Hi,

I read with interest the current thread about New Imperials, and thought that perhaps you may be interested in the following story.

When I was a "young" apprentice working in the experemental/development/& competitions department at BSA during the early 1960's my forman was a elderley "gentleman" named Sam Jones. Sam often used to tell me of his racing experiences and one day told me that he used to race New Imperials as a factory rider in the isle of man TT. He told me that he applied for, and was appointed a "factory" rider after answering a advertisment for the job from a Birmingham newspaper !. He added that New Imperial gave him some money so he could purchase his racing clothing that was a pair of military trousers, a white polo neck jumper and a pair of boots, these were purchased from a army and Navy store called Oswald Bailey in Birmingham. I can remember a photograph that Sam showed me, It showed him opening a gate somewhere on the TT course during his race, he had a spare tyre over his shoulder and tucked under his arm fastened by a belt around his waist !.

I contacted Bill Snelling to see if he had any photo's of Sam racing in the TT, Bill confirmed that Sam Raced in the TT between 1923/29 on a mixture of New Imperial and Levis machines, and he is searching his archives for photographs.

Pat.