1930 Isle of Man TT
Encyclopedia
The 1930 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
was dominated by the Rudge marque. Despite problems in practice for Rudge and the new George Hicks designed four-valve over-head valve motor-cycles the 1930 Junior TT
was a closely contested race. At the end of the first lap, Charlie Dodson riding for Sunbeam led the Rudge of H. G. Tyrell Smith
by only 4 seconds. On lap 2, a dead-heat was posted between Dodson and Tyrell Smith both completing the Snaefell mountain course
in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds. At Kirk Michael on lap 3, Charlie Dodson retires with valve problems, leaving Tyrell Smith to win the 7 lap race at an average speed of 71.08 mi/h from Rudge team-mates Ernie Nott and Graham Walker.
The 1930 Lightweight TT
was initially led by the South African rider Joe Sarkis riding an OK-Supreme
motor-cycle and on lap 1 set a time of 33 minutes and 55 seconds to lead Wal Handley riding for Rex-Acme
motor-cycles by 39 seconds. At Union Mills on lap 2, Joe Sarkis stops to make adjustments and Wal Handley retires with oil-tank problems at Braddan Bridge. This hands the lead to Jimmie Guthrie
riding an AJS
motor-cycle and leads Joe Sarkis by 21 seconds on lap 3. At the East Mountain Gate on lap 4, Joe Sarkis stops a second time and retires and the 1930 Lightweight TT Race provided a first-time win for Jimmie Guthrie riding an AJS motor-cycle in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 56 seconds at average race speed of 64.71 mi/h.
The 1930 Senior TT
Race was again a closely contested race between Rudge and the other manufacturers and also Wal Handley and Tyrell Smith. This time on the first lap Wal Handley led Tyrell Smith also riding for the Rudge marque by 39 seconds. Despite the poor weather conditions and heavy rain in the last two laps, the 1930 Senior TT Race was again won by Rudge motor-cycles with Wal Handley becoming the first TT rider to win in all three major TT Race classes at an average race speed of 74.24 mi/h and having to hold top-gear in place with his toe. Also, Wal Handley set a new overall lap record of 29 minutes and 41 seconds an average speed of 76.28 mi/h, the first lap under 30 minutes of the Snaefell mountain course
.
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
was dominated by the Rudge marque. Despite problems in practice for Rudge and the new George Hicks designed four-valve over-head valve motor-cycles the 1930 Junior TT
Junior TT
The Junior TT is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June...
was a closely contested race. At the end of the first lap, Charlie Dodson riding for Sunbeam led the Rudge of H. G. Tyrell Smith
H. G. Tyrell Smith
Henry George Tyrell-Smith was an Irish motorcycle road racer. He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a BSc degree. He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939, and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix...
by only 4 seconds. On lap 2, a dead-heat was posted between Dodson and Tyrell Smith both completing the Snaefell mountain course
Snaefell mountain course
Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...
in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds. At Kirk Michael on lap 3, Charlie Dodson retires with valve problems, leaving Tyrell Smith to win the 7 lap race at an average speed of 71.08 mi/h from Rudge team-mates Ernie Nott and Graham Walker.
The 1930 Lightweight TT
Lightweight TT
The Lightweight TT was a motorcycle road race that was part of the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual motor-cycle event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1949 and 1976, the Lightweight TT Race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event was dropped from the 2005...
was initially led by the South African rider Joe Sarkis riding an OK-Supreme
OK-Supreme
OK-Supreme was a British motorcycle manufacturer from 1899 to 1939 located in Birmingham. Grass-track racing versions of the machines continued to be available until 1946.-History:...
motor-cycle and on lap 1 set a time of 33 minutes and 55 seconds to lead Wal Handley riding for Rex-Acme
Rex-Acme
Rex was a motorcycle company which began in Birmingham, England in 1900. Rex soon merged with a Coventry bicycle maker named Allard and then later in 1922 the company merged with Coventry's 'Acme' motorcycle company forming 'Rex Acme'...
motor-cycles by 39 seconds. At Union Mills on lap 2, Joe Sarkis stops to make adjustments and Wal Handley retires with oil-tank problems at Braddan Bridge. This hands the lead to Jimmie Guthrie
Jimmie Guthrie
Andrew James "Jimmie" Guthrie was a Scottish motorcycle racer famous for 19 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 victories in the North West 200 and 6 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career.-Biography:...
riding an AJS
AJS
AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on...
motor-cycle and leads Joe Sarkis by 21 seconds on lap 3. At the East Mountain Gate on lap 4, Joe Sarkis stops a second time and retires and the 1930 Lightweight TT Race provided a first-time win for Jimmie Guthrie riding an AJS motor-cycle in 4 hours, 4 minutes and 56 seconds at average race speed of 64.71 mi/h.
The 1930 Senior TT
Senior TT
The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. The Senior TT is the Blue Riband event of the festival and takes place on the Friday of race week. The Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars...
Race was again a closely contested race between Rudge and the other manufacturers and also Wal Handley and Tyrell Smith. This time on the first lap Wal Handley led Tyrell Smith also riding for the Rudge marque by 39 seconds. Despite the poor weather conditions and heavy rain in the last two laps, the 1930 Senior TT Race was again won by Rudge motor-cycles with Wal Handley becoming the first TT rider to win in all three major TT Race classes at an average race speed of 74.24 mi/h and having to hold top-gear in place with his toe. Also, Wal Handley set a new overall lap record of 29 minutes and 41 seconds an average speed of 76.28 mi/h, the first lap under 30 minutes of the Snaefell mountain course
Snaefell mountain course
Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...
