Please look elsewhere for a balanced account of this event.
The VMCC Cyclemotor Section held its annual Hundred Mile Run from Marsh Gibbon this year (1996) under the gentle guidance of David and Joyce Hughes, to whom be our thanks. The Plough is familiar to devotees of the July event of recent years.
The course this time consisted of lanes and lesser roads drawn largely from those events; I thought it flowed more easily than the Newport Pagnell route. Road surfaces were damp or wet for the first lap after night-time drizzle; the day was cold and grey. Engines are supposed to like it that way, but riders as a rule love sunshine, warm sunshine that dapples the roads with shadows, not least those of riders and machines, and which adds magic to landscapes viewed over the handlebars. On this Sunday few people were to be seen in their gardens or out walking, so there were fewer greetings to give and get than usual. I heard no church bells-is my engine so very noisy?
First away at 8:40am with one hundred miles to go was Roy Sidall. Last home at 5:05pm with one hundred miles behind him, and feeling them there, was Nick Devonport. Fastest lap was Reg Ridgeway's at I hour 15 minutes; the slowest belongs to some unsung hero. And well done that alarm clock.
Twenty-five riders and runners completed the Run and twenty-seven, passengers included, won badges red or blue according to choice. They were (not in height order) Ralph Thompson (Solex), Derek Langdon (Power Pak), John Davies (Raleigh), J Lycett (Scamp), John Burton(Quickly), Geoff Ragg (Firefly), Robert Hummerstone (Power Pak), Dave Gray (Teagle), Tony Garrard, Harvey Mobbs, Reg Ridgeway, Ewan Mackenzie (bikes uncertain), Tom Mackenzie (Excelsior), Peter Smith (James), Ken Smith (Raleigh), Len Ore (Mini-Motor), Steve Cobb (Raleigh), Barbara Smith (Bown), Sheila Brown and Katy (Mobylette), David Stevenson and Robbie (Mini-Motor tandem), Hugh Gallagher (Cucciolo), Roy Sidall (Cyclemaster), Dave Beare (Solex), Nick Devonport (Moby Xl), and Tim Bunting (Solex). The gaps are unsatisfactory but I did not plan to write up the run, and my name is not S Holmes. Perhaps future lap charts will provide a column for rnakes. The runners included a BSA C15 in brilliant condition, and two Bantams.
Alan Jinks rode two laps-but I do not know his story. Single laps were aimed at and attained by Tony Lloyd (Calthorpe), Brian Nichols (Autowheel), Stan Greenway (Rex), Philippa Wheeler (Firefly) and Roger Worton (Cucciolo). Cynthia Hummerstone nearly completed a lap before stopping for Alan whose Cucciolo's cycle wheel spindle broke. John Redding's Cyclemaster was retired with fuel starvation after one lap, Jan Ragg's Flandria with fuel flooding after two laps, and David Evans's Quickly with lack of power and funny-peculiar noise from magneto after two laps. Commiserations to these four riders. The lap chart shows Steve Burgess as an entrant but no more.
The Plough's garden and car park presented an animated scene, those in evidence including the landlord and his pigs, plus the Sunday regulars. Several VMCC and NACC stalwarts turned up without bikes.
Here let me say that NACC newcomers another year will be sure of a warm welcome, however they choose to participate-three laps ideal, two laps admirable, one lap commendable, a run round local lanes praiseworthy, a rev-up not bad, a static display much better than nothing. Or come just for lunch or a drink.
This is a run the NACC could emulate-say an event over fifty miles divided into two laps. Let's face it, cyclemotoring is not for the faint-hearted, there being hurdles of all sorts to overcome before the 'off'. But once overcome, do serious riders wish to be fobbed off by a simultaneous combination of mini-runs, crowded venues and high entrance fees? The Hundred Miler does not fob anyone off. We are there to ride. But what locality would attract most entrants? So few NACC people get their act together.
My thrice-oxided '69 Solex 3800 suffered roller slip on the wet, due in part to my having Araldited the worn roller at rebuild without adding carborundum grit. This bike, found in a dying condition on Hove sea-front, must have demolished a steam roller or some equally substantial object. However, intensive orthopaedic care, plus a heart transplant of oversize piston and new standard cylinder, brought it back to life. For a Solex it fairly flies, keeping engine and owner just this side of a seizure. Back to a nice slow one next year.
