We were watching at the end of the Sulby Straight in 1963, when Geoff Duke had brought back the Gileras in the hands of Phil Read and John Hartle to try to beat Mike Hailwood on the MV

We remember the 350 race and we believe it was Edgar Lavington on a Velocette NOT hanging about and head down, wrestling his machine, throttle wide open, when Hailwood overtook him followed fairly quickly by John Hartle. Well, Edgar sat up like he had been shot and ALMOST got off and walked !!

In the haze of time I still believe that this was fact but can anyone put us right as to the Velocette rider ?

My colleague Roger Burn who was one of my group that year, leapt over what appeared to be the low wall at Sulby Bridge to find that the wall was very much higher from ground zero on the other side and caused himself a bit of damage in the ankles area. A painful visit to Nobles saw him put in plaster and he stumbled around for the rest of the TT on crutches. However, he was taken for a "TT RIDER" by a number of people and actually was asked for his autograph !!