 10C Sport (owned by John Warr) together to recreate the moment Douglas H. Davidson set the 100mph on a motorcycle record, here on the Railway Straight at Brooklands 100 years ago. John Warr kindly fired up the Harley-Davidson and was able to give us a flavour of what the Harley looked like on the Railway Straight.”
Bert Le Vack, v-twin Indian. Photo: Brooklands Museum
Visitors can see the collection of motorcycles alongside the motorsport and aircraft collections at Brooklands Museum now. Booking information available from www.brooklandsmuseum.com and BMCT members go free.
P A G E
6
B M C T
N EW S
MURRAY WALKER 1923 - 2021 Dear Andy, Following Murray Walker’s recent death, I remembered that I reviewed his excellent “scrapbook” for TCM about 10 years ago, which I have attached for you – just in case you had the room. I was always going to write to Murray for more details . . . unfortunately, I will add this to my “should have” list. Sadly, Brian Goss, Joel Robert and Derek Rickman have also joined Murray in the higher paddock. -Jonathan Hill, Dorset
T
he Murray Walker Scrapbook delivers a very personal, very touching and very colourful look at this multi-faceted personality and his extraordinary career - which has ranged from holding a top job in advertising to the motor sports commentary for which he is best known. The fact that Murray is regarded as one of the premier authorities on motor sport, both two and four-wheeled comes as no surprise when reading his background. Murray’s father, Graham, was a TT winner and a works rider for Norton, Sunbeam and Rudge, later becoming editor of “Motor Cycling” and a pioneer radio commentator. From an early age he would travel extensively across Europe with his parents, which was rare for a child in those days, to the many race meetings. The top riders and trade barons of the day were Murray’s “uncles” and there is a charming picture of multiple TT winner Alec Bennett fixing Murray’s model plane in the garden of the Castle Mona Hotel on the Isle of Man. Whilst his father was a hard act to follow, Murray certainly had an extraordinary career of his own – following demobilisation as a captain in the Tank Corps he held down a top job in advertising, followed by the motor sports commentary for which he is best known. No mean rider in his own right, Murray competed in grass track and short circuit races on a KTT Velocette and won a Gold Medal in the 1949 International Six Days Trial and competed successfully in the Scottish Six Days Trial and Southern Experts event. An incident that changed the course of his life was when asked at the last minute to take over from his father for a BBC Radio broadcast. This led to the famous father and son team commentating on both car and motor-cycle events, particularly the TT. Later he joined television for the very popular TV scrambles series (his favourite sport), “Murray Walker Scrapbook” rallycross, touring car racing, Formula 3, Formula Ford and Formula One. Murray always was a motor-cyclist at heart and readers may be Authors: Murray Walker OBE and Philip Porter surprised to learn that he invariably arrived at a televised event on a Published by Porter Press International, P.O. Box 2, Tenbury Wells bike . . . his favourites being a BMW R90S and later an R100RS. WR15 8XX www.porterpress.co.uk This is a fascinating and most informative book with contributions Hardback, 248mm x 300mm (landscape), 195 pages, with over 500 from over 80 friends and colleagues. Murray Walker received the black and white and colour photographs. OBE in 1996. ISBN 978-0-9556564-6-0 Editor’s note: As we went to press we heard the sad news of the Available now only as a de-luxe limited edition, leather-bound, signed passing of Derek Rickman, of Metisse fame. A full appreciation of copy, priced at £200 from the publishers. Used copies can be found at Derek’s fascinating life will appear in the next BMCT News. online booksellers. BMCT trustee Nick Jeffery had his five minutes of fame on national TV recently when he gave Michael Portillo a ride up the historic Kop Hill Climb in the sidecar of his Brough Superior. The segment featured in an episode of the BBC programme “Great British Railway Journeys”
N U M B E R
P A G E
4 9
7
National Motor Museum Library Celebrates 60th Anniversary
T
he National Motor Museum Trust will be celebrating 60 years of its Reference Library with an online commemoration from 28th April, giving motoring enthusiasts a fascinating insight into one of Europe’s largest publicly accessible motor heritage libraries. Marking six decades since the library was opened in 1961, a selection of films will be available to watch on the National Motor Museum Trust YouTube channel, taking viewers behind the scenes of the library, which contains over 300,000 items, and revealing its remarkable history. This vast collection spans from the beginning of the automobile era in the 1880s right up to the present day. The Reference Library curators, Carina Taylor and Lindsay WhitakerGuest, are looking forward to commemorating this invaluable resource. Lindsay said: “The 60th anniversary is definitely a proud moment for us as it shows how far the collection has come over the years”. Carina said: “Thanks to the expert knowledge of all its librarians, staff and volunteers, past and present, the service has become the place for information and advice whether you are a vehicle restorer, academic researcher or finding more about your family history”. The Reference Library, or National Road Transport Library as it was