Among impressions gained, Derek Langdon's Raleigh's saddle stays (reference last year's breakage) are now mended to professional standard with special lugs. This bike's rear tube was punctured on lap two; on lap three the patch cried enough and Derek fitted a new tube in double quick time. This happened just before the corner marked "Cat Sanctuary-Cats on Road" on the printed route-sure enough a cat dodged my front wheel by a whisker. Less fortunate than the cat was a rabbit near Claydon House (visit recommended) just killed by a car. I stopped to lift the poor thing on to the grass verge. John Davies's Raleigh spat out half a dozen plugs before it found one to its taste. Jan Ragg seems to like the Flandria at last despite its display of temperament-it may now be my task to keep possible buyers at bay. Brian Nichols's Autowheel has a formidable presence and graces every meeting it attends. Nick Devonport's Moby Xl was the smallest finisher. However, Philippa Wheeler's Lohmann-powered mini-cycle, a Cresswell Microsprint, weighed in at 3llbs all up, half the weight of the Xl. Philippa rode it around locally. J Lycett's blue Scamp is surely the smartest example in or out of captivity. David Stevenson's '30s tandem, restored in black with matching Mini-Motor, also commanded attention. This run was David's tenth such. Nick Devonport came north of the Thames at last, bringing a hidden agenda (apart from the Morris Minor). On the route-learning lap, a stretch of roadside near Cowley Farm was neatly decorated with aluminium cans marked Tennants' Very Strong Lager. Was this an Arts Council 'happening' at taxpayers' expense? Nick saw these cans and planned to collect them on lap two. On coming round he found them gone ... my pannier was fairly rattling. However, his 'canny' agenda was fulfilled when after the run he showed me a bagful from a secret source-mortifying indeed. My cans are for Charity-what a lucky girl she is.
On this pecuniary note I close my account, no doubt to everyone's relief, especially Dave Beare's.
By Tim Bunting From the December 1996 issue of buzzing the NACC magazine
Back to Contents
My first interest in cyclemotors was in the heyday of the early 50' when I thought what a nice inexpensive way it would be for a friend and I to ‘Tour the Continent' as it was known in those days. In the event it never happened and I had to be content with a more practical 1947 Ariel 500 Hunter for everyday use.
In 1966 I was given a Mercury Cyclemaster which was immediately restored for getting to work and a few pleasure trips. Having been a V.M.C.C. member since 1961 with a 1912 Scott, I would like to have ridden the Cyclemaster at occasional events, unfortunately it was a mere 12 years old and was not eligible. Therefore I joined the British Two Stroke Club, which did recognise such machines.
and enjoyed many of their events including participation in the 1967 A.C.U. National Rally to achieve a ‘Certificate' for covering 350 miles in 24 hours and was awarded their premier award - The Meeten Trophy.
In 1970 I met two 'good friends to be' John Lycett and Robert Pearce both budding cyclemotorists, after joining forces for evening and weekend social runs: in true British style and on John's inspiration a club was formed - The Magic Wheelers. John designed a unique and stylish buttonhole badge, a small batch of which was purchased with mutual funding.
The Magic Wheelers by word of mouth expanded to include such pioneer members as Doug Whittaker, Rory Sinclair, Tony Tycross and Bob Light to name but a few.
By 1977, when our machines became eligible for the V.M.C.C.. invitation events were arranged via the Warwick- shire Section. These proved so popular that in 1978 I organised and publicised the 1st National Cyclemotor Run, held in Southern, Warwickshire. Surprise! Surprise! over 20 cyclemotors turned up and there was much talk of forming a Section. This happened in 1979 and at the Inaugural meeting Doug Whittaker was appointed Chairman and myself as Secretary. We were to be named the Cyclemotor Section, but to this day we
are more familiarly known as the Magic Wheelers and continue to wear the original design Magic Wheelers Badge.
Stan Greenway
Back to Contents
The Cyclemotor Section caters for V.M.C.C. members who possibly have other larger ma chines but are interested in the potential of smaller engines. We are known to be a friendly and easy going Section not given to a lot of 'spit and polish' catering for those who enjoy motorcycling in a leisurely style.
Of necessity, our low speed allows us to delight in the sights and smells (some more pungent than others) of the countryside. We invite veteran and vintage machines, veteran cars and even vintage bicycles as long as participants are V.M.C.C. members, to participate in events. Our aim is enjoyment - no timed sections or tests - just pleasure in motorcycling rather than speed and competition.
