Week Fifteen: Brooklands Virtual Motorcycle Day

The Brooklands Museum remains closed untim August 2020. We are proud to be supporting the #lovebrooklands campaign and are one of the channels streaming the Virtual Motorcycle Day over the 4-5 July 2020. You can watch here Now LIVE or directly via the Brooklands Members TV Youtube Channel at the links below.

The Virtual Motorcycle Day (s) features a look back at past events,Test Hill action, The Brooklands Motorcycle Team behind the Scenes, on the road at events in the UK and France. Also featured is Steve Parrish in conversation with Motorcycle Legends.

DAY One 10.15am: https://bit.ly/MCDAY1AM

DAY One 2.00 pm:  https://bit.ly/MCDAY1PM

DAY Two 10.15am:  https://bit.ly/VMD2AM

DAY Two 2.00pm:  https://bit.ly/MCDAY2PM

Live Now:

Click Bottom Right for full Screen.

4 July 2pm

5 July 10.15am


5 July 2.00pm

Week Eleven: Let's Hope Things Don't Go Backwards

With a slight ease in lockdown open air markets are back this week although quite how Tony and I will be able to manage social distancing at Kempton is still work in progress. 

I took a walk down at the Beach on Saturday evening and it was still far too busy, whilst a few miles down the coast at a normally busy resort I was told it was empty. I remembered the phrase “If you’re in traffic, you are traffic” so we had a quick walk and returned home. 

Planning for the Brooklands Virtual Motorcycle Day continues and thanks for the emails and phone calls. I will do an update via email and there is no trailer film yet. 

15 June is the next big date when non-essential shops can open and the next key stage will be 1 July when if all goes well more things will be able to start opening up. I Just hope things don’t go backwards!

Had lots of good feedback from last weeks Humber film, and I am still in my 2013 archive with more activity around the museum. Don’t forget you can open all the films to full screen by clicking the box icon in the bottom right corner

Allen Millyard

In the first film we are back to the workshop of Allen Millyard to find out how he is getting on with his multi-cylinder Kawasaki Z1. 

Part 3 Barrels

Part 4 Gaskets

Brooklands Demo Area 2013

Still so much in the 2013 archive and here are a couple of films of the action at Brooklands. The first is one Thursday in the Demonstration Area.

The BP Petrol Pump Restoration

The next is a compilation showing work on the BP Petrol Pump Restoration nearing completion.

Salt Fever

This week is Speed Week so we are off to Bonneville to experience a bit of salt. By way of introduction I have made a compilation of trailers featuring Chris Ireland aka Desperate Dan. 

Chris Ireland AKA Desperate Dan receives a prize for his bike at the
 EPE Southern Off Road Show, Kempton Park 

Ex Chopper man Tony Baxter, yes I’ve seen the pictures knew Chris as part of the Chopper scene and tells me that one day on the forum he posed the question of what should be the next evolution of his 500cc Indian Scout. Fast forward to 2012 and Chris had built a straightliner and set a speed record at Bonneville. The ticket speed I have seen was a modest 81.511 mph however, you have to consider that this was an unmodified engine without streamlining. In December 2013 he was receiving a prize for the bike at the Kempton Off Road Show.

Eric Patterson

Next up is the man I like to call the worlds fastest Patterson. Regular supporter of our Brooklands events, Eric has had a mixture of good and bad luck on the Salt. Here he is talking to Henry Cole about his Viscount Motorcycle.

Burt Munro

The legend that is Burt Munro was immortalised in the Film “The worlds Fastest Indian” starring Anthony Hopkins. I was looking for some extracts of the film to feature in this blog when I discovered three amazing films which are the story in his own words.

PART1

PART 2

PART3

The Spirit of Munro

Next is a publicity film from Indian

The World's fastest Velocette

We end this section with The worlds fastest Velocette which posted a time of 193.061 at Bonneville.

