Arbuthnot Trial memories

Many thanks to Jon Hodges for sending in these pictures of vintage / classic trialing from days of yore. Jon saw the write up of this year's Arbuthnot and kindly took the time to share several images and memories.

This picture is from the first of the revived Arbuthnot
Trials in 1982. Jon is riding his '27 Scott Super Squirrel
which is still in regular use. That year the Arbuthnot
Trophy for the Colonial Class (standard road bikes)
just eluded Jon but he was victorious the following year.

In subsequent years the sidecar class was
added to the Arbuthnot and Jon put together
this Matchless / Watsonian outfit for the event.
This is the outfit but the photo was taken at
Fingle Bridge on a MCC event.

And when a pillion class was introduced Jon had
a crack at that too, also with the '27 Super Squirrel.
This image is from the Ralph Venables report in
Motorcycle News.

Thanks again for the photos Jon. They epitomise the enjoyment to be had with vintage and classic bikes.

Vintage Car Night at the Cock and Bottle Morden

Fine weather usually brings out a great collection of vintage and classic cars and bikes to the Cock and Bottle pub in Morden, Dorset. Through the summer the meet runs on the first Monday of the month. Cars are predominant but there are some great bikes that turn up too. Nice for an event of this type is that the turnout of pre war vehicles is relatively high and there is always some intriguing stuff to chat about and ogle whilst wandering around with a pint. Below a small selection of 'eye catchers'.

Great to see a Ferrari Dino out and about on the road.

Sweet flat rad Morgan.

Matching pair of ACs. A rare sight.

First generation Ford Mustang convertible.

Open frame two speeder vintage Scott.

Absolutely gorgeous Jowett Jupiter.

The Jowett Jupiter was a capable sports car that won
its class at Le Mans in 1950. The power plant is a 1.5
litre flat four.

A very grand Edwardian era Daracq.

1930 Scott TT Replica testing card

Thanks to Claire Pearson for forwarding this test certificate for her grandad's Scott.

As with many manufacturers of the time Scott would bench and road test their performance models and provide a certificate with the bike for the satisfaction of the purchaser. This 1930 TT Replica was tested at 26 and a half brake horse, a very respectable figure for the vintage era.

Claire runs a site of her own, well worth visiting for some great images from yesterdays. Here are the links to the motorcycle related pages:

https://www.stocksbridgetimespast.co.uk/vintage-bikes

https://www.stocksbridgetimespast.co.uk/stocksbridge-district-motor-club

1930 Scott TT Replica Certificate of Engine Test

1930 Scott TT Relica Certificate of Road Trials

 

Scott Flying Squirrel 1950

Here's the brochure for the 1950 Scott Flying Squirrel. This brochure would have been the last from Shipley, Yorkshire before Scott went in to liquidation and were bought out by Matt Holder's Aerco Jig and Tool Company and moved down to Birmingham.

Lovely machines these 1950 Scotts and fitted with Dowty air forks but rather heavy due to the massively weighty front and rear hubs.

1950 Scott brochure page 1.

1950 Scott brochure page 2. A range of one machine - the
Flying Squirrel.

1950 Scott brochuer page 3.

1950 Scott brochure page 4.

1950 Scott brochure rear cover.

Late vintage Scott

A rather lovely late vintage Scott. I'm not familiar with the nuances of specs between different models of Scotts of the period. I feel fairly certain though that this particular machine is a three speed model from 1929 or 1930. Perhaps there is a Scott guru out there who can enlighten? 

Late vintage Scott three speeder.

Great Dorset Steam Fair 2016 pt3

The final posting of pictures from the Great Dorset Steam Fair. This time majority bikes but a few tractors throw in for good measure. The motorcycles are all in a marquee so it can be difficult to get full bike pictures, sometimes just the details are good by themselves though....

NUT is a very classy piece of kit. Dismantlable
cast silencer box is an unusual feature.

As is a fully enclosed cast chaincase for the era. 

Regularly ridden ex-WD 1940 bobbed Indian Chief.

A Belgian 'Lady' from 1930. I had neither seen nor heard of
this marque before.

The model is a 'Ladylette'. It's a utility device but with stylish lines.

1937 350cc Norton International.

1958 Scott Swift. The first of five prototypes of what was planned
to be an update of Scott's venerable motor. Road tested by
Motor Cycling magazine's Bernal Osborne in 1958 the bike was
dropped at low speed on the airstrip testing ground in wet weather
and suffered dents to front mudguard and petrol tank which it still
has. The motor was a 500 against the earlier Squirrel's 600, reading
between the lines of the road test it seemed that the new motor was
slightly less flexible though with roughly equal performance.

1935 Scott Squirrel modified for racing.

Gorgeous BSA v-twin. The late twenties fashion
for ultra low seating looks good but makes for an
uncomfortable riding position. This bike has the seat
pillar raised up to ameliorate.

Cute and tiny Austin Seven based tractor.

Fordson with strange tracks, for what exactly I cannot work out.
Perhaps working in marshes?

Health and safety nightmare!

Titan tractor.

This Lanz must be the absolute Rolls Royce of tractors.

Two speed Scott with canine passenger

Lovely shot of a Scott two speeder. The registration plate is Scottish - Glasgow, what a pity it's not a Highland Terrier for the North of the borders grand slam. Looks like it is packed up to go further afield, wonder if the dog went along too!

Early twenties Scott two speeder with furry pillion!

Modernise Your Scott brochure

Here's an acknowledgement from Scott that they didn't update their motorcycles very frequently! An unusual brochure from around 1949 promoting parts to make your thirties machine look like a brand new one. And all you really had to do was to change the front forks. You could go the whole hog and change the front brake too but in reality the pre-war Royal Enfield stopper was probably as good as Scott's postwar version and certainly considerably lighter. You do see a few pre-war Scotts around that have been modernised and this brochure explains their prevalence. Mind, nowadays, many folks with a modernised Scott will be trawling the autojumbles looking for those correct pre-war girders...

Modernise your Scott brochure page 1.

Modernise your Scott brochure page 2.

Modernise your Scott brochure page 3.

Modernise your Scott brochure page 4.