Image scanned photo from article ‘the Recorder’ 21 June 1941 BRITISH DESPATCH RIDERS.—”Swift and Sure” is the motto of the Royal Corps of Signals’ of Britain’s Army. Many of its motor cycle despatch riders are famous on motor racetracks. – (Department of Information photo).

Many of the works riders when drafted into the forces in 1939 who were not already army riders found their skills were sought after to ensure the army had a full compliment of riders who could take motorcycles into action.

Long before the days of fax, wifi or satellite internet if the man at the front needed a new map or images they had to be taken and so the dispatch rider was critical to not only being the eyes of an advancing army but moving its information around.

This situation did not go without its sacrifices and on all sides of the war and the invaded nations riders who competed in the Six Days died in circumstances nobody should find themselves in. I had been looking for an ISDT weighted article on Wartime Forces Dispatch riders for both of the last two Remembrance Sundays but failed. I was therefore delighted to find this first hand account of the Army Dispatch riders being trained published in ‘the Recorder‘ a local newspaper of Port Pirie in South Australia which I discovered in ‘TROVE‘ the online archive of the National Library of Australia.

‘ARMY MOTOR CYCLISTS ARE FINE RIDERS

Trained To International Trial Standards

TESTS UNDER WAR CONDITIONS

courtesy of the British Army authorities a correspondent of “The Recorder” has been privileged to see the proficiency of the modem army motor cyclist and his machine.

“The army motor cyclist,” the correspondent states, “is being trained under cross -country conditions as bad as could be found anywhere. He is, in motor cycle language, a ‘crack’ rider and he knows his machine down to the smallest nut and belt.

“Every officer in the British army is a motor cyclist — well trained in riding and in the maintenance of his machine. I have spent days with the Northern Command on wild, precipitous, and muddy moors, watching officers and men train.”

The first day was devoted to a demonstration by eight army and civilian   experts. The standard of performance may be judged from the fact that seven of the riders have represented Britain in the International Six Days’ Trial.

PROBABLE OBSTACLES

‘”Each expert was in charge of a hazard, chcsen to represent eight differ ent kinds of obstacles a motor cyclist may meet in action. The riders, all of   whom were army motor cycle instructors or potential instructors, were divided into eight teams of 15 each,”

The organisation was perfect. With clockwork precision the teams arrived in turn at each hazard. Machines were parked in neat rows while the expert explained the object of the hazard and demonstrated the right and wrong ways   of tackling it. Each rider then made two attempts, leaving enough time afterward for the expert to say a few words of commendation, criticism, and advice.

“Hazard number one was appropri ately named ‘the unclimbablo hill.’ Its object was to demonstrate the art of turning round and coming down should a rider find himself unable to reach the top. The turning round was neatly carried out by tilting the machine to one side and swinging the front wheel from lock to lock, when it slowly slithered round and finally faced downhill.”

A section of rough switchback in and out between trees had been chosen for hazard number two. and the third was the descent of a grassy slope at an angle of 35 degrees with a sharp turn at the bottom.

“I found Bert Perrigo (a British representative in the International Six Days’ Trial on six occasions) presiding over hazard number four. It consisted of a weedy pond crossed by a narrow bridge. The bridge had been blown up (theoretically) and the army riders had to pick a way through the bog. Men and machines were well plastered with mud before they got through and several had to call for the towrope.”

Half a mile across country came the remaining four hazards, first a slippery upgrade, then a two-feet deep ford, a climb up a loose surfaced hill on a curve, and a short, steep climb over’ rocks.

LEAST POSSIBLE INJURY

“In every case it was impressed upon the men that the sole aim should be to get through with as little injury to themselves or their machines as possible. Any method that would be unorthodox in trials riding was permitted providing that was achieved. There were no penalties for using the feet unless in such a way that there was a danger of broken ankles.”

A crash-helmeted despatch rider overshot the marking tape outlining the sharp curve at the foot of the hill. ”What would you have done if that” marking tape had been the edge of a precipice?” asked the officer in charge when the rider rejoined up at the top. ”He thought, a minute. ‘I’d have lain my bike on its side, sir. and slid it down,’” he said.

“Full marks,” came the answer.‘

I will continue to seek for information about the riders who fought on either side in the war during those dark days that the ISDT was suspended and the immediate post years because of the shortage of many essential resources.

#3 in a series is still on the drawing board to be started when 1933 is finished. This post is for now just to put online the maps and check details should anybody be curious enough to wish to give it a go.

Route Maps and Check sheets:

Image of scanned Route Map from event programme ISDT 1937

Description of the route in comparison to the 1933 event

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 1 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 2 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 3 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 4 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 5 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

Image of scanned route description and timings Day 6 ISDT 1937 ( from Speedtracktale Archive)

The ongoing mapping of the ISDT route and the availability of Google Streetview makes it fairly easy to see the locations that featured on the route maps as Checkpoints, Fuel and Lunch Stops and other intermediate points. Here we are following the route of the ISDT 1938 as set out in our article on mapping the ISDT 1938

Below are a collection of images taken of the route and hopefully more can be added as the route is revisited by those interested with the history of the ISDT.

Day 1

After the start in Llandrindod Wells at 6.00am there was an introductory check at 1 ½ miles (2.5km) at 7 ¼ miles (11.7km) the riders crossed the river bridge at Cregrina.

Photo – River bridge at Cregrina on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

The route then headed to the first Time Checkpoint of the day at 26 ½ miles (56.7km) the ‘Bell turn’ in the village of Dorstone which lies just over the border in England in the county of Herefordshire. First rider was due to arrive at 7:23 and the last at 9:15

Photo – The Bell turn at Dorestone, Herefordshire on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Dorstone the course headed 14 ½ miles ( 23.3km) to cross the road bridge over the River Monnow at Craswall, still in Herefordshire.

Photo – Bridge over the river Monnow at Craswall on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After a further 9½ miles (15.3km) the riders arrived at the next time checkpoint at Capel y Flin, the first rider arriving at 8:21 and last at 10:13.

Photo -Capel y Fin on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Heading onto Crickhowell to cross the river Usk by its medieval bridge at 16¼ miles (26.2Km)

Photo – Medieval bridge over the river Usk at Crickhowell on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After 19 miles (30.6km) riders reached the next checkpoint at Ystrad Gynwyn at 9:42 with the last riders coming in at 11:34 somewhat late for their ‘elevenses’ although even today a Wall’s Ice Cream can be had. A fuel stop was set up about a mile further on by the Pontsticill Reservoir that was at 96 miles.

Photo – Ystrad Gynwyn on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After fuel the riders travelled 16 miles (25.8km) to reach Cefn Rhigos

Photo – Cefn Rhigos on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

At Cefn Rhigos we find on of the places the route once ran down a classic section of going to Dinas Rock. The construction of a new section of the A465 cut directly across the old route, with the new road being set in a deep cutting the old road was severed  without a diversion, closing the road and stopping access to Dinas Rock

Photo -The Route at Rhigos now features a culs de sac sign on the route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo – Where the tarmac runs out, with a wonderful view to distant moorlands on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo – From the bottom of the A465 cutting near Cefn Rhigos the on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo -Where the road from Cefn Rhigos shoudl have reached Dinas Rocks on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Dinas Rock, of which there are many memorable images of the severity of the track at Dinas causing difficulty for many riders is now a Countryside Site managed by the Forestry Commission and the Powys Council who have closed the old track and built a visitors car park

Photo – the old track at Dinas Rock on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo – Visitor Car Park at Dinas Rock on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Cefn Rhigos and Dinas Rock riders headed 18½ miles (29.8km) onto Crai (Cray) where they had a check point and a lunch stop. Early riders would enjoy lunch early at 11:05 whilst the last arrivals were expected 12:57.

Photo – Lunch stop at Crai (Cray) on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Crai sat at almost exactly the half way point for day 1. After being fed and watered competitors now had to ride 8¾ miles (14.1km) to reach the road junction at Dderi. The A4067 has been much improved here and the junction has been altered. The old pub however looks forlorn and very much bypassed by fast traffic as it desperately waits for a new landlord.

Photo – Tafarn y Garreg ot the Dderi junction on a much improved A4067 on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

9¾ miles further on at 12:17 the first riders were arriving at the Cwm Twrch checkpoint  with the last riders passing 14:09. More road improvements over the last 60 years mean this location too has considerably changed since 1938

Photo – Cwm Twrch checkpoint on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Cwm Twrch just outside the industropolis of Ystradgynlais, gateway to Swansea and Neath, on the river Tawe riders headed 7½ miles (11.7km) to Llangiwg Church

Photo – Llangwig Church on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Llangwig Church it was a 9¾ mile (15.7km) ride to the next checkpoint at Bwlch y Gwynt, a farm just outside Clydach, arriving at 12:59, some 6 hours after the start. The last riders coming in about 14:51.

Photo – Bwlch y Gwynt on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Bryn y Gwynt the course headed to cross the river Amman at Pontamman near Ammanford. The old bridge remains in situ but has been closed off and replaced by a substantial and newer structure when the A474 was upgraded and improved passing through the Amman valley.

Photo – Old pont Amman on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

heading on from Ammanford headed 2½ miles to reach a further fuel stop and heading north then north east back into rural lands riders the route following what is now the western boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park by passed Llandeilo before heading 14½ miles (23.4km) to a checkpoint at Bont Fawr.

Photo – Bont Fawr checkpoint on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Still on the National Park Boundary at a junction on the A4069 after about 195 miles of riding the first riders arrived at 14:06 with the last riders at 15:58. The course continued to head north easterly and in  14¼ miles (22.9km) the course crossed the A40 at Pentre Bach. Here today we see one of the far too often disasters that befall our old minor road network. Alas the road closure sloths, those council clerk guardians of maladministration and predjudice have decided that this rare section of remaining ISDT route still an unsurfaced track needed to be closed to the exclusive use of pedestrians and equestrians. Without knowing further reasons why this has happened I shall avoid speculating. However the photographic proof is here for all to see on Google Streetview.

Photo – Bad news announcement approaching track leading to Pentre Bach on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Photo – Matching insults erected at the Pentre Back end of the track at the A40 junction on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Pentre Bach and its small bridge over the Afon Gwydderig riders headed 8¾ miles (14.1km) to a check set in the countryside 1 mile North east of Llandeilo’r Fan arriving mid afternoon at 15:02 if early or tea time 16:58 if late.

Photo – on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Fairly remote countryside greeted the checkteam who would have used a roadside waste like this to set up the check. From here riders had a 10½ mile ride to Pentre Lloegr (a welsh name meaning English Village).

Photo – Pentre Lloegr on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Not much more than a farm with a collection of related dwellings this point was on route to the next check in a further 9 miles (14.5Km) at Pen Cae Melyn, another farmstead, where the first riders would clock in at 15:48 while the days tail enders would be in at 17:40

Photo – Pen Cae Melyn Checkpoint on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Pen Cae Melyn Checkpoint riders headed 9½ miles (15.3Km) to Erwood Checkpoint. Erwood is a small village set on the side of the river Wye on the A470. The exact location of the check is uncertain. The first riders arrived at 16:12 and the last at 18:04.

Photo – Erwood village on route Day 1 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After Erwood the riders had a 9½ miles (15.3Km) slog to take them back to the river bridge at Cregrina that the riders had all passed some 10 hours earlier heading in the opposite direction. From the bridge it was a 10 mile ride back into the finish at Llandrindod Wells a total ride of 266½ (429.1Km) with the first rider arriving at 16:57 whilst the last would not arrive until at least 18:50 if they had not been delayed.

Day 2

Day 2 started with at 6am on the 12th July 1½ miles later it was the initial road check and then the riders headed off to yesterdays 7¼ miles (11.7Km) crossing the Cregrina Bridge. A further 9½ miles (15.3Km) led to the first proper checkpoint of the day at Erwood first on the road arriving at 6:42 last man 8:37. A further ride for 9½ miles (15.3Km) brought the next checkpoint at Pen Cae Melyn at 7:07 up to 9:00. Another 9 miles (14.5Km) passed Pentre Lloegr again and in 10½ miles (16.9Km) arrived after nearly 50 miles at the next check at Llandeilo’r Fan first rider arriving 7:53 and last rider 9:45. A ride of 8¾ miles (14.1Km) saw riders reaching Pentre Bach where they turned onto the A40 rather than follow yesterdays trail in reverse. The course now headed 13¾ miles (22.1Km) to the village of Cilycwm. Im not sure where the check actually was located but there is a chance it was not far from the village pub which features in this recent photo. First riders arrived 8:47 and last riders at 10:39.