Next Week

We draw the blog to a close as we head slowly towards a new normal.

Week Ten: How's Life in Your Sector

Thought for the Week

Those of us who grew up in the 1960’s were spared the anxiety of wartime, but we did face the Cold War and the ever present threat of vaporisation. However, we were OK as we had the knowledge to build a shelter under the Dining-room table.....But hang on a moment that seemed to give even less protection than my Dad had in his WW2 Anderson Shelter!

The world has moved on  to a new Century and just when I thought its safe to go outside we have been faced with an invisible viral enemy and a Lockdown. 

Take a look at this somewhat prophetic post-apocalyptic sketch from Mitchell and Web notice anything familiar?

Whats Next

With the weather getting better, thoughts of getting back to Brooklands are ever present. However, the Museum remains closed and there are not likely to be any events for some time yet. 

So, its time to start thinking about what a virtual Motorcycle Show might look like. I was grateful for the quick turn-round of comments from members of the team and there is still time to let me know your ideas and I am particularly keen to learn of any people that could contribute a video guide to their bike or even just a message of support. My latest advice is that it would be possible to live stream the event for real-time interaction with viewers via social media and this could also be viewed after the event. I will try and have a Publicity Trailer that people can share for next week or week of 11 June.

2013 At Brooklands

By the state of my hard-drive, 2013 seemed to be a busy year. I seemed to be catching anything that moved.

I have picked out the Christmas Dinner Roundup film and a teaser film of Ton Up Day. I think I will save the full 13 minute version with footage of every bike fired up on the “Sound Stage” for the Virtual Event.

Montlhery

I also have some images and a bit of film from what I believe is the 2013 trip to Montlhery which features John Bottomley on the Wicksteed Triumph.

The theme for the rest of this weeks blog is bike building.

Zenith Bradshaw 2013

The following film was put together with clips of The Zenith Bradshaw recorded on a beautiful November morning at the Museum.  

Allen Millyard

Just about the last event I attended before the Lockdown was a talk given to the Brooklands VMCC Section by Allen Millyard. He talked us through the build of his Japanese Multi-cylinder projects and ended with his Vellocette V twin. Over the next few weeks I will post his films of his latest multi-cylinder Kawasaki Z1 Super Six project. I just love his laid back can do attitude. It almost got me thinking it was easy!

Part 1 The Crankshaft

Part 2  Sprocket Cover and Crankcase modifications

Board Track Racer Build

Now this is what I would love to be doing during lockdown. Its good to see that there is a wealth of young talented people out there to keep motorcycling history alive. However, I am not sure if there will be any fuel to run them!

Manufacturing a pioneer Rover imperial motorcycle (Silent)

This is a wonderful film. I could watch it over and over. It shows the building of the bike from sand casting the cylinder right through to assembly and test ride.

Running a 1912 Excelsior Engine

Next week: More from 2013 at Brooklands and Allen Millyard.

Week Seven: I'm Zooming

Its funny how quickly the new normal kicks in. Last week I had several Video conferences via Zoom and a few weeks ago I had never heard of it. Skype calls just seem so yesterday as we get one click access to all our contacts. Other formats are of course available and I was invited to another meeting with Motorsport magazine via Microsoft Teams last Thursday before later catching up with a couple of the Brooklands Team for a chat and a Zoom Garage Tour.  Who would thought 10 weeks ago that virtual garage tours were even a thing?

 

A Real Racer at work

We will get straight into the films this week with a non-bike related item. This is a car race from the USA which I have picked as it demonstrates a real racer at work. The captions also give an insight into what’s going on in the drivers head. There is a crash at the beginning, but otherwise no drama, just pure race craft, driving skill and of course a decent reliable engine under the bonnet.

 

New Years Day Meet 2010

Here are some images from the New Years Day event. Its become very popular over the last few years, but in 2010 I was still recovering from a late night, so people were beginning to head for home.

