Hello,
Well a photo has finally come to light of the No. 51 New Imperial machine on which Ron Harris won the first Lightweight Trophy at the 1933 MGP. It is definitely a Works or ex-Works machine and so is not the Grand Prix machine of my fathers. I believe this photo is to be shortly published in the New Imperial Owners Association magazine.

Investigations into the other 250 New Imperial in that race which was the No. 7 machine ridden by Bob Foster, causes a bit of a mystery. Bill Snelling has kindly added a photo of this machine to this topic, however it is not detailed enough to see whether it is a Works or production Model 50 ‘Grand Prix’ machine.

Bob Foster in the book, “Pastmasters of Speed”, talks about his early involvement with New Imperial and this is where the confusion arises.

Bob Foster says:


He was an honorary mechanic for someone riding a 350 New Imperial in the 1932 Manx of which there were only four riders: J. H. Carr, T. A. Hampton, Ron Harris and K.J. Whistance. There was only one 250 in the 1932 race and it was not a New Imperial (according to G.S Davison’s book on the Manx). Anyone have any knowledge as to who Bob Foster was honorary mechanic??

Bob says he later became the owner of that “350cc Grand Prix bike” and as the first Model 50 Grand Prix production bike was not dispatched until 28 August 1933, the term used by Bob Foster must have been a generic term to describe a bike that had been used in the Grand Prix. Bob says he entered, I am assuming it was, the 1933 Manx on this machine and says New Imperial lent him a crate of special bits for this 1933 entry. He describes hitting the wall and falling off in practice, and then in the race as running off the road and bending the wheel and so retiring.

However from G.S. Davison’s book it appears Bob Foster raced a 250 in that race not a 350, so was it the same machine he practiced on? Did he obtain a replacement machine after his mishap in practice or was he always entered on a 250cc in this 1933 Manx? Could it have been the 350 machine sleeved down?

Can anyone shed any light on this mystery or as to whose 1932 bike he obtained?

Also is there any info of Bob Foster at the Donington race of the 1933 National Rally?


Peter