Photo – Cilycwm checkpoint and the Neuadd Fawr Inn on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Cilycwm the riders went 12¼ miles (19.7Km) to their first fuel stop at 82 miles (132Km). After fuel came a 7¾ miles (12.5Km) ride to pass over the cross roads at Halfway.

Photo – Halfway junction B4302 road to Talley on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Halfway the riders had to cover 17 miles (27.4Km) to reach the Dyffryn Checkpoint at a total of 106 miles first rider arriving 10:16 and the last at mid day 12:08.

Photo – Dyffryn Checkpoint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From the Farm at Dyffryn which lay to the south of Brechfa riders had a 14½ miles (22.9Km) ride to the pass by the Railway station at Llanpumpsaint heading on to the checkpoint at Talog.

Photo – Railway Inn at Llanpumpsaint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Just as we saw earlier how the old ISDT route had suffered since 1938 by the blighting effect of modern times highway planners and more lately the dereliction of duty and disregard by council staff who do not wish to maintain our old road network Here in a village named after 5 brothers, who were early celtic christians and helped establish the church in the 5th or 6th century in this area, sees another abandoned part of the nations once vital transport infrastructure. Llanpumpsaint got its railway in 1860 and eventually sat on an active line running between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. It,alas, came to feel part of the brunt of the Dr Beeching review and closed to passengers in 1965 although freight was retained until 1973. Like many old abandoned transport links at some point they get a phoenix like chance to be reborn and in the case of this line nearby in 1978 a group of enthusiasts ‘Gwili Steam Railway’ reopened a short section as a heritage line and it is hoped one day it will extend as far as  Llanpumpsaint.

The riders headed the 16 miles (25.8Km) to the checkpoint at Talog where the first riders pulled in at 11:29 and the last riders were due at 13:21.

Photo – Talog checkpoint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After Talog a 13 mile (20.9Km) ride took entrants over the junction at Crug Bach

Photo – Junction at Crug Bach on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After Crug Bach a 6¾ miles (10.9Km) ride took riders to reach the days lunch stop and checkpoint at the Crymmych Arms at Crymych which was the farthest west this part of the route went. Riders began to arrive at 12:15 after 156¾ miles (252.4Km) the last riders arriving at 14:07.

Photo -Lunch stop at the Crymmych arms in Crymych on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After lunch the riders set out to finish the second half of the route heading 11½ miles (18.5Km) to pass by the church at Capel Ifan.

Photo – The chapel at Capel Iwan ( Ifan) on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

After Capel Ifan riders had a further 13¾ miles (22.1Km) to reach the second fuel stop of the day then a further 11 miles (17.7Km) to reach the next checkpoint at Pencader. The first riders arriving at 14:10 and the last riders at 16:02.

Photo – Pencader checkpoint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

From Pencader riders headed 20½ miles (33Km) to pass the Mountain Cottage Inn which in previous years had been the location of a time checkpoint but not this time.

Photo – Mountain Cottage Inn A482 south of Lampeter on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Well little did that BMW big trail bike rider realise his sighting of the  Google Streetview Cam Car would propel his image to appear in a feature on the ISDT. After a 17¼ miles (27.8Km) all riders had to stop at the days next checkpoint in Tregaron.

Photo – Tregaron checkpoint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

Tregaron lies to the west of the Cambrian mountains and the section leading to the next check at Abergwesyn saw a hard ride with many deep river crossings over a mountain road of the Cambrian Mountains.

Photo – Abergwesyn Checkpoint on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

The riders having now completed a grand total of 244 miles (392.8km) had to ride 11¾ miles (18.9Km) to pass the church of Llanafon Fawr  and then 13¾ miles (22.1Km) onto the finish at Llandrindod Wells a total ridden distance for the day of 269½ miles (433.8Km)

Photo – Church at Llanafon Fawr and church on route Day 2 ISDT 1938 (Google Streetview)

As a quick photographic history of the route in modern times I hope we can share further editorial and visitors photos of the route as it is today in future updates to this page.

Carrying on with the project we remain slightly handicapped by the low availability of original route maps. However there are fairly accurate maps of the course in the programmes although we do not yet have a full set of originals. In the past kind donations to Taff of scanned programs for the old website has resulted in only poor quality low resolution copies to work from but it is hoped this can be resolved with support from site followers.

image – map of the routes of days 1-5 of the ISDT 1954

The only significant area of doubt is the exact route through Crychan Forest, on days 1,2 and 3 which remains in use and is a very popular venue for Enduros. The likelihood is the ’54 ISDT would have probably found the forest newly planted so it is uncertain if it used tracks which predated the forest or used tracks that were produced for forest purposes. However maps before and after the planting period do not show an adequate track to exist that would match the route shown in the programme.

Day 1 Route ISDT 1954

Image – Google Earth ™ route map for day 1 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Image – Google Earth ™ route profile for day 1 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Day 2 Route ISDT 1954

Image – Google Earth ™ route map for day 2, including Night Stage of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

The second day route was day 1 ridden in the reverse direction, although the final part of that route was cut out and the route cut short though Llangammarch to allow an early return to the start in order to begin the Night stage of the event.

Image – Google Earth ™ route profile for Llangammach shortcut on day 2 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Image – Google Earth ™ route profile for Night Stage on day 2 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Day 3 Route ISDT 1954

Image – Google Earth ™ route map for day 3, ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Image – Google Earth ™ route profile for day 3 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Day 4 & 5 Route ISDT 1954

Image – Google Earth ™ route map for day 4 & 5 ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Image – Google Earth ™ route profile for day 4 & 5 of ISDT 1954 (Speedtracktales Collection)

In the years after the first ISDT in Wales in1933 and the event of 1961 Wales saw a renewed vigour in the building of fresh water reservoirs not seen since the times of the public civil engineering frenzy in Victorian times.

We now have a pretty good idea of the route of the ISDT 1954 and in the case of the 4th & 5th days route which ran between the checks of Trefeglwys and Llangurig, the building of the Clywedog reservoir has interrupted the route.

image – Google Earth ™ image of the Clywedog Reservoir near Staylittle / Llanidloes and the route of the ISDT 1954

image – OS Sheet 128 Montgomery & Llandrindod Wells 1945 (courtesy Vision of Britain)

image – OS Sheet 60 1836 (courtesy Vision of Britain)

On the 4th day the course passed along a narrow mountain road at Cwm Prysor between the checks at Trawsfynydd and Bala, this road later was substantially rebuilt with major realignments to enable the construction of both the nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd and the Llyn Celyn reservoir. Old unimproved alignments of the old road can stil leb seen in places running on the open mountain pastures alongside the new road.

image – Google Earth ™ image of Cwm Prysor, Trawsfynydd and the route of the ISDT 1954

image – OS Sheet 116 Dolgellau 1945 (courtesy Vision of Britain)

image – OS Sheet 75 SE Harlech 1845 (courtesy Vision of Britain)

image – scanned map of days 1 & 2 ISDT 1954 (lo-res programme)

Image of scanned route image details ISDT 1954

Image of scanned route details day 2 ISDT 1954

image – scanned map of days 3 ISDT 1954 (lo-res programme)

Image of scanned route details Day 3 ISDT 1954

image – scanned map of days 4 & 5 ISDT 1954 (lo-res programme)

image of scanned route details day 5 ISDT 1954

image of scanned route details day 5 ISDT 1954

image – scanned map of days 6 ISDT 1954 (lo-res programme)

image of scanned route details Day 6 ISDT 1954

Preparing for the International

Great Britain’s Trophy and Vase team selected after strenuous tests at Bagshot Heath and Brooklands.

This is my 100th Speedtracktales Blog Post and whilst this is not as expected the final instalments of the 1939 issue of the translated Motorrad report, here is an article that appeared in the 6th July 1939 issue of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ and covers the event held by the ACU to arrange the selection for the official British teams sent to take part in the ‘Great Escape’

I would like to dedicate this post to Taff Isaacs .. who was part of the original idea and also to an old friend and Six Day rider, Bill Kershaw, who I was lucky to talk to today and has always been a rich seam of knowledge and experience in my past years with the Welsh enduro scene.

image – R MacGregor (Rudge) drops down the hill after Killimanjaro in the cross-country tests 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

GREAT Britain’s Trophy Team in this year’s International Six Days Trial will be George Rowley, Vic Brittain and Allan Jefferies on solos and H.J.Flook, with his brother as passenger, the side car member. This decision was arrived at last week after sixteen of the selected riders had been put through strenuous tests on Bagshot Heath and at Brooklands.
The selection of the teams this year has been more than usually difficult because the trial has been altered in several respects. The most important change is the substitution of a cross-country test for the speed test at the conclusion of the trial. This in itself has meant a revision of ideas in regard to the preparation of the machines, and while it is not yet known what this cross-country course will be like, most of the British riders are preparing trials-type machines instead of modified racing models.
But high-speed reliability and easy starting are also essential features for successful machines, because high averages will be set on the autobahnen during the course of the trial, while on each morning it is probable that a severe easy-starting test will be used.
Thus the selectors had several new things to bear in mind when choosing the final team.

image – Even the ‘stars’ can learn from an expert in the art of tyre fitting. In the picture are C.F. Bladon (Royal Enfield), C.N. Rogers, A Jefferies, G.E. Rowley, R MacGregor T.C. Witton, R. Wilkinson, and G.E. Eighteen (speedtracktales collection)

It was a glorious day for the tests and everyone was in high spirits at The Jolly Farmer, Bagshot, where the party assembled. Soon after nine o’clock a move was made to the Heath, where the first tests were to be held. The Bayswater Club’s scramble course had been marked out by the Army the day before and headquarters were established at the start.
Naturally there was a good deal of activity; riders were making final adjustments to their machines, numbers were being tied on, and the Barbour representative was doing his best to get the measurements of everyone so that their International suits can be made.
There was little novelty in the way the machines had been prepared. Nowadays people have similar ideas on the best way of coping with likely trouble. Punctures are still the greatest cause of worry, but quickly detachable wheels, special tommy nuts and compressed-air bottles have lessened their seriousness, and these fittings were the general rule.
Charlie Rogers had a neat holder for his two tyre levers on the front down tube, but most people held their levers to the machines with rubber bands. Spare fork springs were popular, for cross gullies can put paid to a spring, particularly if one has to make up time on this sort of section. R.Wilkinson had a spare spring complete with to plug attached to a special bracket on the front engine plate. This machine had obviously been prepared yery carefully for there was a separate chain oiler behind the saddle, a holder for spare plugs under the saddle, while split pins and spare brake yoke pins were wired to the front tank bracket out of the way, yet handy enough if required.

image – The only sprlng-framed machine in the tests was Len Heath’s Ariel. It has many Interesting features, including an oil feed to the cylinder barrel (speedtracktales collection)

The three Ariels of Heath, Povey and West all had a separate feed to the rear of the cylinder barrel, but Len was the only one who had a spring frame. Most people had air cleaners. And the one on Rogers’ Royal Enfield was by far the largest; it is a modification of the standard air cleaner fitted to the 1939 Royal Enfields. The machine is a three fifty, but the new 500c.c. brake and forks are fitted.

image – a new type of Dunlop “competition” tyre has been introduced for the “International” (speedtracktales collection)

Several of the riders had the new Dunlop sports tyre on the rear wheel, but wear for the front wheel was by no means universal. The new tyres have been produced specially for the “International”; the tread is very similar to the present competition tyre, the main difference being that there are side knobs in each row of studs instead of in alternate rows.

image – Great activity – but not feverish activity – in the tube changlng tests, which were held at Brooklands. Nearly everyone In the picture is a well-known personality in motorcycle circles (speedtracktales collection)

