More on the Model 25 Norton - the original survivors

-SG- How many Model 25s were produced? More than one might think - about 160, covering the period end 1926 to late 1927.

Above are a couple of indifferent shots of a bare frame taken some thirty years back, the number of which I have been unable to find in the records. None the less it appears to be genuine - note oil tank mounting lugs and full wrap round magneto support bracket on front down tube.

I have few photos of un-restored examples: one of them appeared on these pages already which has a 'no-kick-start' LS gearbox, oil pump pedal, and supplementary tank for chain lubrication. And here above is another, shipped out in mid 1927. Note the CS gearbox, no oil pump pedal, and, unusually, although an original fitment, the Binks Two Jet Carburettor. Both have the large oil tanks, heavy weight Webb forks and 8" Enfield front hubs. Also evident - the wider tank with mountings for Dance knee grips.

Photos of any other original survivors would be more than welcome!

1927 Model 25 Norton

-SG- The 1927 Model 25 probably represents the pinnacle of desire for anyone with a fancy for Vintage OHV Nortons and here above is a catalogue illustration which owes some of its clarity to skilful retouching.

While marketed as a replica of the 1926 TT bikes, it actually fell somewhat short of the original TT specification.  It did have dry sump lubrication but mainshafts had reverted to the standard 22mm diameter (from 1") and while this may not seem a matter of much importance, bear in mind that the cross sectional area went down by 25% as a result!  Steel flywheels - as the TT bikes - were retained.  Standard cams seem to have been fitted to many of the Model 25s sold (rather than the longer dwell IT cams) while standard CS type gearboxes were also used extensively. Pannier tanks were fitted to a few machines but mainly the larger sized flat tank - with Dance knee grips and big filler cap -  was fitted along with a larger than usual oil tank.  Forks (heavy duty TT Webbs) and front wheel (8" Enfield) were  as the TT machines while the rear wheel was standard in most cases - ie with plain, not finned, brake drum.  And although the supplementary oil pump pedal (part 1115, below, from the 1925 parts list) appears in the illustration, this, too, appears not to have been fitted to all of the production versions.

Not that many Model 25s have survived in UK and there are also a few replicas in existance....a timing side crankcase half from the dry sump Model 21 makes a good starting point in the absence of the real thing! (More pics of Tony's M25 via this link)

Piet van Wijngaarden at the 1928 Assen TT

JdK- Piet van Wijngaarden, Dutch champion at the 1928 Assen TT on his CS1 Norton. The photo shows the shape of the handlebars, the very long handlebar rubbers, the narrow mudguard and an awful front tyre! He seems to have wrecked his windscreen. The chap on the right is the Dutch winner in the 350cc class, Beverdam, on a Royal Enfield.

Stanley, winner of the 1932 junior TT

Stanley on his 1932 Model 40 after winning the Junior TT. Joe Craig is on his right. Wal Handley, who finished second on a Rudge is on the left.

Stanley at the Scott Trial in 1926

According to the original caption to the photo above this is Stanley in a scramble at Harrogate in 1926. It may not be a scramble however as scrambles in the twenties did not involve much water - but more likely the Scott Trial in which he competed for the first time in 1926 on his free issue Model 18. Because of the big splash one cannot see much of the bike but here's a shot taken at the Scott Trial provided by the later Peter Roydhouse (below). Note the 8 inch front brake and the Birmingham registration number. He apparently had various mishaps in the event and finished the course without a silencer. Peter was fairly sure he had identified this particular bike from the records.

The lower photo shows probably a Model 44 - again a Birmingham registration number OP747 and perhaps a works owned bike. Like the Pike machine recently featured, it seems to have an 8 inch front brake too.

1929 Model CS1 at the Assen TT

A photo taken at the TT races in Assen in 1929, depicting three Dutch participants: Creemers on a Norton, de Kleyn on Sarolea and Broers on a New Hudson. Creemers' Norton may be a Moore-engined CS1 or perhaps an ES2. It doesn't look like a racer with the primary chain cover with an extension for the dynamo chain.

Norton's early dry sump lubrication

(to copy: position pointer over picture; click right-mouse button and select 'open in new screen' or similar)


-SG- Owners of Model 21 or Model 25 machines may have been frustrated by the small note in the 1926/1927 Parts List which refers to a separate leaflet covering parts for the dry sump engines - and the fact that this particular piece of Norton literature seems to be pretty rare.  Now thanks to Reece in New Zealand we can provide a copy.

Jimmy Guthrie, 1933 Model 40 Norton

-JdK-A fantastic photo of Jimmy Guthrie push-starting his Norton at the 1933 Junior Isle of Man TT races; Guthrie came 3rd. There are another Norton and a Velocette in the background (pic sent by Howard).

The other 1927 TT Norton

-SG- As I have mentioned before, there were other motor cycle related periodicals in the twenties which few, if any, of the Norton historians seem to have looked at in their 'MotorCycle/Motor Cycling' - centred researches. One of them was the weekly trade magazine 'The Motor Cycle and Cycle Trader' and here's a page from it, from June 10th 1927. The Norton pictured is one of the few OHV machines (not yet called ES2!) which were run by Nortons in the Senior alongside the show-stealing CS1. Ignoring the obvious possibilities of number plate or engine switching, this particular bike seems to be the one ridden by Australian Len Stewart. Stewart was highly successful 'on the dirt' in his native country but unfortunately, he fell off on the first lap of the race. Some Australian commentators think Stewart was given a CS1 to ride by the works, and as he had an early race number, became unwittingly the first rider of an OHC Norton to compete in the TT. Unfortunately, the post race reports don't support this view but any new input one way or the other will be more than welcome.

