People

I used to race back in the 1960’s. When I retired to Peel, I decided to get involved again in the sport, this time as a Marshal. I enjoyed racing on the Isle of Man circuit and I couldn’t have done it without the services of the then marshals. I decided it was only fair and reasonable to put back into the sport what you I got out of it.

I’m in what’s called “Sector 5” which is on the west side of the Island from Cronk y Voddy down to Westwood near Kirk Michael and we have a most magnificent team. We all enjoy each other’s company and there’s great camaraderie. We have enormous fun. Sector 5 is a fast section. I’m at a bend near the 11th milestone where the bikes are fair chuntering past- the solos about 180 mph and the side cars about 150mph. It’s a very thrilling spot and as a marshal you are right there at the track side. It’s a dangerous activity so you have got to know your subject.

I am giving up this year because I have many interests in life. Retirement doesn’t mean that you switch off from life; you simply switch over to a new life. The opportunities are endless and there are many other things I want to do in my remaining years. Although there is great longevity in my family lineage which some people will, no doubt, be terrified to hear.

I got involved in road racing was when, in 1948, my father bought me the Daily Mail Book of Motorcycling. It had in it some lovely old pictures of the riders from that period with their machines. I remember on the front cover there was a graphic of two naked machines at high speed on the Mountain. One was a Velocette and the other was a Norton. That picture left a profound impression in my young mind as something I would like to do if the opportunity ever arose. And it did. I had a very serious accident on my road going motorbike and because of the damages I was awarded I was able to buy a semi-racing machine. I started racing on the short circuits in the UK. That was in 1961.

The next year I wrote to a number of sponsors in the UK who would provide riders with a machine if they had showed potential. I eventually hired a Matchless G50 from Geoff Monty, a London dealer. It cost me £25. That was an absolute fortune in 1962. And over I came to the Isle of Man.

I had never ridden a 500 before. I had been racing on a 200cc machine on the short circuits. I’d never put my leg over a 500. It was absolutely marvellous. But I did take it seriously, I knew the track record of the Isle of Man - I knew it was a dangerous place. I read a lot of books from previous riders. I do believe if you are getting involved in something new, you need to carry out some background research and study.

When I told my friends in Oxford that I was going to ride the Manx Grand Prix, they were absolutely horrified and appalled. They thought I was a damn fool and an idiot. They thought I had a death wish. And I thought, “Right, I’ll show you!” And I did. In my first year I finished 17th out of 108 riders. I went home with a small trophy, a replica of the magnificent winner’s award. I ended up getting 5 replicas, so I didn’t do too badly.

That was in the Grand prix. I could never do the TT because with my work as a journalist I was always too busy in May and June to enter. I did qualify to race in the TT races and I like to think I might have done quite well because I was a regular on the leader board at the Manx Grand Prix.

The TT has always had its highs and lows. I remember when the world championship status was withdrawn after some unfortunate fatalities. Some of the leading riders refused to take part in the TT ever again and a lot of people, who I call the doom merchants, said that would effectively be the end of the TT. Well it’s simply not true. The facts speak for themselves. The extraordinary thing is, although it is no longer a world championship event, there are never any shortage of young willing men prepared to come over here and accept one of life’s greatest, most thrilling and exciting challenges. Long may it be so.