Having said that we are kindly invited by the Racing Section to 'mount a Parade' at one or other track during the Season. Allowing those who really want to prove themselves and their machines to 'have a go'! providing we adhere to the rules. You can ride round the circuit at 50 mph. yes, a Ducati Cucciolo will do that, but you do have to bear in mind that you have to stop at some juncture!) One such machine has been successfully 'sprinted' so we can be said to cater for most tastes. We currently organise six lighthearted events annually beginning in February with the Box Hill Run and ending in October with the 100 Mile Run - which can be or need not be a test of endurance, riders doing one, two or three thirty-three and one third mile laps or any part of them.
We are pleased to see that many Regional Sections also incorporate cyclemotor routes. We would like to see more sections particularly in the Northern
Regions, organising routes for us or making a particular point of inviting us to join in on Veteran or Flat Tank routes. We liaise very happily with other clubs including several abroad, in fact the Cyclemotor Section originated the European Cyclemotor Run in France which attained such popularity that it continues to be 3rganised by the French clubs. One of our members is the Liaison Officer for the British contingent and it is an excellent annual event now known as the 'Rando Cyclo Rally'.
Yvonne Brown, Secretary
Back to Contents
The Future of Cyclemotoring
The responsibility of owning rare, precious. and valuable motorcycles is sometimes heavy, and not for the financially faint-hearted, however it is still perfectly possible to rig oneself up with a useable Cyclemotor for a very modest outlay..
This has to be the cheapest route to Vintage motorcycle events, and the inclusion of a moped licence for car drivers also makes it possible for those not necessarily from the mainstream of motorcycling to join in.
The simple pleasure of buzzing gently round quiet lanes is real recreation compared to the drudgery of coping with modern traffic, and road manners. The Cyclemotor Section's policy of short, gentle routes seem to be appealing to more and more members with sedate machines sometimes left behind on more conventional runs. Reading some of the letters in the Club journal. there seems to be a need for gentle events. I see the future of the Cyclemotor Section as providing pleasure for the owners of the hosts of tiny machines produced in the fifties hardly ever seen on club runs, as well as Veterans, and other low powered machines, and an increasing diversity of Cyclemotor types. Our events also interest the ladies. We have a large number of husband and wife teams coming along. and some sons and daughters as well. Machines vary from the rare, and precious. to the very mundane, but we all have to deal with the same problems of getting up the hills, mending the inevitable punctures. and getting ourselves back to the finish. We become comrades in adversity. With such a broad spectrum of participants. the future looks very bright.
February 1951 a score of motor cycle industry people including some well known journalists met at an hotel at the foot of Box Hill to attempt to compare all the types of cyclemotor then available in Britain. A report subsequently appeared in one of the weekly bike magazines. The weather on the day was cold, and wet so a fair amount of time appears to have been spent on consumption. The contemporary photographs show a lot of smiles, and a fair amount of machine swapping.
A few years ago, it was suggested that the Cyclemotor section should organise a similar run in February. This was done, and was a great success, however the traffic now charging round the original area was found to be a little daunting for our diminutive machines. The Box Hill run was moved to the Surrey Oaks Pub at Parkgate near Newdigate in Surrey, which is somewhere near Box Hill. The event was run for several years at this venue, but proved to be so successful that it outgrew the space available, and has been rested for the time being.
Kop Hill near Princes Risborough Buckinghamshire was a famous public road Hill Climb, until an accident involving the unprotected spectators caused the demise of public road speed trials in Britain. Many famous riders, drivers and machines took part in events on this spectacular piece of country road.
A brief history of Kop Hill, near Princes Risborough.
Map reference OS sheet 165 815030.
By Hugh GallagherThe first speed event up this fairly straight, loose macadam 1 in 5 gradient was held in 1910, and the last on 28th March 1925, and it was as the result of a mild accident to a spectator at this meeting that the RAC decided to ban all motor sport on public roads. Unfortunately as this was an open public road the public could not be restrained from going and standing where they wished, and private vehicles had to be given the right of way if they wished to drive up or down the hill.
The total length of the hill is 3,848 feet with a total rise of 304 feet, but the competitive section is 903 yards long. The banks where spectators stood too close to the speeding vehicles have now largely gone and the road is much wider and better surfaced.