Stanley's 1929 CS1 Norton OF166 again

-JdK- This 1929 CS1 OF166 featured on these pages before but this is a much better photo. The pic was sent by Paul d'Orleans; it comes from one of Stanley's personal photo albums.

Interesting pic; it confirms this particular CS1 had a 7" Horton front brake and what looks to me like a matching rear wheel; the spokes are fitted to the drum, not the hub. The oiltank is much larger than standard.

-SG- This photo surely shows the right hand angled inlet port - perhaps as the 'Gardner' engine head though not really possible to do a fin count to see if it has the 'raised ports' or not.  And Stanley's smile - is that a missing tooth - lost in his prang in the '29 TT?  If so, it helps to date the photo a bit.

The scan below (From MotorCycling, June 6, 1928) is not really relevant except to show the brake arm set up on the works bikes was different to the production version. It further shows the larger oiltank used on these machines.

Stanley Woods, 1931, Model 40 Norton

Another 1931 Model 40 fore-runner, note the damper knobs on the front forks. Stanley Woods, winner of the 350cc class at the 1931 Dutch TT races.

1928 Model JE Norton

-SG- I sent in a photo back in June of a JE in seemingly racing trim with registration number OX4843. And here it is again - in Motor  Cycling for May 9th. 1928.  Note the dry-sump crankcases. Unlike the ES2 during the Vintage era, I do not think any dry-sump JEs were sold to the general public and I have not heard of even the remains of one of these works engines. A friend of mine who saw the previous photograph commented that the speedo was fitted so that the rider could see how really slowly he was progressing along the highway......

Tim Hunt, 1931, Model CS1 Norton

From "Continental Circus and other Races between the Wars" by Ted Mellors, published in 1949. The photo shows Tim Hunt, winner of the "French". Further, French agent Psalty on the left and Joe Craig on the right. The Norton is a CS1. Note that Tim has the twistgrip fitted to the left-hand side of the machine. Further note the typical Norton girder forks (with a damper knob on each side of the lower spindle) fitted to 1931 Works TT machines. (Contributed by Alf).

-SG- Arthur Tyler was a works rider for Raleigh and Vincent during the early thirties and this photo comes from his personal album - courtesy of his son Stuart Tyler and Paul Ingham. Note that it's almost the same as the photo above ... Another camera or a second later ?

Tim Hunt's 1931 Model 40 Norton

From: "The Motorcycle", November 25, 1931

-SG- Hereby a Road Test of Hunt's '31 TT winner.  It's got a good sideways view of the bike itself - note down-draught angle on the carburetter. Perhaps we should call it a Model 40 fore-runner; the Model 40 was certainly pretty similar but of course did not arrive until the Autumn of 1931.

Stanley Woods - Forgotten hero

Mildred and Stanley in 1933

-JdK- "Stanley Woods - Forgotten hero" is the title of a documentary made by Waldovision (2008, for RTE) which I can truly recommend. The film is based on interviews with Stanley's niece, Charmaine Walker and Mick Woolett, Murray Walker and others. It contains many shots form the Woods' private film- and photo collection, some of them reproduced on these pages. In 51 minutes the story takes us from the start of Stanley's motorcycling days to him passing away at the age of 90. Stanley was passionate about his bikes. When asked by an army officer about his religion he answered: "Motorcycles". Assuming Stanley misunderstood he repeated the question. "Motorcycles", Stanley answered again. One cannot help but feel great sympathy for the man.

Stanley advertising his toffee business

Guthrie, Simpson, Hunt and Woods in the early 1930s

Hunt, Woods and Simpson

Woods in 1933

Jimmy Guthrie; Woods' true friend

Walter Moore / Best and Lloyd oilpumps

-SG- I have recently had discussions with Roger concerning the accuracy or otherwise of Moore's reminiscences, as related in Titch Allen's Norton Story. One of the points discussed related to the use of Best and Lloyd oil pumps and to my mind, Moore rather suggested that he was responsible for their introduction. I have, for many years, been under the impression that Nortons began using such pumps before Moore joined the firm in early 1924. This view has been partly based on the quite well known photo of Graham Walker at the end of the 1923 TT where a Best and Lloyd pump is clearly visible on his machine, driven from the exhaust cam spindle. Roger put forward the reasonable idea that as Walker was in fact a private entrant in the '23 event, he might have also had the pump fitted himself....

A brief look at the relevant post TT edition of the Motor Cycle, however, shows that Black, the second finisher, also used a Best and Lloyd mechanical pump. Like Walker, he also used Webb forks BUT was considered a Norton team member and not a private entrant. Indeed, Nortons won the Team Prize that year. Above is a scan I have unearthed from my files of a racing Model 18 which has written on the back: '1923 Works Norton - probably publicity print.' I can't vouch 100% for the accuracy of this caption but the Best and Lloyd oil pump is certainly visible......... Has anyone any other prints or input concerning the '23 Works bikes, which might help to clarify the matter once and for all?

Stanley's favourite CS1

-JdK- This must be Stanley on his favourite KS3900 CS1 Norton again. The pics come from a book "Stanley Woods - a short biography", by W.F. McCleery". I cannot recommend the book but it contains a few photos worth reproducing. These photos were taken at a sand racing event at Portmarnock Strand, Dublin in 1931. The rider with number 20 is T.G. Byrne. Stanley's sidecar passenger is a mr Jim Cummins. The significance of these pics is that they confirm Stanley was still using his Moore-engined CS1 (number 22) in competition events in 1931; mr Byrne's Norton looks like a Carroll-CS1 to me.

1936 Dutch TT winners

From "50 jaar TT. H. Harmsze"

-JdK- The 350cc- and 500cc class of the 1936 Dutch TT were won by John White (top pic) and Jimmy Guthrie (bottom pic). Joe Craig refuels Guthrie's machine while Guthrie refils the oiltank.