Manton's your Marley man...
By TMX Archives on 26th Mar 08
MANTON makes it at last! Tim Manton will have good cause to remember Easter Monday, 2008. After limited success in the early days of the revived Red Marley Hill Climb, it all changed on Monday.
In the Over 350cc class he posted second place, seven hundredths of a second behind hill record-holder Piers Dowell. Then in the prestigious Allcomers' class he swept all before him to win the final from a powerful line-up which included Arthur Browning, Carl Pope and grass-tracker Leigh Owen, the 2007 Alllcomers winner. All this was achieved on Paul Evans' Cheney Jawa and a very popular win it was too.
Riding conditions were ideal for the entry of 191 at Red Marley number nine but the large crowd of spectators had to brave a cold wind and several snow flurries that seemed to scud around this part of Worcestershire.
Most of the entry seemed to be running on methanol which, in the near freezing temperature, led to fuel problems for some, though the rider with the biggest problem was Arthur Browning. A regular winner at Red Marley, big Arthur's well-known Jawa Metisse expired in practise and he spent the day sharing Nigel Bower's BSA Metisse.
Red Marley operates to a simple formula: four classes with riders attacking the 440-yard hill four at a time, the first two going through to the next round. Simple enough but the organisers have a huge logistical task managing the record entry a job they did exceedingly well for over six-hours of racing!
Traditionally, the Pre-50 Rigid class (14 entries) have first crack at the hill and, traditionally, one of the Priestley family (three of them this year) feature in the results.
This year Joe Priestley was quickest when it mattered beating the 2007 winner, Arthur Walton, into second place.
Then it's the turn of the Pre-71 up to 350cc class which included former winners Ian Bain, Mick Beech and father and son, John and Tim Dallaway. Winner last year Ian Bain and his elderley Greeves looked in winning form again this year. Despite pouring profuse amounts of smoke over Mr Starter the little Greeves, with a capacity of 330 I'm told, was too quick for the rest of the class leading to one or two adverse comments about its size and vintage, comments which were soon dispelled by the rider's readiness to strip the motor for inspection. Later, Ian showed that his Thundersley creation was well able to hold its own against 500s and 650s in the Allcomers class.
RED MARLEY HILL CLIMB
Walsgrove Farm, Great Witley, nr Stourport
(Red Marley HCC)
Pre-50 Rigid Class: 1 Joe Priestley (500 Norton) 27.44 secs, 2 Arthur Walton (500 Ariel) 28.52, 3 Roger Gagg (650 Triumph) 29.62.
Pre-71 Up to 350cc: 1 Ian Bain (350 Greeves) 21.74, 2 Matt Gardiner (350 Cheney BSA) 23.01, 3 Mick Beech (350 BSA) 24.42, 4 Peter Jones (250 AJS) 25.43.
Pre-71 Over 350cc: 1 Piers Dowell (500 Cheney BSA) 20.70, 2 Tim Manton (500 Cheney Jawa) 20.77, 3 James Newstead (650 Triumph Metisse) 21.31, 4 Richard Williams (500 Cheney BSA) 21.54.
Allcomers: 1 Tim Manton (500 Cheney Jawa) 20.63, 2 Arthur Browning (500 BSA Metisse) 20.91, 3 Carl Pope (500 Cheney BSA) 21.42, 4 Leigh Owen (500 Jawa) 21.87.
Winner of Silver Helmet (Fastest time of the day): Piers Dowell 19.97 secs.
For full report see T+MX NEWS, Friday, March 28, 2008