17 replies to this topic

[Continental Circus]

Hello everyone,
This is my debut on this fantastic thread. I have a question (many) for the boys from the veldt.
As a 9 year old I went to my first road race at Pardon Island, which was north west of Capetown. It was held on the public roads in an industrial area and I remember seeing it from the timber yard of McCarthy Contractors. George Anderson was the star then and I wonder if Killarney was another name for this circuit.
This would have been the 1949/50 season. We also went to the hill climb at Parra. Both these events were for cars and bikes.
I hope Ihave pushed the right buttons.
This started me on a life time love of bike racing.
Roy

[fil2.8]

Hi Roy and a big welcome , it's a wee bit before my time , but good luck with your quest

[Russell Burrows]

Hello everyone,
This is my debut on this fantastic thread. I have a question (many) for the boys from the veldt.
As a 9 year old I went to my first road race at Pardon Island, which was north west of Capetown. It was held on the public roads in an industrial area and I remember seeing it from the timber yard of McCarthy Contractors. George Anderson was the star then and I wonder if Killarney was another name for this circuit.
This would have been the 1949/50 season. We also went to the hill climb at Parra. Both these events were for cars and bikes.
I hope Ihave pushed the right buttons.
This started me on a life time love of bike racing.
Roy

Hi Roy and welcome. Does your tag indicate some involvement in the sport?

[Continental Circus]

Hi Roy and welcome. Does your tag indicate some involvement in the sport?

Hi Russel
Thanks for your welcome, no I only was a watching fan.
The family came hime to' Blighty' in 1950 and my next race meeting must have been Cadwell in 1953. I vividly remember seeing Peter Ferbrache, Bernard Codd, Peter Davey, Fred Wallis, Charlie Freeman and Jackie Beeton. The smell of 'R' wow, I remember it well.
That year was the first time we went on the 'Motor Cycling' Senior TT trip by train to Liverpool. My first site on that tragic Friday was seeing Les Graham on his bucking MV coming round Kates Cottage. We were on the bank and he almost joined us, tragically minutes later he was to crash on Bray Hill.
The rest is history, every Senior TT we went on the excursion to the island until 1959 when my first bike appeared, then it was off to Mallory, Silverstone, Oulton, Brands, Thruxton and Aintree and the TT every weekend. God knows how I got my C&G for my apprenticeship.
Roy

[Russell Burrows]

Hi Russel
Thanks for your welcome, no I only was a watching fan.
The family came hime to' Blighty' in 1950 and my next race meeting must have been Cadwell in 1953. I vividly remember seeing Peter Ferbrache, Bernard Codd, Peter Davey, Fred Wallis, Charlie Freeman and Jackie Beeton. The smell of 'R' wow, I remember it well.
That year was the first time we went on the 'Motor Cycling' Senior TT trip by train to Liverpool. My first site on that tragic Friday was seeing Les Graham on his bucking MV coming round Kates Cottage. We were on the bank and he almost joined us, tragically minutes later he was to crash on Bray Hill.
The rest is history, every Senior TT we went on the excursion to the island until 1959 when my first bike appeared, then it was off to Mallory, Silverstone, Oulton, Brands, Thruxton and Aintree and the TT every weekend. God knows how I got my C&G for my apprenticeship.
Roy

Great stuff Roy, would love to hear some more of your recollections of this wonderful time in racing history. I wonder if you have any photographs ?

[ex Rhodie racer]

Welcome Roy. It was also a bit before my time, but I´m sure Hieronymus will be able to give you the correct info regarding the track. If he doesn´t know, no one does.

[Continental Circus]

Great stuff Roy, would love to hear some more of your recollections of this wonderful time in racing history. I wonder if you have any photographs ?