New Years Day at Brooklands 2010

The 2010 Spring Gathering

Back to Brooklands and the year is 2010 and another hugely successful event is the Spring Gathering. Watch and enjoy as the early morning mist rises over the museum to reveal some amazing bikes including a few visitors from The National Motorcycle Museum. The NMM Grindley would not start and the word was it was just put away after the Brookland’s run the previous year and turned up without any preparation. There is one thing we have all been taught at the museum. Don’t disappoint the spectators (or the rider!) always make sure the bike is prepared.

 

Double Twelve 2010

In June it was the Double Twelve and I took my Sunbeam out for a run to the museum to be included on the BTM (now Brooklands Member’s) Outreach stand.

The 1935  Model 16 Sunbeam on the Outreach stand

JP lotus Display, Just like the pits back in the day. "Bugger wheres that nut".

The 1935 Sunbeam in front of the Brooklands Memorial

This is a film I made of the action from the 2010 Brooklands Double Twelve.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010

I have to admit that my trip to FOS in 2010 was driven by my love of F1 racing rather than bikes but I was able to capture a few bike images. I was also able to capture the moment when Adrian Newey  was presented with his very own RB 5 to play with. Just listen to the Williams as it warms up and hits the track. 

Adrian Newey is presented with his own RB5 in front of the Press at 2010 FOS

I made this short film of a young Sam Bird preparing for his run. This was a big deal at the time as it was Williams current car. The run was permitted under FIA Regs as one of their designated a camera (filming) runs.

I still own the F1atHome.com Domain, which is now very appropriate during the lock-down as eSports races are really taking off! 

Goodwood FOS 2010

Goodwood Revival 2010

I was back at Goodwood in September for my first visit to the revival. I saw Stirling Moss in what I think was the last race before the accident at his London flat when he fell into the lift shaft. 

Stirling Moss in what I suspect was his last Race at Goodwood 2010

Stirling Moss still wearing his period crash Helmet at Goodwood in 2010

Also at this meeting was a John Surtees Tribute Parade. I never used this footage as I was constantly diverted by the Hurricanes and Spitfires doing a display overhead. I have now managed to separate them. I hope you enjoy.

I also have a picture of me next to a Rudge on display opposite the pits. I noticed today that asleep in the background is vintage racer Ian Bain. He is someone who will continue to pop up now and again in this blog either racing or with his vintage sand-racer Brough at Brooklands.

Pictured with a Rudge at 2010 Goodwood Revival & Ian Bain Grabbing 40 winks behind

 

VIRTUAL VE Day

We will be having our very own Virtual VE Day at home tomorrow with the AJS on show in the driveway. We get quite a few walkers past the front these days so I hope it will provide a bit of a distraction. Pictures Next Week.

Week Six: And the fuel is already going stale.

Last week we got sentenced to another three weeks for good behaviour and I experienced our car failing to start for its weekly shopping trip. Having had a look at it and I mean look, as I don’t understand modern engines, I think the fuel had evaporated in the line. When I had more time I managed to get it going and the exhaust smell was more like an engine left for seven years than days. It was that tell-tale old fuel smell. So maybe its time to exercise those engines more regularly now the weather is warming up.

My only question about this clip is WHY!

AJS

Well as you saw last week it looks done but the tank is still a bit of a state inside, so it will get another treatment. I also seem to have lost the rear brake rod. I must have put it somewhere safe! The front brake cable needs replacing, and it looks as if Venhill in Dorking are still operating. I have been looking for replacements online but can’t find anything suitable. I tend to avoid making brake cables but am ok on the others. It is now ready to take its place in the Virtual VE Day commemorations next Friday.

Moving to my Brooklands related archives, we stay with 2009 this week.

Test Hill Centenary

The first of these films is a short compilation of runs I made from the centenary of the opening of Brooklands Test Hill held on 22 March 2009. The following images were also taken at the event. Who can ever forget seeing Chris Williams take to the hill in that fire breathing Bentley. During the lunch break there were also other events such as the army cadets pulling an aircraft tyre up the hill.

