Internationally Famous: Royal Enfield at the ISDT 1948 – 1953

20 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Italy, Magazine, Manufacturers, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Photography, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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“The story of the Royal Enfield in the International Six Days Trial 1948, 1949,1950, 1951, 1952, 1953” is the title of a palm of a hand sized original publication produced by Royal Enfield in 1953 that recently fell into our hands and is of such great interest we reproduce it here. Royal Enfield, who could boast not only great bikes but a factory team that contained some of the sports greatest factory riders of the time including Vic and Johnny Brittain as well as Jack Stocker show how their successful domination of the results sheet at the ISDT meant the commute to work was going to be a lot more successful on a Royal Enfield than it might be on a lesser qualified motor cycle.

image - Royal Enfield booklet front cover (Speedtracktales Collection)

image – Royal Enfield booklet front cover (Speedtracktales Collection)

The World’s Toughest Motor-Cycle Event

photo - the victorious ROYAL ENFIELD 1953 team: Johnny Brittain (Trophy) [LWP 424], Don Evans (Vase A) [LWP 423], and Jack Stocker (Trophy) [LWP 422], all mounted on 500 twins - ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – the victorious ROYAL ENFIELD 1953 team: Johnny Brittain (Trophy) [LWP 424], Don Evans (Vase A) [LWP 423], and Jack Stocker (Trophy) [LWP 422], all mounted on 500 twins – ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

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Welcome to the Speedtracktales Library and Shop

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Enduro, England, Europe, Gelände Sport, Germany, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Isle of Man, Italy, Magazine, Manufacturers, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Scrambling, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trials, UK, USA, Wales, Welsh Borders

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When I restarted Taff’s site, all I had to begin with was a website copied to a harddisk drive that I had been able to download in its entirety from his old server. Since then I have been greatly helped by Taff and his friends like ‘STB’ and Brian Catt. Between gifts , loans and acquisitions I have been able to get back to the original hard copy material and started to scan to archive these materials so as to enable people to access and view this material at what ever time and place suits their convenience. Below is an image of some of the material I now control that may be one of the most intact archives of the Event even considering the FIM and National Federations material.

The Speedtracktales Collection 2013

The Speedtracktales Collection 2013

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ISDT 1950: Six Thrilling Days – A Journalist’s report

15 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Magazine, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Photography, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Wales

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the ISDT 1950 saw the Silver Jubilee of the International Six Days Trial. In the 5th October edition of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ appeared a three page photo review written by George Wilson based on his own experience of the event as he followed it riding a works Triumph Trophy that had been prepared for S.B. Manns that had been loaned to him this is the report:

Successful International Trial Reviewed: British Riders Undisputed World Champions – by George Wilson.

Photo - Chat near the check George Wilson with the Triumph [HUE 258], Fred Anning on the left and Frank Jarman ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

Photo – Chat near the check George Wilson with the Triumph [HUE 258], Fred Anning on the left and Frank Jarman ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

TWO hundred and thirteen starters, 132retirements, 81finishers: that, briefly, presents the picture of the International Six Days’ Trial held in Wales the week before last. Tough though the International always is, the Silver Jubilee event undoubtedly went along way towards establishing a record in this respect. During some period every day there was rain, and there was heavy rain every night, so that the ground conditions, already vile before the trial began, remained vile, and, in many cases, became steadily worse as the week progressed.

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ISDT 1939: Germany’s Proposed Revision of the “International” Rules

08 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Austria, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, Germany, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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In the frontispiece editorial in the 8th December 1938 issue of the Motor Cycle the article reproduced below indicates British concerns about proposals being made by Germany as hosts of the ISDT 1939 to revise a number of significant rules if the ’39 event. It  is interesting to note the part support and part objection to the prose abandonment of the final speed event in favour of a more typical test based on normal event conditions. Despite British reluctance the rule changes proposed by the Germans continues in the modern ISDE event with the final test now taking place on a motocross circuit. Having been able to watch a copy of a video of a film of the 1939 event, in my opinion the final test although not contested by British Riders was impressive in the manner in which riders with skills were able to make the bikes perform on quite radical off road conditions. I’d probably go as far as saying the introduction of the final test as one of cross country rather than speed may be one of the very few good things to come out of Germany at that time. It is also clear from the article of the existence of a widening gap between the founding principles of the event as a test of motorcycle reliability as followed in Britain and the European view of it being an off-road race for which reliability was one of a number of factors being tested.

“GERMANY is proposing a drastic revision of the rules under which the International Six Days Trial is run. This event, it will be recalled, is to be held in Germany from August 20th to August 27th with headquarters at Kitsbühel, Salzburg or, Berchtesgaden, and the idea is that instead of ending with a high-speed test there shall be a cross-country test. By incorporating this the character of the Six Days as a trial over difficult country would, it is suggested, be retained.

