This year’s Banbury Run, the 76th, took place on the 7th June at the Gaydon Motor Museum. My brother Jeremy and I assist with marshalling the bikes in the assembly area and then “managing” (?) the riders to the start line, a job we have now carried out for the last 22 years. It is always a pleasure to meet up with Annie Durrant and Bob Clark who have carried out all the organising to allow the run to take place along with a team of around 100 people.

This year there were over 300 pre 1931 vehicles taking part as a commemoration of the reliability of the manufacturers of motor cycles of that era with Sun Rising Hill being the real challenge. The run is a timed regularity event where riders attempt to travel at a predetermined average speed whilst navigating accurately around a set route. There are three routes for riders to choose from, one for the very early machines that are often belt drive, maybe without a clutch, fairly ineffective brakes and might require lots of LPA on the hills (Light Pedal Assistance or just get off and push). A middle distance for more effective machines and of course a longer distance for those with gears, brakes, clutch and power. The riders who manage to complete the route and are no more than five minutes early or late at any of the checkpoints, receives a gold award. If riders are not more than five minutes early or fifteen minutes late can achieve a silver award. Those only 30 minutes late can still get a bronze award. Of course some riders just enjoy the ride around the countryside and stop off at local hostelry’s for light refreshments whilst watching others passing by with cheerful waves. The locals in the area can often be seen sitting outside their homes to watch the machines go by.

As might be guessed, there is a requirement for many marshals both on site and on the three routes across the countryside. Trying to start these ancient devices can be ‘interesting’ in the starting area with some fit people available to push if the need arises. If the engine hasn’t decided to run that day there is always the electric roller as a final attempt that usually gets life into the reluctant engine. Lots of twiddling levers, clouds of smoke and pops and bangs to add to the excitement of the event.

Some really fit marshals are sent to Sun Rising Hill to help push those machines that have not made it to the top under their own limited power to enable them to continue back to Banbury with the hope of receiving an award. There are some machines that suffer a mechanical issue and cannot continue but help is always at hand from either fellow riders or if that fails the recovery crew.

There are many other awards, such as “The Miniature Cup” for the best machine under 200 cc, or “The Drayton School Trophy” going to the youngest entrant riding the oldest machine – Drayton School being a previous location in Banbury that the event used to be held at. “The Percy Wheeler Memorial Trophy” is presented to the entrant whose age plus that of the machine totals the greatest number of years; in other words, trophies for many categories can be achieved. The prize giving in the museum takes place at 15.30 and deciding the winners must be a really difficult job for the organisers.

With a start time of 10.00 am, Jeremy and I start to try to get the riders at their machines early and kitted up ready for the off. We do try to get the machines into the start area in numerical sequence as it helps Jono Yardley, the commentator to provide the details of the machines and riders to the assembled crowd of spectators. Riders make friends with those near to them and when one is missing the most often comment is that they are in the toilet, old bikes and old people plus the excitement of getting underway requiring some relief. For safety, riders have to have the engine off whilst in the assembly area; having a belt drive, no clutch and perhaps limited brakes means getting away from the owner in the crowded with bikes and people could be a disaster. Of course the riders are keen to see if their machine is likely to start but we make the comment that if it is that difficult, it’s better to do one start at the start line and go than find it won’t start twice.

For some years now, the Bell family from Horncastle, Lincolnshire, who all ride historic motor cycles, dressed in matching clothing and helmets of the era show how everyone from young and old can take part. The youngest being Monty Bell aged 8 and his sister aged 11 with Monty on the back of his Grandad’s 1923 AJS Model D and his sister in the 1918 BSA Model H sidecar plus the other sons on solo machines – just brilliant.
Incidentally, to encourage more youngsters to get involved in historic motor cycles the VMCC and the parts company Draganfly have teamed up to run a “Young Rider Scheme” with a prize of free 12 month membership of the VMCC. The VMCC will announce the winners in the club magazine “Vintage & Classic Motor Cycle” each month and the first winner is of course young Monty Bell.

Once all the machines are away we can visit the large auto jumble to see what might be available to buy and to add to the collection of stuff in our sheds that we thought useful at the time?! A good time for a spot of lunch and a look around the excellent Motor Heritage Museum before the riders start to return. Apart from answering any questions people might have regarding where things are, etc, it is a good time to have a closer look at some of the machines.

The oldest machines were manufactured by Leon Bollee in France, described as ’Tandem tricycles” where the passenger sits out front with the ‘driver’ behind, both machines being built in 1897. The engine is a single cylinder horizontally incorporated into the left side rear frame that also holds the driven wheel. One has a capacity of 830cc and the other, faster machine a capacity of 1082cc with a relatively wide belt drive on the right hand side of the rear wheel. When discussing the features of her machine, Jacqueline Bickerstaff explained to me (assuming I have got this correct) that the back wheel is moved forward to allow the belt to slip and a handle to the left of the driver is turned to engage the first of three gears after applying pressure to another leather strap that rubs against the large flywheel to slow the engine down a bit. By then moving the rear wheel back it tightens the drive belt and the vehicle sets off. Steering is accomplished by rotating a horizontal wheel by the right hand side of the driver that pushes and pulls a rack that is connected to the steering arm by a long rod to turn the two front wheels. If I understood it correctly, the engine runs at a governed speed and to go faster or slow down the driver selects one of the three gears? I couldn’t see any braking method but there might have been a block on the rear wheel?
Jacqueline amusingly noted in the pamphlet listing all the details of the event that it was “One of the oldest machines from when Victoria was Queen. The combined age of machine, rider and passenger, Ros is 293 years – all three being too old to still be doing this!”

Along the line of the oldest machines I noted two other surprisingly modern but historic motor bicycles. Another passenger first device made by Excelsior called a Forecar of 670cc, built in 1904 and is possibly the only 4 horsepower water cooled Excelsior in existence. The rider, Colin Goode, from Bedlington’s first event since a full restoration and he obviously got back to Gaydon okay. What intrigued me was the radiator design being beautifully sculptured around the passenger wicker seat and incorporating fancy intakes and outlets for the airflow.
Alongside the Excelsior was another forecar from 1904, this one manufactured by Rover with a 385cc water cooled engine and a magnificently upholstered seat for the passenger. This is the world’s only surviving powered Rover Forecar. Really advanced with a chain final drive but a mass of levers to twiddle with along the top of the cross tube frame to allow it to make progress.

Of course many machines are unrestored apart from the essential requirements of tyres, brakes, and other maintenance essentials as the owners quite rightly say the machine is only original once. One such machine was a small machine made in Belgium by FN in 1911 with a shaft drive 263cc engine. I’ve seen historic pedal bicycles with shaft drive but this lovely little machine had a neat drive layout and was unrestored and therefore original.

Up in the higher location number area were some lovely “modern” machines made by the likes of Ariel, BSA, Scott (my favourite) and of course Brough Superior, etc all pre 1931 machines but looking like more modern ‘bikes. They still had quirks though of levers to twiddle and settings to make for ignition and carburettors that would make many younger riders of today either be intrigued by or just saying not for them. The Banbury Run is the largest gathering of pre-1931 motorcycles in the world, and long may it continue.

History of course doesn’t stand still and the machines of today will become historic, officially after 40 years but vintage after 25 years for the VMCC events. Each era has brought new developments in all parts of the motor cycle from tyres and brakes to various technological inventions to make engines more efficient and reliable. The future motor cycles may well be simpler and even more efficient with electric power and even these will become historic over time. Whatever era of time the rider of two wheeled powered machines wishes to ride, it is the ride that is important; or as the BMW advert goes – Make Life a Ride!

Written by John Broad

Top image authors own