Competition machine wanted

Sent by Howard

Simon: 

"This letter from Nortons is noteworthy from two additional points of view:

1. It is signed by GWW who was of course Graham Walker working for Nortons at the time.

2. About twenty years ago my next door neighbour was a nephew of Mr and Mrs Longman and he told me in no uncertain terms that he and the family were not too enthralled with the behaviour of one of Longman's employees, who, after Mr Longman died, was allowed to carry on the bike side of the business while Mrs Longman occupied herself with selling paraffin and charging accumulators (for radios etc).  Basically, they felt this chap - also now dead - took unfair financial advantage of Mrs Longman's good nature.  My neighbour also said that when Mrs Longman finally toppled off the perch, it took him and his cousins three weekends and several skips to clear all the motor cycle stuff which, he said, 'nobody wanted.'  This I find hard to believe as I believe Mrs Longman died in the seventies and there would have been plenty of people interested had the right contacts been made. As the saying goes, enough said!"

G H Tucker, 1922 Model Big Four Norton

This photo shows Tucker after winning the 600cc 200 miles (!) Sidecar Race at Brooklands on 17 June 1922 (From dr Bayleys The Vintage Years at Brooklands).

1922 Model 16H Norton - For Sale

For sale at Dutch Lion Motorbikes

J T A Temple on his c1922 16H Norton

Temple at the Public Schools Meeting at Brooklands on 14 April 1923, winner of the 500cc One Lap Scratch Race at 71.15 mph and best 500c time in the 500 Metres Sprint (The Vintage Years at Brookland, dr Bayley). He must have been a tall guy.

Simon: ".....sadly I think he came a cropper in the IOM some time later in the twenties. Not shown as a competitor in either the TT or Amateur so it may have been a practise crash....."

1922 Model 9 Norton

This 1922 Model 9, fitted with the optional Philipson's pulley, was spotted at Brooklands last April.

Martin: "Simon and I both think this Norton is 1922, not 1921, particularly if that's its original engine, as engine 4200 dates from November 1922 when the surviving records start. Also the Philipson pulley has a visible date of 1922, and the frame has sidecar lugs and the final pattern of belt drive footrests with a wiggle to miss the brake rod."

1922 Model 18 Norton

Ralph Cawtorne at the start of the 1922 Senior TT. A significant picture as this is one of the very first OHV machines produced by Norton. The machine is fitted with Druid forks and must have been a handful, with the almost complete absence of brakes.

Many levers are fitted to the left hand side of the machine. One of them may operate the manually operated oilpump fitted in the oiltank; you can just make out the Bowden cable, at the left of his knee. And what's that thing fitted to the top frame tube in front of his crotch? It looks like something that may seriously damage the crown jewels in a crash.

Unfortunately Ralph did crash in that race; he fell off a few miles from the finish on the final lap after 223 miles. (From Cohen's Flat Tank book).