The Place

I have a photo of a bike burnt out, looks like a Windle, which I'm told is from 1985 on the mountain.
What I want to know is whose bike was it, is that a long shot?

I have a contact who wants to use the image in an article but is holding back using it in case it was a fatal accident, if you think you know of it I can mail a link to the pic to you.

Can anyone think back to 1985? Or know where to find out?

I think your ok, the only recorded fatality for sidecars in 1985, was Sven and Matts Eriksson on a 750 Yamaha,during practice at Alpine cottage

Sad as it may seem, Wikipedia has all the fatalities on the mountain course from TT,Manx, competitors ,officials and spectators!

Thanks Bruce (and Ronno). I think Alpine is a lot wider than this and doesn't have painted lines at the sides..

I can remember a picture of someones Windle on fire in the MCN. As far as I can remember it wasnt an accident , just a davastating fire which totaly destroyed the outfit. If you threw a rod on TZ 700 ( 2 x 350 barrels, not the origional reed valve TZ700 ) with the carbs only a few thou away from the cases you could rod them as well. The bike belonged to a front runner at the time but I cant remember who.

oldbelly wrote:I can remember a picture of someones Windle on fire in the MCN. As far as I can remember it wasnt an accident , just a davastating fire which totaly destroyed the outfit. If you threw a rod on TZ 700 ( 2 x 350 barrels, not the origional reed valve TZ700 ) with the carbs only a few thou away from the cases you could rod them as well. The bike belonged to a front runner at the time but I cant remember who.

A few years after, (probably about 1988 or so-EDIT- I now agree it was earlier, mid 1980's-); didn't Geoff Rushbrook have a fire on the Mountain ?

I also remember Lenny Pallister having a fire in practice at the 1992 S100 which was as described by Geoff (Bell) above (Lenny was on a TZ700). They got the bike back to the Pit Lane where it was extinguished, thankfully without injury.

I'm sure I was at the 26th in 1985 and would have said Geoff Rushbrook but now that Tim reckons '88, I'm not too sure! Seem to remember the ( or a) photo was in MCN or MCW.

I'm pretty sure Geoff Rushbrook's outfit caught fire in 1984 - it was definitely up on the Mountain.

Wasn't sure on the year, I think you're both right, 1988 is too late.

Bill Snelling says the pic is definitely 1985.

I remember Geoff Rushbrook on fire, around Guthries I'd have said. From memory, I'd have said 86 ish

I think the machine belonged to Bran Bardsley, and Geoff Rushbrook was the rider. Geoff Bell is right, you always ended up in flames after throwing a rod on a TZ 700, in fact the carburettors were so close to the crankcase, number 3 carb had to be fitted at a slight angle to get it on. Well worth the risk using a 700 though, they were the most exhilarating and exciting sidecar engine to date, also a tad expensive when things went wrong !

Lets see it then!!

Sadly it was the end of a very long bad week for us that year ( Geoff Rushbrook & Geoff Leitch ) & the bike was Geoffs own Ireson . Those of you in the know are correct re the rod out the back Lectron perspex flot bowl smashed & away she went . We deliberately rolled to na marshalling point to get an extinguisher but IT DIDN'T WORK , ran back to the Gooseneck for another but IT DIDN'T WORK , helicopter arrived having taken off from the bungalow with an extinguisher but IT DIDN'T WORK . All too late by then as the bottom fell out of the tank & engulfed the road in flames wnich happened just as , I believe it was Mick Boddice & Charlie Birks were going past it .
I could now go on about the ACU not being able to organise a wotsit in a wotsit but suffice to say Vernon Cooper the top Honcho at that time would not even look us in the eye never mind talk to us in any shape or form .
Again the Bran Bardsley connection is almost right as it was Bran who came to our rescue & gave us free use of his own brand new Ireson for the next 6 or 7 years . One of the sports true gentlemen .
As for the picture we would have no issue with anyone using it for genuine purposes but it may be the one that was on the front of that weeks MCN so be warned .

Bill Snelling that is asking took the photo himself, he was saying it's part of his collection that he's going through cataloguing. He has HUNDREDS of films to go through, so we should have a really interesting resource there. He has said that if we need any pics just give him a shout.

Thank you for filling in the details, this place and the people here never fail to amaze me
We would hope that the fire extinguishers would be more reliable now, that is just terrible.