The second film is uncut (just under 10 min) and exclusively motorcycles. Roger, John Duncan and Michael take part in the action. There is a shot of Dick Standing and his son in the pits and the main reason I kept it uncut was to soak up Michael’s excellent commentary. Also watch out for two Grindleys up the hill in tandem and Jerry Lark (The Morgan Owner) on a new imperial shedding his chain at the bottom of Test Hill.

James May Scalextric World Record

You may remember James May’s Series Toy Stories where James would challenge Sim Oakley to a series of seemingly impossible tasks relating to childhood favourites of days gone by. In August 2009 the challenge was to hold a race on a Scalextric track around the Brooklands outer circuit and in doing so set a world record. 

It did rather meet the description of impossible, but after what was portrayed in the programme as a bit of messing about in one of the empty offices in the Heights an army of volunteers began to build the track. And yes I was there with the help of my wife to capture this event from start to finish. I am particularly pleased with this film as it documents the whole event. It was an exhausting time running round the whole course. I was helped by the fact that the producers had provided about three sets of cars plus some section teams had their own test cars. Watch out for the mini cameras mounted on some of the Scalextric cars.

For maximum impact I went home and edited the film uploading it at 3am the following morning.  By 18 August It was No 14 in the Youtube charts and No 91 for the week. On 23 August it had climbed to No 7 in the news charts only beaten by Sky News items and was No 48 for the month of August 2009 with 30,000 views a mere sip of the cup of virtual fame! The following film has now had over 51,600 views. It turns out people round the world just love a Scalextric World Record.

Perry is now asking himself "why does it now take so long for Martin to edit films." The answer is of course that PB provides so much quality content I just don’t know where to begin!

Wings and Wheels

2009 continued to be a busy year for me and I was also at Dunsfold for Wings and Wheels. The track was just too far away to get any good shots. This was my one and only trip to the event, but watch out for our very own Geoff Brandon flying down the track on his Ariel.

Below there is also an outtake clip I got of a towed aerobatic glider braking a tow rope. A nice bit of work by the pilot to regain control and land safely. I thought this one might also go viral but not dramatic enough I guess.

Next week: We move onto 2010 and another epic motorcycle event at Brooklands and get ready to commemorate Virtual VE Day. I am also missing the weekly Quiz so I will have a go at adding one for the next few weeks. STAY SAFE.

Week Four: What does Success look like?

Thought for the Week 6-12 April 2020

Keeping up to date with the family via video conferences I notice that the kids are keeping up to date with school work via video at home so I thought I should update my life-long learning. I have done a couple of free modules on the Open University Website which are really quite good for getting immersed in something completely different. I also spent a bit of time getting to grips with tyre codes. The Avon website has a good explanation of the symbols found on the side of your Roadrunners.

Your online learning for this week is: What’s the difference between Success and Failure?

_____________________

On Sunday we learned of the death of motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss. A hero and true survivor having endured three accidents that might have finished off a lesser mortal. The first was Spar 1960, The second the horrific crash in 1962 at Goodwood that put an end to his racing career and the third, and less well known was a fall more recently, down the lift shaft of his London flat.

My two most prominent memories of Sir Stirling were firstly many years ago, receiving a Christmas present of a “Marx toys” Stirling Moss Crash helmet which was my pride and joy. (I still have it somewhere!) And second is being privileged to witness one of his last races at a Goodwood Revival. He still insisted on wearing one of his original pattern crash helmets.

Sir Stirling was the founding President of the BTM (Brooklands Members). He never really recovered from a chest infection picked up in 2016 and he subsequently retired from public life and as President of the Brooklands Members in January 2018.

I was glad to see that even in these difficult times Brooklands Museum and Members were still able to properly mark his passing with the Clubhouse flag flown at half mast.