Proceedings began officially with two practice laps of the scramble course, with W.A.West leading the way as he knows the course as well as anyone. On the second lap some of the men went off the route and arrived at the top of Red Road instead of at the bottom. Allan Jefferies was obviously trying hard to memorise the course, for he just pottered round a goodway behind everyone and, incidentally, missed all the dust.
Then eight of the riders were sent off at half minute intervals to cover five laps as fast as they could. Those men who knew the course had a distinct advantage and G.Eighteen was not long in catching up the man in front of him. The Rudge riders, MacGregor, Leslie and Edward. Went round in close company after the first lap, and Leslie seemed the neatest of the three on Red Road. On the last lap MacGregor came past with his left foot on the exhaust pipe; the footrest had gone in a spill.

image – the Barbour representative measures Allan Jeffries for his “International” suit. These suits are to be worn by all the British Trophy and Vase Team members. (speedtracktales collection)

In the second batch of riders, West was the fastest and was obviously riding as quickly as he could Heath was little slower on time, but by comparison he appeared to be touring and the rear springing made the machine rock steady at many of the points where the “rigids” were bouncing about badly. Rogers and Jefferies were fast without firework, but Tiffen did not seem to be exerting himself. On the last lap West’s filler cap flew off, and over a bad bump petrol splashed out of the tank and momentarily blinded him. He was travelling quickly and took a heavy toss.
The riders then dispersed for lunch and were told to gather at Brooklands at two o’clock. The prospective Army riders – 12 are to be chosen to go to Germany – then covered two laps of the course. L/Sgt. Rist (B.S.A.) was faster than most of the civilian riders, and G.M.Berry(Triumph) also put in two very useful laps. Several men had falls, and Lt. Reilly did a spectacular somersault almost under the noses of the little group of people who were watching the tests.
After lunch Dr. Galloway gave the riders medical examination and also advised some of them as regards diet. The doctor proposes to give the team-men gland treatment at a later date, and this announcement naturally caused a good deal of humour.

several men had their wheels out while others were still unpacking their tools

A move was then made to the Fork, where the sliders were lined up at the side of the track. At a given signal they had to remove the rear wheel, take out the tube, show it, put it back, refit the wheel and do a fast lap of the Outer Circuit.
The really quickly detachable wheels were an immense advantage here, and several men had their wheels out while others were still unpacking their tools. Allan Jefferies was easily first to remove the tube; he had it in his hands in one minute from the signal! It was a pleasure to watch him working, for he was not flustered in the least. It was noticeable that the fast men put their wheel back in position before blowing up the tyre.”

image – Although he was one of the fastest in the tube-changing test. Allan Jeffries found time to pull faces at the photographer. (speedtracktales collection)

First to finish the complete job was C. N. Rogers, but he put his tools away, and in that short time Bob MacGregor had got away, closely followed by Alan Jefferies, and then came Rogers. These men had done the whole job in some 3½ m. ! Others were not so speedy: George Rowley mistook the instructions andtook his tyre right off the rim which delayed him; Jack Arnott had bent his spindle in the scramble tests and had bother getting the wheel out, while George Eighteen struggled hard to get his tyre off with levers that merelv bent.
The next item was five laps of the Outer-Circuit at high Cruising speeds, to see whether the machines would stand the autobahnnen tests. There was some delay because Len Heath’s rear tyre was going down, and when the tube was taken out it was found that it had been nipped.
While checking over his chain, Rogers found that the spring clip was missing; he borrowed another one and fitted it and later discovered he had knocked off the clip in turning the wheel backwards.
In the test everyone averaged the speed required, and the Rudge men were lapping a good deal faster than necessary. T. C. Whitton had some obscure petrol feed trouble which slowed him on one lap, and Jack Amott found that his engine would not take more than half throttle. Several men did an extra lap, but George Eighteen did seven laps instead of five because he said the motor was running so well.
The speed test was the official finish of the day’s proceedings, but most of the riders adjourned to the Dunlop depot to see a demonstration of tyre fitting, which Mr. Butler had arranged after watching the tyre-changing test! All that remained was to wait for the announcement of the teams. But it was two hours before the Committee broke up, and then it was stated that Brittain’s place in the Trophy Team was subject to his passing certain tests this week. Vic had been unable to attend the official test owing to business ties.

THE TEAMS.

Image – The four men selected for the British Trophy Team ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

Trophy Team.-G. E. Rowley (A.J.S.), A.Jefferies (Triumph), V. N. Brittain (Norton),H. J. Flook (Norton sc.).

image – Vase ”A” Team ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

image – Vase ”A” Team ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

Vase “A” Team.-L. Heath (Ariel), G. F. Povey (Ariel) , W. T. Tiffen (Velocette).

image – Vase “B” Team ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales collection)

Vase “B” Team.-W. A. West (Ariel). J. H. Wood (Triumph), C. N. Rogers (Royal Enfield).

General Reserve.-R. MacGregor (Rudge).

Persons familiar with the inter war years will no doubt be familiar that Germany particularly enjoyed hosting world sporting events so that they could exhibit the fatherland’s prowess in ability and superiority of strength over other nations.

Photo – #27 L Heath Ariel 497cc passes to the rear of a car bearing GB plates, presumably team supporters on a mountain pass bend in Austria ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

With this in mind Germany’s intention to hold every ISDT from the ISDT 1934 onwards was only thwarted by those pesky Brits winning the event in 1936 and ’37 earning them to hold the event. Although the British team won the International Trophy in the home ISDT 1938, politics intervened and the right to hold the event was passed back to Germany. The Germans elected to hold the ISDT 1939 in recently annexed Austria and planned to put on what could have been the best organised ISDT ever because of the state resources the Nazi Government were able to call on to organise this globally prestigious event.

As with many such well laid plans, history awkwardly intervened and at the time of the first day international relations between Germany and a number of countries was at an all time low. Before the end of the week a number of Governments were so concerned about the way events appeared to be escalating that they instructed their teams, as a matter of safety, to abandon the event and make their way home. This was to be sure no riders, especially the army’s best motorcyclists who were taking part,  were caught in a war-zone becoming potentially interred in camps for the duration of the war. The Second World War began on the 1st September 1939 when Germany with agreement of Russia’s leader Stalin entered Poland, 4 days after the official end of the ISDT on the 26th August 1939.

The methods by which team British Riders reached home meant that whilst some enjoyed a cordial military escort provided by the Germans but a number chose to take routes through Switzerland and neutral countries such as Spain to reach ports they could catch ships to return them to the UK. For this reason the event became better known to many as ‘the Great Escape’ not unlike the action filled movie with Steve McQueen based on a wartime drama of a PoW escape attempt.

After checking the final results it appears 61 riders along with unrecorded team helpers took part in the event. Below for sake of a permanent record of these riders is a list of those who partook in ‘the Great Escape’. In addition to the list of riders we will try to collect as many photos as we can find of these riders to hopefully ensure their names and deeds will not go unforgotten.

List British Competitors ISDT 1939

A more detailed list recording the riders, their teams can be found in this article.

#27 Len Heath Ariel 497cc

Photo – #27 L Heath Ariel 497cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#52 Alan Jeffries Triumph 498cc

photo – #52 Alan Jeffries Triumph 498cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#64 Harold Tozer BSA 496cc

Photo – #64 H Tozer BSA Sidecar 496cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #64 H Tozer BSA Sidecar 496cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#81 F Povey Ariel 497cc

photo – #81 F Povey Ariel 497cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #81 F Povey Ariel 497cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#108 WA West Ariel 497cc

photo – WA West Ariel 497cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#116 JH Arnott BSA 496cc

photo – #116 JH Arnott BSA 496cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #116 JH Arnott BSA 496cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#132 H Slim Triumph 343cc

photo – #132 H Slim Triumph 343cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#135 GE Rowley AJS 347cc

Photo of # 135George Rowley on his works AJS [FXM 791] at the ISDT 1939 (courtesy Technische Museum Wien)

photo – #135 GE Rowley AJS 347cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#137 CM Rogers Royal Enfield 346cc

photo – #137 CM Rogers Royal Enfield 346cc with #135 GE Rowley AJS 347cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#147 G Godber Ford Sunbeam 347cc

photo – #147 G Godber Ford Sunbeam 347cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#148 G Eighteen Matchless 347cc

photo – #148 G Eighteen Matchless 347cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#152 FV Chambers Royal Enfield 346cc

photo – #152 FV Chambers Royal Enfield 346cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#211 J Ashworth BSA 249cc

photo – #211 J Ashworth BSA 249cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #211 J Ashworth BSA 249cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#249 HJ Flook Norton 596cc

photo – #249 HJ Flook Norton Sidecar 596cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

#255 Miss Marjorie Cottle Triumph 249cc

photo – #255 Marjorie Cottle Triumph 249cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #255 Marjorie Cottle Triumph 249cc ISDT 1939 (Courtesy Technisches Museum Wien)

More photos to follow as we find them.. any help welcome…

In the frontispiece editorial in the 8th December 1938 issue of the Motor Cycle the article reproduced below indicates British concerns about proposals being made by Germany as hosts of the ISDT 1939 to revise a number of significant rules if the ’39 event. It  is interesting to note the part support and part objection to the prose abandonment of the final speed event in favour of a more typical test based on normal event conditions. Despite British reluctance the rule changes proposed by the Germans continues in the modern ISDE event with the final test now taking place on a motocross circuit. Having been able to watch a copy of a video of a film of the 1939 event, in my opinion the final test although not contested by British Riders was impressive in the manner in which riders with skills were able to make the bikes perform on quite radical off road conditions. I’d probably go as far as saying the introduction of the final test as one of cross country rather than speed may be one of the very few good things to come out of Germany at that time. It is also clear from the article of the existence of a widening gap between the founding principles of the event as a test of motorcycle reliability as followed in Britain and the European view of it being an off-road race for which reliability was one of a number of factors being tested.

“GERMANY is proposing a drastic revision of the rules under which the International Six Days Trial is run. This event, it will be recalled, is to be held in Germany from August 20th to August 27th with headquarters at Kitsbühel, Salzburg or, Berchtesgaden, and the idea is that instead of ending with a high-speed test there shall be a cross-country test. By incorporating this the character of the Six Days as a trial over difficult country would, it is suggested, be retained.

Our views about the undesirability of ending the trial with a high-speed test are in complete accord with those of Germany. When discussing the last event we said:- “In our opinion no trial is a better test of reliability than the International Six Days as run over the past few years. Our only criticism is the high-speed test at the finish. This is an excellent substitute for a final examination, and has the advantage that it weeds out the weaklings among the competing machines, but where two teams tie for an award on the road section the speed test becomes a roadrace, for the winning team is the one that gains more on its schedule than does the other. This causes national teams to think in terms of T.T.-type machines, which is thoroughly unfortunate. A trial, in theory at least, should develop the roadster, and this the International, unlike the majority of trials, would succeed in doing except for this speed business. “Germany goes farther than this and says that the organiser, in the interest of safety, can no longer accept the responsibility of allowing machines which have been driven for six days under such hard conditions to take part in a final speedtest, especially having regard to the ever increasing speed of machines. Her proposal is that in place of the speedtest there shall be three laps of a short course that includes sand with no hardbase, loose stone, grass, freak hills and trenches 5½ yards wide and rather more than a yard deep. Marks are to be lost for failure to keep to the speed schedule, stopping the engine, falling over and soon. While we are keen to see the speedtest discarded, the test that is proposed would seem to be both freakish and militaristic and calculated to prove little. However, now that attention has been focused upon the whole matter ‘it may be that some really useful deciding test will be the outcome. One interesting proposal is that the three solo riders in the Trophy teams shall use different sizes of machine, namely,250, 350 and 500 c.c.”

Also reported in the same editorial was this short note on the success of the British in the ISDT 1938

“ACHIEVEMENT!

Great Britain’s Wins in the Big Sporting Events: Excellent Production Models BRITISH riders and British motorcycles have done well this year probably very much better than even the enthusiasts who follow the results of all the big races and trials actually realise. For the third year in succession Britain has won the International Six Days Trial, the most important reliability event held in the world. And she won it on reliability in the 1,495-mile road section, her rivals losing men through retirements. Thus, of the 20 Internationals that have been held to date, Britain has won no fewer than 11. No other country has won more than three.“

the ISDT 1950 saw the Silver Jubilee of the International Six Days Trial. In the 5th October edition of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ appeared a three page photo review written by George Wilson based on his own experience of the event as he followed it riding a works Triumph Trophy that had been prepared for S.B. Manns that had been loaned to him this is the report:

Successful International Trial Reviewed: British Riders Undisputed World Champions – by George Wilson.