originally called, was officially opened on 28th April 1961 by the late Edward, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, who recognised the importance of providing a motoring library and archive service for historians, researchers and members of the public. From its unlikely location in the kitchens of Palace House, the Montagu family home, the library expanded quickly, relocating to larger premises at Beaulieu’s John Montagu Building in 1972, then to its current location in the National Motor Museum Trust’s Collection Centre in 1989. Today, it occupies five rooms over two floors. The Reference Library tells the story of motoring in Britain and abroad. The service provides access to a wealth of research material including rare and out of print publications on everything from cars and motorcycles to commercial vehicles. The collection of 300,000 items includes 14,000 books, 7,000 bound volumes of periodicals, 100,000 loose periodicals, 70,000 sales literature items, around 25,000 handbooks, 7,000 workshop manuals and over 9,000 event programmes and show guides. The collection continues to grow with over 2,000 historical and contemporary items added each year. Highlights include early motor journals The Car Illustrated and Coach
Builders Art Journal, early French motor journals, a rich collection of vehicle sales literature and brochures dating back to the 1880s, technical material and almost complete runs of The Autocar and The Motor. Normally the library’s collections can be accessed by making an appointment in advance through the Motoring Research Service. Each appointment and visit is led by Patrick Collins, the Research and Enquiries Officer, who brings extensive knowledge and expertise of the collection and motoring history. Like many places the library has had to close its doors due to the national lockdown restrictions. Despite this, the service still receives many enquiries from researchers keen to continue their work. Once Government guidelines allow and it is safe to do so, the library hopes to reopen with new Covid-secure procedures and welcome back visitors again. This will become another great moment in the library’s long and wonderful history. Videos showing the Reference Library and other historic motorcycle events can be found on the National Motor Museum Trust YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/MotorMuseum/videos.
Sammy Inspires Another Young Enthusiast Hi Andy, Thought you would be interested to hear about our visit to the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum the other day. We had taken our five-year-old grandson Lucas along, and he was thrilled when Sammy himself spoke to us and asked if he would like to sit on one of the bikes! Here he is on Sammy’s 1965 Fruin 200 cc four-cylinder two-stroke. Thanks to Sammy’s encouragement, Lucas is now a BMCT member and hopefully a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast. Kind regards, Neil Trutwein Editor’s note: Bert Fruin developed his four cylinder engine using cylinder barrels and heads from the humble NSU Quickly moped and sold it in kit form as a crankcase and set of crankshaft blueprints at a cost in 1961 of £16! The bike in the Museum was built in 1965 using an MV Agusta rolling chassis fitted with Royal Enfield forks and Gilera hubs. Power reached the ground via a Villiers four-speed close-ratio gearbox.
P A G E
8
B M C T
N EW S
T HE BR I T I S H MOTOR CYCL E C HA RI TABL E TRUS T Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 509420 Secretariat: Holly Cottage Main Street Bishampton Pershore WR10 2NH United Kingdom Life President Trevor F. Wellings Trustees: Paul Barnes (Chairman) Ian Walden OBE Peter Wellings John Handley Mike Jackson Nick Jeffery John Kidson Mike Penn Secretary & Editor Andy Bufton Mob: 07754 880116 Email: editor@bmct.org
The British Motorcycle Charitable Trust (BMCT) was originally formed in 1979 to facilitate the building of the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, near Solihull in the West Midlands. Since 1995, however, the BMCT has been an entirely separate organisation, a grant-making Charity dedicated to the promotion of British motor cycle engineering heritage through a network of affiliated transport and local interest museums throughout the country.
Our affiliated museums are: Black Country Living Museum, Dudley British Motor Museum, Gaydon Brooklands Museum, Weybridge Coventry Transport Museum Dover Transport Museum Gloucester Life Museum Grampian Transport Museum, Aberdeen Haynes International Motor Museum Internal Fire Museum of Power, Tanygroes
Associate Membership is open to all, and allows free entry to all the museums in our affiliation scheme. Our funding comes from membership fees, bequests, donations, and income from our investments. Please direct any enquiries to the secretary, at the Secretariat address on the left.
Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby Jet Age Museum, Gloucester Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man Museum in the Park, Stroud National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Sammy Miller Museum, New Milton Silk Mill Museum of Making, Derby Tank Museum, Bovington
www.bmct.org
The Norton Collection Museum, Bromsgrove
Preserving the past...for the future
Parting Shot....
The bulk of a BSA Rocket 3’s engine shows clearly in this great shot from Bill Riley of Jeff Jones flat on the tank at Llandow in 1974. Published by Matchless Management Services, Holly Cottage, Main Street, Bishampton, Pershore WR10 2NH