Though the firm missed out on success in the inaugural 1907 Isle of Man TT, it took top honours in the 1908 event, courtesy of the man and mount pictured here.
Words: SIMON ROBINSON
In this wonderful photograph, we see works rider Jack Marshall astride his Triumph 3½hp single in racing trim. The 1908 running was the second year of the Isle of Man TT, on a course which was just shy of 16 miles per lap and which ran on a triangular-shaped track from the start in St John’s, west to the coast at Peel then north to Kirk Michael, before returning to St John’s. Towards the end of the circuit, riders faced the additional challenge of Creg Willey’s Hill, which is about 400 feet higher than the start point, itself 400 feet above sea level.
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The race was run later in the year than expected, due to confusion over the event’s future, largely based on whether the car version was to run again in 1908. Once decided, a (steep) flat fee of £5-5s per motorcycle entrant proved unpopular among the privateer riders, but prize money raised by means of donations from manufacturers, sponsors and private donors eventually calmed the waters. More popular was the banning of pedal assistance for this second event.
For 1908, classes were split into single-cylinder machines, twin-cylinder machines and ‘multis’, with the winner of each class receiving a prize of £25, second £15 and third £10; the latter two prizes being dependent upon a minimum number of starters in their class. It was also noted that, “Additional prizes of £5 will be awarded to the private owner in each class, provided he is not amongst the first three, and that his performance is sufficiently meritorious” – presumably to pacify the disquiet which had risen from the entry fee. Thirty-seven machines had been entered by the September 1, 1908, cut-off date, consisting of 20 twins, 15 singles and two multis, both being Belgian FN fours, ready for the race, scheduled for Tuesday, September 22.
Practice was in the week leading up to race day and during this time, it was difficult to get any real sense of who was doing best, as the correspondents reported that almost all riders were making multiple stops to repair, reattach bits or refine their machines. As it was, reigning ‘champion’ Charlie Collier was noted as fastest of all, with a lap time of 22m aboard his single-cylinder 4hp Matchless-JAP.
Race day itself dawned misty and overcast. All but one rider was expected to start – the unfortunate E Varney had suffered a pre-TT visit accident, so his 7hp Crownfield was a non-starter. Riders were each given two sealed cans of fuel so as to ensure that they didn’t exceed their allocated amount. For, as well as a speed test, the TT (it was a ‘Tourist Trophy’ after all) entrants also needed to prove their machines economical enough to show they weren’t using any ‘monstrously’ big carburettors. Single-cylinder machines had to average over 100mpg (up from 90mpg in 1907), with twins and multis requiring a return of 80mpg (75mpg the year before). And so, at the start of the race each competitor was given two petrol cans of specific colours to match the volume of fuel inside, which proved they were only putting in their official allocation. Triumph had brought three ‘works’ bikes with them, ridden by Marshall, Newsome and Slaughter. As well as the works machines, four other single-cylinder Triumphs were privately entered, including one being ridden by Gordon Gibson, who is the other man in our picture.
Huge crowds had arrived on the Island via the Steam Packet company’s ships, most paying their 5s-6d fee for steerage class return tickets, and The Motor Cycle scribes noted the crowds were much larger than at the 1907 event. The race itself was flagged off to start at 10.17am from opposite the telegraph station in St John’s, with riders setting off at two-minute intervals, led by the last year’s winners Charlie Collier (Matchless) and Rem Fowler (Norton). In the early stages of the race, our man Marshall had taken the lead with a first lap time of 22m 54s (averaging 41.4mph) from privateer Bashall riding a twin-cylinder 6hp Bat-JAP (he’d originally entered on a Triumph but switched to a Bat) and C E Bennett on another twin; a 5hp Vindec Special. Collier took the lead at half-race distance and held it for several laps until Marshall reeled him back in on lap seven and retook the lead on lap eight. Marshall held the lead until the end of lap 10 to take victory for Triumph from Collier by more than two minutes.
Interestingly, it was noted that at the race’s end Marshall still had 38oz of fuel remaining in the tank. Period reports said he could’ve really gone faster if he still had that much fuel in hand. The twins seemed to struggle with the fuel allowance, with several running out. Our other man, Gordon, finished last overall, so presumably endured serious problems on his privateer Triumph. In the single-cylinder class, six of the top 10 were Triumphs while no serious accidents occurred and everyone agreed it had been a very agreeable event and perhaps had a future…