Photo – Chat near the check George Wilson with the Triumph [HUE 258], Fred Anning on the left and Frank Jarman ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

Image – results summary ISDT 1950 (speedtracktales archive)

For the Trophy, Vase and works’ team riders who rode at a 10 percent higher schedule than the others without loss of marks, there are no words sufficiently expressive to do justice to their riding skill, powers of endurance and, above all, their imperturbability when facing what must often have seemed the impossible. For instance, were I to have been set to ride the Tregaron – Abergwesyn or Minera sections at 31m.p.h. I should have declared that it might be arranged if a miracle and a stiff following wind could be laid on.

Photo – A mixed gallery watches #109 R. Wilkinson (348 Panther) trickle slowly through a water splash ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

But miracles were de rigeur and none of these riders failed in the task; indeed, so far as I am aware, only one of them dropped his machine through misjudgment. And on the surfaces of some sections, one only had to bat an eyelid to set up a slide. Which brings me to my next point…. The trial proved conclusively that we have in Britain the true world champions in this branch of motorcycle sport. To watch a Rist, a Ray, an Alves, was to see a true craftsman- fast, safe, competent and thoroughly at home at speed on almost any surface. The aces in the British Trophy, Vase and works’ teams stood head and shoulders – aye, and torsos – above everyone else, with perbaps one or two elite exceptions. The Britons, too, had bigger machines than those of the majority of riders from abroad:  the speeds they had to maintain were therefore higher, and on a good deal of the going, a one-two-five was just as nippy as a five-hundred or three-fifty in some cases, nippier because of its handleability.

Photo – Team-captain FM Rist riding throughout the week on his 499cc BSA was that of a “true craftsman” ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

What are the characteritics that make these men experts among experts in this type of event?First of all, they are good scramblers. Before the war, Trophy and Vase men such as Williams, Brittain and Rowley were chosen because they were star trials men with fairly wide road racing experience also. But this doesn’t mean that all good scramblers, or trials-cum-racing men, are good I.S.D.T. men. Oh no! Equally important in the International is the cold, dispassionate mind that will not get excited no matter what the circumstances.

Photo – Slick repair work calls for a cool brain, fast thinking, and nimble fingers ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

And equally important again is the ability to use tools with the familiarity of handling knife and fork when dealing with daily calories; and to know one’s mount so thoroughly that any tasks short almost of splitting the flywheels can be done at the roadside with the minimum loss of time. But all the bouquets do not go to the competitors who finished. Their glory is self evident.

Photo – Only Matchless twin in the trial ; the rider is #139 JF Kentish ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

Behind the scenes, day after day and night after night, worked H.P. Baughan, clerk of the course, and his small party of assistants. H.P.B.’s organization was masterly down to the tiniest detail. The schedules were perfect for nearly every class. In other words, they were so tight that only one who was very slick with his tools could have even minor trouble and reach the next control without losing marks. In many instances, however, the speeds proved rather too high for the one-two-fives (only three finished out of 22 starters) and I imagine that no sidecar outfit made today could maintain for six days the schedule demanded of F.H.Whittle (598 Panther sc) who, as a works’ team entry, had to cope with a schedule 10 percent higher than that of the fastest of all the others. I am convinced, too, that because of the higher speed schedules, the toll on all classes would have been higher this year than it was last, even if the weather had been better. Had it been dry, of course, it would have been a much easier event; physical comfort, for one thing, would have been greatly improved!

Photo – One of the three 125cc machines to finish – #5 EW Smith (DMW) ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

Route marking in the hands of Chris Stagg and Fred Groves was again excellent. The small team who did the job worked under extremely arduous conditions. They were out day and night through hell and high water. The changes in this year’s course from last year’s were made with a view to cutting down to a bare minimum the miles of narrow, high hedged, twisty lanes which are in common use by vehicular traffic. They were excellent changes. I still do not like those little lanes when one is riding against the watch, but I felt that the risks this year were considerably fewer than they were in the 1949 event. Cattle and sheep seemed to be less prevalent (because of last year’s lesson?), though there were still far too many for my liking.

Photo – Night-run scene of HR Taylor (Sunbean sc) and #107 B Nystrom (Royal Enfield) ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales Archive)

The night run this year was an innovation. It was an outstanding success in my view. It was designed in such a way that the idea of testing lighting equipment for something like three hours was fulfilled without competitors being subjected to the maintenance of a high schedule. An incidental point was that, though only a few riders lost marks for poor or faulty lights, the general standard of lighting was low. Friend “Torrens” put his Squariel with its special headlamp on the intensity test grid and the difference between his beam and the others was tremendous. As important as any other feature of the International, I feel, is the quick issuing of the results after each day’s run. This year this task was in the capable hands of Peter Chamberlain, and no one could have wished for better or slicker service. Among the private entries there were many who are deserving of special mention. Undoubtedly the button for the most meritorious performance goes to Mrs. Mollie Briggs (498Triumph), who lost only nine marks to gain a silver medal; there was D. Carancini, who struggled against long odds with his 125 c.c. Lambretta scooter until he retired on Thurday; and T.Tun with his Thunderbird – the last a man who has been riding for only three months. Think back to your first three months awheel and ask yourself if you could have finished in such an event!

image – distribution of medals by nation ISDT 1950 (speedtracktales archive)

For my personal mount on the trial I was perhaps better equipped than any of the entry with the possible exceptions of those of the Trophy and Vase Teams. I used a Trophy Triumph – a works’ mount, prepared for S.B. Manns by Henry Vale, of the Triumph competition department. There never was a better International mount and it is well named the Trophy. It handled better than any other Triumph I have ridden. It was fast beyond my wildest dreams and would give me 90 m.p.h. anytime I wanted it; and it “got there” quickly. It was quiet on the exhaust to the extent of being all but in audible once underway. Engine noises were only apparent when one was standing or kneeling alongside; the engine could not be overdriven and never became more than slightly hot. So that I could get “close” to the event, I covered large slices of each day’s route riding often just ahead of the competitors, with them, or just to the rear of them. With the heavy rain, and mud and water thrown up from deep water splashes and mudholes, the rear chain had a hard week, yet it required adjusting only three times. Cables and handlebar controls tended to become a shade “draggy” after a day’s rain, but there was nothing which a pot of oil could not cure. Apart from  these tasks I did nothing except ride the Trophy hard and put petrol in the tank. It gave me by far the most exciting motoring I have had for a longtime.

And now it would appear that next year’s International will be held in Italy. Here’s to it – and here’s wishing for sunny weather!

When I restarted Taff’s site, all I had to begin with was a website copied to a harddisk drive that I had been able to download in its entirety from his old server. Since then I have been greatly helped by Taff and his friends like ‘STB’ and Brian Catt. Between gifts , loans and acquisitions I have been able to get back to the original hard copy material and started to scan to archive these materials so as to enable people to access and view this material at what ever time and place suits their convenience. Below is an image of some of the material I now control that may be one of the most intact archives of the Event even considering the FIM and National Federations material.

The Speedtracktales Collection 2013

I am now hoping that this resource might find a wider use than meeting my own limited needs. I have noticed reading through the copies of the Motor Cycle press, they cover a wide range of the sport and include articles adverts and other features of the time that may be of interest to other researchers today including classic marques and events such as the TT. Much of the collection is now available as scanned images on STT articles or as viewable PDF files available either via Microsoft’s Skydrive or issuu.com. I am only restricted in the speed of publishing by the time available to scan edit and prepare materials.

Because these magazines also contain a lot of other details that may be of interest to non ISDT researchers such as the ISDT I would like to make the rest of them accessible and have decided to offer a new service which if successful will hopefully cover future costs of acquiring new collection materials. I have now listed the collection of original magazine material I control and whilst the material placed on this site is watermarked and produced at low resolution to save storage space, if anybody wants copies of material, I am now offering a scanning service to supply copies of adverts, pages, or entire articles. All money raised in this endeavour will only be used to provide funds by which to purchase items connected to the ISDT as they become available.

You will find a list of the printed materials, with date and issue numbers, that is held here

For an A4 scan at low res (72dpi) straightened and cropped to page edges 1- 4 pages £1.00 / sheet 5 – 10 pages £0.75 / sheet

Sample image – 72 dpi (Speedtracktales collection)

For A4 scan at mid res (150 dpi) straightened and cropped to page edge 1 – 4 pages £1.50 / sheet 5 – 10 pages £1.25 / sheet

Sample image – 150 dpi (Speedtracktales collection)

For an A4 scan at hi res (300 dpi) straightened and cropped to page edges 1- 4 pages £2.00 / sheet 5 – 10 pages £1.75 / sheet

Sample image – 300dpi (Speedtracktales collection)

Image files will be supplied as JPG , Tiff, or PDF

All ISDT articles will be watermarked http://speedtracktales.wordpress.com along the lowest edge. Non ISDT material will be free of watermark. Pages will be supplied as scanned, no blemishes or artifacts will be removed. The scanning will be done via A4 or A3 hi res flat bed scanners (not multi-function devices) and the files processed on Apple Macs. Corrective editing of images can be provided if required.

If you are interested in having digital copies made of our original material for your own research, please not we are not providing a license to re-publish the material and if you want further details please complete the form below

“The story of the Royal Enfield in the International Six Days Trial 1948, 1949,1950, 1951, 1952, 1953″ is the title of a palm of a hand sized original publication produced by Royal Enfield in 1953 that recently fell into our hands and is of such great interest we reproduce it here. Royal Enfield who could boast not only great bikes but some of the sports greatest factory riders of the time including Vic and Johnny Brittain as well as Jack Stocker show how their successful domination of the results sheet at the ISDT meant the commute to work was going to be a lot more successful on a Royal Enfield than it might be on a lesser qualified motor cycle.

image – Royal Enfield booklet front cover (Speedtracktales Collection)

The World’s Toughest Motor-Cycle Event

photo – the victorious ROYAL ENFIELD 1953 team: Johnny Brittain (Trophy) [LWP 424], Don Evans (Vase A) [LWP 423], and Jack Stocker (Trophy) [LWP 422], all mounted on 500 twins – ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

THE INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS’ TRIAL is acknowledged as the longest and most strenuous of all motor cycle competitions, and the winning of a gold medal in this event (awarded for completing the course without loss of marks) is esteemed the highest honour in the world of motor cycle trials. And no wonder, for the main ingredients of the “International” (ever since its inception forty years ago) have always been rough mountain tracks, water splashes, loose stones and rocks, steep hills, hairpin bends, slimy mud or choking dust – depending on the prevailing weather conditions-and a total distance of anything up to 1,500 miles. To add to an already arduous week, the whole contest is run on a series of rigidly enforced time schedules which are so calculated as to allow insufficient time for anything but the very hastiest adjustments and maintenance if the competitor is to avoid loss of marks for lateness at the frequent time checks. The rougher sections of the course are interspersed with many miles of fast road work where “flat out” speeds are required if the tight time schedules are to be maintained, and there is a final speed test of one hour’s duration to test the capabilities of each machine and to decide the destination of team awards in the event of more than one team remaining unpenalised. It needs no expert on the subject of motor cycle sport to realise that any machine which proves itself capable of carrying its rider safely through to the finish of an International Six Days’ Trial is possessed of a performance and reliability far in excess of normal requirements, a fact which in itself affords the owner the comforting knowledge that for ordinary every-day use his machine has a ”safety margin” second to none.

photo – Royal Enfield riders in the 1948 event. Left to right Charlie Rogers and Vic Brittain (Trophy Team members) Tom Ellis (reserve) and Jack Stocker (Vase A team) ISDT 1948 (Speedtracktales collection)