Thanks for all your welcomes.
I have so many questions for you. This one may make you think, I saw Hondas first win in Europe, not a WC meeting.
There have been several great eras which I witnessed, The Dustbin Era up to 1957. The Italian bikes were incredible. (and German)
The Japanese Era from 1959. The technology was mind blowing.
But these m/c had to be pedalled, this was the age of the Continental Circus with riders from the Dominions competing against all odds with then world class Britsh riders against the Italians.
I saw the Honda riders from Japan leaning the course in the IOM on the incredible Honda 50 two up. This was unheard of a moped with such power and styling and 50 years later they are still around. We missed the boat somewhere.
I so admired the chairmen, what inovators they were, the BMW's engines were built for the job. Yes I remember Florian Camathias when he broke down going to the TT. When detained by the law, they asked him what he was doing. "I am going to the TT races" and away he went. You could not think up stories like that.
I saw the demise of road raceing in the UK to its sorry position of today thanks to the ACU.
Today these kids and their families have to go to Spain to get a chance to get into GP's. Its a disgrace as they have to be sponsored by Spanish money.
I have a scanner on order so when it comes with your help I will show some of the photos.
There is a photo of Francis Beart in his hat in a shot of Mike the Bike in the 65 TT, I saw it via Google from TopFoto 1043432.
Have you got the answer yet to the first Honda win. Jim Redman on his 250. I saw him and Tom Phillis sorting out their bikes for the season abroad.
Roy

[Hieronymus]

Killarney and Paarden Eiland (Island) are not the same. The former is a purposely build racing racing, whilst the latter was used for a short period using streets of an industrial estate. A couple of years ago, I compiled something and also took photos of the roads that were used at Paarden Island. Please look here:

http://theracingline...land/index.html

Parra (sic), I presume is the Hillclimb event at Parow. This is what I wrote:

http://theracingline...limb/index.html

For Killarney I also compiled a short file:

http://theracingline...rney/index.html

Hope this help. Kind regards.

[Hieronymus]

Also look at Danie van der Merwe's period pics of Paarden Island:

http://www.flickr.co...rwe/3522869971/

and of Parow:

http://www.flickr.co...rwe/3522831153/

[Continental Circus]

Thanks for all your welcomes.
I have so many questions for you. This one may make you think, I saw Hondas first win in Europe, not a WC meeting.
There have been several great eras which I witnessed, The Dustbin Era up to 1957. The Italian bikes were incredible. (and German)
The Japanese Era from 1959. The technology was mind blowing.
But these m/c had to be pedalled, this was the age of the Continental Circus with riders from the Dominions competing against all odds with then world class Britsh riders against the Italians.
I saw the Honda riders from Japan leaning the course in the IOM on the incredible Honda 50 two up. This was unheard of a moped with such power and styling and 50 years later they are still around. We missed the boat somewhere.
I so admired the chairmen, what inovators they were, the BMW's engines were built for the job. Yes I remember Florian Camathias when he broke down going to the TT. When detained by the law, they asked him what he was doing. "I am going to the TT races" and away he went. You could not think up stories like that.
I saw the demise of road raceing in the UK to its sorry position of today thanks to the ACU.
Today these kids and their families have to go to Spain to get a chance to get into GP's. Its a disgrace as they have to be sponsored by Spanish money.
I have a scanner on order so when it comes with your help I will show some of the photos.
There is a photo of Francis Beart in his hat in a shot of Mike the Bike in the 65 TT, I saw it via Google from TopFoto 1043432.
Have you got the answer yet to the first Honda win. Jim Redman on his 250. I saw him and Tom Phillis sorting out their bikes for the season abroad.
Roy

Hi Hieronymus
Thats absolutly stunning, so I went to Paarden Eiland and Parrow.
I never thought anyone could answer my query. Yes I watched at Paarden from the top of a stack of timber looking over the factory wall. What I do remember was an Ice Cream parlour on the sea front, coming from the UK luxuries like hugh icecreams were a dream.
My father mechaniced for Ernest Gearing (mayor of Capetown) who raced a Marwin Special with a Norton engine in the back.
In my previous line I omitted to say Hondas first win was at Aintree, 1960. (I hope)
Sincere thanks,
Roy

[Hieronymus]

Most interesting!

