1951-1971

As the midway point came and went, Dale’s race was over. A flying stone shattered his goggles, and as he made his way to hospital, Armstrong struggled on, by now a minute and a half adrift of the flying Norton pair in front. With the first sub-seven minute lap seen on the course Kavanagh reclaimed the record with a time of 6 min 58 sec, a speed of 95.25. It was to no avail. The tenacious Lawton hit the front on the final lap, and with a new record of 96.2 mph headed Kavanagh home by eight seconds. Lawton’s last lap had earned the North West 200 the rightful claim to the title, Fastest Race in Britain and Ireland, for the first time in it’s history. One hard earned third place, finishing over four minutes behind the winner, had not been the result the Italian factory had hoped for.

The talking point of the 1953 meeting was the first public appearance of the Kneeler Norton, due to be ridden in the 350cc event by the Rhodesian, Ray Amm. The machine, fitted with pannier tanks, almost totally enclosed within it’s silver streamlining, and with the rider in a virtually prone position, was a head turner. Despite the level of public anticipation, no one was more excited about the machines debut appearance than Amm.

David Maxwell, author of “The North West 200 : The First Twenty Five Year”, recalls Amm’s joy when his ride on the revolutionary machine was confirmed. Whilst Kavanagh and Amm familiarized themselves with the course, hours before official practice was due to get underway, Maxwell received the news that The Silver Bullet was on its way to Portstewart, from Belfast, ridden by its designer, Rex McCandless. He flagged the Norton teamsters down on the road and informed Amm of the news.

“Amm nearly waltzed with his machine in the road when I told him the news. At no time before or since have I ever seen such an outstanding manifestation of sheer joy and enthusiasm.”

Before getting clearance to race, Amm was required to demonstrate the Norton’s stability. After convincing the officials, his race would be short lived, and an anticlimax. 1952 Senior Manx Grand Prix winner, Bob McIntyre (AJS), led them out of Portstewart for the first time, with Amm in last place, and struggling with fuel starvation problems. Eddie Cambell, flag marshall at Henry’s that day, watched the pack through with Stanley Woods spectating close by, and showing a keen interest in the design direction his former team had taken. Woods was clearly unimpressed, and commented dryly, “It doesn’t look much like a Norton to me”.

Even a stiff breeze, just enough to catch the Kneeler side-on, would have been enough to have made life very difficult for Amm. But with the still conditions suiting him, the Rhodesian set about the task of reeling in the entire field. By the third lap, he held fourth, and had set what would stand as the fastest lap of the race at 88.5mph.

Early leader Jack Brett had retired his factory Norton at the pits at the end of lap two, after crashing out of the lead. On lap four, Amm joined his team mate as a spectator, when the fuel pump broke on his futuristic mount. By the half way stage McIntyre led Pearce (Velocette) by a minute, and by five from Albert Moule (Norton), in third. Pearce’s determination saw him claw back thirteen seconds from McIntyre’s lead, but at the finish the 24 year old Scot was untroubled by any challenger. His fellow Scot J L Patterson completed the top three on his AJS.

Once again in the 250cc division, Arthur Wheeler came, saw, and conquered, setting the seemingly obligatory lap record at 78.2 mph, and winning at a new race record of 76.23 mph. Behind him David Andrews completed his own hat-trick of runners-up awards, with Velocette mounted Bill Webster in third.

The works Gileras returned to Portstewart the following year, for what would be the event’s Silver Jubilee. The team now comprised of Armstrong, with Duke replacing Dale. A young Tommy Robb, five times North West 200 winner, (1959--1965), recalls the awe-inspiring sight of the Gileras at full cry, kindling his desire to compete in the event.

“The first year that Duke and Armstrong rode the Gileras, I raced in a grasstrack meeting on the Friday evening in Portstewart. I watched the race the next day, and it was exhilarating to watch the Gileras with nose fairings fitted, on the Coast road. The sound of those eight cylinders together was just superb.” .

McIntyre and Ken Swallow mounted on a pair of G45 Matchless, and George Gostain (Grand Prix Triumph) were the only other non-Norton entries in the fifteen strong field. Behind with their machine preparations for the TT, and under increasing pressure, Norton withdrew their entries the week before the meeting.

After four laps Armstrong led with Duke close behind, and McIntyre already thirty six seconds adrift. At half distance they were dead heating, but an extended pit stop by Armstrong gave Duke the advantage. An oil plug in the frame of the Gilera had worked loose, spraying a fine oily mist around Armstrong for the entire first half of the race. He rejoined after a change of helmet and goggles, and gave chase with a mountain to climb.

Next time around Duke refuelled, and was away before Armstrong appeared. On the next three laps Duke returned the identical times of 6 min 49 secs, a new lap record of 97.37 mph, and pulled out a thirty five second lead. With a lap and a half remaining, his race ended at Milburn, after the gear timing failure, experienced in early season testing at Imola, recurred. With Duke out, Armstrong eased the pace, coming home over two minutes clear of McIntyre, with Jackie Wood (Norton), a further six minutes behind in third.

For the 350cc race Derek Farrant took over Bob McIntyre’s ride on a 7R, and headed the practice times with a speed of 88.58 mph, ahead of Derek Ennett (AJS), and the 1954 South African 500cc champion, Rudy Allison (Norton). Farrant led from the start, but went out on lap three. For the opening thirty three miles Ennett and Allison were locked together as they disputed second. With Farrant out, the stakes had been raised, and for sixteen laps they raced shoulder to shoulder, with the lead changing on every lap. At half distance the timekeepers couldn’t split them, and after fifteen laps both Allison and Ennett were credited with an identical race average speed of 86.94 mph.

As the Manx rider stormed through Porstewart and onto his final lap, it was the Velocette of Harry Pearce that followed through in second. Allison’s petrol tank had split, and he pushed the mile to the pits, took on fuel, and rejoined the race to finish third to a standing ovation. Ennett had his own drama on the final lap, and limped home with only the lower gears available.

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