The performance of Royal Enfield motor cycles in the ” International” is outstanding, and on no less than four occasions has this event witnessed the debut of a new model. In 1948, when the trial was held in the Italian Alps, the new “350 Bullet” made it first appearance and two of these machines ( in the capable hands of Vic Brittain and Charlie Rogers) were chosen by the Auto-Cycle Union to represent Great Britain in the “Trophy” team. Selected for the “Vase” team was Jack Stocker, on the 500c.c. Model J, and the trio of Royal Enfield completed the course unpenalised.

photo – #120 Jack Stocker [GWP 368] in the speed test at San Remo, at the conclusion of the trial. ISDT 1948 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – #1 Frank Carey and his passenger on his 11 year old Royal Enfield outfit [DPK 574]. The only 350cc sidecar entrant to win a gold medal in 1949 by completing the trial without loss of marks. ISDT 1949 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – 1949 Wales: # 231 Charlie Rogers (“350 Bullet”) negotiating the Abergwesyn water splash in the heart of the Welsh mountains. The approach to the stream is typical of the rough going encountered through the trial. ISDT 1949 (Speedtracktales collection)

The trial was staged in Wales that year, and again in 1950 – and on both occassions five Royal Enfields got through with “clean sheets”(a particularly meritorious achievement in 1950, when such appalling weather conditions prevailed that a mere 38 gold medals were awarded out of 213 starters!). Now it was Jack Stocker’s turn to graduate to the “Trophy” team, and British supremacy in the realm of motor cycle sport was emphasised by a sweeping victory. Eighteen-year-old Johnny Brittain – son of the famous Vic - entered the picture that year, and on his “350 Bullet ” gained a gold medal in company with Jack Stocker and Stan Holmes.

photo – #144 JV Brittain cornering at speed during the final speed test at Eppynt. ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales collection)

Easily the fastest three-fifties in the British team , these “Bullets” had covered themselves with glory for 1948, 1949 and 1950. Royal Enfields were not content to rest on their past successes, however, and for 1951 their contribution to maintaining British prestige was the now famous “500 Twin.” Three of these machines – again ridden by Jack Stocker, Stan Holme and Johnny Brittain – formed the victorious Royal Enfield team and a fourth “500 Twin” in the hands of Borje Nystrom (the popular Swedish rider) was equally successful.

photo – a vivid impression on #107 B Nystrom , the Swedish rider, who won a gold medal in the strenuous 1950 trial. ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales collection)

As a debut of an entirely new model, this must surely have been as outstanding as any in recent motor cycle history, and for the second year in succession Jack Stocker was a member of the victorious British “Trophy” team.

photo – #169 Jack Stocker (“350 Bullet”) carefully picks his way along the slippery bed on the Warn y Sadfa ISDT 1950 (Speedtracktales collection)

Another feather in the proud Enfield cap was occasioned that year by the fact that out of all the 350c.c. machines competing at the higher (“team schedule”) speed, two Royal Enfield “Bullets” were alone in accomplishing this admittedly difficult task without loss of mark – the successful riders being Chick Gibson and Bill Clarke member of the “Vase” team fielded by the Motor cycle Union of Ireland).

photo – Italy: #171 Chick Gibson (“350 Bullet) Irish Vase Team leaving one of the time checks. ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

The trial was again staged in Italy, and some particularly vile road surfaces were encountered – but it only served to lend emphasis to the fact that we stood a better chance of winning when conditions were really tough.

photo – #203 Jack Stocker, (“500 twin”) on one of the many sections which really tested front and rear suspension ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – #177 W Clarke, (Irish Vase Team) amid the mountainous terrain and extremely rough road surfaces which characterised the 1951 event in Italy. ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – Rudolf Nystrom (Sweden) displays confidence in the road holding of his “350 Bullet” ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – Altitude 2000 ft. – with #197 Johnny Brittain (“500 Twin”) making very sure over this tricky section ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

Although, by virtue of the British “Trophy” victory in 1951, Great Britain was entitled to organise the International Six Days’ Trial for 1952, the Auto-Cycle Union elected not to avail themselves of the opportunity, and the event was held in Austria.

photo – #215 Johnny Brittain using the power of his “500 Twin” in one of the most arduous climbs encountered in Austria in the ISDT 1952 (Speedtracktales collection)

Very extreme changes of temperature and almost ceaselessly wet weather resulted in wholesale loss of marks, and although, on this occasion, Great Britain failed to bring home the “Trophy,” a Royal Enfield was one of the three British “Trophy” machines to finish a disastrous week unpenalised. Jack Stocker was the rider in question, and his mount was the newly introduced “Meteor700″ – so that 1952 marked yet another successful debut for a Royal Enfield even though for once the fates were unkind to Great Britain.

photo – Rudolf Nystrom (Sweden) displays confidence in the road holding of his “350 Bullet” ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales collection)

Not so much as a solitary “works” team completed the week without loss of mark, so the severity of the 1952 “International” was self-evident.

photo – Czechoslovakia: #219 Johnny Brittain (“500 twin”) [LWP 424], a member of the victorious Trophy Team, travelling with speed and confidence along the bed of a stream ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – #237 Jack Stocker [LWP 422] deep sand and dusty tracks were typical of much of the course in Eastern Czechoslovakia. ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – #227 Don Evans [LWP 423], British Vase ‘B’ Team , makes a fast safe ascent of a rock-strewn hillside ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

In addition to the two “Trophy” teamsters, Don Evans was chosen to represent Great Britain in the “Vase” team – all  three riders mounted on “500 Twins.”

photo – Swedish Vase Team member Ake Elgebrandt (“500 Bullet”) [A927] makes a clean ascent of one of the worse hills in the Trial under the eyes of a packed gallery. ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – a confident passage of a touch section by Borje Nystrom, Swedish Vase Team (“500 Bullet”) [A856] ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

photo – Czechoslovakia was noted for its dusty and boulder strewn tracks – Rudolf Nystrom , Swedish Vase Team (“500 Bullet”), takes them in his stride ISDT 1953 (Speedtracktales collection)

Apart from this, the 1953 I.S.D.T. was a triumph for Royal Enfield riders and for Great Britain. Victorious for the 16th time out of the 28 occasions on which the International Six Days’ Trial had been organised, the British “Trophy” team finished an eventful week unscathed. As a member of the winning team, Jack Stocker collected his sixth succesive gold medal for a faultless performance, and young Johnny Brittain carried the burden of his responsibility with outstanding skill and determination. In company with Don Evans, they yet again won a Manufacturer’s Team Prize – the third for Royal Enfield in the past five years -and the total “bag” was five gold medals and one silver medal (all at “team” schedule). Since 1948, then, there have been no fewer than 2 Royal Enfields which have completed the International Six Days’ Trial without the loss of a single mark. These machines, comprising six different models (ranging from Frank Carey’s 11-year-old 350c.c. sidecar outfit to Jack Stocker’s powerful “Meteor700″ have between them covered close on 70,000 miles. And what miles those were! Every one of them covered at high speed – the vast majority along precipitous mountain roads and cart tracks – with   the additional handicap of choking dust in Italy and Czechoslovakia, and seemingly limitless rain in Wales and Austria. Steep hills, loose surface, punishing rock outcrops, deep fords, blind bends, slimy cobbles . . . How many gear changes, how many sudden brake applications, how many moments of “flatout” engine revving in those 70,000 strenuous miles?

photo – #237 Jack Stocker [LWP 422] looses no time along a deeply rutted woodland track ISDT (Speedtracktales collection)

image – ISDT (Speedtracktales collection)

image – Royal Enfield booklet rear cover (Speedtracktales Collection)

The following article about the ISDT 1951 appeared in the 4th October 1951 issue of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ and in which George asks a number of questions about the venue for the event, the future of the event and the British teams future tactical challenges, and introduces some great new British Talent:

Where do we go from here? 

A Backward Glance at the 26th International Six Days’ Trial – and a Thought for the Future.

By GEORGE WILSON

photo – ‘Motor Cycle‘ Deputy Editor, George Wilson on the Royal Enfield Twin ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

IT is inevitable that after each International one seeks to compare it with previous events. One recalls the reports of the lurid 1932 Merano “GrandPrix,” the Oberstdorf event in 1935, the San Remo event in 1948. One might even add to the list last year’s trial at Llandrindod Wells. And, so far as severity is concerned, the event just concluded in northern Italy was, by comparison, fairly easy.
However, this in no way detracts from the British win in the major contest – that for the International Trophy. Neither does it diminish the brilliance of the Netherlands victory in the Silver Vase contest. Recalling the Anglo – Dutch Trials, which began before the first World War, and were forerunners of arduous long-distance events, I am as pleased about the Netherlands success as I should have been about a British Vase victory. The team, comprising P. Haaker, C. van Rijssel, and H.Veer, all experienced I.S.D.T.men, were mounted on 250c.c. Jawas.

photo -Hail, the victors! A jolly, informal picture of the Trophy Team after their success ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

In a review of last year’s event, I made the point that British riders are the best in the world. That statement was made in no sudden flush of patriotic pride; it was, and still is, a clear-cut, indisputable asseveration of truth, clearly borne out by the fact that our Trophy Teams have never been beaten in a post-war International. This year they won against great odds, with the scales weighted against them from the outset. They arrived, as I mentioned in the report of the opening stages, to find that they were installed in an hotel crowning a 4.000ft mountain. The nine-mile route to the start was a writhing, narrow horror which had be to covered morning and evening. They had to be off early in order to reach the start in time and, in the evening, tired and disheveled, they had to wait about at the finish for transport to take them back. This is by no means a minor detail and was one of the many minutiæ which combined to increase the mental stress of riders engaged upon an Herculean task – and representing their country while doing so.

photo – Geoff Duke greets #205 Hugh Viney ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

In case it should be thought that this “worrying” business is being overstressed. I might mention that two riders – one of them a member of the British Trophy Team -  were violently sick on the way to the start on the first day. This sickness they themselves attributed purely to “first-day jitters.” To quote another instance – Fred Rist, Trophy Team captain, arrived at Varese in a neatly fitting suit which, at the prize-giving, looked as though it had been made for some one twice his size – so much weight had he shed during the six hectic days. Another nerve-racking aspect for our teams was that they were billeted so far away from the headquarters hotel, where the day-by-day results were calculated and issued, and where the jury met each night to discuss protests and any other irregularities. By Friday, team manager Len Heath had covered 400 miles travelling between the Campo dei Fiori (the riders’ hotel) and Varese. Major Watling, representing British interests on the jury, was at the headquarters hotel and, in a way, cut off from the riders whose interests he was safeguarding. He was one of the most severely harassed of all officials at Varese!
Do not let it be imagined, however, that a dog-in-the-manger attitude was adopted in the face of this and many other onerous difficulties. On the contrary, once they were accepted and the trial was underway, the snags were taken for granted as part of a tough itinerary. The whole question of the inadequacy of the accommodation, incidentally, boils down to the plain fact that Varese, picturesque Italian parish though it is, was not at all well-suited to quartering, compactly, the numbers involved in a large-scale I.S.D.T.

photo – All eyes on#211 J Morrison (197 D.M.W) as he passes through ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

However, as to the course itself: in nearly all respects it was excellent, embracing for the most part little-used, loosely surfaced tracks well away from other vehicular traffic. Italy, incidentally, is an excellent country in which to hold the International Trial because excited towns people and villagers line the streets directing competitors on corners and holding up traffic travelling in the opposite direction to the course. No one seems to mind being held up in this way. On the contrary, it is all regarded as part of the fun!A surprise was that this year’s route was extremely flat. True, heights in the region of over 4,000ft. above sea-level were encountered, but in the main, heights varied between about 1,000 and 2,000ft. Varase itself is 382 metres (approximately 1,260ft above sea-level). Since one of the aims behind the I.S.D.T. is to put riders and machines to as severe a test as can possibly be devised in six days, the Varase event cannot be described as successful. Time sections(or checks) throughout the week, one after the other, should be so tight that engines and transmission systems, frames and everything else, must be mercilessly thrashed without let-up. Apart from the 15 minutes allowed in the morning the only time for maintenance should be that achieved by riders increasing on the schedule between controls. These conditions in this years event were only achieved in part by the Federazione Motociclistica ltaliana. Where the going was sticky it was extraordinarily so, and it was in these really tight sections that the bulk of the retirements and spills took place. Even so, they could have been tighter, because S.B. Manns, of the Vase “A” Team, had a throttle wire break and still checked in on time in the tightest section of the entire week.