Ernest Gearing was the son of Cape Town's mayor of the time. He had a very bad crash at the Van Riebeeck Trophy race on 4 Oct 1948. I have a newspaper article and will scan it tomorrow and will post it here. Do you perhaps have any photos from the time, since your father was involved?

[Continental Circus]

Most interesting!

Ernest Gearing was the son of Cape Town's mayor of the time. He had a very bad crash at the Van Riebeeck Trophy race on 4 Oct 1948. I have a newspaper article and will scan it tomorrow and will post it here. Do you perhaps have any photos from the time, since your father was involved?

Hello again,
Yes I remember Ernest, a real gent. Yes I have two photos of the paddock and Ernest at full chat with no helmet a Parrow. When I get up and running with the new scanner you will get them. I think they were taken by the Cape Argus.
Thanks for your interest.
Roy

[Hieronymus]

Attached the article as promised. The quality is not A1, but I am sure you'll be able to read the text.

I very much would like to see the photos of Ernest. Many thanks in advance.

[Continental Circus]

Attached the article as promised. The quality is not A1, but I am sure you'll be able to read the text.

I very much would like to see the photos of Ernest. Many thanks in advance.

Hello Hieronymus,
Your scan took me back to a time when I first became interested in the sport via Dad. Ernest was connected with Rutherfords at Adderley Street, Capetown who were agents for Wadkins woodworking M.C, thats how Dad became the mechanic for the Marwyn Special.
Yes George Anderson was the starof the bike racing then and Vic Proctor did some record breaking (possibly on a Vincent) at Vern de Pan (?)
Thanks so much for that, I will put up the photos when I am up and running with the scanner.
The racing Circuits Photographic Archive is a work of art.

[Hieronymus]

Roy

I presume you attended the race in 1948, if it was the one where the young Gearing crashed. Is this the case? If so, you attended the first real first real post-WW2 race in Cape Town. Somewhat of a historical landmark.

[Continental Circus]

Roy

I presume you attended the race in 1948, if it was the one where the young Gearing crashed. Is this the case? If so, you attended the first real first real post-WW2 race in Cape Town. Somewhat of a historical landmark.

Hi Hieronymus
You could well be right about 1948 as we were in the Cape between 1948 and early 1950. Sadly Dad is no longer with us to ask, hence all my questions.
I will not forget the photos.
Thanks,
Roy

[Hieronymus]

George Anderson and Vic Proctor were leading lights in Cape motorsport circles for many years. Both started off pre-WW2 racing. Vic later moved to car racing and competed in FLibre "specials".

Yes, Vic also tried his luck at the SA Landspeed record for bikes at Verneukpan in 1949. The same place where Campbell tried his luck in Bluebird circa 1929. Vic was the first man in SA that lapped a race circuit at an average of over 100mph. It was at the William Grey circuit near Port Elizabeth in 1951.

BTW...Vic and george were brothers-in-law. Vic later had a garage in Three Achor Bay, which until recently was ran by his son with the same name. I think Vic sr. passed away circa 1989.

[Continental Circus]

George Anderson and Vic Proctor were leading lights in Cape motorsport circles for many years. Both started off pre-WW2 racing. Vic later moved to car racing and competed in FLibre "specials".

Yes, Vic also tried his luck at the SA Landspeed record for bikes at Verneukpan in 1949. The same place where Campbell tried his luck in Bluebird circa 1929. Vic was the first man in SA that lapped a race circuit at an average of over 100mph. It was at the William Grey circuit near Port Elizabeth in 1951.

BTW...Vic and george were brothers-in-law. Vic later had a garage in Three Achor Bay, which until recently was ran by his son with the same name. I think Vic sr. passed away circa 1989.

Hi Hieronymus,
You are a mind of information, I am pleased to say.
I never thought I would learn these details from 50 years ago. Thanks.
Roy