We take a look at the 1957 TT Races as seen through the eyes of ‘Motor Cycling’, one of the top publications of the time

John Hartle was the first to complete a full lap in practice, topping the Saturday times on his Senior Norton at 93.56mph. John Surtees was second, followed by Walter Zeller. Aussie, Harry Hinton fell at Cruikshanks, breaking his collar bone. Drama for Zeller during Wednesday’s session when he a bird – however, he still lapped at a fraction under 97mph.

Two incidents of note during Wednesday morning practice… Terry Shepherd was sidelined from the event after losing control of his MV at the Nook, breaking two fingers in the process. He had secured the works ride as a replacement for Umberto Masetti; John Surtees now became the sole competitor for the Italian marque. Just up the road at Hillberry,
A R Capner seemingly ran over his own streamlining when it fell off; he fell, but was unhurt, later walking back to the Grandstand.

A certain amount of friction was generated at the weigh-in for the Junior by the rejection of several helmets in which the riders had been allowed in practice. The majority were refused because their crowns were too low to conform to the regulations. According to the ACU, the casques were not of the approved pattern and did not bear their stamp or
that of the BSI and so their owners had been told they would not be allowed to race in them. Official concern for riders’ safety is understandable but surely the idea that fewer precautions need to be taken in practice than during the racing is ridiculous.

The red flag was out one day last week signifying that practice was over for all those not already out on the course, but the roads had not been officially opened when down from Governors’ Bridge came a car… but, it wasn’t the Roads Open Car! It was the private vehicle of a very senior race official, who, notwithstanding his importance, rightly received
a very curt dressing down from the Chief Inspector of Police who greeted his arrival at the Grandstand.

Italian, Tarquino Provini’s whose name did not appear in the programme for the 250cc Race, was allocated race number 44 as a late addition. Apparently, the entry for his Mondial machine got lost in transit.

Thursday evening of practice week was a busy one socially. At the Empress Hotel, the ACU gave a Jubilee Dinner to the course marshals and at the Douglas Bay Hotel Don Lowey’s riders and representatives’ dinner and dance was another great success. On the Friday evening a welcome committee gathered at Ronaldsway Airport to greet Rem Fowler and Jack Marshall, both 1907 race veterans. Their car was escorted back to Douglas by a posse of motorcycle outriders, including some of the Triumph-mounted Travelling Marshals.

An enterprising Sussex ceramic concern is producing a souvenir Golden Jubilee TT Tray in which half a dozen 6 inch white heat proof tiles, printed with a complete record of the results of all the races from 1907 to 1956 are framed in oak with a green baize covered base.

On June 6th the Vintage MCC is holding its second IoM Rally. At 10.30am almost 200 machines, all at least 27 years old will parade on Douglas Promenade ready to set off at 11am for Peel where riders will have lunch, after which [2pm] they will leave for St Johns to start a 2 lap demonstration round the old TT Course, first man leaving at 3pm.

Second man home in the Junior, Keith Campbell, from Melbourne, celebrated his 26th birthday last Saturday. After the race he reported a generally comfortable ride on his Guzzi, but he had treated the race generally as practice, concentrating on learning the course thoroughly for next year. Keith had several anxious moments, the first when he
passed a slower rider with a fraction of an inch to spare due to the latter drifting out on a bend. The wet tar at the Mountain Box, which had also worried winner, Bob McIntyre, also affected Campbell who had a slide at that point during the closing stages. A missed gear change at the Grandstand at the end of the first lap, with a valve touched as a result,
caused a loss of some 200rpm, mainly noticeable on the long mountain climb.

The RAC announced that as from June 17th, it will no longer be necessary to cash traveller’s cheques to obtain petrol in France. Instead, tourists will be able to buy fuel at the more favourable rate of exchange prevailing in Britain.

The Club Team Prize for the Junior TT was awarded to the British Motor Cycle Racing Club, whose three members rode three different makes of Italian machinery in the event. Winner, Bob McIntyre, Gilera was accompanied by John Surtees, fourth aboard his MV and Guzzi mounted Arthur Wheeler who completed the seven lap race in 19th position in
a time of 3 hours 4 minutes 49.4 seconds at an average speed of 85.75mph.