The speed-test schedules (at Monza Autodrome)were, once again, a favourite topic of discussion at Varase, and there is no question that the trial was easier for riders of small-capacity machines than it was for those using mounts of 350c.c. and over. The degree of difficulty of the event in relation to capacities may be set on a sliding scale, viz.: easy for one-two-fives and one-seven-fives; almost equally easy for two-fifties (but rather hard on one-nine-sevens, which were on the same schedule); and very tough for machines of 350c.c. and over(especially for those on the 10 per cent faster team schedule). So tight, in fact, was the event for the three-fifties that only two on the faster schedule finished.(Both, incidentally, were British Royal Enfields; they were ridden by W. Clark and B.I. Gibson of Ireland.) The wisdom behind mounting our team-men on five-hundreds and six-fifties was therefore well-founded, since, if our riders prefer to ride large-capacity mounts, or if they are forced to do so by our lack of suitable lightweights, their engines should be as big as possible within reason. Reviewing the I.S.D.T. two years ago, when the Vase contest was fought out in the speed test and won by Czechoslovakia, I made the point that unless the speed schedules were altered the stage could be reached where we should have to mount our national teams on lightweights if we were really serious about winning. On the face of things, while some might say that the answer is to alter the schedules to make them fair for all classes, I would reiterate my point.

photo – F. D’Ignazio (125 Morini) and M. Riva (125 Vespa) on a dusty road near Valeso ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

With the tremendous and ever-growing popularity of machines of under 250c.c. capacity in Europe, Continental countries will oppose fiercely any suggestion for increasing lightweight schedules (or decreasing the schedules for larger machines). If next year’s event is held on the Continent, and it is a well-organized trial with tight time sections throughout the week, we shall, I am certain, be extremely lucky to win, for the schedules win be anything but in our favour. Only by getting the event back to Britain next year can we guarantee speed schedules which will give us a fighting chance – and it is not certain by any means that next year’s event will be held here. So, gentlemen, if altering schedules is not possible, and we have no super lightweights to put in the field, where do we go from here?

photo – Everywhere the people turned out to watch the competitors. Picture shows R. Wagger (646 B>S>A> sc) cornering at speed ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection) 

But enough of “politics.” What about the I.S.D.T. machines? That the British mounts performed magnificently there is no doubt. While it is perfectly true that in some cases machines at the end of the week were smothered in oil from stem to stern, the majority were clean enough. The B.M.W.s and Zundapps were by far the cleanest machines in the whole entry, and with their shaft-drive and enclosed unit construction were provocatively tantalizing. Several up-and-coming young Britishers merit special praise. The first is 19-year-old J.V. Brittain, son of a famous father, who rode a works’ Royal Enfield at the fast schedule and gained a gold medal. The second is 17-year-old J.V. Smith,Jnr., who rode one of last year’s I.S.D.T. Norton Dominators; and the third is Brian W. Martin (122 Francis-Barnett). All three behaved with the sang-froid, and rode with the speed and dash, of veterans, and I predict a brilliant future for them.

An analysis of the provisional results as applying to the nations competing and in relation to capacities is not uninteresting. The tables are given for you to form your own conclusions. The analysis as it applies to capacities is most interesting.

image – ISDT 1951 results tables by nation (Speedtracktales Collection)

My personal mount for the trial was a standard 1952-type Royal Enfield twin. The engine was absolutely magnificent and the experience confirmed my belief that it is one of the best twins in production. Like the competitors, I was using 80-octane-quality fuel, which undoubtedly helped matters and it was just impossible to make the engine pink even with really brutal treatment on the occasions when I wanted dynamic acceleration on short straights. Low-speed engine torque was quite remarkable and particularly appreciated when coming out of loosely surfaced hairpins where too-high r.p.m. causes wheel spin and too rapid opening-up tends to cause the front wheel to slide away. Except on the very tightest of such hairpins,on the steepest of gradients encountered during the week, I could use second gear and accelerate just as hard as necessary. Far from experiencing engine overheating during the week, I found that the exhaust pipes all but entirely retained their pristine brilliance – although quite often the machine was thrashed without mercy. And far from complaining about its treatment, the engine became better and better with every kilometre covered. The tools were used only to top up the rear legs, which were lacking in damping, and to adjust the rear chain twice. And what more can one ask than that?

Image – Happy Xmas 2013 and a prosperous New Year #116 JH Arnott 496cc BSA Großglockner ISDT 1939 (Image courtesy TECHNISCHEN MUSEUM WIEN)

Thanking our many many visitors in 2013 and especially those getting in contact to share their own personal and family memories of the ISDT and the riders. We stil lhave lots more to rediscover and save for the event and are reliant on your support. Coming soon will be a bumper posting of images of the ISDT in Wales recovered from back issues of Das Motorrad recently acquired for the web archive.

Recently noticed in the last few months a new collection of very old Photos started coming up in Google Searches although they appear to have existed since at least 2012. A number of the photos I have seen before in the pages of British Motor Cycling Magazines and these look like scans off glass plates or negatives so I am going to presume the Mortons Archive are using this site as another agency to sell it’s images. No doubt those of you looking for publish quality images for your ISDT  / Vintage publications will find this a helpful resource for rights managed images as it appears a lot better than Morton’s own online gallery:

This blog was generated direct off the page but does not appear to share the image but just the key worlds which were for an interwar image taken on the Grossglockner. The numbers of images available seem very impressive. The standard ISDT search found 519 images. I was able to create a URL to display the watermarked image here from the gallery page.

Image of the ISDT from the stilltime collection of 20th Century British Photographs

tpt transport bike motorsport prix race racing competition sport isdt grossglockner austria germany nazi war hitler propaganda mountains snow frozen cold wa west ariel.

A kind random end of year post letting you, the reader, join in the fun of putting places and names to pictures…. The basic ISDT keyword search of the still time has unearthed a quality haul of 518 mostly pre-war images of the ISDT. Work to identify and seek long term access to the images in Speedtracktales is underway. In the mean time a more convoluted series of searches found very badly ( ie minimal) keyworded images of motorbikes in what appear to be ISDT style events. Can any one confirm any riders identities and which event it might have been.

?-tpt transport motor engine sport competition bike sidecar welsh trial test german team group

Nazi / NSKK insignia on riders jacket . possibly #153 G Wolf 730cc BMW ISDT 1937, #153 was a GB Ariel rider 1938, only 142 competed in 1933. Had the Welsh 3 Day got its current International FIM status before the war?

? – tpt transport bike trial test royal enfield devils bridge

#84 and #86 were not listed as Royal Enfields in 1933, 37 or 38, this is obviously a check point, maybe the Welsh 3 Day .. I am not sure where in Wales the 1925 ISDT went, did it go as far as Aberystwyth.

? – tpt transport bike trial test royal enfield devils bridge

ditto. . for the 1933 event #82 was works Royal Enfield ridden by F.E. Thacker this one is WP 4503

? – tpt transport bike trial test kikham uplands and mount pleasant

With crowds like this, it was not a local club trial… not sure where Kikham (Kirkham) Uplands maybe but this may be another of the old trials, maybe the Scott.

? – tpt transport bike triumph trw? trial test

Triumph JXW 39 tele forks

? – tpt transport bike triumph team group six days stock machine trial test

We only have a programme for 1928 but no results… these guys look like 1920′s riders that might be 1925,26 27 or 28 The notes on the negative indicate the names W Evans, A Edward, W Noble S Bond although this may be reverse order and the S Bond may be a scribble. Registrations are HP 2020, RW 766? RW 889? an AG Edwards appears in the details of the ISDT 1928.

? – tpt transport bike trial test matchless collier hall neill

In the background the same Wolseley factory (almost certainly the Midlands). the bikes UC9248, UC9251, and UC9250 are almost certainly works machines. Collier, Hall Neill????

? – tpt transport bike trial test james team group members illegible

Unfortunately the quality of the images we have for the 1920′s and especially 1913 do not come up to the mark. These James riders.. any clues?

? – tpt transport bike trial test r fellows? other text illegible litton slack maybe see look observe below

Could be anywhere but has that Mid Wales look.. but so does parts of Scotland…

tpt transport bike trial test no text visible

ditto

? – tpt transport bike trial test matchless ariel and other

it’s that UC 9251 machine again along with Ariel OX 3176 and ? PF6197

? – tpt transport bike trial test man lad bloke male boy guy woman girl lady female Mcleans.

one of the gems Mr and Mrs McLean on a BSA Louise was the famous one, Mr G Mclean rode a BSA to a silver in 1925,The ‘Motor Cycling‘ banner on the wall above makes me think that this again will not be part of a local club trial.

Over to you .. who ever reads these things.

In this Post we are going to create from modern geographic information such as Google Maps, the route of the ISDT 1939. I needed to have a list of destinations for the event to help tagging a recently discovered photo collection to date the images. As there is not as of yet, any detailed mapping of the route used and so until such maps are re-discovered this list of each days stops are taken from the maps provided with the results and programme. User Caveat: As this event was organised by the German Government and Military I presume they could go very much wherever they chose. It is likely that some of the tracks used for the event and featured in this article may cross private land for which to use now, the consent of the owner may be necessary. To decide if this is the case, you may need to do further research, unfortunately, we are unable to give advice.

Image – routes of days 1 – 5 ISDT 1939 set out on LANDSAT colour image (Google Earth / Speedtracktales)

Image – map of all 6 days route ISDT 1939

Day 1 – 21st August 1939

image – route map for Day 1 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Route Day 1  •Salzburg - Henndorf – Neumarkt – •Straßwalchen – Friedburg 1 – Lohnsburg – Ried – •Andrichsfurt - Thaiskirchen – Andorf – Münzkirchen – Katling – •Haibach – Passau – Thyrnau – Sonnen – •Breitenberg – Ulrichsburg – •Sonnberg  (Schönberg) - Oberplan (Horni Plana,CZ) – Ogfolderhaid – Hörwitzl – •Pöttschmüle (Vetrini,CZ) (lunch) – Kirschschlag (Svetlik,CZ) – Friedberg (Frymburk, CZ) – Weipenbach – •Leofelden – Reichenau – Altenberg – •Dornach – Linz – Marchtrenk – •Wels – Offenhausen - Wolfsegg - Ottnang – •Ungenach – Ampflwang – •Vöklamarkt – Frankenmarkt – Straßwalchen – •Salzburg

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.kvaUElgDt-Z8

Image – Course height profile day 1 ISDT 1939 (Speedtracktales)

The Sudetanland Question?

The check that makes the least sense is the one named ‘Sonnberg‘ as there is nowhere in the vicinity of the map, which is on the Czech Border, with that name. The closest place of similar name is Schönberg in Germany, but using that point quite badly distorts the route, as drawn in the programme so much I do not believe, if it were to be the correct location of the check, the map is right. (nb this area of Czechoslovakia bordering Germany has been subject to significant renaming with the rise of German nationalism in the late 19th century – wikipedia) At the time of the 1939 ISDT it had been annexed to Germany by Hitler.

Luckily German reader Andreas caught this point and replied “Found the correct “Sonnberg“, it is “Slunečná“, part of Želnava, Czech Republic. 

It is really not easy to track the ISDT in this region, as the names did change after the war, but also the artificial Lake Lipno had been built after the war. Additionally, the region north of the lake became a military training terrain, so some villages, as well as public roads, did disappear. That means, that in 1939 the ISDT could take a relatively strait line from Ulrichsberg to Oberplan (Horni Planá), from there to north-west to Sonnberg (Slunečná, Želnava).

From there somehow through the later military terrain (supposingly only small forest routes in 1939) along Ogfolderhaid (Czech name Jablonec, but couldn’t find it in Google Maps, only another one far away, seems it doesn’t exist any more) and Hörwitzl (Hořický potok, Hořice na Šumavě, Czech Republic) to the “Pötschmühle” paper factory in Větřní.“

This turned out to be a pretty good answer, I had been looking for other towns called Slunečná but these were far away however there appears to be a farm of that name in the right area. I can also thank the Mormons for the locating the more obscure now lost places through their impressive obsession with recording family history records. This includes recording parish registers and at this website places that have been wiped off the face of the planet can be found from a Latter Say Saints’ Website place name search.

