I've seen two different times for the start of the early morning practice that finished in 2003. 5am and 6am. What is correct, please? I'm interested in the time for 1970 (my first visit.)

I am sure it was 6am to 8am.

Officially the TT was 5am until 7am. However, I never remember practice commencing before 5.15, usually 5.20.
It was the Manx that commenced at 6am, until 7.30am.

Back in the day,
The first bikes away would have been around 5.20 am,
Sidecars around 6.30 ish,
But you would have been up at Scruts for around 4.30 am to get in the queue,,
And whilst you were waiting to go out, the girls in the tea tent, had the kettle going to keep you going,

The best part of the TT was the early morning practises,
Shame that they are gone !

You're right. I used to absolutely love morning practice. That view over Laxey when you were going round the Verandah, with the sun just rising.......unforgettable.
Mind you I felt knackered for the rest of the day!

I wonder how many marshals were in place at 6am at the Manx in the late 60s? I don't recollect seeing that many back then, but always gave Gwen a wave on duty at her cottage just after Ballaugh. On race days there were plates of cakes and a pot of tea waiting if you happened to break down in the vicinity, and a telephone so you could ring race control with your number to inform them of your retirement! No transponders, radios or mobiles back then. Colin

Thank you boys! I remember the first morning at my first visit 1970. We had no idea about the early practice. We stayed in a tent at Glen Lough close to the road and we were really scared when the first Nortons arrived before 5.30. I enclose a picture of a Swedish fan, the first timer Tommy Jansson, who's enjoying the early morning practice at the Grandstand. He met the Swedish rider Bo Granath in the island and they became friends. He followed Bo for some years as a mechanic the following years. I sure that Tommy isn't meditating!

I would have loved to have seen the early morning practices, I remember every Christmas from about 1995 I used to get the TT VHS review and it used to show some footage from those sessions however by the time I finally got around to going to the TT they were long gone.

(10-07-2018, 11:21 PM)Splashdown Wrote: You're right. I used to absolutely love morning practice. That view over Laxey when you were going round the Verandah, with the sun just rising.......unforgettable.
Mind you I felt knackered for the rest of the day!

Splashdown, you never got the chance to look out over Ramsey as you went up the Mountain Mile, It was always a pleasure to spin around in the chair, and look back that way, The view was stunning all the way to the Point of Ayre,

Well there has to SOME benefits to being a sidecar passenger round the TT course. You are one of a special breed....... those who have their brains resting between their gonads!!

'mmmm fabulous visceral Manx/TT early mornings, lucky enough to grow up living by Signpost listening to the bikes leaving the Grandstand then walking down to Signost for a spec then on the spanners sometimes going straight to morning scrutineering after repairs then racing myself .. something very uniquely atmospheric about the whole thing, just you and your crew and a few other excited like minded people chit-chatting down the paddock before the off, throwing it all down the road at the Bungalow wasn't ideal at around 6am but well looked after with biccies n tea by the marshals, fired up the crisp TZ outside Mum n Dad's house a couple of times and rode down to scrutineering with that extra insurance that was offered to cover riding to the paddock. Very happy days and memories.

(11-07-2018, 03:54 PM)Splashdown Wrote: Well there has to SOME benefits to being a sidecar passenger round the TT course. You are one of a special breed....... those who have their brains resting between their gonads!!

Thanks Nick,,
Wouldn't have changed a single thing, about racing on 2/3 wheels,

And given the chance I would do it all over again,
As the saying goes, its Brain out and Brick in time more so with the Slideys ! Lol

When Racing was fun, you could do it on a tight budget, and work out of the back of a small van,
No mega expensive motorhomes or tents,,
This is what is missing from bike racing these days !

(11-07-2018, 12:31 PM)AntG Wrote: I would have loved to have seen the early morning practices, I remember every Christmas from about 1995 I used to get the TT VHS review and it used to show some footage from those sessions however by the time I finally got around to going to the TT they were long gone.

I always flew from the night time ferry up to the grandstand to catch the end of morning practice

many loved it 
but it has to be a positive that they stopped it as a rule the tt is a sort of safer place thease days  as regards accidents 
but as we all know road races are very unforgiving when it goes wrong

(11-07-2018, 09:37 PM)BenjiesDad Wrote: Thanks Nick,,
Wouldn't have changed a single thing, about racing on 2/3 wheels,

And given the chance I would do it all over again,
As the saying goes, its Brain out and Brick in time more so with the Slideys ! Lol

When Racing was fun, you could do it on a tight budget, and work out of the back of a small van,
No mega expensive motorhomes or tents,,
This is what is missing from bike racing these days !

Defo BD .. I had a well prepared TZ 350, a SWB Transit, a good crew, a load of self belief and a load of like minded racers/mates to compete with  ... went to a club meeting recently at Cadwell with friends for a social view - on arrival I thought it must be a BSB round or test day that i'd not noticed, big 30k motorhomes everywhere and for a fortune in entries you only get 2 races a day.