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 This event was a huge success and I’m certainly glad I attended.
Although there was some drizzly rain on the way down to the start at Laverton
the rest of the day was quite pleasant with sunny spells. Our club put in a
fair attendance with 17 bikes at the start, including one in a van and a few
other members who had made their own way down to the venue. There were plenty
of bikes to take in; from old scraggy racing specials to beautifully restored
vintage and classics. Bikes parked off the display area must have been about a
kilometre long and I enjoyed looking at them all and chatting to some of the
owners. Including moderns, classic and vintage I’ve been told that there were
about 500 bikes all up. The whole
atmosphere was just magic and the classic and vintage scene is alive and well.
To see photos click here or go to Gallery/2008/TT Reunion
Much print and photographic memorabilia was set up in the Mechanics
Institute Hall and an excellent racing souvenir programme was on sale for
$5.00.
Maurie Quincey, immaculately dressed as usual, was guest of honour and
he unveiled a commemorative plaque . The 3 Tourist Trophy races took place at
Little River in 1952,’54 and ’55.
Maurie certainly dominated at the Little River circuit with 5 wins
and 2 seconds out of 7 starts. All this from only 2 of the 3 race meetings. He
was absent from the 1954 event!
Our own Ian Isbister, displaying the same machine he raced on, was
an entry at all three meetings on his 350 Matchless and gaining a credible 2nd
place in 1954 .A good effort from a field of 26 entrants with all the other
machines bar one being of 500cc capacity!
I came across another two of
our club members who raced there and who was enjoying VIP status on the day.
They were Jack Casey and Doug Russell, good on all of you. Apologies to anyone
I missed.
After lunch we all had a mass ride around the circuit, which even
back in the fifties was sealed and running around and through the town like the
Isle of Man. I wonder how many other towns in Oz had a race circuit that did
this? I took my time on the run and enjoyed the noise of the many racing
machines that passed at a more spirited pace, great stuff! On reflection I wish
now I had taken my video camera and just filmed everyone going around,
particularly at one of the bends….the noise was fantastic!
The inscription on the commemorative plaque was very nicely done
depicting racing scenes, a plan of the circuit, the You Yangs in the distance
and titled ELEMENT OF DANGER with the inscription underneath reading:
“In December 1952, the premier
motorcycle race, the Australian Tourist Trophy Championship, was held on
a
street circuit around the township of Little River, one of the few public road race circuits in Victoria at the
time.
The event was organised by the
Harley Club of Victoria, a popular sporting motorcycle club, in association
with
the Little River Development League.
Solo and sidecar racers competed
on the four-mile circuit, racing over distances of between 20 and
48 miles per
race, the circuit was fast and dangerous, winding its way between houses, buildings and stone
walls, with
strategically placed hay-bales the only concession to rider safety.
The fast competitors lapped at an average
speed of nearly 80 mph with top speeds of over 100 mph
reached on the
hair-raising downhill straight.
Champions of the day raced shoulder to
shoulder with dedicated clubmen and local heroes. A few would
goon to become
legends in motorcycling history. Regardless of their success, all would hold
vivid
memories of the dangerous sport they loved with a passion and of
friendships forged for a lifetime.
Motorcycling returned to little
river for the Victorian TT in 1954 and again in 1955. In what would
become a growing problem for
the sport, the Australian TT races planned for 1956 would fail to
gain sanction
from authorities, bringing to an end motorcycling racing at the Little River
circuit.
Installed in 2008 by Little River
Historical Society Inc. proudly supported by HEDT Engineering Pty Ltd.”
(End of inscription)
This plaque, inlaid in a rock, will
soon be permanently sighted outside Little River Motors and general store in
Little River Rd, which was part of the race circuit. Look out for it next time
your down that way.
Anyone wanting a copy of the
souvenir program can contact Les Sanderson on
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or ring
0409432215.
Reg Hammond
On run from Laverton…
Peter Cullen BMW R60/5 1971
Rod Blake BMW R100 CS 1981
Colin & Julie Sullivan Norton Commando 750 1972
Tony Border BMW R100 CS 1982
Paul Caine BMW R75/5 1973
Warren Blandy Triumph T150 1974
Craig McDonald Norton Commando 750(production racer)
Ross Dickson Norton Dominator 1965
Reg Hammond Honda CX500 1981
Ed Sleightholm Arial Red Hunter VH500 1957
Mark Hine Norton Commando 1971
Ian Snadden BMW R90S 1974
Adrian Nash Kawasaki Z250C 1981
Eugen Schwarz BMWR100 CS 1981 (guest
rider)
Ray Schollick Buell 1200 2005 (guest
rider)
Tom Myers Ducati 750 GT 1973
Vern Dalton (with Tom in van)
Jack Youdan Triumph Sprint 2002
Not on run but seen at venue:
Bill Weedon Displaying Triumph R racer 650 1956
Triumph T6 1956
Keith and Belle Emmett AJS Special
Racer 500 Twin Mid 1950
Stan Rhook Triumph L2/1 1936
Triumph T80 350
1938
Ross Patrick AJS 51/18 1949
Richard Haughton Honda 500 FT 1982
Ted Lhuede Triumph Bonneville 1970
Phil White Indian Chief 1942
(Phil also entertained with bike’s friction siren)
Jeff Richardson Vincent Grey Flash 500 1950
Franc Trento Vincent Black Lightning 1950
HRD series A
TTR 500 Replica
Paul Taylor Triumph Thruxton 1968
William McNama BSA Model 5 1927
Lindsay Urqhuat Mostyn 14 1909
Indian
model h (8 valve) 1915
Indian
Apache 1938
Club Members with VIP status (those members that raced at the venue in the
1950’s):
Ian Isbister Matchless 350 Racer
(displaying the same bike that Ian raced in all
three meetings and gained
2nd in 1954)
Jack Casey (Raced in 1952)
Doug Russell
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