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 1 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Day 2 – 22nd August 1939

image – route map for Day 2 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Route Day 2 – •Salzburg – Ebenau – Faistanau – Thalgau – •Mondsee – Oberwang – Attersee •Schörfling – Rutzenmoos – Desselbrunn – Steinerkirchen – Vorchdorf – •Linden – Gschwandt – •Gmunden – Neukirchen -Steinbach – Seefeld – Unterach – •Scharfling (lunch) – St. Gilgen – Strobl – Bad Ischi – Bla-Almm – •Bad Aussee – Lahn – •Paß Gschütt – Rain – Strub – Kuchel – •St Koloman – Adnet – Krispl – •Glasenbach – •Salzburg

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.kq8ThIVc5RDo

Image – Course height profile day 2 ISDT 1939 (Speedtracktales)

Not with usual German efficiency, the official route map seems to indicate the checkpoint will be at Rain however the table below (Supported by magazine articles of the time) clearly states it was at Sankt Koloman. Also, in order for the course to take in Rain and Strub between the Paß Gschütt and Kuchel the route would have had to made a large detour of the Berchtesgarden National Park which would be an obvious long additional circuit that is missing on the map although the places are named but nowhere near their proper location. Luckily again Andreas came to the rescue with place names more appropriate to the map ‘Mühlrain‘ and ‘Strubau‘ and also helpfully provided a link to a German online historic map archive. This should help identify which of the present roads may not have existed in 1939 and have been subsequent additions to the national road networks of Austria and Germany.

I am confident most of the course is correctly mapped the only two significant areas of doubt at the section after the check at Linden on to Gschwandt. Also the Paß Gschütt to  Strub and Kuchel. It would appear from Google Maps a route to do this would require two way traffic, something they would not be able to do. However the text in ‘das Motorrad’ mentions a difficult technical descent into Kuchel before reaching the check at Sankt Koloman so it is possible the in route is not along defined tracks but followed something more temporary in nature. Sadly nobody is left who can tell us if this was the case and where it was!

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 2 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Day 3 – 23rd August 1939

image – route map for Day 3 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Route Day 3- •Salzburg – Hallein – •St Johann im Pongau – Werfen – Taxenback – Bruch •Fusch – Ferleitern •Fuscher Törl – Großglockner – Heiligenblut – Winklern – •Stall – Flattach – Kolbnitz – Möllbrücke – Spittal – •Millstatt (lunch) – Radenthein – Weidweg – •Turracher Höhe – Turrach – Predlitz – Tamsweg •Mauterndorf – Tweng – Obertauern – Radstadt – •Niedernfritz – •Golling an der Salzach – •Salzburg

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.kt7tubE8XBLY

Image – Course height profile day 3 ISDT 1939 (Speedtracktales)

This was the day the event crossed the Großglockber Pass, A road that was built by private finance starting in 1924 and was opened in 1935 - Wikipedia much to the joy of Europe’s Petrolheads both then and today.

The first day the route description and place names seemed to match 100%, am pretty sure this is generally the right route.

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 3 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Day 4 – 24th August 1939

image – route map for Day 4 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Route Day 4: •Salzburg – Bad Reichenhall – •Schwarzbach – Oberweißbach – •Leogang – Paß Greißen – Hochfilzen – •Sankt Johann – Kitxbuhel – Paß Thurn – •Mittersill – Neukirchen – Gerlos Paß •Grasegg – Zell am Ziller – Uderns – •Jenbach – Achenkirch – Achen Paß •Bauer in de Au – Kallepp – Fischbachau – •Sudelfield – Oberaudorf – Kössen – •Unterwössen – Ruhpolding – •Anger – •Salzburg

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.kautH60xamMo

Image – Course height profile day 4 ISDT 1939 (Speedtracktales)

Places names that appear no longer recognised include Seebauern – which exists but is in the wholly wrong place and would appear to be close to Achenkirch on the approach to the Achen Pass. Also Kallepp would appear to really be in the middle of no where not even served by roads and possibly is a locality in a mountainous area. Überwössen is listed in the checkpoint list but the map places the check at Unterwössen.

From a British point of interest this was the last day the British Riders competed. Overnight they would be given information from the British Government that required their immediate withdrawl from the event and promt return home before the event ended. 31 Brits finished the 4th Day.

Drawing the route was not an easy choice. This was a day in the South Tirol with deep valleys lodged between impassable mountains. Not knowing the area has been a hinderance, when compared to working out the Welsh Routes, and trying to recreate a route of 1939 with only modern maps with many new roads imposed on the area to improve access for ski resorts and take advantage of EU funding has meant a lot of new roads may mislead the uncovering of the original routes. And the original route may of course lay obliterated under a modern primary route. Todays route goes with a large CAVEAT….. My confidence for some parts of the route to be either on the old route or even legal to try to use today is doubtful and if anyone can comment on the assumed route between Ruhpolding and Anger I will make any changes suggested to correct.

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 4 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

image – route map for Day 5 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

Day 5 Route: •Salzburg – Obertrum – Seeham – Moosdorf – Handenberg – •Braunau am Inn – Triftern – Egglaham – Aidenbach – •Vilshofen – Hofkirchen – Schwarzach – Deggendorf –  •Egg – Bärnried – •Viechtach – Sankt Englmar – Steinberg – Bogen – •Straubing – Straßkirchen – Oting – Oberpöring – •Eichendorf – Mariakirchen – Pfarrkirchen – Tann – •Marktl – Haiming – Burghausen – Sankt Georgen – Laufen – Berghiem – •Salzburg

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.kWSoisASduOo

Image – Course height profile day 5 ISDT 1939 (Speedtracktales)

This route was a lot simpler to work out the only real problem was  around the checkpoint at Egg and the route north of Egg requires a lot of polish but without local understanding of the tracks it will be hard to decide which ofthe many forest tracks existed and would have been used for the route of the event

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 5 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

image – route map for Day 6 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

work in progress? well maybe the sixth day was virtually a rip up and down Herr Hitler’s new Munich – Salzburg Autobahn you could almost find it on any in Car GPS device.

image – Checkpoint times and distances for Day 6 ISDT 1939 (speedtracktales archive)

This post is a serialisation of an article that originally appeared over 75 years ago in ‘Das Motorrad’, the popular Motorcycling magazine in the German Language as it covered the proceedings of the 1939 ISDT, an event to finish in controversy and the results eventually annulled by the FIM.

We have recently started mapping the course of the event which can be found on the blog ‘Mapping the 1939 ISDT‘

After Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 we get to Days 5 & 6

ISDT 1939 – Report from ‘Das Motorrad‘: The 4^th Day

report by Von Gustav Mueller

The 5^th Day

The Bavarian Forest leg lead far into the Bavarian Forest[1], to the noon time check at Viechtach. There were no special terrain difficulties, but the ordinary bad minor roads of the Bavarian Forest. Only a short 15 kilometre distance before the time check at noon had been full of terrain difficulties. The approach to the Bavarian Forest did pass through the hometown of the Führer, Braunau am Inn, where also a time check had been erected.

Photo – Here you can see for yourself, whether there was much space for the sidecar outfits! The outfit is the 600cc NSU of #234 NSKK Oberscharführer [comparable to Sergeant] Oettinger. The NSU Team, otherwise belonging to the outmost reliable teams we know in the off road motorcycling, had a lot of trouble with their machines blowing out at the cylinder heads, By the way, only Dunz had been excluded from these damages, as he repeatedly had retightened his cylinder head at the beginning of the event,,,The second man shown is NSKK-Oberscharführer [comparable to Sergeant] Boden from Motorgruppe Sachsen [NSKK Motor Group Saxonia] on DKW 248 cc. ISDT 1939 (das Motorrad)

But during the day what we had been fearing did happen, the English military teams had been ordered back by highest order from over there.

Right at their approach to the finish, they were received by the team staff and they rode immediately to their assembly point, without delivering their motorcycles to the parc fermé

Lieutenant Colonel Bennett did personally say goodbye to the leader of German motor sports, Reichsleiter Korpsführer Hühnlein [head of the NSKK], and did express his gratitude for the sports comrade-like support, the English had received in Germany from their German sports comrades.

The Korpsführer did regret the retirement of the English sports comrades and did express his appreciation for the good sports the English participants had been showing during this event. Soldiers among themselves!

The 6^th Day

Photo – This was on the second day, the “5 lakes day, on the road parallel to the Lake “Attersee”. As long as only one solo rider comes along, the road seems quite wide, but imagine how tight it will be, if a sidecar outfit wants to overtake a bus, and they meet up there at the hump!
The pictured rider is #217 NSKK- Truppführer [comparable to Sergeant] Wohlfahrt on Zündapp 245cc, a motorcycle that surprised some people with its performance. ISDT 1939 (das Motorrad)

The difficulty of the track lay in the loose and stony ground, in the short, trench-like depressions to be crossed, and a low-down steep descent.

Surprisingly, a great number of riders still had remained without points.

The German trophy team was the only one without points, as England already had four points, and additionally had retired voluntarily. The Italian team had 43 points in total. In the Silver Vase the German A-team had no points, also the Italian A-team was without points again, due to a decision of the Jury, as the points for a rider had been given incorrectly.

For the “Adolf Hühnlein Trophy”, the NSKK –C team and the –M team, the SS B-team and the A-team of the DDAC did apply. From the foreign teams, only the English team of the war department would have been without points.

In the ‘Bowmaker’ trophy, the selection did take place between the NSKK teams Berlin B and Franconia B, the SS chapter Main A and DDAC team Munich. In total, 155 riders still were allowed to start, thereof 96 without and 59 with points.

The German Trophy team, which already had the victory under its belt, did start first, and did a good finish time on that terrain, nevertheless. Trophy winner is Germany, with Rudi Seltsam on BMW R51, Otto Sensburg on Auto-Union DKW OSR 250 cc, Walter Fähler on Auto-Union DKW OSR 250 cc, and Müller with Mayerhofer in the sidecar on a BMW R66 600 cc outfit. Second in score was the Italian team with 43 points, third England with 804 points (for each rider and each not completed day, 100 points are added, as the English didn’t finish the 5^th and the 6^th day, 800 points had been added to the four points they had lost).

In the fight for the ‘International Silver Vase’, the fast German motorcycles did decide the win easily for Germany. The German team had a total time of 2hrs., 6 min. and 8.3 sec., against 2hrs., 16 min. and 10 sec. of the Italian team. It must be said, that the Italians did use one 500 cc and two 250 cc motorcycles, which were not able to cope with the fast 500 cc BMW. Perhaps, this result will make the people who write the regulation for the next ISDT think about it.

Due to the large number of riders still in reach of winning the Adolf Hühnlein trophy and the Bowmaker trophy, this competition did become quite thrilling. But, there were many incidents again.

Schaumburg from Berlin did experience a broken front fork head at full speed in the cross country section, and did hit a tree while falling, but the crash helmet did prevent the worst. Anyway, he did swell up strongly at one side! SS man Luthardt on his small and fast dual piston Triumph[3] had a good position, but had to retire due to a broken chain.

Our employee Hahmeyer, who already had had some misfortune in the beginning, when he had been stung by a bee, so that his face did swell asymmetrically, had to ride the final test with a broken frontbrake cable. A second man of the DDAC team, Charbonier on NSU, did participate, although he had 39°C feaver, and last but not least the team also had been handicapped by the fact, that the third man was riding an outfit. But Steinberger and his Zündapp did speed up in a way that it did the trick, and the DDAC team with Steinberger on Zündapp KS 600 outfit, Heinz Hahmeyer on BMW R 66 and Charbonnier on NSU 250 cc did win the Adolf Hühnlein trophy with no points and a time of 2:29:01, in front of the SS-B-team, which also had no points, but needed 2:45:11.2.

Also, the Bowmaker trophy went to the DDAC, namely to the DDAC team Munich with Steinberger, Hahmeyer and Köhler on Auto-Union-DKW 350 cc NZ.

Uh oh here I go again, lets get mapping. Any tips or clues welcome as we are a bit short on detail other than this map.

