Melange the Third

Time to open another box of motor cycle photos; melanges 1 and 2 are overflowing. They’re both in rough (and I do mean rough) chronological order but there are so many pics awaiting publication that this time I’m simply going to chuck them onto the page, although I’ll continue to add old American and Great War images to their sections in Melange 1; World War 2 has its own gallery. Where I have relevant background I’ll add a caption but for the most part this will be just another chance to take a look at riders and their bikes from our shared past. Enjoy.

Manchester, 1910.
“Douglas works rider Tudor Thompson Blands.”
A rally in Germany.
Juba, Sudan.
Luigi Arcangeli.
Romanian riders.
“Stunt rider Karlis Ploks.”
Vaclav Panek and his dad on a Walter V-twin.
The Conti family.
This combo was used to re-fuel aeroplanes at Versailles.
Start of a BOL d’Or: note the PA system.
Chris Staniland.
Killinger & Freud, complete with a 600cc two-stroke triple in the front wheel.
Koehler-Escoffier.
“The start of the London to Gloucester Trial at the Bridge House Hotel.”
Il Duce.
These riders are in Portugal.
RMW with Mabeco engine.
Barnett Speedway: 69 is one Roland Scott.
Rupert Hollaus.
The Satan, according to the estimable ‘electronic Tragatsch’ A-Z of motor cycles (https://ozebook.com/wpaz2/) was produced in Czechoslovakia in 1929 with a 540cc sidevalve lump.
This of course is Stanley Woods.
Racing at Stuttgart.
These competitors are in Bulgaria.
Getting under way in the Bois du Boulogne.
Guzzi rider Bruno Ruffo.
Guzzi rider Gianni Leoni.
A German postie.
At the Sachsenring.
On the line in Austria; the next two snaps are also Austrian.
A Bulgarian squaddie.
At Castle Coombe (likewise the next three).
A German club run. with three more to follow.
Not all Triumphs come from Coventry. Or Meriden. Or Hinckley. Or, indeed, Thailand.
Grand Prix de Pau.
Hans Baltisberger.
ISDT.
Montlhery.
This Velo found itself in Australia.
This Triumph found itself in Italy.
And this Triumph, of course, is on a hunting trip in the USA.

The next five pics come from a 2025 show in Lyons.