In 1911 cars also started to use the hill and most meetings had classes for both cars and motorcycles. In the early events, in the motorcycle section, machines were separated into a bewildering array of classes, and, in the meeting held on 6th May 1911, the fastest times for the climb in each of the classes were:
Experts,
· Class 1: lightweights up to 110 lbs, GE Stanley, 2.5hp Singer, 68.4secs. with pedal assistance,
· Class 2:146 lbs. to 300 lbs. G Patterson, 2.75hp New Hudson, 54.2secs.,
Class 3: twin cylinder 146 lbs, 343cc, H V Colver, 2.75hp Enfield 54.4secs,
Class 4: single cylinder 557cc, W G McMinnies, TT Triumph, 43.8secs,
Class 5: any single cylinder, W G McMinnies, TT Triumph, 44.2secs,
Class 6: twin cylinder 750cc, S T Tessier, 5hp BAT, 40.8secs,
Class 7: any twin cylinder, F W Barnes, 6hp Zenith Gradua, 43.2 secs.
Class 8: any machine, S T Tessier, 5hp BAT, 4lsecs,
Class 9: passenger machines, F W Barnes, Zenith Gradua and sidecar 64secs,
Class 10: flexibility, W Pratt, 3. 5hp P&M, difference in times 111 secs.
'Yates 2hp Humber, fast but pedaled…J Holroyd 2 1/2hp Motosacoche, fast but pedaled…D R O'Donovan 2hp Singer pedaled hard as also did Eli Clarke (2 3/4hp Douglas)'.
The comment in The Motor Cycle for this meeting says 'The surface left a good deal to be desired, as it was extremely rough throughout the whole course and more especially near the top where there was a deep rut, which occasioned one spill and nearly accounted for several others. But for the surface, this location is nearly ideal for a competition. It is safe, almost straight, and the progress of the climb can be seen almost from start to finish.
The 1912 meeting was held at nearby Aston Hill, and at the March meeting the following year (1913) Barnes was using an 8hp Zenith and clocked a time of 35.4 seconds to record fastest time of the day, followed by G Griffiths also on a Zenith in 38 seconds.
At the August 1913 meeting there were not more than a handful of competitors, and very few more spectators to witness the ascents. There was only one exciting incident the whole afternoon, and that was when J Kennedy (8hp VS) somehow lost control of his machine and dashed full speed off the road. He and the big cream coloured twin landed in the hedge and, marvelous to relate, were 'not much knocked about'. Fastest time of the day was made by A J Brewin in 48 seconds on an 8hp Zenith.
At the March 1914 meeting competitors met at the George and Dragon Hotel in Princes Risborough. Unfortunately owing to the weather conditions the top part of the hill was rather soft and rutty, and several of the fast men wobbled dangerously just before the last steep pitch. The afternoon was marred from a spectators' point of view by the torrential rain and cold driving wind. Fastest time of the day was made by R R Coes on a 7hp Indian in 43.2 seconds.
The March 1920 meeting was the first open hill-climb held in the Home Counties since the war. Fastest time of the day went to Oppenshaw on an 8hp Zenith in the very fast time of 32.6 seconds.
The May 1920 meeting was organised by the Ealing and District Motor Cycle Club as a contrast to all the other meeting which had been organised by the Essex Motor Club. Fastest time in Class A (up to 550cc) went to H le Vack on a 3 1/2hp Duzmo in 40.4 seconds. In Class B (up to 750cc) he was also quickest in 41.4 seconds and in Class C (up to 1000cc) he was also fastest in 41.4 seconds, all on the same Duzmo.
At the April 1921 meeting fastest time went to T C de la Hay's Sunbeam 3 1/2hp in 30.4 seconds followed by H le Vack's 7.9hp Indian in 32.4 seconds.
In March 1922 a large entry did not materialise, but some exceptionally fine climbs were made, and the star ascent of the afternoon was Kaye Don on a 7.9hp Indian at a speed slightly over 70mph, in 26 seconds! Second was T C de la Hay on a 3 1/2hp Sunbeam in 28.2 seconds and third G J Read (8hp Enfield) in 28.8 seconds. The fastest ascent in the open car classes was by Count Zborowski in a 4.5 litre Indianapolis Ballot 0.8 seconds slower than Kaye Don, which was to remain as the fastest climb by a car, and runner up was Tony Vandervell in a Sunbeam in 27.2 seconds
The May 1922 meeting was run by South Midlands Centre and had a record attendance and fine weather. Competitors had to wear TT helmets and this saved one unfortunate rider who fell off from severe injury. Problems were caused by thoughtless spectators wandered on the course and obstructed the riders' views of the road. George Dance was outstanding with a time of 28.2 seconds on his 492cc Sunbeam and made fastest time of the day.