Brooklands Clubhouse 12 April 2020 with flag at half mast

Back in the Workshop

Meanwhile in the workshop I have now found a wiring diagram for the AJS and spent a few hours getting the electrics working. I have now got the horn working which is good enough for a daylight MOT, but have put the lights on hold as I just can’t get my head around it. I consulted my Ladybird book “Magnets, Bulbs and Batteries” but no luck.  I have now put the job on hold and after a quick chat with Tony I think I have made the mistake of assuming it was correct when I dismantled it. So working on my reference pics is no good!

P.S. Yes, I have to get an MOT for this 1930’s bike  as it is currently unregistered.

The material has arrived for the spindle spacer so I will also get on and make that, but no pillar drill or lathe plumbed in so that too will wait for now. In the meantime I have made a temporary rubber spacer.

Next the wheels were fitted. The rear tyre was still a bit uneven on the rim so that was adjusted. I have also realised that the front brake shoes should have gone off to Villiers Services before the lockdown. They are ok, but the rivets used to fix last replacement shoes were too big and almost binding. This to has been noted in my work log and will be done after May.

The other reason that the lights are not important is because the front light has been replaced it with a WW2 blackout mask which I coincidentally picked up in an auction lot.

I have researched blackout masks and there is a pattern for motorcycles which appears to be different from mine. However, they did change the regulations during the course of the war and I have seen my pattern fitted to a motorcycle in a period image so that’s good enough for me. I then spent a bit of time trimming the mask with the faithful Dremel before fitting it in a knackered light surround. My 1938 AJS is almost ready to live it’s imagined wartime role as an ARP warden’s bike run on a bit of fuel picked up from Brookland’s very own Spiv, Bob Webb.

Next there was first the delicate matter of getting it off the workshop stand. The stand wheels became an issue as the bike was still well off the ground at its lowest setting. Luckily the AJ is fairly light so I was able to tip it off onto the front wheel whilst lifting the back and kicking away the stand.

The last jobs involved fitting the tin work and front brake, other cables, rear brake linkage and tidying up the loose wires before fitting the seat and tank. The picture shows the blackout mask on its first fitting.

The 1938 AJS begins to take shape.

Hampshire Ride-out

I Just can’t wait to get it out on the road. In the meantime here is a film of the other AJS out on the Hampshire lanes in 2019. For those of a delicate disposition the sequence does include an open pub. I would normally regard this as a boring subject, however in the present circumstances I suggest you take the laptop out to the garage, rest it on the handlebars of your bike, climb aboard and enjoy!

Brooklands Relived 2009

Its hard to top last weeks film of the 2008 Centenary, in my view one of the all-time classic Brooklands events. Here is my film of the 2009 Brooklands Relived & Beyond Event. This was my first outing on a Vintage bike with my 1935 Sunbeam having been acquired just three weeks before. The quality is not that good as shot on our first little digital camera in video mode. How technology has moved on in 10 years.

Surrey Norton Owners Club Event 2009

The next film is the 2009 Surrey Norton Owners Club event on 16 May 2009. It is worth noting that whilst filming was taking place the UK had reported 78 cases of H1N1 Swine Flu which had spread to 36 countries. The following day we hit 100 cases. By 23 July when the National Pandemic Flu service was launched 29 people had died in the UK and we had an estimated 55,000 new cases in the week ending 16 July. By August the cases had fallen off a cliff so there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Check out the Play-Pen (Car park) used for the event. Dick Standing is there with his Son. Ted, Michael and Roger are riding. Bob Webb is in attendance with the mini Sidecar and there is a quick shot of Don Green starting his bike. Also Gordon, Duncan, Chris and Fred? No doubt Michael will know the other Surrey Norton guys.

Stay Safe and catch up next week.