.
Senior TT (500cc)
20 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Wal L. Handley |
Rudge | 74.24 mi/h | 3.33.30.0 |
| 2 | Graham Walker |
Rudge | 73.1 | 3.36.49.0 |
| 3 | Jimmie Simpson |
Norton Norton (motorcycle) Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range... |
73.7 | 3.38.01.0 |
| 4 | Charlie Dodson |
Sunbeam Sunbeam (motorcycle) Sunbeam was a British manufacturing marque that produced bicycles and motorcycles from 1912 to 1956. Originally independent, it was ultimately owned by BSA... |
71.99 | 3.40.11.0 |
| 5 | Tom Frederick |
Sunbeam | 71.43 | 3.41.53.0 |
| 6 |  H. G. Tyrell SmithH. G. Tyrell Smith Henry George Tyrell-Smith was an Irish motorcycle road racer. He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a BSc degree. He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939, and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix... |
Rudge | 71.11 | 3.42.54.0 |
| 7 | Ernie Nott |
Rudge | 70.85 | 3.43.42.0 |
| 8 | Vic Brittain |
Sunbeam | 68.7 | 3.50.43.0 |
| 9 |  J G Lind |
AJS AJS AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on... |
67.56 | 3.54.36.0 |
| 10 | J G Duncan |
Raleigh Raleigh Bicycle Company The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history... |
66.21 | 3.59.23.0 |
Junior TT (350cc)
16 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H. G. Tyrell Smith H. G. Tyrell Smith Henry George Tyrell-Smith was an Irish motorcycle road racer. He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a BSc degree. He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939, and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix... |
Rudge | 71.08 mi/h | 3.43.00.0 |
| 2 | Ernie Nott |
Rudge | 70.89 | 3.43.35.0 |
| 3 | Graham Walker |
Rudge | 70.77 | 3.43.58.0 |
| 4 | D Hall |
Velocette Velocette Velocette is the name given to motorcycles that were made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. One of several motorcycle manufacturers in Birmingham, Velocette was a small, family-owned firm, selling far fewer hand-built motorcycles than the giant BSA, Norton or Triumph concerns... |
70.44 | 3.45.00.0 |
| 5 | C J Williams |
Raleigh | 69.82 | 3.47.01.0 |
| 6 | Stanley Woods Stanley Woods Stanley Woods Dublin, an Irish motorcycle racer famous for 29 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and winning the Isle of Man TT races 10 times in his career. He was a past pupil of The High School, Dublin. Stanley started racing in 1921 on a Harley Davidson... |
Norton | 69.69 | 3.47.26.0 |
| 7 | A G Mitchell |
Velocette | 67.9 | 3.53.25.0 |
| 8 | George Himing |
AJS | 67.73 | 3.54.01.0 |
| 9 | Percy Hunt |
Norton | 67.24 | 3.55.43.0 |
| 10 | Leo Davenport |
AJS | 67.01 | 3.56.32.0 |
Lightweight TT (250cc)
18 June 1930 – 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course.| Rank | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jimmie GuthrieJimmie Guthrie Andrew James "Jimmie" Guthrie was a Scottish motorcycle racer famous for 19 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and 3 victories in the North West 200 and 6 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career.-Biography:... |
AJS | 64.71 mi/h | 4.04.56.0 |
| 2 | C. W. Johnston |
OK-Supreme OK-Supreme OK-Supreme was a British motorcycle manufacturer from 1899 to 1939 located in Birmingham. Grass-track racing versions of the machines continued to be available until 1946.-History:... |
64.07 | 4.07.22.0 |
| 3 | C S Barrow |
OK-Supreme | 63.54 | 4.09.27.0 |
| 4 | Sid Gleave |
SGS | 63.39 | 4.10.02.0 |
| 5 | J G Lind |
AJS | 63.24 | 4.10.46.0 |
| 6 | E A (Ted) Mellors Edward Ambrose Mellors Edward Ambrose Mellors , born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, was an international motorcycle road racer who rode in the Manx Grand Prix in 1927 and the Isle of Man TT from 1928 to 1939... |
New Imperial New Imperial Motors Ltd New Imperial was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by Norman Downes in Birmingham, between 1887 and 1901, and became New Imperial Motors Ltd in 1912, when serious production commenced. New Imperial made innovative motorcycles that employed unit construction and sprung heel frames long... |
62.6 | 4.11.59.0 |
| 7 | Edwin Twemlow |
Cotton Cotton (motorcycle) The Cotton Motorcycle Company, was a British motorcycle manufacturer of 11a Bristol Road, Gloucester, and was founded by Frank Willoughby Cotton in 1918. F.W. presided over the company until his retirement in 1953. The company was reconstituted as E. Cotton Ltd, and traded till 1980.-The... |
62.26 | 4.14.35.0 |
| 8 | Chris Tattersall |
SGS | 61.17 | 4.19.06.0 |
| 9 | C E Needham |
Rex-Acme | 60.91 | 4.20.14.0 |
| 10 | Vic C Anstice |
Excelsior | 60.1 | 4.21.56. |