NortonriderBarryStickland rodeinon thisexample.Thenear-upright
suspensionunitsmarkitoutasanearlyFeatherbed.Thetrack that
continuestoattract
Brooklands Motorcycle Daywas held on June 30, drawing an eclectic
collection of superb machines to the Surreyspeedbowl.
Wo
rd
sa
ndpho
tographs:
ALAN
TU
RNER
tisnow 80 years since thelastracewasheldover
the fabledOuter CircuitbutBrooklands losesnone
of itsappeal. Asthe sun andtemperaturerose, a
turn-out of bikes graduallyfilledthe motorcycle parking
areaat thetop ofthefinishing straight whereitjoins the
Members'Banking.
Spread around the paddockareawas amix of displays,
trade andclubstands.Amongtheclubs,BMCRC, an
organisation that cantraceitsroots tothedaysof
organisingrace meetingsat Brooklands,hadalarge
displayfeaturingavariety ofracingmachinerythatsees
regular action in theclub'sevents.
OutinforcewastheSurreyBranchoftheNorton
OwnersClub,whichhasawell-supportedandbusy
calendar.Ownershadbroughtalongan impressiveline
of Commandos,but the frontrank of the displaywas a
lineof camshaft singles,the typeofmachinerythatkept
the BracebridgeStreet manufacturer amongthe topof
performers, especiallyat Brooklands.
BarryStickland'scammywas an interestingexample.
WhenNortonrefusedto sell Manx engines tocarracers,
theywereobligedto buycompletebikes.FrancisBeart
washappyto seetherollingchassis of thisvery early
Featherbedvanish,loadedontoapotato lorry on which
theFenlandbuyercame tocollectit! Backhomeat Upwell,14 THE CLASSICMOTORCYCLE|SEPEMBER 2019