Week Three: The Pressure is on

As I sit down to write this the sun is shining and I am surrounded by a chorus of Jet Washers. The Jetsons as I have come to call them have been increasingly busy over the last few days. As for us the fence is painted the lawn is cut, so its back into the workshop to finish the 1930s AJS project in time for the VE Day commemorations. Well that was the plan, but now 8 May will be just another day rather than an extraordinary Bank Holiday Friday.

Bill Crosby RIP

I heard last week that Bill Crosby had sadly passed away. Another legend of the motorcycling world gone, but not forgotten. Back in the 70s I never owned a Triumph but I still knew all the shops and dealers across South London including Reg Allen, which Bill took over in 1958, when I was still in nappies. However, perhaps his biggest legacy will be the London Motorcycle Museum which bought pleasure, nostalgia and education to its visitors. Sadly also no more, I found it difficult to watch Bill and his family preside over the destruction of their collection earlier this year.

I was glad that Ian Dabney was able to provide valuations for a number of their rare Carburettors and was amused to subsequently see Bill in an episode of Henry Cole’s Junk and Disorderly rebuffing Sam Lovegrove’s offer for a Rattrap Carb. “Nooo I’ve been offered a £1,000 for that!”

Also Perry recorded some poignant images of Bill at the museum just before the Museum closed its doors. I think they capture the moment so well.

Diary 30 March – 5 April

I am used to having an editor to keep me in check, so I will try and be succinct, but forgive me if I ramble a bit!

It took about three days to clear the decks after working on a job lot of Carburettors bought at a sale for Kempton. These days Virtual Kempton is Ebay and they are doing quite well after a good clean. The AJS Model 22 has been undergoing a preservation as it is very original.

The bike had been laid up for years and the tank, fuel lines and carb were a real mess. The carb is cleaned, I have sourced some similar fuel line, but am still working on the tank. The bike was striped and cleaned, but nothing more was done to the engine which turned over well and produced a healthy spark. The gearbox was inspected rebuilt and mating surfaces sealed with Locktite 5940.

Several weeks after the recommended curing time the box was back in the bike and filled with the semi fluid grease I sell at Kempton. I had discovered that the primary chain had been lengthened and was held together with some sort of home-made link. I am pleased to say the new primary chain is one of the few replacement parts I have needed to purchase. The mudguards were very rusty, but original and sound. They had been touched up over the years with a mixture of what I suspect was jenolite and red oxide paint. In fact the whole bike had deposits of white over areas of rust.  I reluctantly re painted the mudguards keeping the original hand painted look and worked what I suspected to be Jenolite marks to become a wartime identification marking re-imagining this little survivor as perhaps an ARP Warden’s bike. “What the bloody hell do you think you are doing Manwaring…. Put that light out” The Forks were cleaned up and turned out to be a bit of a challenge to fit to the bike. Some jobs are just easier with two people. The other new purchase was a set of Tyres and Inner Tubes.

Next Time: The final Furlong.

Motorcycle Events of Yesteryear

Now we move onto films of previous Brooklands events. One of Brookland’s largest and most successful events was the Motorcycle Centenary Event. In 2008 I was not yet a member of the team but went to event clutching my Panasonic Digital 8 video camera and produced this video record of the day.  
The Box in the bottom right will open the film in Full Screen mode.

Now a Classic Barry Sheen Memorial Trophy Race from 2016. Watch as Charlie Williams and Mike Farrell do battle on their 1933 Rudge against Nortons and Gold Stars in the rain. Its well worth watching to the end.

The Box in the bottom right will open the film in Full Screen mode.

In Other News:

My order of Tyres for the 1928 Sunbeam Project arrived last week, which is a bit awkward as the bike is stuck at Brooklands. More on that project later.

Vintage Tyres tell me that they are still operating on a mail order basis. They are also offering a 5% discount on orders so check them at at: https://www.vintagetyres.com/

If you are unable to get the 5% off code please feel free to order through me at Sales@fenlandclassics.co.uk and I should still be able to get you the 5% off their web price (before VAT).