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The Great Escape revisited: British entrants in ISDT 1939

08 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Austria, Europe, Gelände Sport, Germany, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Photography, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK

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Persons familiar with the inter war years will no doubt be familiar that Germany particularly enjoyed hosting world sporting events so that they could exhibit the fatherland’s prowess in ability and superiority of strength over other nations.

Photo - #27 L Heath Ariel 497cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

Photo – #27 L Heath Ariel 497cc passes to the rear of a car bearing GB plates, presumably team supporters on a mountain pass bend in Austria ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

With this in mind Germany’s intention to hold every ISDT from the ISDT 1934 onwards was only thwarted by those pesky Brits winning the event in 1936 and ’37 earning them to hold the event. Although the British team won the International Trophy in the home ISDT 1938, politics intervened and the right to hold the event was passed back to Germany. The Germans elected to hold the ISDT 1939 in recently annexed Austria and planned to put on what could have been the best organised ISDT ever because of the state resources the Nazi Government were able to call on to organise this globally prestigious event. Continue reading →

British Team Selection event Bagshot and Brooklands: ISDT 1939

02 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Austria, Enduro, England, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Magazine, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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Preparing for the International

Great Britain’s Trophy and Vase team selected after strenuous tests at Bagshot Heath and Brooklands.

This is my 100th Speedtracktales Blog Post and whilst this is not as expected the final instalments of the 1939 issue of the translated Motorrad report, here is an article that appeared in the 6th July 1939 issue of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ and covers the event held by the ACU to arrange the selection for the official British teams sent to take part in the ‘Great Escape’

I would like to dedicate this post to Taff Isaacs .. who was part of the original idea and also to an old friend and Six Day rider, Bill Kershaw, who I was lucky to talk to today and has always been a rich seam of knowledge and experience in my past years with the Welsh enduro scene.

image - R MacGregor (Rudge) drops down the hill after Killimanjaro in the cross-country tests 1939

image – R MacGregor (Rudge) drops down the hill after Killimanjaro in the cross-country tests 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

GREAT Britain’s Trophy Team in this year’s International Six Days Trial will be George Rowley, Vic Brittain and Allan Jefferies on solos and H.J.Flook, with his brother as passenger, the side car member. This decision was arrived at last week after sixteen of the selected riders had been put through strenuous tests on Bagshot Heath and at Brooklands.

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Mapping the ISDT: Wales 1954

01 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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Carrying on with the project we remain slightly handicapped by the low availability of original route maps. However there are fairly accurate maps of the course in the programmes although we do not yet have a full set of originals. In the past kind donations to Taff of scanned programs for the old website has resulted in only poor quality low resolution copies to work from but it is hoped this can be resolved with support from site followers.

image - map of the routes of days 1-5 of the ISDT 1954

image – map of the routes of days 1-5 of the ISDT 1954

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Recent images taken along the route: ISDT 1938 Wales

24 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Photography, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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The ongoing mapping of the ISDT route and the availability of Google Streetview makes it fairly easy to see the locations that featured on the route maps as Checkpoints, Fuel and Lunch Stops and other intermediate points. Here we are following the route of the ISDT 1938 as set out in our article on mapping the ISDT 1938

Below are a collection of images taken of the route and hopefully more can be added as the route is revisited by those interested with the history of the ISDT.

Day 1

After the start in Llandrindod Wells at 6.00am there was an introductory check at 1 ½ miles (2.5km) at 7 ¼ miles (11.7km) the riders crossed the river bridge at Cregrina.

Photo - River bridge at Cregrina on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo – River bridge at Cregrina on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

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Mapping the ISDT: Wales 1937

23 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by in Enduro, Europe, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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#3 in a series is still on the drawing board to be started when 1933 is finished. This post is for now just to put online the maps and check details should anybody be curious enough to wish to give it a go.

Route Maps and Check sheets:

Image of scanned Route Map from event programme ISDT 1937

Image of scanned Route Map from event programme ISDT 1937

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Mapping the ISDT: Wales 1933

23 Saturday Nov 2013

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#2 in a never ending series will take a look at how we mapped the route, where did it go and possibly eventually feature points of interest along the way as they exist. As this is an ongoing project and requires an element of local knowledge. In #1 we looked at 1938 and the almost now completed task would not have happened without the help of Colin Jones of the West Glos and Forest of Dean Motorcycle Club. Any further offers of help are welcome please drop us a note, especially for non-Wales route maps

The map so far ( this image will be updated as the work is completed)

image - route of event with checkpoints days 4 and 5 ISDT 1933

image – route of event with checkpoints days 4 and 5 ISDT 1933

In order to prepare the map I am using Google Earth although dedicated packages such as GPS orientated applications like Memory Map, Anquet Map or GIS packages like Q GIS will be helpful.

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