Image – map from ‘Motor Cycling’ showing all 6 day routes for ISDT 1936

This will be a rolling task based on sparse information.. come back to see what we are finding. Aided by just two 1936 issues of ‘the Motor Cycle‘ and without the final day report this map and list of places is the best at the moment. Any Germans, Bavarians able to help please do. as ever •Bold = known checkpoints, Italics = I could not locate the place.

Sketch maps with known places here - https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zClKdDlICr2k.k3WbbSNwRPC8

Day 1 Thursday:
•Freudenstadt – •Wörnersberg – Altensteig – •Sankt Anton – •Reichental – •Rot Lache – Herrenweis – •Scherrhof •Kurhaus Hundseck (Lunch) – •Erbersbronn – •Ht Langenbach – •Ottenhöfen – •Zuflucht – Kneibis – •Freudenstadt

Day 2 Friday:
•Freudenstadt – •Griesbach – •Oberharmersbach – •Oberwinden •Oberwolfach – Zell – •Haslach – Elzach – •Martinskapelle – •Falkensteig – •Oberried – •Fahl – Menzenschwand – •St Blasien (Lunch) –  •Neustadt –  •Fuchsfalle - •Schiltach – •Freudenstadt

Day 3 Saturday:
•Freudenstadt - •Ziegelwasen - •Empfingen - Geislingen – •Thiergarten – Sigmaringen – •Pfullendorf – •Zussdorf – •Weingarten – •Wangen (Lunch) – •Weitnau – •Nesselwang – Füssen – •Unterreithen – Oberammergau – •Garmisch

Day 4 Sunday:
•Garmisch – Klais – Walchensee – •Jachenau – •Gaißach – Bad Tölz – Holzkirchen – •Weyarn – •Seigsdorf – •Mauthäusl –  •Konigsee (Lunch) – Bad Riechenhall – Inzell – •Weißbach – •Teisendorf – •Seigsdorf – •Holzkirchen – •Paß Kesselberg – •Garmisch

It apears the map in ‘the Motor Cycle‘ is wrong here, the report clearly sets the way from the start as being Garmisch – Walchensee – Bad Tölz – Holzkirchen and the return leg was  Holzkirchen – Paß Kesselberg – Garmisch which to my eye is the same road in different directions. The map has a western loop passing near WürmSee.

Day 5 Monday:
•Garmisch – Mittenwald – •Vorderriß – •Wießee – Kreuth – •Enterrottacher – •Jossethal – •Stardelberg (Lunch) - Miesbach – •Dietramszell – •Sankt Heinrich – Würm Sea – •Ammerbrücke – •Schöffau •Garmisch

Day 6 Tuesday:
•Garmisch – •Graswang – •Unterreithen – •Albertsried – •Petersthal – •Hindelang – •Nesselwang – •Füssen – Immensdadt

Image – calculated guess of the routes of days 1-5 ISDT 1936

We’re not yet ready to start this one as we still have Wales to finish but if anybody has higher quality maps than these low resolution images we have acquired to help improve accuracy or has personal knowledge of the course please feel free to contact us with what ever offers of help you have.

Clicking on the images below should produce enlarged images

Day 1

Photo – paper entrants map for day 1 ISDT 1975

Day 2

Photo – paper entrants map for day 2 ISDT 1975

Day 3

Photo – paper entrants map for day 3 ISDT 1975

Day 4

Photo – paper entrants map for day 4 ISDT 1975

Day 5

Photo – paper entrants map for day 5 ISDT 1975

Day 6

Photo – paper entrants map for day 6 ISDT 1975

Based at Obertsdörf in South East Germany, the second of a three year stint which immediately after a limit of no more than two events in succession could be held in one country, the following two years event were held in Britian but after the third win the event could not be held again in Britain so it was held in … er Germany.. but that’s another tale.

We only so far have a map which came from the family collection of ISDT artefacts retained by the family of rider GM Bryant and recently was passed over to the care of the Speedtracktales Collection.

Starting work on this, until we get more maps, progress be slow and will not get better than acceptable level of accuracy for other than day 1 for now, sadly.

Day 1

Image – scanned copy of Day 1 Route Map ISDT 1935 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Day 1 route: •Obertsdorf – •Immenstadt – •Nellenberg – •Weiler – •Dürren – •Neuwalderberg – •Fuchstobel – •Deggenhausen – •Weingartnen – •Waltershofen – •Alter Buchenbergstraße – •Großdorf – •Obertsdorf

Day 2 route: •Obertsdorf – •Rettenberg – •Markt Oberdorf – •Rott – •Starnberg – •München Autobahn – •Mitterdarching – •Taubenberg – •Geretsried – •Sankt Heinrich – •Ammerbrücke – •Roßhaupten – •Görisried – •Oberjoch – •Obertsdorf

Day 3 route: •Obertsdorf – •Missen – •Kinbach-Geislehen – •Fischbach – •Espasginsen – •Tengen Stadt – •Wittlekofen – •Munchenland – •Todtnauberg Dorf – •Schönau – •Schauinsland – •Oberried – •Falkensteig – •Titisee

Day 4 route: •Titisee – •Caritashaus Feldberg – •Oberibach – •Mambach – •Sallneck – •Badenweiler – •Schönau – •Äulener Kreuz – •Bonndorf – •Tengen Stadt – •Espansingen – •Fischbach – •Kinbach-Geislehen – •Missen – •Obertsdorf

Day 5 route: •Obertsdorf – •Hindelang – •Moosbach – •Sibratshofen – •Oberstaufen – •Scheidegg – •Herben – •Karsee – •Ratzenried – •Isny – •Eschach – •Immenstadt – •Obertsdorf

Day 6 route: •Obertsdorf – •Sigishofen – •Kranzegg – •Petersthal – •Markt Oberdorf – •Lengenfeld – •Bernbeuren – •Füssen Straßendreieck

‘Need a job done go find a busy man’ so the old maxim goes and like rust we never find time to sleep at Speedtracktales. Just before Xmas as the project of mapping the routes began an original copy of the German Motorcycle Magazine ‘Das Motorrad’ was obtained for the 24th July 1937 which covered the 19th edition of the event held in Wales. Working on it was put on hold until now and whilst we negotiate / await a translation of the article to extend the available knowledge of the 1937 ISDT I have posted the images with the original captions in German, on the basis I have sadly not got the faintest clue what they may be saying. However I have tried my best second guess in the text underneath. it is likely this may be one of the first times these images have been seen in the UK since 1937.

Photo – An einer Kontrolle des 2. Fahrtages. Der deitsche Zündappfahrer Schäfer (nr 215) gibt gerade seine Kontrollkarte zum Stempeln ab. Links neben ihm der englische BSA-fahrer Cartwright ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

At a checkpoint with #214 HD Cartwright 348cc BSA who finished with a gold medal and #215 NSKK entered E Schaeffer on a 493cc Zündapp of the German ‘A’ Vase team that came 3rd in the Silver Vase competition and who also finished with a Gold Medal hands his time card to a checkpoint official.

Photo – #135 K Zimmermann 498cc Zündapp ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo – Immer wieder gab es außerordentlich schmale Strasen bei der Sechstagefahrt. Daas Bild zeigt Stelzer von unserer Nationalmannschaft auf BMW und hinter ihm den Engländer Heath auf Ariel aus der Vasen ‘A’ Mannschaft ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

#193 J Stelzer from Germany on his works entered BMW 496cc of the German Trophy team who gained a gold medal is followed by #182 Len Heath on Ariel 497cc of the British ‘A’ Vase team but who retired on the 5th day

Photo – Korpsführer Hühnlein als Zuschauer auf der Strecke. Das 600er Zündapp- Gespann, was auf diesem Bild zu sehen ist, wurde von Behrens von der Versuchsabteilung Wünsdorf gefahren ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

A photo including Adolf Hühnlein the leader of German Motorcycle sports in Germany watches H Behrens and passenger guide their Zündapp 569cc up an un-named, possibly the Allt y Badi, near Llangollen, finishing with a silver medal

Photo – Einer der deutschen Zündapp-Fahrer bei der Fahrt durch die engen Straßen von Llangollen ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

A german rider on a Zündapp descends towards the official lunch stop at Llangollen, which can be seen pictured in British magazine reports of the time

Photo – Biem Start zum erstan Fahrtag regnete es in Srtömen. Die Fahrt fing also schon recht verheißungsvoll an. Das Bild zeigt die Fahrer Stroinigg Oesterreich auf Puch (Nr 35), Leppin-Deutchland auf DKW (Nr. 34) and den Engländer Crabtree auf New Imperial ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

At the start line on the trial’s first day for an unlucky trio, left to right #35 H Stroinigg, Puch 248cc of the Austria Silver Vase team who retired on the first day #34 W Leppin DKW 248cc of Germany who retired the following day #33 H Crabtree New Imperial 246cc who retired on the 4th day.

Photo – Die Fahrer auf den steinigen und schmalen Wegen der Berge von Wales. Der Fahrer ganz vorn (Nr. 47) ist der Tscheche Stanislav auf Jawa und Nr 46 der deutsche DKW-fahrer Scherzer ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Climbing a rough stone track are riders #47 V Stanislav on Jawa 247cc who gained a gold medal of the Czech Trophy team followed by #46 H Scherzer of Germany on a works entered DKW 245cc who also finished with a gold medal

Photo – One of the German NSU entries crosses a river on the Tregaron – Abergwesyn Road ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo – Schmale Straßen, wacklige Brücken und viele Steine gab es bei der Sechstagefahrt. Diese Brücke war vorsorglich abgestützt, weil nicht einmal der Veranstalter an ihre Haltbarkeit glaubte. Das Bild zeigt den Hauptschriftleiter vom “Motorrad” mit einer Zündapp KS500. Er fuhr natürlich die ganze Strecke, wie es sisch fuur einen “zünftigen” Berichterstatter gehört, mit einer Maschine ab, obwohl das Wetter nicht immer gerade schön war. ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

A rider crosses a deep river crossing by one of a number of temporary bridges created specifically for the event due to higher than usual water levels on the old mountain road between Abergwesyn and Tregaron

Photo – Ein Teilnehmer der Sechstagefahrt bei einer Wasserdurchfahrt. Das Wasser Spritzt offensichtlich ganz shön, und wenn Vergaser und Zündanlage nicht gut gesichert gewesen wären, wäre die Fahrt für den Fahrer an dieser Stelle zu Ende gewesen. ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo – Das ist die englische National-Mannschaft, die sich knapp mit nur 10 Sekunden Vorsprung vor userer National-mannschaft die Trophäe holte. Von links: G. E. Rowley (AJS), V.N. Brittain (Norton) und der Gespannfahrer W.S Waycott (Velocette) ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo of the 1937 winners of the international trophy for Britain Left to right #107 GE Rowley on works AJS 346cc, #70 VN Brittain on works Norton 348cc and #118 WS Waycott with his works 595cc Velocette with sidecar

Photo – An den Tankstellen war immer eine ganze Menge los. Daher hatten sich dort auch immer besonders viele Zuschauer angelunden. Das Bild zeigt Zimmermann-Berlin, der sich auch in England mit seiner Zündapp eine Goldene holte, wie er nach dem Tanken wieder in die Gegend sticht. ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

#135 Zimmermann 498cc Zündapp of an SS team leaves a service area guided out and watched over by a large crowd and policeman whilst about to depart is #104 L Kraus on factory entered 596cc BMW of the German Trophy team

Photo – Korpsführer Hühnlein wollte ganz genau wissen, was von seinen Jungens verlangt wurde. Daher setzte er sich in einen Seilenwagen, wie aus dem Bild ersichtlich ist, und fuhr einen Teil der Strecke ab. ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Hühnlein along with a large contingent of German helpers followed the even as it moved around Wales and is here seen in his BMW sidecar outfit. Much controversy arose about the implications of what the German helpers may have been up to as they drove about through often sensitive military sites that would become targets when the countries went to war 3 years later.

Photo – Und noch einmal die Bergstraßen in Wales. Die Strecke war an besonders schweirigen Stellen dicht von Zuschauern umrahmt. ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)

German and British Sidecars make quick progress up the Allt y Bady near Llangollen

Hopefully the article can be reproduced in full once we have a translation available.