On dry roads, in cold cloudy weather, Britain’s Cecil Sandford [Mondial] won the 250cc Golden Jubilee TT after leading on every lap until Ireland’s Sammy Miller, also on a Mondial, passed him on the last circuit, only to fall when almost within sight of the finishing line. Miller pushed in to take 4th place; second and third men home were Taveri [Mondial] and Colombo [MV]. In all, there were 21 finishers out of a field of 21 starters. The Manufacturer’s Team Prize was not awarded; the Club Team Award went to Czechoslovakia’s Ustredni Auotmotoklub team of Stastny, Bartos and Kostir

At the machine inspection after the 250cc Race Sandford’s single-cylinder Mondial showed little external signs of its recent race with the rear chain being in its correct adjustment and the tyres hardly marked. In order to have the engine dimensions checked it was necessary to remove the complete engine / gear unit from the frame, a task taking three mechanics over 20 minutes to execute. As a result, it was seen that the inlet valve had lightly touched the piston but that the combustion chamber was otherwise in perfect condition with a slight film of oil over every part.

A similar examination after the sidecar race revealed that two spokes on Fritz Hillebrand’s winning machine were broken in the front wheel and that the tyre had been rubbing on the pivoting front fork. The rear tyre had caught on the alloy rear cowling, carving huge junks out of the tread, revealing the canvas. It was doubtful if the tyres would have lasted much longer without bursting for the friction must have caused it to get very hot.

Of the eleven club teams in the Senior TT, there are two from Australia and two from New Zealand. The Southern Cross countries have sent splendid support, there being seven Kiwis and five Australians coming to the start line. Additionally the Commonwealth is represented by one Canadian and one South African. Germany, Sweden, the USA and Ireland have supplied one rider each.

Surtees screams past the scoreboards as McIntyre’s Signpost signal flashes and John Clark stops at the pits to change a plug and check his rear suspension. It is pretty obvious that McIntyre has ridden a lap as it has never been ridden before and the crowds wait, silent and tense for the news, until, when it comes, there is an ear-splitting cheer –101.03mph! and an average for the first two laps that is also over the ton – 100.52mph!

To wind up the golden Jubilee racing, when the solos have finished with the Course and before it is officially opened, Eric Oliver, with his 1954 winning Norton Watsonian combination, and with his old colleague, Stan Dibben as passenger, essays a ‘lap of honour’. Preceding the official car, he sets off from the stands only to be stopped at the top of Bray Hill by a policeman. The Law having been satisfied, Eric re-starts, and in an amazingly spectacular circuit goes round in 30 minutes 45.2 seconds at a speed of 73.62mph. Indeed a lap of honour!

At the Senior Prize Presentation, the first three placemen agreed that the extra 37 and ¾ miles had proved little or nothing so far as their machines were concerned, but had been a considerable and unnecessary mental strain. Of the ride, McIntyre said it had been more or less uneventful save that a flying stone had struck him on the temple between his
helmet and goggles as he was coming out of Union Mills on the fifth lap. The blow had brought tears to his eyes and had made a nasty gash on his forehead, but, fortunately, he had been able to keep control of his mount. It was not until he had finished that he’d been told that he had beaten the ‘ton’ – and that, on no fewer than four occasions; the fact seemed to have left him completely unmoved as his interest was only in winning the race. After he had passed Surtees, he received the ‘slow down’ signal from Geoff Duke and Reg Armstrong at the Gilera signalling point at Sulby and he had not been worried by Surtees passing him on the last lap, knowing that he could win so long as he kept him in view. In fact, he said that this lap [at 95.37mph] had been very slow; had it been any slower, he said he would have fallen off. How hard he had ridden during the race was illustrated by the strands of grass which still adhered to the near-side air intake louvre of his fairing; he said he had collected these when scratching around corners.