Yes of course its Eric Fernihough with his hand-beaten ally fairing and ‘scalded cat’.
Micheldever, Hants.
A Rudge in the TT pits.
Pitsmoor DMCC, Sheffield, pictured in 1931.
1939
Circuit de l’Eure.
The inimitable Ms Edyth Foley.
The equally inimitable Ms Marjorie Cottle.
Peter Pawson.
1927
1925
Berlin Grand Prix, 1921.
1940, Busto Arsizio in the Circuit La Selletta.
1948, same rider, same event.
Racing near Lyon.
Racing near Marseilles (ditto the next snap).
Racing near Gênnes.
This chap’s riding a Coventry Eagle. Impressive socks.
Dürkopp.
Florian Camathias and Alfred Herzig.
Hans Kahrmann and Eder, Budapest.
Hans Winkler, 1936.
These enthusiasts are German, as are the next couple.
John Surtees, pictured with his dad at the start of a career that included seven Grand Prix motorcycle World Championships. And here are three more Surtees pics…
Karl Bodmer, pictured in 1937 was a formidable competitor who was German champ in 1947.
Kurt Mansfeld on a DKW.
Hans Herkuleijns ‘The Dutch Devil’ from Amsterdam on his Excelsior Big Valve racer; (right) Brinkhof on his Cyclone.
A five-miler at the Toledo track in Ohio.
This enthusiast, it seems, is one Antonius Devries (ditto the next pic),
This is Cecil Ashby.
…and this is the great Bill Ivy.
Dave Deegens.
Dave Downer.
Dr Alex Maxwell and his 6hp Davis.
Derek Minter at Oulton Park; the next two pics are also of Minter.
Dick Aldous on a Goldie.
Ernst Degner, who famously transferred from MZ to Suzuki in the middle of a lap.
Freddie Frith aboard what looks to be a Mk8 KTT in its natural environment.
Gary Dickinson.
Hugh Anderson.
Jock West.
Paddy Driver.
Joe Dunphy.
Hailwood on a Norton.
Hailwood again.
It’s Ago, of course.
John Cooper was a world-class road racer (who famously beat Agostini at the 1971 Mallory Park Race of the Year when Ago was reigning 500cc world champ)…
…but Cooper started his career as a trials rider and was equally at home on the rough.
John Hartle (Gilera) at Oulton Park.
Same rider, same bike.
Koenig.
Busto Arsizio.
Leipzig.
Mareeba Speedway, Queensland.
Liège, 1925.
“Mr Coates and Family”, 1921.
Excelsior 492cc special.
Elko MC time trial.
This brilliantly coloured pic is clearly Antipodean.
BMW R32s under constructions—the first generation of a proud marque. The next five pics also depictBeemers.
As this pic arrived sans its captions it might be a good subject for a VMCC clubnight quiz.
Crystal Palace.
The legendary Curtiss V8.
The Chinese Chang Jiang was a BMW clone.
Aldo Finzi leads the pack during a Circuito del Lario.
Rudi Knees, 1953.
Renato Apolloni (Laverda).
Russians.
More Russians.
Italian enthusiasts.
Swedish race ace and designer Helmer Petterson aboard ‘Big Bertha’, his converted ‘Big X’ Excelsior. Helmer spent the 1920s working for at the Schwinn factory in the US, rising to become an engine tuner for the Excelsior dirt track team.
Humber.
Italy.
Also Italy.
Kiwis.
Rouen-Les-Essarts was a circuit near Rouen; it opened in 1950 and closed in 1994. This is a 250 race; it was won by Rougerie (19), ahead of Bourgeois (2), Benelhadj (10) and Ruiz (28).
Also at Rouen-Les-Essarts, RChandler (Triumph 750) won the Trophee International.
Margo Pearson at Thruxton.
Tom Phillis.
Tommy Meeten.
Tommy Meeten.
Tommy Meeten.
Tommy Meeten.
The great Chris Vincent and his passenger, captioned only as “Harrison”.
Chris Vincent again…
…and again. Vincent won the 1962 Sidecar TT.
Florian Camathias won the Sidecar TT in 1963.
Helmut Fath, pictured with Graham Milton, won the sidecar world championship in 1960 and 1968.
Fath again, with Wolfgang Kalau in, or almost out of, the chair.
John Crick.
Spokes family of Northampton—31 is Edith Spokes.
Jim Redman, six-time Grand Prix world champion.
Stanley Woods.
Stuart Graham
Yugoslavia.
A Beeza in Latvia.
Elsewhere in Latvia.
I have no idea what’s going on here. Look, it was the 1960s…people did a lot of drugs…
Coupe Motocycliste de la Meuse, 1927.
Monza, 1925.
TT stalwart Albert E Moule.
Cecil Ashby aboard his Montgomery, October 1924.
1924 Bol d’Or; the combo’s a Rene Gillet.

The next six pics are German.

Joseph-Milliat Sourdot.
Bill Armstrong (Moto Guzzi).
Circuit de l’Eure.
Excelsior at Brooklands.
Gometz-le-Chatel 1932—Georges Monneret on a Koehler-Escoffier 350.

Here’s a batch of TT pics…

Stanley Woods.
Freddie Hicks.
Brook Farm, Halesowen, 1939.
GP Nürburgring, 1937.
ditto
Bernd Rosemeyer.
Jean-Pierre Beltoise (Matchless 500).
Val d’Isère, 1934.
Bob McIntyre at Silverstone.
Guex.
Sydney, circa 1930.
“Excelsior 5/6hp big single climbing Stoneleigh Hill with sidecar and EIGHT up. Total load of passengers, 12cwt 1 qr; combined weight, 18cwt 14lb. Gears—4½, 7¾ and 13 to 1.”
250 Jawa, Mont Faron, 1950.