April has arrived and still there is snow. When will it ever
end? Still tons of salt being tipped on the roads and whilst it is a life
saver, it plays havoc with our old bikes. We are told that the weather will
pick up after the second week of April, so maybe we can get out more then. This
time of year is usually a time for an increase in bikes of all ages on the road
and the Dept of Transport has re-launched this years Think Bike campaign aimed
at improving driver awareness particularly at junctions where the stats tell us
most accidents happen. I am sure you will all have your own experiences of near
misses or worse. For bikers it is difficult to anticipate where the next hazard
will come from. Zebra Crossings and side turnings are the ones that seem to
catch me, however defensively I drive. My own scars come from Diesel spills and
wet drain covers! Why not let us know your stories via Twitter @FenlandClassics
#roadsafety. You can also hear the ads on the radio or go to http://think.direct.gov.uk/motorcycles.html
for more advice and information.
Vintage Bike Test
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| The Brooklands Volunteer Team |
We were privileged to join the Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Team
on 21 March 2013 testing their bikes before they attend the Vintage Revival
meeting at Montlhéry near Paris later this month. We joined them at The Museum
at Weybridge in Surrey to load up the bikes and then made our way to the test
location which is more used to seeing the likes of TV Top Gear’s Clarkson, May,
Hammond and the Stig burning rubber of the four wheeled variety.
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| A Very Cold Start |
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| The Wicksteed Between Runs |
There are also more pictures and information on the Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers Facebook page.
There is a common misconception that these museum bikes are sitting in the museum gathering dust. We are able to say that this is far from the truth and if you want to see them and many more running at the museum turn up to the “Ton Up Day” at the museum (KT13 0QN) on 23 June 2013, celebrating 75 years of the Ace Cafe London. All the bikes listed below will also be in action at Montlhéry historic circuit near Paris on 20-21 April 2013
Ton Up Details:
Vintage Revival Details:
http://www.vintage-revival.fr/
1933 350 cc Norton
International
This bike was supplied by Norton for the 1933 Manx Grand
Prix. It was then used in road races and
was first raced at Brooklands in 1936 in the Hutchinson Hundred by JB Moss.
1983 350cc JAP powered OK Supreme
Built to a very high standard by one of the volunteers from
a box of bits, it spends all of its time at the Museum but is taken out to play
as often as possible.
1936 250cc Rudge “Brooklands Special”
This is a bike built by the volunteer team and like most of
the others gets a regular outing up the Museum’s Test Hill or at events such as
the one in France.
BSA 500cc JM24 Empire Star
This is a replica of the 1937 Wal Handley Empire star that
lapped Brooklands Circuit at over 100 miles an hour in June of that year. This
bike was built to celebrate the centenary and had pride of place at the
Brooklands Gold Star Event last year. This is the bike that one the famous
Brooklands Gold star after which BSA changed the name of subsequent models to
the famous Gold Star. Read more in April’s edition of Classic Bike Guide. 
1937 500cc “Wicksteed” Triumph Recreation
This bike was created in 1986 by the late Tich Allen, and is a replica of the
500cc Brooklands Record Holding bike driven by Ivan Wicksteed Using
a 500cc supercharged engine, he achieved 118.02 mph on 8th October
1938 on Brooklands outer circuit. This record still remains unbroken.
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| Ivan Wicksteed on the Original Machine |
