W Gordon McMinnies on the Triumph, left, and Oscar Bickford on a Vindec, right, were Oxford graduates who took part in a private race early in 1908. The Triumph rider won.
A RACING START
We take a look at 1908 and the introduction of motorcycle racing at Brooklands.
Words: Martin Gegg Photos: Brooklands Museum Collection, Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History
P
rior to 1908, motorcycle sport in mainland Britain was restricted to timed regularity trials held on open roads as well some record
breaking events at velodromes. Meanwhile, in Europe long-distance car races were being held and even after SF Edge won the Gordon Bennett race from Paris to Innsbruck, hosting the return event in 1903
was not possible on mainland Britain due to speed limits. Instead, the event was held in Ireland after an Act was passed enabling roads to be closed for racing. The Isle of Man also allowed pre-event testing to take place on a route which was later to become the TT course.
In the early 1900s, various plans were being drawn up for race tracks on private land and eventually Hugh Locke King came forward to build the Circuit on his land at Weybridge. This was initially conceived as a motor car racing circuit but the 2 January, 1907 editorial
in The Motorcycle Magazine was already looking forward to the opening of the new Brooklands Racing Circuit where it said ‘Riders will start in positions according to their handicap and it will provide much excitement.’
Pioneer motorcycle manufacturers saw the opening of the track as an opportunity to reach high speeds in controlled conditions. By June, and a month before the opening of the Surrey Motordrome, Charlie Collier of Matchless announced that he was developing a special motorcycle with the intention of being the first to register a speed of 100mph. In the same month, it was announced that
Harry Collier, of motorcycle manufacturer Matchless, was one of the first to inspect the Brooklands track in 1908, though his machine did not perform well on its first outing.
40 BROOKLANDS BULLETIN | MAY - JUNE 2020
Riding a 7-10hp Matchless, Charlie Collier passes under the Members’ Bridge on his record- breaking run in October 1908 to set a One Hour benchmark.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