The October 1922 meeting was also run by the South Midlands Centre and in spite of a wintry wind that swept the bleak face of Kop Hill a goodly crowd of spectators turned out. The timekeeper located himself on a far-away knoll whence he could see the starting and finishing lines and the Heath Robinsonian string operated signal arms thereon. The timing could not have been accurate to the tenths of seconds employed but probably the error factor was constant. Fastest time of the day went to H H Saddington on a 662cc James in 30.4 seconds.
In the March 1923 event, organised by the Essex MC, 0 M Baldwin riding a 994 Matchless-MAG made fastest time of the day with an average speed of 72.6mph and a time of 25.4 seconds. A Goyder-Smith, a one legged ex-naval man, on a 490cc Norton and sidecar performed very well with a time of 37.2 seconds! J A Welch on a 349cc AJS made a meteoric ascent in 30 seconds but sat up suddenly as he crossed the line, lost control, and finished up in the hedge, fortunately without serious injury. F G Hicks on a similar machine also suffered at the hands of fate, running over a dog but preserving his balance.
In the car section L C G M Le Champion drove a 20,508cc Isotta Maybach aero engined monster to make second fastest time of the day after Humphrey Cook in a TT Vauxhall who did it in 29.8 seconds.
At the March 1924 meeting which was held in a biting north easterly wind, the Essex Motor Club was criticised for a programme which made it utterly impossible to follow the progress of the various classes. The riders were sent up one after another in batches comprising several classes, thus the first group consisted of twenty riders from nine classes. Fastest time of the day was made by Freddy Dixon on a 997cc Harley Davidson in 31.4 seconds, slowest time of the day was by T G Meeten on a 147cc Francis Barnett in 73 seconds.
The October 1924 meeting was run in brilliant sunshine. Freddy Dixon again made f.t.d. with 24.8 seconds on his 997cc Harley Davidson and in another class Freddy did 25.8 seconds on a 594cc Douglas, 25.6 seconds on a 494cc Douglas and 28 seconds in the sidecar class!
By the start of 1925 concern was growing over the risk of accidents to spectators at public road events, and a recent court case where an onlooker injured by a competing motorcyclist had been awarded damages, was a worrying precedent. Public road speed events had already been banned in Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire, but a solution seemed to be at hand. A bill was in preparation to go before Parliament to permit the closing of public roads for motor competitions, in the same manner as had been done in Northern Ireland and Isle of Man.
At the March 1925 meeting there was a particularly large crowd who obstinately, and often rudely, refused to obey marshals' instructions to retire to safer vantage points. They were particularly thick, in both senses, at the very fast top right hand bend of the hill.
J T A Temple on a stripped Norton stopped half way up the hill but was immediately followed by T R Allchin on a 998cc Zenith-Blackburne who came up very fast but appeared to be worried by a group of spectators assembled around Temple's machine on the bend. He took the right hand curve extremely close, shot across the road on to the grass, and, after jumping a deep gully and hitting a bush, crashed on the left bank, fortunately without hitting any spectators. He was reported to have a broken wrist, concussion and bruises. Fastest time of the day went to Freddy Dixon in 22.8 seconds on a 736cc Douglas and the same bike fitted with a sidecar only took 2 seconds longer.
Raymond Mays had sold his two Brescia Bugattis, Cordon Rouge and Cordon Bleu, to raise funds for another project. Cordon Bleu was bought by Francis Giveen, a Cambridge undergraduate, who did not inspire confidence. He had already had one testing accident and seemed to have very little awareness of the limits and dangers of this very fast car. A wild climb by Giveen clocked 31.2 seconds but he seemed totally unaware of the havoc he had created along the way. He had shot off the road on the last right hander, bounced along the track, and back onto the road again, without pause. Unfortunately he struck a spectator during the excursion, breaking one of his legs. Fortunately, by the time of Giveen' s run the crowd had thinned considerably, otherwise the accident could have had even more serious results. The injured spectator had been one of those who had been asked to move several times during the meeting but had ignored the exhortations of the marshals, so really he only had himself to blame. But at this point and with several more runs to take place the RAC steward stepped in and stopped the meeting.
A week later a statement was issued by the Auto-Cycle Union; Following the decision of the Competitions Committee of the RAC declining to grant permits for any high speed contests on the public highway, the Competitions Committee of the A-CU has passed the following resolution: 'That this Committee having carefully considered the difficulty of ensuring the safety of the public at motorcycle speed competitions on the public highway, involving an excess of the legal limit of speed, is of opinion that until the conditions are changed all such competitions, whether 'open or closed', are prejudicial to the interests of the sport.' And that was the end of Kop Hill as a speed event, as well as all speed events on public roads.